This summer I had the opportunity to participate in the Bonaventura Summer Research Fellows Program at Duke’s Marine Lab. The Bonaventura Program is a 10-week paid intensive summer research initiative for undergraduate students. Fellows work alongside a member of the DUML faculty to formulate, conduct, and present their research. I worked in Dr. Dana Hunt’s lab which focuses on studying bacterial interactions with the environment.
During the program, my goal was to isolate approximately 200 strains of bacteria to better understand the microbial composition of the coastal waters. I successfully grew and isolated more than 200 strains which have now been both cryo-preserved and sent off for sequencing. I also conducted a temperature trial to see which strains of bacteria could survive extreme high temperatures as a preliminary prediction of rising climate change temperatures.
Prior to beginning my research, I attended a week-long primer in experimental design and research methods as part of the Bonaventura Program. During the primer we focused on developing a research question, learned how to formulate methodologies, and fostered an understanding of research ethics. This program gave me numerous lab skills, allowed me to connect with faculty, helped me hone my presentation skills, and gave me a better idea of what I want to do in the future. It was also just so much fun overall. I had a great time getting to know the other fellows, and I’m so glad I got to spend my summer in such a beautiful place.
