This summer I was able to learn more about what it is like to have research as a full time job. I was able to get more experience in reading scientific literature, as well as running an experiment. I was also able to experience the ups and downs of research. When our first trial did not yield significant results, I was able to dissect out the nerve cord of the crayfish.
The most rewarding part of the internship was constantly learning. I enjoyed learning about crayfish husbandry, the effects of NSAIDs, and data collecting. I also learned how much planning goes on behind the scenes of a new project. This internship allowed me to focus on reading literature without having all the other distractions during the semester.
Some of the challenges I faced during the semester were scheduling and isolation. I found being in the lab to be isolating at times. In this internship, I was able to work at whichever hours I wanted for the most part. I struggled to find a strict schedule of when to go to the lab or when to go to the library. This was also one of the reasons why I found myself feeling isolated. I typically spend a few hours each week cleaning out the crayfish habitats at night which means I would spend a few hours each week being in the lab where no one was around. While sometimes I appreciated the silence, sometimes it felt eerie to be in LSC without seeing other students studying for exams.
I know that labs typically have more people working in them which keeps me hopeful in pursuing a job in research. I did, however, realize that I would like to gain some more experience in a lab setting before pursuing a Ph.D. Overall, I am so grateful to be given the opportunity to experience what full time research looks like, and I can’t wait to continue my work with crayfish during the school year.