Summer Undergrads

This summer I was able to mentor two undergrads as part of the KBS REU program: Anton van Oppen and Leo Brandon. Anton had an education themed meta-REU where he studied the impacts of the REU program over the past years. Leo studied the impacts of different nectar sources on adult Cabbage White butterflies. It was great seeing them grow over the summer and seeing the research they came up with. It was also great to have a group to talk with nearly everyday. They were both hilarious and great minds to talk through ideas with. My summer research and experience was made so much better thanks to them!

Looking forward to the next year

I've been living in Michigan for a whole year now and the time really has gone by so fast! Looking towards the next year, I have so much planned from research, committees, journal clubs, and hoping to complete my comps at the end of the spring semester. Although I am a bit nervous about the work load, I am finally at a place where I am think I have found my work-research-fun balance. 

Once my undergrads left and many grad students left to ESA, it's gotten a lot quieter here. I've struggled a bit with keeping a schedule at work, so I need to get back in the habit of waking up earlier. I don't have the pressure of classes this year to stay on a schedule so I need to work on forming my own manageable schedule for self regulated time management. It will take some practice, but I know it will be better to learn sooner rather then usual.