S2:13 Shout Out to Our STEM Mentors!

Poster Presentation-Arizona/Nevada Academy of Science Conference

Shout Out to Our STEM Mentors!
I think we all need to take a minute and thank our program mentors for helping us get to presentation-ready level with our research and creating the opportunity for us to attend symposiums and conferences. Over the past two weeks, I definitely understood the value in networking and communicating with mentors during the preparation stage for the conferences. I feel like the conference in Vegas went pretty well and I was able to take away what I need to work on in presenting to judges in the future. Aside from the conferences, I am working on making a connection with one of the ASU-West professors in hopes of being able to learn from her in lab. I'm very excited for this opportunity and definitely have Dr. Cotter and Dr. Chapman to thank for that!!!

S2:12 It’s GO TIME!

It’s Go Time!

What a week!!! I finished my poster Monday morning just in time to get it sent off to the printer. The rest of the week was spent getting ready for the ASU West Symposium and then the Arizona Nevada Academy of Science Conference. I am so glad that Dr. Cotter recommended going to the earlier poster session to get practice answering questions from the judges. It was definitely intimidating but great practice. I feel like the ASU West Symposium was great practice for the ANAS Conference. Next up is a five hour long drive to Nevada and a long night of squeezing in some homework, but it’s totally worth it!

S2:11 Seven Students, 2 Research Mentors,1 Van, and a Conference

https://aznvas.org/meeting/

Seven Students, 2 Research Mentors,1 Van, and a Conference
It's crunch time in the lab this week due to the upcoming ASU Symposium and the Arizona Nevada Academy of Science Conference. I just wrapped up my experiment and am almost finished analyzing my data. I am so glad that I was able to filter the rest of my samples after having the hiccup last week with the vacuum filter.  My poster is about ready to go, I just need to plug in my data and write the discussion section. I am definitely still nervous about having to talk about my project to total strangers because it usually involves maintaining eye contact and not zoning out in my head. 

S2:10 ....A Vacuum With a Sucking Problem?

....A Vacuum With a Sucking Problem?
I was really looking forward to running the rest of my samples this week but then I had an unexpected problem with the vacuum filtration system. Typically the system filters the water relatively quick (about 500mL under two minutes). For some odd reason, I noticed tons of air bubbles between the Buchner funnel and the porous plate. After two hours of trying to figure out what was wrong and testing a few things, we still haven't figured out what was wrong. What I was left wondering was if it is possible for the porous plate to be clogged. After talking with my current biology professor, he suggested soaking the plate in some type of acid. I am hoping to try this tip on Friday so I can finish filtering the water samples. In the meantime, I am trying to prepare my poster for the upcoming ASU Symposium. I am also in the process of registering for the AZ Nevada Academy of Science Conference. 

Source: https://chem.libretexts.org/Demos%2C_Techniques%2C_and_Experiments/Basic_Lab_Techniques/Vacuum_Filtration