Assisting Dr. Cara Fiore with freshwater sponge sample collection, basic laboratory procedures (pipetting, centrifuge, running PCR etc.) as well as helping inventory samples digitally. Started learning basic bioinformatics in terminal to upload sponge metatranscriptome data into the database.

Assisted graduate student with thesis research in the field at Table Rock and Hawksbill. Monday-Wednesday every week we camped up at the field site. We rappelled and belayed each other down the cliff face to collect lichen, moss, and vascular plant grid plot data. We also collected samples and stored them in the herbarium.