Summer Student Gaining Valuable Work Experience

Lashawnee Myo joined the Gespe’gewa’gi Institute of Natural Understanding (GINU) this summer to gain experience working in the science field. Lashawnee has worked closely with our research department. She has shared with us all about her experiences being part of our team.

During my time working at GINU, I had the opportunity to work with many different people and learn new things while being on the field. Despite there being some language barriers, I’ve learnt how to do substrate analysis and fill in data sheets. I’ve learned how to use the flow tracker and to check flow, depth, temperatures, and coordinates. I’ve gotten to help electro fish and caught some good size trout in the process.

During my summer employment, I collected and sorted samples of microinvertebrates and learned their different names. I had the opportunity to do a dissection on a trout and collect a stomach and tissue sample and learn how eDNA works. I had the chance to filter a sample that will be sent to a lab. They can see what type of fish have been in those waters through the traces of cells in the sample. I got to see how they create maps and thermal maps using the drone.

I also learned how to get water samples for water quality and how to change thermographs. Overall, I learnt a lot while working at GINU and this line of work is something that I am interested in pursuing. I had a lot of fun working here this summer.