For the past two months, Sumedha has been the BC-TTP’s summer research intern. She has been a great help to the whole team, but particularly to Dr. Fahim as she helps him out in the field inspecting hives and at the lab processing samples. Her quick learning, curiosity, and lab knowledge has been a great bonus to our team this season! Read below for an update from Sumedha to learn about the projects she’s been working on, the experiences and lessons that have shaped this season for her, and how this internship has influenced her goals and plans for the future.

At the beginning of this internship, Sumedha’s goals were to deepen her understanding of bee biology and pollinator ecology, and to develop fieldwork skills to see the real-world impact of research. She feels that this internship has helped her achieve these goals as she has learned so much about the biology, behaviour, diseases, and role of honey bees in agriculture and our ecosystems. Before starting this internship, she knew little about honey bees but now she can honestly say she loves them!

The opportunity for Sumedha to work directly in the field has allowed her to see how research makes a real difference for beekeepers.

“Every apiary visit taught me something new and I’ve gained so much confidence working in field research.”

Sumedha enjoys having a balance between field work and lab work. She finds it rewarding to experience the entire research process, from collecting samples in the field to processing them in the lab. She thrives in the lab, as she has a love for molecular biology and laboratory research, though she has discovered that her experiences in the field have made her lab work much more meaningful.

“This internship has reinforced that I want to continue doing research after my undergraduate degree. It has made me seriously consider pursuing a master’s degree in the future. One of the biggest influences has been Fahim.
Besides teaching me so much about bee research, he’s shared a lot of valuable real-life advice about graduate school, careers, and research. Those conversations have given me a much clearer idea of what I want to do in the future, and I’m really grateful for all of his guidance and mentorship.”

Dr. Muhammad Fahim Raza (middle) and Sumedha Sharma (right) in the field. Photo credits: Peter Nielson

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Tech Transfer Program this summer. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, supportive, and always willing to answer my questions. It’s been an amazing learning experience and I’ve gained so many new technical skills while also growing personally and professionally. Thank you to the entire team for making this such a memorable internship!”

The BC-TTP is so grateful for all the many contributions Sumedha has made to our organization over the past couple of months and we’re excited to see what she accomplishes in her last month with us and beyond!

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Keep up to date with Sumedha and the TTP’s projects by following us on our socials! Click the links below.