I have an irrational fear of all types of bugs, including the illustrious Drosophila, also known as a fruit fly. Upon learning that I would be placed in the Volkan lab, I knew this fear would have to be faced.
What do I expect from my summer research experience? To sum it up, I expect to obtain an appreciation of Drosophila. This appreciation comes from an increase in knowledge and obtaining respect for the fantastic things one can learn from such a small creature. This appreciation also comes from experience in the lab and learning new tools to measure brain development and the impacts of social experiences on the brain. In my first week in the lab, I have already started to obtain this appreciation, and I even found myself speaking highly of the fruit flies and admiring the flies from under a microscope (see below). In addition, by the end of the week, I felt knowledgeable enough to train another graduate student on scoring mating behavior.
Sexual dimorphism of Drosophila
In addition, I see this summer as an opportunity to also explore different career fields and join a diverse scientific community. I came into Duke with an idea of what I wanted to do after college, but you do not know what options are there for you without trying something new. I am using this opportunity to try something new and have an openness if it does not work out. Just this week, I have accidentally lost flies in the lab, and I expect to make more mistakes–understanding that it is the key to growth as a researcher. On my first day in the lab, I was greeted with excitement which allowed me to feel welcome in the environment. We ended the week with a “celebration” for the new people in the lab and the last day of work for the lab manager. This all allowed me to start to build that sense of community and feeling of belonging in the scientific community. I am excited about many more opportunities to grow, learn, and appreciate Drosophila.
Female Drosophila under a microscope.
