2017-2018 Avatar: Keelee Pullum

Hi everyone! My name is Keelee Pullum, and I am a senior from Bowling Green. I previously attended Warren Central High School, where I played basketball and was involved in several other academic activities. I found out about The Gatton Academy when it was first starting and toured for the first time in seventh grade. At the time, I had very little interest in STEM. It wouldn’t be until my first chemistry class freshman year that I knew Gatton was exactly what I needed.

By far, the best part of Gatton has been the research opportunities. My experiences at Gatton have cultivated a passion for neuroscience. I want to solve problems that others see as unsolvable. Last semester and over the summer, I was involved in research on the effect of sleep fragmentation on a type of non-neuronal cell found in the central nervous system. I was also presented with the opportunity to travel to Alaska for research on arctic songbirds, which was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I plan to continue on the same research path senior year.

Junior year was filled with a lot of adjustment and acclimation, but I got to grow and change alongside 100 other students who were facing some of the same obstacles that I was. I can’t wait to tackle this next year, and I’m hopeful that the new juniors will come to know Gatton as home in the same way that I have.