Meghan Smith, Triathlete and Heath Sciences Major

Meghan Smith is a junior at Drexel University in the Health Sciences program, she is a four-year student with one co-op. Meghan is currently on her spring/summer co-op. For her co-op, Meghan is working in the Drexel Nutrition Labs on the Center City campus. She works with Dr. Volpe, a professor here at Drexel, graduate students and few other undergrads in an athlete study. The study consists of two sessions, one in which the participants metabolic rate is tested and are DXA scanned. A DXA scan is a special type of X-Ray that measures density and body composition. In the second session, the participant does a treadmill test, where their V02 max is tested. An individuals V02 max is their maximal rate of oxygen consumption. Meg absolutely loves working in the lab. She is in charge of scheduling participants and is currently learning how to enter participant’s data so it can be used for research. She hopes to publish a research article by the end of her co-op. She is really interested in differences in V02 max and how it relates to how long people stay on the treadmill when they are doing the treadmill test.

Meghan is also a dedicated triathlete. Currently, she is coming off an injury but she is slowly getting back into it. In her peak training times, Meghan works out up to three times a day. She loves alternating between swimming, biking and running, but she loves swimming the most, “I just love how it clears my mind,” Meghan said.

On a typical day, Meghan wakes up around 6 AM to get the lab and start warming up the equipment. Most days the there are sessions at 7 AM when the participant can come. However, currently some equipment is broken so Meghan has had a well-deserved chance to sleep in a little. Two days a week Meghan teaches swimming lessons in South Philly. She really loves this because it not only gives her a chance to make a little extra money but allows her to teach others something that she loves to do. Meghan usually gets in bed relatively early after a day in the lab. “I feel like a Grandma inside a 21 year-old’s body”, she said. However, sleep is key for Meghan to get back to training and to get up at the crack of dawn.

Meghan’s go-to outfit for the lab is a simple pant and a sweater or button up. She usually loves to just rock some leggings and a workout top, but the lab requires more of a professional dress. She doesn’t usually wear make–up. “Who has time for that?” Meghan laughed. She loves simplicity and rocks the natural look.

Meghan has high hopes for herself, she hopes to go to grad school in Colorado after graduating from Drexel and continue to study exercise physiology and nutrition. She aspires to become a researcher and maybe even teach at a university someday. With her hard work and perseverance this is not an unrealistic goal.