Another post?
Anyhow, well that last entry was not the end of it however.
For all of you who don't know, I work in a Biology Lab at USF trying to extract DNA from a microorganism. I've been trying to get this project working, but it hasn't been working for the past six months. The supervising professor and I had a meeting last Wednesday and she decided to do some investigation and let me know later. This morning, I came into lab expecting to get started on my project again. However, when Dr. Dao (the supervision professor) came in, she said, "We need to talk." I got a really bad feeling from the way she said that because it seemed similar to when people say "We need to talk" and then end a relationship. Anyhow, we get into her office and she starts working on the computer after she says let me finish this up really quickly. Anyhow, after that, she starts out by saying that she is disappointed in me...WoW! that was a huge blow to my ego. Anyhow, apparently, some of the samples that only she and I work with have become contaminated and she is blaming me for it. Well, quite frankly, I only used the samples once and I was very careful in doing so, so I can't imagine how the samples got contaminated. Anyhow, these samples have to now be thrown out and new samples have to be ordered and this is a big deal because like 10mL of the sample is a couple hundred dollars.
Also, she said that I left a reagent sitting on the counter overnight, and it has spoiled. I can't believe that, I'm always so careful to take care of my samples and put them back in the fridge after I'm done with them. Also, I always make sure that I clean up anything that I used that day right before I leave lab. I just feel so embarrased and horribly disappointed in myself. At this point, Dr. Dao has the right to say that she doesn't want me in her lab anymore and that I need to find a new lab to work in. Trust me, finding a new lab is not a easy task, especially as an undergraduate. However, she is going to give me one final chance to change this.
Now, just to let you know, I've been feeling very divided and scattered. I'm taking a Biochemistry class (possibly the hardest class I'll take as an undergraduate) as well as an MCAT preparatory class (which has the potential to take up alot of my time) as well as doing research. When I was scheduling classes for the summer, I came to Dr. Dao and told her that I planned to take the summer off of research, but she told me that I should do some research as a break from studying. I had my doubts about that, but if she thought that, then I should take her advice.
Anyhow, I told her that I'll just go ahead and take the summer off to concentrate on Biochemistry and MCAT, and resume research in the Fall. Hopefully, I'll be able to concentrate more on my research and get something acutally accomplished. Either that, or I will have to quit and find a new lab, and that will not be good because I do have a deadline for my research.
Anyhow, leave a comment if you care!
For all of you who don't know, I work in a Biology Lab at USF trying to extract DNA from a microorganism. I've been trying to get this project working, but it hasn't been working for the past six months. The supervising professor and I had a meeting last Wednesday and she decided to do some investigation and let me know later. This morning, I came into lab expecting to get started on my project again. However, when Dr. Dao (the supervision professor) came in, she said, "We need to talk." I got a really bad feeling from the way she said that because it seemed similar to when people say "We need to talk" and then end a relationship. Anyhow, we get into her office and she starts working on the computer after she says let me finish this up really quickly. Anyhow, after that, she starts out by saying that she is disappointed in me...WoW! that was a huge blow to my ego. Anyhow, apparently, some of the samples that only she and I work with have become contaminated and she is blaming me for it. Well, quite frankly, I only used the samples once and I was very careful in doing so, so I can't imagine how the samples got contaminated. Anyhow, these samples have to now be thrown out and new samples have to be ordered and this is a big deal because like 10mL of the sample is a couple hundred dollars.
Also, she said that I left a reagent sitting on the counter overnight, and it has spoiled. I can't believe that, I'm always so careful to take care of my samples and put them back in the fridge after I'm done with them. Also, I always make sure that I clean up anything that I used that day right before I leave lab. I just feel so embarrased and horribly disappointed in myself. At this point, Dr. Dao has the right to say that she doesn't want me in her lab anymore and that I need to find a new lab to work in. Trust me, finding a new lab is not a easy task, especially as an undergraduate. However, she is going to give me one final chance to change this.
Now, just to let you know, I've been feeling very divided and scattered. I'm taking a Biochemistry class (possibly the hardest class I'll take as an undergraduate) as well as an MCAT preparatory class (which has the potential to take up alot of my time) as well as doing research. When I was scheduling classes for the summer, I came to Dr. Dao and told her that I planned to take the summer off of research, but she told me that I should do some research as a break from studying. I had my doubts about that, but if she thought that, then I should take her advice.
Anyhow, I told her that I'll just go ahead and take the summer off to concentrate on Biochemistry and MCAT, and resume research in the Fall. Hopefully, I'll be able to concentrate more on my research and get something acutally accomplished. Either that, or I will have to quit and find a new lab, and that will not be good because I do have a deadline for my research.
Anyhow, leave a comment if you care!