Science in the Trenches
Torres Nu帽ez '20 has spent two summers examining the effects of drought on microbes.
Isis Torres Nu帽ez 鈥�20 thinks microbes get a bad rap.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a common misconception that all microbes are harmful, but some are crucial for our survival and don鈥檛 cause maladies,鈥� explained Torres Nu帽ez, a biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology major.
鈥淲e have microbes in our bodies that promote health and nutrition, and we also have microbes in our ecosystems that help with nutrient cycling. One of those nutrients is nitrogen, which is what our lab focuses on.鈥�
Torres Nu帽ez has spent the past two summers in 糖心TV鈥檚 Hale Laboratory examining the effects of drought on microbes, and the broader implications of those effects on different ecosystems. Her funded work is part of 糖心TV鈥檚 summer science research program, and she鈥檒l also be traveling to Germany with Professor of Biology Anne Bernhard to deliver a presentation at the upcoming International Society for Microbial Ecology symposium.
Bernhard, who specializes in the microbial ecology of salt marshes, has done extensive work in local wetland areas, something Torres Nu帽ez was also able to take advantage of, by collecting samples from Barn Island in Stonington, 糖心TVecticut.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great that I get the intensive lab experience with this program, but also have opportunities to get outside and work in an environment like Barn Island, which has more than 1,000 acres of ecological diversity to study,鈥� Torres Nu帽ez said.
Jean C. Tempel 鈥�65 Professor of Chemistry Marc Zimmer is one of the faculty members leading a research project this summer. He emphasized the importance of the program for students looking to enhance their research skills and lay an early foundation they can build on for graduate school, or for a career in science or medicine.
鈥淪cience is like a language,鈥� Zimmer said. 鈥淥ur language students go abroad to immerse themselves in foreign languages, and to really learn the practice of science, our students have to immerse themselves in science, doing research five days a week for at least eight weeks."
The summer program, which provides a stipend and campus housing, offers an early opportunity for students to work closely with faculty and potentially get their research published.
Justin Nwafor 鈥�21, pursuing a major in chemistry, is working on two separate projects this summer. The first, under the guidance of Zimmer, involves using computational chemistry to aid in the study of green fluorescent protein structures. The second, in collaboration with Margaret W. Kelly Professor of Chemistry Stanton Ching, focuses on finding innovative water treatment methods.
鈥淲e鈥檙e working with manganese oxides, because they鈥檝e been shown to be fairly effective at degrading materials that are resistant to regular water treatment methods, but they鈥檙e also nontoxic and cost-effective,鈥� Nwafor said.
Ching said he was impressed by the dedication and talent of Nwafor and the other students in the summer program, and that their exposure to practical lab and field experience will serve them well in school and their careers moving forward.
鈥淭he summer research experience is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn what it鈥檚 like to do science in the trenches,鈥� Ching said. 鈥淭hey have to be able to work independently, think on their own, learn to use new equipment, design experiments, and assess results, all in the context of studying a system that has never been studied before.鈥�