While studying at Auburn, I have had the opportunity to work with the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology part-time during the fall and spring semesters and full-time during the summer as a graduate student assistant. This job included work in both a laboratory setting as well as in the field.

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My main responsibilities included assisting graduate students with their research by planting various types of crops such as corn, soybean, turmeric, tobacco and cotton. Other than planting, I was responsible for inoculating, watering, sampling and processing various samples in order to analyze them under a microscope and record data on the types and quantities of nematodes located in the samples.

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This position required effective communication, close attention to detail, and basic understanding of scientific methods. The most important and rewarding aspect of this job was the experience I gained in working with other students and graduates from different cultural backgrounds. From American, to Chinese, to Brazilian, it was interesting to see how differences in personality and culture played a role in different aspects of the job such as communication and problem solving. Working in this type of environment has helped me to understand multiple perspectives when approaching the same task and how each perspective can have something valuable to offer to the situation.