What's the use of learning if you can't share it with others?
Writing and communication
Research is necessary as a means of discovering the unknown but, without communication, it is nothing. Knowledge is useless unless it is conveyed to a larger audience.
Further, just conveying the knowledge isn’t enough. People need to understand the implications of it and why they should care.
Through my LSC major, I have learned to effectively communicate to different target audiences in a way that hammers home the importance of the knowledge being conveyed.
Mission of LSC:
A degree in LSC prepares students for professional and academic careers related to communicating health, environmental, agricultural, biological, and bioenergy sciences across diverse audiences in an era of rapid technological change, digital communication, and social media.
Laboratory experience
I am able to isolate and maintain fungal cultures.
I understand the importance of safety and sanitization in a lab working with biohazards and contaminants.
I can dissect specimens and prepare slides.
I am able to create thorough, well thought out notes that allow others to understand what I was doing and what I observed.
Field work
The main challenge that comes with field work is mitigating the variability of the environment. Even on a beautiful day, different factors must be taken into account so as to keep the research as consistent as possible.
Through my extensive time in the backcountry and in outdoor research positions, I have learned how to conduct research effectively in outdoor environments.
I understand that taking detailed notes that account for an extensive amount of variables is imperative for proper field work research.
I am able to work safely in variable weather conditions and am confident in my ability to know when I am safe to work or when it might be time to get out of a potentially dangerous situation.
