You know it’s been an incredible, impactful summer experience when it’s so hard to leave.
I had a spectacular summer as part of the Boyce Thompson Institute and Cornell Plant Genome Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program.
For 10 weeks, I worked in Dr. Michael Gore’s lab under the mentorship of Sam Herr researching how lignin, a complex polymer in corn leaf and stalk residues, is impacting the nitrification process and how genomic prediction models can predict lignin content and composition in corn. I am still surprised by how much I learned this summer from lab techniques, learning how to use the programming language R, field trials, practical experimental design, poster creation, and public speaking skills.
Some enduring lessons I’ve taken away from my summer at BTI include:
1) You have to start somewhere
Joining a new research project, I had a lot to catch up on in terms of background knowledge, understanding new protocols, and learning how to code. Accepting the “learn by doing” challenge and being okay with failure allowed me to grow more than I expected throughout the summer.
2) Begin with the end in mind
By the end of the summer, I realized how important labeling and recording information early in the process is. While this seems relatively simple, it can save a lot of time and energy down the road.
3) Be a sponge
I came in with the goal of trying to learn as much as possible from all the resources and opportunities that came my way. I loved hearing about all the research happening at BTI and Cornell during Wednesday seminars, was blown away by a tour of Cornell’s High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), soaked up the advice of current graduate students, and loved hearing about applied field projects at Cornell’s research farm. I was also inspired by how much I learned from my fellow undergrad researchers. Their diverse research interests, backgrounds, and experiences were both inspiring and enriching.
4) Ask many questions
I’ve realized how important it is to ask questions in the scientific process. It is much better to start the setup correctly than navigating the process of fixing simple mistakes later on.
5) Love the process
Overall, this summer was a dream experience for me as an aspiring scientific researcher. I am incredibly grateful for the support of my mentor Sam Herr, all the members of the Gore Lab, Megan Truesdail and Delanie Sickler, and all the amazing people I had the opportunity to meet this summer. I would encourage anyone considering applying to this program or taking the next step in their scientific journey to embrace Paulo Coelho’s advice, “Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.”
You know it’s been an incredible, impactful summer experience when it’s so hard to leave.
I had a spectacular summer as part of the Boyce Thompson Institute and Cornell Plant Genome Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program.
For 10 weeks, I worked in Dr. Michael Gore’s lab under the mentorship of Sam Herr researching how lignin, a complex polymer in corn leaf and stalk residues, is impacting the nitrification process and how genomic prediction models can predict lignin content and composition in corn. I am still surprised by how much I learned this summer from lab techniques, learning how to use the programming language R, field trials, practical experimental design, poster creation, and public speaking skills.
Some enduring lessons I’ve taken away from my summer at BTI include:
1) You have to start somewhere
Joining a new research project, I had a lot to catch up on in terms of background knowledge, understanding new protocols, and learning how to code. Accepting the “learn by doing” challenge and being okay with failure allowed me to grow more than I expected throughout the summer.
2) Begin with the end in mind
By the end of the summer, I realized how important labeling and recording information early in the process is. While this seems relatively simple, it can save a lot of time and energy down the road.
3) Be a sponge
I came in with the goal of trying to learn as much as possible from all the resources and opportunities that came my way. I loved hearing about all the research happening at BTI and Cornell during Wednesday seminars, was blown away by a tour of Cornell’s High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), soaked up the advice of current graduate students, and loved hearing about applied field projects at Cornell’s research farm. I was also inspired by how much I learned from my fellow undergrad researchers. Their diverse research interests, backgrounds, and experiences were both inspiring and enriching.
4) Ask many questions
I’ve realized how important it is to ask questions in the scientific process. It is much better to start the setup correctly than navigating the process of fixing simple mistakes later on.
5) Love the process
Overall, this summer was a dream experience for me as an aspiring scientific researcher. I am incredibly grateful for the support of my mentor Sam Herr, all the members of the Gore Lab, Megan Truesdail and Delanie Sickler, and all the amazing people I had the opportunity to meet this summer. I would encourage anyone considering applying to this program or taking the next step in their scientific journey to embrace Paulo Coelho’s advice, “Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.”