For high school students, the transition from predictable in-class lab work to the more abstract and unpredictable outcomes of real-world research in specialized labs is critical. Sparks will help you build a strong foundation in both research and plant science, giving you a clearer understanding of the topics you want to study in college and beyond.

“This is for them to find their own answers and to understand that we don’t necessarily know the results,” Sparks said. is not limited.”

Ferriss, now retired after a successful career in plant breeding, is excited about the internship program at Sparks Lab. So does Sparks.

“Words cannot describe this contribution and how [Ferriss] It changed the lives of these students and opened their minds to new possibilities and new careers that they hadn’t considered before starting this internship,” Sparks said.

Ferriss said he firmly believes that internships are important in opening up students’ minds and building networks. Thanks to his contributions, his lab experience piqued D’Angturli and Kim’s interest in plant science, a field that is critical in nourishing the world while protecting the planet.

“Looking at food production today, there are concerns about the impact of climate change on food production,” said Ferriss. “We need greater research and development applied to food production if we are to sustain life ahead.”

delve into research

Aspiring scientists approached the problem of botanical research through experience.

Danthuluri investigated the effect of planting density on maize flowering and investigated how much maize can be successfully grown in one area. He concluded that competition provokes shade responses. That is, when corn grows densely, the plants shade each other. Shade encourages each plant to compete for sunlight in order to grow as strong as the plant already accessing the most sun.

This research challenge could only be tackled with resources found in specialized laboratories by Danturli, a senior high school student currently interested in microbiology and molecular biology.

“They had much better advanced technology and equipment, so this really set me up for my future,” he said. It really taught me the value of working together.

“I feel like I learned a lot because it was my first independent research project and I didn’t know how long the experiment would take,” Kim added.

Ferriss fondly recalls traveling with Teel to a research station in Millsboro. She visited farms, did research, and had great conversations about science. Fifty years later, Sparks has taken on the same role as his Teel, a Newark resident who mentored Danthuluri and Kim with the knowledge and confidence they needed to prepare for meaningful scientific careers.

new student in lab

After reading how the internship experience was beneficial to Danthuluri and Kim, Ferriss rejoined to help two freshmen, Therese Kim and Taran Kermani. Kermani, his senior year student at the Charter School of Wilmington, is interested in a career in biological research. Kim, her junior at his charter high school in Newark, is interested in biology and environmental sciences.

Under the guidance of Sparks and UD scientist Teclemariam Weldekidan, the two studied the effects of artificial selection on tropical maize adaptation in an outdoor field lab during the summer. Among other projects, students learned the basics of plant breeding by performing cross-pollination and collecting agricultural data.

“It presented me with the neglected, neglected but pressing concern of how to feed a rapidly growing world population despite shrinking land areas and limited resources. rice field.

It’s a question I’ve never thought about before,” Kim said. “It taught me that the way to save the world is to breed and harvest one generation at a time.”