Although the De Mutsert Fish Ecology Lab was the first lab I officially joined, my previous lab experience that I received from courses that were not required under the biology core curriculum excelled my ability to contribute to the success of this lab. While volunteering in the lab, I assisted with a graduate research study that aimed to examine the life history traits of river herring, and determine if the Potomac River was a suitable spawning site. My role in this project was to assist with the sorting of ichthyoplankton, and the dissections of juvenile river herring to extract the otoliths for aging. Participation in this research project allowed me to work with graduate students in a laboratory setting, and learn the skills I will need in my forthcoming research projects. The broader impact of this study is that the results will later become widely accessible through various publications, which allows other researchers to expand on her
Although the De Mutsert Fish Ecology Lab was the first lab I officially joined, my previous lab experience that I received from courses that were not required under the biology core curriculum excelled my ability to contribute to the success of this lab. While volunteering in the lab, I assisted with a graduate research study that aimed to examine the life history traits of river herring, and determine if the Potomac River was a suitable spawning site. My role in this project was to assist with the sorting of ichthyoplankton, and the dissections of juvenile river herring to extract the otoliths for aging. Participation in this research project allowed me to work with graduate students in a laboratory setting, and learn the skills I will need in my forthcoming research projects. The broader impact of this study is that the results will later become widely accessible through various publications, which allows other researchers to expand on her