Summer studentships are a win-win opportunity for research and for education. From a research perspective, summer is a time when a lot of ecological field work takes place. Long daylight hours and more favourable weather allow researchers to get more done. And for myrtle rust research, it’s the time of year that the disease is most active. Having extra hands means more can get done.
From an education perspective, summer studentships are great for students to explore a field of study outside of the classroom. This can help them learn new skills, build their resume, and make informed decisions about their future careers.
Rebecca (left) and Chichi
Our two summer students, Rebecca and Chichi, were powerhouses in the field and the lab. They both brought a unique perspective and background to the work.
Rebecca, who is originally from Auckland but studied at Victoria University of Wellington, has recently completed her Bachelors in Ecology… and English Literature.
“My degree was a double major within a BSc,” says Rebecca. “I took English as a second major from a different faculty.”
Chichi, who grew up in Greytown in the centre of the Wairarapa region and is just starting her third year, is also pursuing two majors – she is studying a concurrent degree in Biology and French.
“I’ve mainly finished my French degree, so this year will be a lot more biology focused and working out what kind of specialisation I want,” says Chichi.
While both Rebecca and Chichi have diverse interests, summer research was an obvious choice.
“It just seemed like a very cool opportunity,” says Rebecca. “I knew about myrtle rust, and since I’ve always been interested in conservation, it seemed like an area of research that I’d like to get involved with in some way.”
Rebecca’s research contributed to an ongoing project looking for correlations between leaf traits (like leaf toughness and specific leaf area) of different native Myrtaceae and susceptibility to myrtle rust. This year, the focus was on young leaves, as myrtle rust targets new growth.
“We measured traits of newly emerged leaves that are just expanding and also recorded how quickly those leaves change from being very soft and thin to thicker and tougher,” says Rebecca.
Chichi is contributing to a longitudinal research project looking at myrtle rust infection prevalence and severity in pōhutukawa (Metrosidersos excelsa) around Auckland. This has required extensive fieldwork in locations where pōhutukawa occur.
Rebecca and Chichi in the field for Chichi's project
“I’ve been able to go to Devonport, Rangitoto, and One Tree Hill for field work,” says Chichi. “Being able to work outside and not be stuck at a desk has been cool.”
Besides learning more about myrtle rust, Chichi learned more about the many roles that science has to offer.
“I always knew you could be a researcher, but this experience and spending time on the Manaaki Whenua campus has shown me that there are other types of jobs in science as well,” says Chichi.
Rebecca noted that she got a more complete picture of what research is all about.
“It’s quite interesting conducting research and planning it out,” says Rebecca. “There’s a lot more flexibility compared to undergrad research, but you also have to be more flexible yourself to accommodate when other people are available and when equipment is available.”
Rebecca expects to be doing more ecological research in the future.
“I’m planning on going into a Master’s after a bit of a break,” says Rebecca. “I am considering an MSc in Biological Science with a focus on ecology and conservation.”
As for Chichi, biology is a backup. She has another career aspiration that she is actively pursuing: professional cricketer.
“I’m trying to get selected for the Auckland team at the moment so that takes a lot of time and is a big focus in my life right now,” says Chichi. “But I am definitely enjoying studying as well. I really like learning.”
Thank you Rebecca and Chichi for all your hard work this summer and best wishes to you both as you follow your chosen paths!
- Jenny Leonard
Rebecca was funded by the Beyond Myrtle Rust Programme and Chichi was funded via a Tuākana Tutors Scholarship provided by the University of Auckland School of Biological Sciences. Both students contributed to Beyond Myrtle Rust research projects.