How Student-led Lab Tours Encourage Undergraduate Research
Through student-led lab tours, the Zerbe lab and BioInnovation Group (BIG) have collaborated to make research more accessible to UC Davis students. The BIG program trains undergraduates in fundamental lab techniques to prepare them for future careers in research. The group’s series of lab tours has helped students to explore the wide breadth of opportunities available on campus.
Their tour of the Zerbe lab began with its team members sharing a presentation about their research. “Talking transparently in a casual setting to fellow undergrads is a really great way for potential students to understand what research looks like in the real world,” said Shamita Bhattacharjee, a third-year student in the Zerbe lab who helped lead the lab tours. The BIG tours are an example of how outreach efforts can demystify research for interested students, making it less intimidating to join a lab. “It’s very hard to understand what undergrad research looks like when you’re not in a lab,” she added. “And even if you know that research is for you, what type of research?”
The BIG students were then shown around the lab as its members pointed out the equipment and analytical machinery they use on a daily basis. Meanwhile, some members of the lab were still at work on their protocols, giving the tour group a look into the lab’s culture. “You actually got to sit in the lab and everybody is working around you, so you get a better sense of what it was like to be in the lab,” said Mick Scriven, one of the students who joined the lab after the BIG tour. “It was good for me to get to talk to people about what they did in the lab and it was good to see that there were cool people in the lab. Sometimes you have no idea what the lab culture is like.”
Finally, the Zerbe lab members led an Agrobacterium infiltration demo, allowing the students to experience hands-on one of the most common protocols used in the lab. As the BIG students practiced injecting Nicotiana benthamiana plants with syringes of water, they also had the opportunity to network with the lab members. “I felt really nice vibes from everyone and it looked like something I might be interested in, but I was still confused if I were to join the lab,” said Yeva Aleksandrova, another student who joined from the BIG tour. She was inspired to apply after chatting with Aubanie Donaldson, a PhD student in the lab. “I really enjoyed talking to her, she’s a very great supervisor. After that, I was like, I’ll apply and see what happens.”
Holding these tours benefits both the BIG tour groups and the Zerbe lab undergraduates. As the BIG students built new connections, the lab members could also practice their scientific communication skills. “I think it’s a great way to connect with new or prospective students,” said Shamita. “I also gained insight into how to communicate my research better. Having to convey my research to someone who doesn’t already know what I’m doing was a great experience for me to understand how to simplify my work into a digestible manner that anyone can learn from.”