This Week At CART – Jennie Rocha

Hi there! My name is Jennie Rocha, and I am a senior attending CART for a second year. I am currently in the Biotechnology lab. During my first year at CART, I was in the Environmental Science and Field Research lab, where I was able to expand my passion for environmental science. This class is where my love for field research stemmed from and is solely the reason I plan to study Wildlife Biology in College. I enjoyed this lab so much that I felt encouraged to come back to CART for a second year, to explore more of its amazing opportunities for students. Since I love science, I decided to try Biotechnology.

In this class, we’re always learning something new and utilizing it in our very frequent experiments. One of the experiments that’s become my all-time favorite is our Electrophoresis lab! We looked over a process that allows researchers to differentiate the molecular length of DNA, RNA, or other protein molecules. We were able to do this by creating an agar mixture, then adding pre-prepared Lambda DNA samples in bullet tubes to the gel using a micropipette. We then connected the samples in the agar to a power supply for 35 minutes and observed our results in the gel. Depending on how far each of the sample bars migrated, the further they went, the smaller the sample in molecular size. I had so much fun with this lab, and I really enjoy the fact that this is an actual experiment researchers might run in a lab.

Overall, I’ve enjoyed the opportunities offered to students like me at CART, and I’d like to encourage students to check out the Environmental Science & Field Research lab, along with the Biotechnology lab, or even any other lab the school offers! Even if you think you’re only slightly interested, come check it out! There are so many chances to learn something new, and that’s the best part.