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Blueberries and a good playlist pair well. I learned this, and many other things, while interning with the Garcia Lab this summer. I had the luxury of working alongside Hannah Braslau, Research Technician, to collect and study cultivated and wild blueberries. The fieldwork in and around local farms was fun, especially with a nice companion, bug repellent, and great weather. Hannah showed me how to measure blueberry branches, count the fruit, buds, and leaves on each plant, and clip and collect branch samples to bring back to the lab. On each of our outings, we usually came back with 50 berries per bush along with a few extras to taste test. I recommend bringing more water than you think you need, and serious sunblock for outside summer sessions.

At the lab in Nahant, Hannah and I counted, weighed, and measured the two sets of blueberries. (Earbuds are a helpful “tool” when counting and sorting 2,500 blueberries, by the way.) We clipped the branches into 6-inch pieces in preparation for the next step: homogenization. Dried stems, leaves, and berries were all put through a crushing machine, designed to break down samples with ball bearings and rapid shaking. We found that the more solid, tough material like the plant stems were harder to homogenize, and through trial and error we found new solutions like larger ball bearings to get those processed. The next place for the homogenized samples was in the Elementar to measure elements like carbon, nitrogen, and different proteins. Other folks in the lab are handling this analysis so I’m excited to learn about the results.

I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the Garcia Lab team this summer. I learned about parts of the research process as an active participant, became familiar with different types of lab equipment, and now know more about the kinds of jobs that help make a lab run. I also have a better sense of the flow and pace of lab work and understand that patience in collecting data and the ability to troubleshoot problems are key skills for conducting effective research. And, being part of a team that enjoys rock climbing was a bonus!