This week was my first week working with my lab partner Jasmine for my vertebrate/invertebrate paleontology internship. My first day my PI Dr. Susan Butts gave Jasmine and I a brief description about what we are going to do for our internship. This year we are focusing on specimens from the late cretaceous period (100-65 million years ago). The cretaceous period was the warmest the earth has ever been. This resulted in a large ocean running through the middle of modern North America known as the Western Interior Seaway. All of the specimens that we will be working with this Summer will be aquatic organisms that were found within the Western Interior Seaway.
Our first day was Monday, and Jasmine and I learned how to take 3D scans of specimens using NextEngine and Scan Studio. The scans we made are then able to be printed into 3D scale models.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Jasmine and I learned how to document specimens on the online database, and Yale photos of them.
Friday, June 30, 2017
First Day of Labs
Hello fellow interns,
My first day at the lab proved to be very informative. Kyndall and I received basic instruction on how to properly prepare the foraminifera. First we had to record data on the samples which included it's weight and a very long identification number. Each part of this code gives important information on the sample, such as the site where it was collected. I actually liked this process and found it relaxing. I also enjoyed the sort of teamwork Kyndall and I developed while doing this task.
The second thing that we did was wash these samples to separate the micro-fossils from the mud and sediments.
The next day I spoke to another former intern who gave me an interesting perspective on these samples. He told me how each sample is a record of the past, and that when you hold these samples you're holding a piece of something from thousands of years ago. To me it sort of sounds like time travel😊.
I am excited to see what else this experience holds for me.
My first day at the lab proved to be very informative. Kyndall and I received basic instruction on how to properly prepare the foraminifera. First we had to record data on the samples which included it's weight and a very long identification number. Each part of this code gives important information on the sample, such as the site where it was collected. I actually liked this process and found it relaxing. I also enjoyed the sort of teamwork Kyndall and I developed while doing this task.
The second thing that we did was wash these samples to separate the micro-fossils from the mud and sediments.
The next day I spoke to another former intern who gave me an interesting perspective on these samples. He told me how each sample is a record of the past, and that when you hold these samples you're holding a piece of something from thousands of years ago. To me it sort of sounds like time travel😊.
I am excited to see what else this experience holds for me.
First Day in Lab
First Day in Lab
Sandy Flores
On Tuesday, June 27 was my first day of interning with Dr. Patrick Sweeney and we gotta to learn the basics of the lab. I'm also working with Juhi, another intern who is an undergraduate college student in Clark University. We also work with other college students who gave us a warm welcome and Dr. Sweeney explained to us they were doing database. He showed us the herbarium and how they organized the collections. Dr. Sweeney started us with conservation process. It was similar to cataloging but we had to put old plants they cataloged on a new piece of paper using Elmer's glue and scissors or a paper cutter. I was very nervous of starting the internship that day because it was my very first internship and I didn't know what I was expecting. At the end of the day I felt very comfortable and excited what is to come in the future for this internship.
Thursday, June 29, 2017
First Day(s) In the Lab
Hi everyone! Because I am writing this on Thursday, I'm going to talk about my first week in the lab in addition to my first day. I am, of course, very excited to be working in Vertebrate Zoology with Karla, Dr. Watkins-Colwell, and Cesar, a grad student. We had a very successful first few days in the lab, and I am looking forward to the coming weeks and the work we will be doing.
My first day in the lab was Monday the 26th, and I met Karla, Cesar, and my PI at the Vertebrate Zoology lab located in the ES building adjacent to the Peabody. The first thing we did was walk through the facilities at that location, which included a shared lab space and an extensive storage room for a variety of wet collections. The storage room houses specimens from Ichthyology (fish), Ornithology (birds), and Herpetology (Reptiles/Amphibians). All of the samples are preserved in an ethanol solution, and kept in large glass jars with detailed labels.
Once we finished this tour of the main campus, we took the Yale shuttle to the West Campus, in Orange. This is the facility where we will be conducting our work this summer. At the West Campus we have a shared lab with entomology and two storage facilities. One is new, with recently purchased and subsequently empty storage cabinets. These cabinets are larger, newer, easier to use, and can roll to maximize storage. There are also 28 old storage cabinets. Our job over the summer will largely focus on the movement of specimens from the old to new facility.
After touring this facility, we headed to the lab and began our first task- labeling the new cabinets with special labels containing bar codes. Each drawer in each cabinet has a unique ID code and bar code, which can be searched electronically for ease of access. After we labeled the drawers, we began our second task, which lasted into the second day. Our job was to go through the old specimens and make sure every one had an updated label. Some of the specimens only had old labels, without bar codes, and some had absolutely nothing. Karla, Cesar, and I went through all 28 cabinets and recorded the identification numbers of those specimens so that we could print out new labels, our third task.
Every specimen has a unique identification code that allows researchers and scientists to locate it. The codes usually have a prefix to place the specimen in a specific field of research, such as ICH (Ichthyology) or HERR (Herpetology Reptile), followed by a zero and a five digit number. Ex: HERR.011783. All of these codes, as well as the information pertaining to the specimens, can be found on the labels and in the Yale online database. The labels contain the ID code, the bar code, and information about the specimen. They are printed with a laser instead of ink, so that they never fade and can be put in jars filled with liquid in the wet labs. The Yale database is an electronic catalog containing the info for every specimen in the Yale collections. Once we had determined which labels were missing, we used the online database to print new labels for the specimens. By the time we were finished, we had labeled every specimen in the old collections, with a few exceptions for specimens with absolutely no data. Since we have finished this job which was supposed to take multiple weeks in three days, we will be moving forward next week to start the transition of specimens between the old and new storage.
I genuinely enjoy working with Karla and Cesar in the West campus. So far we have gotten to see a fully preserved taxidermied Rhino, delicately reassembled frog skeletons, alligator bones, and so much more. The work we have been doing is meticulous, but still interesting. I am very much looking forward to the rest of the summer!
My first day in the lab was Monday the 26th, and I met Karla, Cesar, and my PI at the Vertebrate Zoology lab located in the ES building adjacent to the Peabody. The first thing we did was walk through the facilities at that location, which included a shared lab space and an extensive storage room for a variety of wet collections. The storage room houses specimens from Ichthyology (fish), Ornithology (birds), and Herpetology (Reptiles/Amphibians). All of the samples are preserved in an ethanol solution, and kept in large glass jars with detailed labels.
Once we finished this tour of the main campus, we took the Yale shuttle to the West Campus, in Orange. This is the facility where we will be conducting our work this summer. At the West Campus we have a shared lab with entomology and two storage facilities. One is new, with recently purchased and subsequently empty storage cabinets. These cabinets are larger, newer, easier to use, and can roll to maximize storage. There are also 28 old storage cabinets. Our job over the summer will largely focus on the movement of specimens from the old to new facility.
After touring this facility, we headed to the lab and began our first task- labeling the new cabinets with special labels containing bar codes. Each drawer in each cabinet has a unique ID code and bar code, which can be searched electronically for ease of access. After we labeled the drawers, we began our second task, which lasted into the second day. Our job was to go through the old specimens and make sure every one had an updated label. Some of the specimens only had old labels, without bar codes, and some had absolutely nothing. Karla, Cesar, and I went through all 28 cabinets and recorded the identification numbers of those specimens so that we could print out new labels, our third task.
Every specimen has a unique identification code that allows researchers and scientists to locate it. The codes usually have a prefix to place the specimen in a specific field of research, such as ICH (Ichthyology) or HERR (Herpetology Reptile), followed by a zero and a five digit number. Ex: HERR.011783. All of these codes, as well as the information pertaining to the specimens, can be found on the labels and in the Yale online database. The labels contain the ID code, the bar code, and information about the specimen. They are printed with a laser instead of ink, so that they never fade and can be put in jars filled with liquid in the wet labs. The Yale database is an electronic catalog containing the info for every specimen in the Yale collections. Once we had determined which labels were missing, we used the online database to print new labels for the specimens. By the time we were finished, we had labeled every specimen in the old collections, with a few exceptions for specimens with absolutely no data. Since we have finished this job which was supposed to take multiple weeks in three days, we will be moving forward next week to start the transition of specimens between the old and new storage.
I genuinely enjoy working with Karla and Cesar in the West campus. So far we have gotten to see a fully preserved taxidermied Rhino, delicately reassembled frog skeletons, alligator bones, and so much more. The work we have been doing is meticulous, but still interesting. I am very much looking forward to the rest of the summer!
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
First Day in Lab
The first day of lab was beyond my expectations. As usual, before anything I start, I have the tendency to overthink, and predicted that my day in the lab was going to be horrible. However, Dr. Patrick Sweeney gave us very simple explanation to the work that goes on in the Herbarium and also how the Collections are organized. Along with the mini-tour, we were also given a very warm welcome by the rest of the lab staff/interns. Today, Sandy (my lab partner) and I learned the process of organizing old species so that they can be documented into the collections. It was a very easy process, and was the equivalent to cataloging, except we were using Elmer's glue and a paper cutter. The task was much more hands on than I had expected.
Wayde's First Day
My first day will be on the fifth of July. I look forward to leaning about the lab and of course getting to know my Principle investigator. I hope that I will gain new skills amd learn new content from participating in this lab. I believe it will be mostly focused on material science and material engineering. This really fascinates me because in the future, I want to practice to become a mechanical engineer. Specifically with a focus in environmental or biological studies. This opportunity will provide a clear and relatable experience that will foreshadow what its is like to be an engineer.
I cannot wait until my first day and I look forward to learning new things.
First Day
Hello Co-workers,
Today was the first day of my internship at Dr. Hull's lab. Even though our PI is currently pregnant and most likely going to be out for the rest of the summer, Carina and I were able to learn new things from her lab assistants. We learned the process of weighting dirt and getting the dirt prepared to be cleaned. We also learned how to clean the dirt off the specimens, which has to be done very carefully, with water and a shifter. In the morning we had a conversation about what the lab focuses on and what the fossils we are working on help to discover. I'm really excited on the coming weeks for my internship.
What will my First day be like?
My first day of my summer internship will be on July 5th at 9:00 a.m. I'm expecting my first day to be very stressful. I'll be taking the bus to Southern Connecticut State University, working in their engineering department. I'm afraid that the bus will be late, like it was today. I don't want to be late on the first day, that will give the complete wrong impression of me to my boss. I have to take a very early bus to get to the university. I think that their engineering department will be impressively big. The lab will probably be a decent size, full of equipment to use. Hopefully, my first day won't be full of work and tasks to get done. I want my first day to be a kind of get to know what's what kind of day. I'll shake hands, learn names, and get a feel of what the research will be like. I really want to know what I'll be researching, and what my daily responsibilities will be like. I wonder if there will be any other high school students my age in the department we will be working in. Honestly, I'm not expecting any one else, besides Wayde, to be of my age group. Last year, I was the only high school student at the medicine school at Yale University, so I kind of felt out of place, but I felt very honored and proud of myself to be working there.
My first day will be stressful, I'll be nervous, anxious, but excited and ready to take on the day. After all, I'll have Wayde to keep me company!
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Hello all,
My name is Ethan Weed, and I will be participating in an Invertebrate Paleontology internship this Summer. I am beyond excited to work with my partner Jasmine alongside Dr. Susan Butts in the Invertebrate Paleontology labs at Yale. Dr. Butts got her Ph.D. from the University of Idaho, and now works as the Senior Collections Manager at the Yale Peabody Museum. Dr. Butts has a focus in Carboniferous brachiopods and brachiopod paleocommunities, and has conducted research with them to collect data about marine environments and climate change throughout geologic history. Not only that, but she has conducted research with Professor Derek Briggs to find what biological and sedimentological factors effect silica replacement (silification) in fossils that contain shells.
After reading a scientific article published By Dr. Butts, I learned more about what silification is, what it tells us about what the world was once like, and why the silica replacement process is so inconsistent. Silification is a process of fossilization that replaces skeletal material with silica. I also found out that taphonomic biases are a feature in the fossil record that have been inconsistent. That is why Dr. Butts wanted to conduct research, so that she could find what factors effected this inconsistency.
I have already done my first session of training for my internship, and will complete a second session later today. Once I have completed my training, I will be able to start working in the lab. I look forward to finding out what research I will be conducting, and I know I will learn a lot this both in and out of the lab.
Ethan Weed
My name is Ethan Weed, and I will be participating in an Invertebrate Paleontology internship this Summer. I am beyond excited to work with my partner Jasmine alongside Dr. Susan Butts in the Invertebrate Paleontology labs at Yale. Dr. Butts got her Ph.D. from the University of Idaho, and now works as the Senior Collections Manager at the Yale Peabody Museum. Dr. Butts has a focus in Carboniferous brachiopods and brachiopod paleocommunities, and has conducted research with them to collect data about marine environments and climate change throughout geologic history. Not only that, but she has conducted research with Professor Derek Briggs to find what biological and sedimentological factors effect silica replacement (silification) in fossils that contain shells.
After reading a scientific article published By Dr. Butts, I learned more about what silification is, what it tells us about what the world was once like, and why the silica replacement process is so inconsistent. Silification is a process of fossilization that replaces skeletal material with silica. I also found out that taphonomic biases are a feature in the fossil record that have been inconsistent. That is why Dr. Butts wanted to conduct research, so that she could find what factors effected this inconsistency.
I have already done my first session of training for my internship, and will complete a second session later today. Once I have completed my training, I will be able to start working in the lab. I look forward to finding out what research I will be conducting, and I know I will learn a lot this both in and out of the lab.
Ethan Weed
Friday, June 9, 2017
Welcome!
Hey guys,
Welcome to Internship 2017 Blogger page! This is where you will be posting our weekly blogs and be able to see what your fellow classmates are doing in their various labs. Your logs don't have to be long, but they should be a minimum of 4-5 sentences. Remember, the more you write here, the more materials you will have to reference later when you're making your poster!
Things you can blog about:
-How your lab went this week
-Things that you learned/still don't understand
-Updates on what you accomplished this week
-Tell us about your upcoming tasks
-Struggles that you're having
-Instruments you got to use
-Draft up sections for your poster
-All the good and bad of your lab this week!
If you see someone struggling with something you know about, REPLY! Even if you're in different labs, you are all in this together!
Each week, we will post a question in which to guide some of your posts. Respond to the question and feel free to expand on it with your own thoughts and feelings. Here's your first one!
Training 1: June 10th & 14th
You need to research your PI's and their specific area of research. Find an article that was recently published by them (within the last 5 years) related to your work this summer and summarize the introduction.
Questions to address:
-What is your PI's specific area of research?
-What did you learn from the article you picked?
-After reading the introduction, what are you still confused about?
-Pick 5 vocabulary terms that are commonly used in the article that you didn't know coming in and give its definition
Due: Prior to the next time you come in for Training 2 (either June 16th or 17th)
Welcome to Internship 2017 Blogger page! This is where you will be posting our weekly blogs and be able to see what your fellow classmates are doing in their various labs. Your logs don't have to be long, but they should be a minimum of 4-5 sentences. Remember, the more you write here, the more materials you will have to reference later when you're making your poster!
Things you can blog about:
-How your lab went this week
-Things that you learned/still don't understand
-Updates on what you accomplished this week
-Tell us about your upcoming tasks
-Struggles that you're having
-Instruments you got to use
-Draft up sections for your poster
-All the good and bad of your lab this week!
If you see someone struggling with something you know about, REPLY! Even if you're in different labs, you are all in this together!
Each week, we will post a question in which to guide some of your posts. Respond to the question and feel free to expand on it with your own thoughts and feelings. Here's your first one!
Training 1: June 10th & 14th
You need to research your PI's and their specific area of research. Find an article that was recently published by them (within the last 5 years) related to your work this summer and summarize the introduction.
Questions to address:
-What is your PI's specific area of research?
-What did you learn from the article you picked?
-After reading the introduction, what are you still confused about?
-Pick 5 vocabulary terms that are commonly used in the article that you didn't know coming in and give its definition
Due: Prior to the next time you come in for Training 2 (either June 16th or 17th)
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