1) Where is your internship and why did you choose this organization?

I am currently an undergraduate research assistant at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Cold Spring Harbor, New York. I am here on a grant from the National Science Foundation's Research Experience for Undergraduates Program. Founded in 1890, CSHL is home to 8 Nobel laureates and is a preeminent international research institution achieving breakthroughs in molecular biology and genetics and enhancing scientific knowledge worldwide. I chose this program to work on an ongoing research project in one of CSHL's expert bioinformatic and computational plant biology labs under the direction of Dr. Doreen Ware. My research project focuses on FAIRifying Gene Expression & Regulatory Networks to Support Interoperability of Analysis & Visualization Tools. 
 

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2) What was the process like to obtain your internship? 

As an Environmental Science & Policy and Statistics & Data Science double major with the 5 College Coastal and Marine Science Certificate,  I looked for research grants through the NSF in fields relating to computational biology or marine science. After applying to a number of summer internships and being offered several positions, I chose the most prestigious position that best matched my career goals and interests. 
 

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3) Describe your overall internship experience. 

My 10-week summer internship comes to a close just days before pre-season, and although the summer has passed quickly I have thoroughly enjoyed my entire experience at CSHL. My research this summer focused on understanding molecular responses to examine changes in gene expression patterns in the climate-resilient crop Sorghum bicolor. Measuring environmental stimuli can help limit environmental consequences, as well as increase yield. I have gained new skills in the lab this summer such as work in RNA extraction, biocuration, visualization creation, metadata collection, and data manipulation. I have gained new skills outside the lab in computational and programming workshops as well as scientific communication workshops throughout the summer. I am awarded the opportunity to present my research to the entire CSHL faculty and student body, giving me a chance to network and gain better skills in public speaking. I have been able to experience from start to finish the process of data creation, manipulation, and analysis. I have had the chance to speak to a variety of people in various fields of research and in different career stages in academia, as well as meet a few Five College alumni!

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4) What have you learned from your internship? 

This internship has given me the opportunity to better understand the field of computational plant biology, as well as the opportunities that are available in broad-scale academia. Throughout this internship, I had the privilege of working with brilliant mentors and researchers who provided invaluable guidance and encouragement throughout my project. Of course, I focused this summer on my research project as the main priority, but also enjoyed the gorgeous laboratory campus, networking with the graduate students, post-docs, and principal investigators, and ensuring I got the most out of my summer internship. 

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5) How will this internship help you in your career moving forward? 

This internship has provided me with an opportunity to work in a fast-paced lab environment on my own research project in academia. After graduating this spring I plan to apply to Ph.D. programs in computational science or bioinformatics and this experience has given me insight into what I hope to gain from programs and job opportunities in the future. The connections and experiences I have had this summer have made it a memorable and rewarding experience as I prepare for graduate school. 

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