I am a freshman majoring in Food Science as well as Biochemistry at UMass Amherst. Being a ‘novel foods' enthusiast (basically means futuristic food), I have been inclined to explore plant-based and laboratory-synthesized food products. This summer, I was fortunately accepted into the REEU internship, and had a lot of opportunities to study agriculture and have hands-on experience in this field. These precious experiences gave me a whole new perspective about food production and issues in agriculture we are facing right now. That is the reason why I took interest in how tomato plant stress can help to increase fruit yield and provide better fruit quality, which I believe can make a change in growing practice in the future. To be honest, I encountered many challenges along the way. I still remember the time when I became so stressed out because I realized it takes more than a summer for a tomato plant to have fruit! I also came across another challenge using the colorimeter –an instrument used to quantify the color of fruit samples, which I had never used before. However, with the help of everyone, including Dr. Jaime Piñero, my two program coordinators Zoe and Mateo, and my colleagues, I am happier and more confident about my independent project, and was happy to end my wonderful summer with memorable results.
Learn more about the Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU) Program
