Lab Intern with the Kelp Project

Kawehi C., Spring 2024 

Aloha! My name is Kawehi, and I am a junior majoring in environmental studies with a minor in marine biology. I have been fortunate enough to intern with the Nudhzin Lab as a lab assistant through the Wrigley Research Institute. I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Diane Kim and former ENST-492 intern Tammy, primarily working with the gametophytes of Macrocystis porifera (Giant Kelp). Working in the lab has been amazing because it allowed me to experience a research lab environment. This internship has been particularly beneficial in teaching me practical lab skills and safety that I can use in the future. If you are on the fence about a career in research, I highly recommend this lab internship.  

Creating Artificial Seawater 

My duties in the lab were largely focused on producing artificial seawater along with the general upkeep of gametophytes. I did weekly water changes and microscopies to verify gametophyte health and growth. Before this internship, I had little to no microscope experience but learning to use the microscope to look at gametophytes was super fun! While making artificial seawater, I learned to use refractometers and filters to verify the quality of the water. I also had the opportunity to fragment gametophytes in hopes of using them for density experiments. The experiment’s goal was to discover the optimal gametophyte density for growth and health. I focused on maintaining gametophyte health and biomass so they can be used in the density experiment.