My DIY Diagnostics experience was a little different than most. I was introduced to the DIY stream in the early summer of 2017 through the ARI (Advanced Research Initiative). I chose this stream, as I felt it would give me the freedom to learn how to solve real-world issues in my own way.It was a bit intimidating to be immediately thrown into a well-established lab and even more so when I was given my very own research project. However, Timothy E. Riedel helped tremendously in guiding me through this experience.
The project I began working on was designing a mosquito listening device that could identify mosquitoes by species and. count, which would ultimately help determine if mosquitoes in a given area were a threat to public health and comfort. Through the DIY stream and the help of mentors and Dr. Riedel, I was able to learn a new coding software and design a component to perform as such. Half way through my summer, I met my partner in this project, Viren, who perfected and ultimately designed the best working device.
Going into the fall semester, I was able to use Viren’s device to gather data with individually caught mosquitoes as well as mosquitoes in a particular environment. I later analyzed spectrograms of these recordings, created sound profiles for individual runs, and noted specific characteristics of the spectrogram trends. This would help identify specific species in the future.
Ultimately, the DIY Diagnostics stream gave me the surge of confidence I needed in research. I am more confident and capable of designing experiments, troubleshooting, and finding solutions. I feel that I am more equipped in solving problems and grasping onto abstract ideas for future improvement. Not only did I see improvement in myself, but I was also able to be inspired, motivated, and supported by my peers designing their own experiments in the DIY stream.
