25 | NWSLTR
Innovatoion and Internships
Interviewed by: Cyril Ibe, interim Land-Grant Communications Coordinator Summer internships and research experiences are more than just seasonal jobs—they’re powerful steppingstones toward a college student’s future career. Whether a student works in a lab, on a farm, in an office, or out in the field, the hands-on experience helps to shape their academic journey and professional goal. This was the experience of more than a dozen Central State University students last summer who toiled in labs and farms, and other places in-between, helping to seek answers to society’s problems across Ohio. The students were guided by their mentoring CSU research professors, including Dr. Pratibha Gupta, Dr. Brandy Phipps, Dr. Sakthi Kumaran, and Dr. Hongmei Li-Byarlay. All the students reported that their involve- ment was a paid experience. Here are some student reflections, which have been slightly edited for brevity and clarity.
Heaven Strachan Major: Sustainable agriculture, junior
Edmond Kollie Major: Biology, senior
Lessons learned
This internship taught me that bees are small, but their impact and their attitudes are big. I learned patience, attention to detail, and how to stay calm even when a bee decides that I look like a perfect landing spot. My time in the lab also showed me the importance of asking questions, working as a team, meeting deadlines.
Description of your 2025 summer internship/research duties
I worked in the Central State University Honey bee Research Lab, where my main focus was studying grooming behavior in honey bees and conducting UbeeO testing. My work involved observing how bees detect and remove mites, recording behavioral patterns, preparing samples, and helping with hive inspections. I also assisted with UbeeO testing, which helps evaluate how hygienic a colony is, basically measuring which bees would make great roommates and which ones leave crumbs everywhere. Host company/institution Central State University Honey bee Research Lab. Title Undergraduate Research Assistant Start date/end date May 19 through August 25.
Impact of experience on your academic journey/career goal The experience strengthened my passion for sustainable agriculture and helped me understand how crucial pollinator health is to our food system. Working hands-on with bees made me even more passionate about pursuing research in sustainable farming, pollinator conservation, and environmental health. It also confirmed my long-term goals of pursuing a STEM-related graduate degree and eventually owning an organic farm.
Description of your 2025 summer internship/ research duties I participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program in Climate Change and Health at the University of Cincinnati. My project, titled “Neighborhood Deprivation and Hormone Profiles: Exploring Biomarkers of Stress and Sex Differences in Childhood,” examined how environmental stressors such as poverty and neighborhood conditions influence hormone levels specifically cortisol and DHEA in children, and how these effects vary by sex. I contributed to data collection, literature review, and analysis using biostatistical methods to assess environmental and biological interactions.
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