Can one unexpected Instagram post change everything? While scrolling through social media, Jua’nele Webb came across a hydroponic grow tower. She had never seen anything like it before.
“I thought, ‘What is this? This is so weird,'” Webb recalled. “But also, has this existed my entire life and I never knew about it?”
That moment sparked a journey that led her to study mechanical engineering at Georgia State University Perimeter College, where she hopes to apply engineering principles to agriculture and help make innovative growing technologies more accessible.
“I started reading and researching,” she said. “Then I saw how advantageous it could be to introduce that into lower-income communities.”
Now a sophomore, Webb spent her first Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) summer at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI), where she immersed herself in computational biology, plant science, and programming. Coming into the program, she was eager to expand her technical skills beyond what was available at her home institution.
“My biggest interest was learning programming languages,” Webb said. “I’ve gotten to use R, Linux, Python, and so many different tools that I honestly don’t think I would have had the chance to use if I hadn’t been here.”
BTI’s connection to Cornell University also made the program especially appealing.
“I knew the resources here would far surpass anything else I’d be able to immerse myself in,” she said. “Those resources come with new learning opportunities.”
The experience exceeded her expectations.
“My skills have just bloomed in a way that I don’t think I could have imagined at any other REU program.”
Although this was her first formal research experience, Webb quickly discovered that research is as much about persistence as it is about technical knowledge.
“I am so much more confident to fail,” she said. “I was always afraid to make mistakes, to ask questions, to ask for help, or to be uncomfortable. But this experience made me realize that’s part of the process.”
Learning new programming languages proved to be one of the summer’s biggest challenges. There were weeks when she found herself teaching herself entirely new software before she could begin applying those skills to her project.
“Learning the skills was one thing,” Webb said. “Learning them and applying them at the same time was a challenge.”
Coming from an engineering background also meant learning how to analyze biological data, something that was completely new to her. She credits her mentor, BTI Assistant Professor Magdalena (Magda) Julkowska, with helping bridge that gap.
“Magda has been in my corner the entire time,” Webb said. “She’s taught me how to interpret biology while allowing me to approach the project in a way that fits my engineering background.”
That support gave Webb the confidence to grow as both a researcher and an independent problem solver.
“I’ve learned to persevere on my own,” she said. “That’s definitely a skill that I’ll carry with me.”
Outside the lab, Webb embraced every opportunity to connect with the BTI community. She especially enjoyed participating in the REU outreach program at the YMCA, where students introduced local children to plant science through hands-on activities.
As an educator who works with students ranging from infants to 12th graders, the experience was particularly meaningful.
“Introducing kids to something we all love here at BTI and showing them that science can be fun, cool, and engaging was really awesome,” she said.
She also highlighted the bioinformatics workshop as one of the most valuable professional development experiences of the summer.
“I came away with a new skill and a certificate showing I had that skill,” she said. “That’s something I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else.”
Equally memorable were the friendships she built with fellow REU students. From weekly trivia nights and trips for ice cream to exploring Ithaca’s restaurants together, Webb found a supportive community that made the experience even more rewarding.
“I’ve made so many friends along the way,” she said.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the summer was how dramatically it reshaped her vision for the future.
Before arriving at BTI, Webb had carefully mapped out exactly where she wanted her career to go. Now, she sees far more possibilities.
“I thought I knew what I wanted to do,” she said. “Being here made me realize that the possibilities are so much more endless than I ever thought they could be.”
Whether she ultimately pursues industry, research, or public policy, one goal remains constant.
“The only thing that’s concrete for me now is that I want to help people, I want to do good, and I want to leverage the passion that I have in engineering.”
Reflecting on her REU experience, Webb says she is grateful not only for the technical skills she developed, but also for the people she met along the way.
“These skills are definitely going to stay with me for a lifetime,” she said. “The people I’ve met, the connections I’ve made, and the friends I’ve made will stay with me forever.”
