Summer Check-In
Where are you working/interning this summer? Position, Company and Location?
This summer I have been doing student research on prairie rattlesnake skin morphology with Professor Boback and two other Dickinson students. Research took place in both Western Colorado and on campus in Carlisle. We also had a trip to Georgia Tech to use their micro-CT scanner, as well as a four-day conference in New Orleans where we presented our research poster.
Please describe your day-to-day responsibilities in this position.
While we were in the field in Colorado, we were hiking every day and looking for/catching rattlesnakes. We would catch the snakes using snake tongs and snake-proof buckets and bring them back to our temporary lab where we processed them. This included PIT tagging, measuring, and other experiments pertaining to our research. While on campus, we work in Rector doing histology, scanning electron microscopy, and running other experiments. We also created our research materials to present at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in New Orleans.
What made this experience appealing to you?
This opportunity was super exciting to me because it is such engaging research and I really wanted to get hands-on field work. I absolutely love anything relating to animals and working with live rattlesnakes has been truly a once in a lifetime experience. To be able to apply what I have been learning in the classroom, interact with fellow researchers, and develop methodology was super exciting.
How does this experience relate to your career or life aspirations? What are you looking to personally get out of it?
As a lifelong animal person and biology lover, this experience has given me so many valuable opportunities, especially as an undergrad student. We got to travel to four different states and experience all the different aspects of what the biology field is like. I have gotten insight into field work, lab work, professional collaboration, and presenting findings. While I am not sure exactly what area of biology I want to go into, all these skills are going to be applicable in my future endeavors and have reinforced my love of the sciences.
How has your athletics career prepared you for this role?
Some of the hikes we did in Colorado required some serious cardio conditioning. Shoutout to DCVB for getting me up the mountains. My athletic history also taught me how to collaborate efficiently, manage my time, and stay motivated.
Looking forward to this season, what are you most excited about?
I am most excited to be back in the Kline with the team! We are feeling really hopeful about a strong season, and I can’t wait to set some team goals and work towards them together.
Is there anything else you are looking forward to this summer outside of this experience?
I’ve learned the importance of recharging, and the rest of the summer I am looking forward to some relaxation, beach time, hanging out with friends, and lots of super yummy food.
