Name of Student: Indigo Pai-Gibson
Job Title: Pathogen Avoidance Behaviour Intern
Job Summary:
Independently conducting large-scale pathogen avoidance behavioural experiments, comparing the feeding activity of many Drosophilidae species.
SOPs include sexing flies, conducting flyPAD (fly Proboscis and Activity Detector) experiments, pricking flies, analysing recent literature, and analysing data using MATLAB.
Demonstrated high attention to detail and flexibility in performing varying work demands ad hoc.
What was your biggest achievement on your internship?
I helped contribute to a PhD student’s last chapter by independently running assays using high-tech equipment.
Were there any challenges and how did you overcome these?
I had to move flies, but I had limited experience in this and the equipment given to do this was ineffective. I spoke to other professors about the subject and was shown how to make better equipment for moving the flies safely and effectively. I improved my efficiency by x4 the speed and was able to perform this task faster than my supervisor after this research.
Would you recommend this internship scheme to other students?Ā
Yes, I would recommend the scheme to other students. A2i gave me the chance to step into the shoes of a real researcher, which I wouldnāt have been able to otherwise. If youāre thinking of applying, go for it! Itās a great opportunity to explore your interests, build confidence, and take a step towards your future career.
If you would like to find out more about the A2i scheme, you can contact the team via a2i@exeter.ac.uk, or you can also visit the student and employer facing webpages here.