Note from MAGH: This post is a guest post from Briyana Mondesir, who wrote up the following for the W&L Geo Department website to share her research experience as an Advanced Research Cohort member (now Advanced Immersion and Mentoring, or AIM), a program designed for incoming first years interested in research to work part time in the lab with a professor (who will also serve as their incoming academic advisor) the summer before they matriculate. Any undergraduate W&L student who wants to work with me or any other Geo Department faculty member - reach out! There are many opportunities, and all of us are engaged in exciting research projects and would love to work alongside motivated engaged students on our research projects.
Link to original post is here: https://my.wlu.edu/geology-department/resource-guide-for-majors/junior-and-senior-years/briyana-mondesir-22
Link to Geo Department’s Guide on Research Opportunities for Students here
Link to more information on the AIM program (previously ARC program) here: https://my.wlu.edu/provosts-office/for-students/aim-program
Guest Post on Research in the Advanced Research Cohort
by Briyana Mondesir, W&L Environmental Studies & Spanish C’22
I was an incoming freshman at Washington and Lee, beginning to come to terms with the homesickness blues and the new college environment I would be living in. When I had previously visited W&L, I was struck by its natural beauty and its standing within the academic community. I was looking forward to entering the school in the fall with my other peers and begin the newest chapter of my life. I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to spend five weeks before the fall semester began doing research.
From mid-June to early July, I worked in Professor Margret Anne Hinkle's geochemistry lab primarily synthesizing minerals. The research was focused around biomineralizing fungi called Manganese. Over the course of a couple weeks, I attempted to create synthetic Manganese on which we would be able to test a variety of buffers. During this process, I learned, among other things, how to use a pipette, centrifuge, and analyze an XRD pattern. Although I struggled with always understanding the different components of the research, this invaluable experience allowed me to acclimate to college life and develop new research and laboratory skills. I would have never thought that as an inexperienced, fresh out of high school student I could have been able to do this. Yet, with the help of Professor Hinkle and my lab partners, I did it!