Alrighty then!

Week three down! This week was filled with minimal human interaction, study guides and endless cups of coffee, all I have to say is… I made it out ALIVE! As for my gram stain… well let’s just say the first attempt didn't go so well.

 I was unable to determine if it was positive or negative but after the second try I determined that it was gram positive. Monday I determined the cell morphology and performed a catalase test where I concluded that my unknown (#9) as Entercoccus Faecalis. This inhabits the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and other mammals. According to the American Society for Microbiology, E. Faecalis is commonly the culprit for urinary tract infections as well as endocarditis, bacteremia and wound infections. ASM also indicates that E. Faecalis can be tricky to treat because of its frequent resistance to several antibiotics. 

Here we go…

So I’m not sure why I was so nervous about my interview last Friday because it turned to be much more laid back than I had expected. Wednesday was my first day, Josh helped me set up a username to clock in each time and I watched some videos regarding safety and proper lab behavior. Today I learned how to do an isolation streak. My first try was a total bust but after Josh’s demonstration I was able to do it successfully. An isolation streak is used to isolate a pure strain from a single species of microorganism, often times bacteria. In order to perform the procedure I had to use a sterile inoculation loop that is then dipped in the inoculum and spread across a petri dish. After that the specimen was placed in the incubator at 37 degrees Celsius to sit overnight. Friday (tomorrow) I’m going to come in early to do a gram stain and identify my specimen.

Oh the anticipation!

Wow, what a busy week! Similar to my fellow S-STEM buddies I've been studying for exams and preparing a plan of how I am going to organize my time when I start my internship. Oh the anticipation! I’m excited/nervous, my interview is on Friday! Hopefully shortly afterward I will find out what my future holds for my involvement in the S-STEM world! I’m very excited to find out what I will be researching, ready to further my knowledge of the science world and eager to see what my fellow S-STEM buddies will be investigating. I wish the best of luck to everyone in their experiments, here’s a few words of encouragement to keep you guys going.

 “Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes but they don’t quit.” –Conrad Hilton. 

McCall, Idaho. My favorite place,

 I'm excited to go home for winter break and see some snow!!