The SROP and NSF-REU are programs that help prepare undergraduates for graduate study through intensive research experiences with faculty and other mentors as well as other enrichment activities.
Vyanka Nunez Reyes, a rising senior at the University of North Carolina Pembroke had no previous research experience when she arrived at MSU for her SROP REU program. “I Iearned that I'm capable of doing this, and that I can learn fast. I learned plating and sterile technique and I learned how previous literature impacts my research. My school is very small and this experience has inspired me. I now plan to go on to grad school and get a PhD because I want to know so much about mycology.” Vyanka is especially interested in how fungi can process toxic waste. "I have such a broader picture of what I can do now. I have always liked mushrooms and now I know why! I really didn’t know what a research lab was like and what it would be like going to a lab every day but I found I really liked having a project rather than going to class after class after class!"
Bryce Waller (graduate student Bonito lab) says he learned heaps as Vyanka's mentor. "Of course I do help out new people in the lab with finding their way around, but this was my first experience with this type of mentorship program start to finish and it was very rewarding. These are the best students and we have great interactions with lots of opportunities to understand more about what we’re doing, and what mentoring will be like in regards to my future career. The biggest challenge was cramming in a big project into a small period and trying not overload the student. I had much more planned than I was able to do but we kept our expectations in check and we are able to tell a good story. I absolutely would do again!"
Natalie Devine worked with Poulamee Chakraborty Post-doctoral researcher (Kravchenko lab) and Shuang Liu (Bonito lab)
Natalie majors in genetic engineering at Cedar Crest college in Allentown PA. “This experience in microbial genetics has allowed me to explore a new direction and broaden my horizon for what I might do in the future. We also talked a lot about how to approach grad school, and I learned that I should be thinking in terms of which lab is doing the research that I am interested in, rather than just what school I might like. With this mentorship I got to work in two different labs and now I can see how lab culture will shape my experience as well. I also learned that this kind of work requires a lot of self motivation and self direction, something different than attending lectures all day. I always thought I would be mostly interested in working in industry, but now I am seriously considering graduate school and academia.
Ari Verinder, honors program Elon University in North Carolina. "This REU is a major step towards pursuing my passions of plant science and genomics. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to learn from the incredible researchers at MSU this summer. "Here's to summer growth in the lab and beyond!"
Also in Rojas lab, Alexandria works on establishing protocol for disentangling Fusarium root rot and dry bean host interactions. In the poster session, she practices communicating her project and her passion. Pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science in Botany and Chemistry from Western New Mexico University in Silver City, this is Alexandria's second REU experience.
Landon NSF Plant genomics REU program (Rouached lab)
Landon attends Barry university in Miami FL. "Barry is very small so this is my first research opp with big lab equipment like growth chambers and such. Here I have learned about not only what happens to plants facing nutrient deficiencies, but also that bioinformatics is really important to research, and that it’s important to reach out early with potential research mentors, and to make personal connections with people who are doing things that interest me. I am thinking seriously about graduate school, and I will pursue plant genetics or breeding because what I really want to do is help developing countries with sustainable agriculture and become more efficient with nutrients in food crops. Previously I considered going into health science but this has helped me think about a different path.
Print
Email
