Senior Zoology major and ESDRI Fellow at žž, Jami Greb spent the summer studying wild songbirds. Under the guidance of Sangeet Lamichhaney, PhD in the Department of Biological Sciences, Greb participated in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program, supported by the Environmental Science and Design Research Institute (ESDRI), investigating how the gut microbiomes of birds shift with the changing seasons.
“For my research, I am looking at the gut microbiomes of wild songbirds and how it changes between the seasons,” Greb explained. “I am looking to see if the same types of bacteria are present in the gut across the seasons, and I will also look into how certain bacteria might be helping the birds tolerate seasonal conditions such as the cold temperatures in winter. Over the summer, I have been working on American Goldfinches, but I will be continuing my research to include Black-capped Chickadees as well.”
While the science itself was fascinating, one of the most unexpected lessons came from behind the lab bench. “I think the most interesting thing I learned was not about my research itself, but about the process of conducting research,” Greb said. “I learned how to write a research proposal, order forms for the stockroom, and other ‘behind the scenes’ type things that it takes to do research that don’t really get talked about until you're doing it.”
Patience also proved to be an essential part of the process. “My biggest challenge during SURE was having to be patient while waiting for things out of my program,” Greb reflected. “Such as waiting for supplies to be delivered or waiting for it to be the right time to mail my samples out of the university, and of course, waiting for my samples to be sequenced at the company we sent them to. When things were in my control, I just wanted to go do everything; I spent hours and hours in the lab every single day for a week when I could've spread it out over a few weeks. But having to wait for a next step forced me to relax, which was good because I may not have otherwise.”
Beyond the lab, Greb found encouragement in the support system that SURE and ESDRI provided. “Having ESDRI's support has made me feel like I am part of a community and there are many people I can go to for help,” she said. “Of course, I always had my mentor, and we were always in contact throughout the program. But I enjoyed getting emails from ESDRI because it made me feel like it wasn't just me and my mentor, it gave me a much bigger sense of community.”
For Greb, the summer experience brought together fieldwork, lab research, and professional growth—preparing her for future studies while deepening her appreciation for the rhythms of science and nature alike.