Blog post #3 by Asstan Cisse
As my summer gracefully draws to a close, I wanted to share the final outcomes of my research experience. Over the span of the past 10 weeks, during which I have had the privilege of officially identifying myself as an undergraduate researcher, I have gained a wealth of knowledge and invaluable mentorship from the Eaton Lab. From those initial steps of reacquainting myself with navigating scientific papers to now potentially contributing to their creation, this journey has proven to be rewarding.
While I have bid farewell to the majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the knowledge I have acquired, including the identification of various plant species and a plethora of other information, will undoubtedly prove relevant on my path as a prospective major in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Barnard.
Although I received a Barnard Biology grant for biological research, a significant part of my research experience was made possible through the Summer Research Institute. It was at the Lida Orzeck '68 Poster Session where I had the incredible opportunity to present my findings and outline future research directions. Among the conclusions drawn was the observation that, with increasing genetic distance, there was a decrease in pollen tube growth. However pollen tubes were still growing through the end of the styles which is why we then conducted a field-cross experiment in which we decreased the number of crosses from 11x11 species to 6x6 for a bigger sample size. In the upcoming academic year, we intend to use fluorescent microscopy to dye these styles, facilitating the measurement of pollen tube penetration. This is exciting because I get continued involvement in the project and it offers the opportunity to contribute to scientific breakthroughs.
I feel as though this research has not only enriched me professionally but has also fortified my academic aspirations. The mentorship I received throughout this journey has propelled me to surpass the professional goals I had set for myself, while also helping me academically because I plan to explore ecology throughout my time at Barnard.
Overall, this journey has been an incredibly enriching experience, for which I am profoundly grateful. Perseverance and an insatiable thirst for knowledge have been my constant companions, guiding me along this path, along with endless support from Rachel Cohen and Professor Deren Eaton. I wouldn't have chosen any other way.
