The Danforth Center is an amazing community of plant research scientists. Through the summer REU, I was exposed to a range of different plant biology topics and lab techniques. I also networked with top plant scientists, which has helped me apply to the Churchill scholarship and graduate schools. The internship program managers were committed to making the REU program run smoothly too.
What I wish was different
Advice
Working at a top research institute is great because not only do you get to be part of great research, you also get to see behind the scenes of the collaboration, strategy, grant writing, monetary limitations, etc. that truly fuel high-powered research. These are important things to consider for a research career as well.
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REU Summer Research Intern
May - August 2019 • St. Louis, MO
What I liked
It was incredible research experience, and I got exposure to new people and methods.
What I wish was different
I wish I had done it sooner
Advice
Get research experience as an undergraduate if you want to go to graduate school. It is essential.
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Biology Research Intern
May - August 2018 • St. Louis, MO
What I liked
There were tons of opportunities to learn about possible career paths and talk to people from different areas of plant biology. There were many great workshops to learn various skills and hear about all the incredible resources the Danforth center has to offer. Most importantly, the internship focussed on having each student complete a project as independently as possible - we were not just assistants to our mentors.
What I wish was different
I wish interns were more encouraged to go to fun social events at the center. There were plenty of social gatherings, but the time limitations of a summer internship made taking time off to chat with other researchers seem like a waste of time. However, network and exploring different careers and research areas is an important part of an internship.
Advice
I'd say, talk to people. Get to know the REU coordinators and be open with them about anything you may need help with. Talk to other PI's and researchers at the center to get a scope of what kind of work is out there that you may want to do. Be upfront and honest with your mentor about your summer goals and any issues you may have in the lab.
