Envision

Bio: Kayla’s lab provides diagnostic testing and technical assistance to poultry integrators, growers, veterinarians, and members of allied industries around the world. She spends her time isolating viruses and gene sequencing to study the Newcastle Disease Virus.

“Every week there has been something new to learn…There is so much that go into making vaccines that don't just stop once it is given but even after it is used…Being a rising sophomore there were a lot of things that I didn't understand right away and some of the basics still needed to be explained, but Dr. Ladman and his team were very patient with me and still gave me the hands on experience I needed.”

Through Envision, Kayla realized she wants to pursue a career involving research.

Bio: Using reverse transcriptase, PCR, and gel electrophoresis, Nicolina examined different factors tied to organ growth and gene expression. Other than many new lab skills, she also gained experience in data interpretation. From this experience, Nicolina grew her interest in animal medicine.

Bio: Cassidy joined Envision this summer to gain experience for her future Ph.D. applications and to learn new skills. In her mentor’s plant and soil chemistry lab, she used UV-Vis spectrometry to study the effects of safeners on glutathione concentration in rice leaves and roots. She finds this work important because “this research uses a novice product already being used to protect against pesticides and assesses if it could be useful in preventing arsenic uptake.”

She finds her work engaging and enriching, and she will leave this summer with her goals completed: improved problem-solving and pipetting skills, research management, and extraction methods. Because of Envision, she feels more confident applying to graduate schools, including UD, to further her future career.

Bio: This summer, Mackenzie split their time between field work and the Envision communications role. She worked in the Trammell urban forestry lab, going into urban forests around Newark, Baltimore, and Philadelphia to monitor forest health and occasionally weed. “Everyday day in the field feels rewarding. We’re contributing to long term research in areas people don’t think to check.”

When not in the field, Mackenzie photographed Envision events, interviewed and photographed students in their labs, and collected biographical information for the website.

Mackenzie has greatly enjoyed their overall balance of indoor and outdoor work, gaining a new passion for science communication. She appreciates the opportunity to work and connect with members of the Trammell Lab.

Bio: Moe joined Envision to deepen her understanding of “scientific approaches to sustainable agriculture.” Her lab aims to mitigate the environmental impacts of phosphorus in agriculture.

Using UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), and pH measurement, Moe investigated the absorption and desorption capacities of biochars, which have the potential to serve as an effective solution to eutrophication resulting from excessive phosphorus use. “My project requires a high level of consistency and precision, which has helped me develop greater patience.”

Bio: Joseph joined Envision this summer with the hope of designing and executing his own research project. With two years of undergraduate research experience under his belt, this summer, he observed an array of phenotyping, then took images of samples to study the infection dynamics behind the infectious pathogen Pythium and maize plants in a plant and soil lab. He appreciates how his lab work tackles many aspects of plant improvement, such as how to produce genetically superior plant varieties and ways to combat the pests.

“It takes many people to create a single, important variety that will eventually end up changing the world. Plant science is a challenging discipline that requires a good amount of patience, but watching the plants grow and your hypothesis get proven, or disproven, is an endlessly enjoyable experience.”

Envision has encouraged him to attend graduate school, then join the plant science industry.

Bio: During the past spring semester, Brandon began assisting Dr. Hui Ru Tan in Dr. Juzhong Tan’s food science lab. This summer, he continued to research optimizing the conditions of the extruder for “puffed snacks” made from lima bean flour. This process included grinding and sieving raw lima beans into flour, then putting the flour and distilled water through the extruder to produce a puffed snack.

Brandon has learned a lot about equipment safety and has experienced the design and execution of an experiment. He hopes to make something that can save somebody else from having to do tedious lab tasks.

He is very thankful to both Dr. Hui Ru Tan and Dr. Juzhong Tan for their patience.

Bio: Zoe saw her work this summer as having the potential to prosper in crop science and major agricultural operations. She measured the effects of Abscisic Acid, a common plant stress hormone, on Arabidopsis and tomato plants. She applied exogenous applications to the plants and collected leaf angle and thermal measurements with special cameras. One of the main goals of this research is to directly impact yield potential by influencing canopy structure, planting density, and light-use efficiency.

“I like the sense of individuality that I have in this space, it is much different than a typical lab you have to take for a class.” 

Zoe says she is leaving with experience actively participating in research and applicable lab skills. “It is inspiring to share our own research, and all work towards innovative solutions together…This experience confirmed that I am exactly where I want to be, and that agricultural research is important to me.