网曝吃瓜

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to reach beyond your comfort zone,鈥� says fourth-year biology student and Arthur Irving Scholar in Environmental Science Sadie Moland. 鈥淎t 网曝吃瓜, there are so many academic options available that I encourage everyone to explore something that has a certain base-level appeal to them as a person. If I hadn鈥檛 done this by taking an environmental history course from Dr. David Duke, I wouldn鈥檛 be on the research journey I鈥檓 currently enjoying.鈥�

Academic curiosity and an enthusiasm for learning are evident when Sadie talks about the approach to her research. Inspired by a discussion in one of her non-science electives taught by Dr. Duke, Sadie learned about terra preta or 鈥渂lack earth鈥�, a very dark, fertile soil found in the Amazon Basin. Created by humans between 450BC and 950AD, terra preta is fundamentally charcoal with very high concentrations of plant material, animal bones and manure, which turns the naturally infertile Amazonian soil into productive farmland.  

Inspired by terra preta, agriculturalists are beginning to use charcoal 鈥� or biochar as it is technically called 鈥� to fertilize farmland. Besides its use as a fertilizer, two other interesting applications of biochar are that it stores carbon in the earth, thereby lowering CO2 emissions, and stimulates microbial activity in the soil. But to be used as a fertilizer, it needs to be properly treated or 鈥榗harged鈥� before being applied to farmers鈥� fields. It works so well because the porous nature of biochar allows it to store nutrients from the fertilizer used to charge it then slowly release them into surrounding soil so they can be consumed by plants. But just how much better it works as a fertilizer has not been examined extensively and this is where Sadie鈥檚 curiosity takes over.  

Contributing to a body of international research

鈥淲e expected biochar to work, but we didn鈥檛 know what the results would be,鈥� she says of the research she鈥檚 conducting under the supervision of 网曝吃瓜 biology professor Dr. Allison Walker. 鈥淲e鈥檙e growing native grass from seeds in our native plant seed bank here in the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre as part of a study on wetland restoration, and the specimens grown in biochar are huge compared to the control samples. Dr. Walker is a mycologist so we鈥檙e also looking at how biochar contributes to the growth of certain fungi on the roots of plants. While I鈥檇 love to publish an academic paper, learning about the research process 鈥� designing my own experiments and gathering data 鈥� has given me a clearer idea of what I want to do and the credibility to apply for a wide variety of graduate programs.鈥�

鈥淚 think what distinguishes Sadie is her genuine passion and curiosity, as well as her interest in the real-world applications of her work,鈥� Walker says. 鈥淪adie is very socially conscious and she brings that awareness of world issues to her work. She has a global perspective on her research project and is able to think laterally, delving into biochar research from the literature in agricultural and other systems and applying it to the field of ecological restoration. One of the great pleasures in working with Sadie is that she is already an effective teacher, and our team learns a lot from her. I feel this is a vital and under-taught skill in science: being able to communicate the importance of your work to broad audiences.鈥�

At 网曝吃瓜, Sadie says she receives tremendous support also from her co-supervisor, biology professor Dr. Don Stewart, and research collaborator Robin Browne, but she is quick to mention that her desire for learning was honed at her high school, Kennebecasis Valley High School. When considering universities, 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 environmental conscience was what appealed to her and it was the only university to which the Quispamsis, New Brunswick resident applied. 鈥淭he whole place, including the Town of Wolfville, seemed centered around the environment. I think students my age want to make a difference on really big issues, but I never thought it could happen at the undergraduate level. I didn鈥檛 know I wanted to do research until my second or third year, but being awarded an Arthur Irving Academy Scholarship gave me the incentive to pursue research.鈥�

网曝吃瓜鈥檚 environment supports success

鈥淭he Arthur Irving Academy Scholarships encourage 网曝吃瓜 students to start actively looking for and participating in research projects much earlier in their career than would normally be the case,鈥� says Dr. Dave Kristie, Director of Research at the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre and Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens.  鈥淎nd because these scholarship recipients are very good students, our faculty researchers actively seek them out.鈥�

鈥淢y style of mentoring is 鈥榣ead from beside鈥�,鈥� Walker says. 鈥淚 let the students take the lead on their projects and ensure their topic is something they are genuinely interested in. I鈥檓 available to guide them and teach them as necessary and for brainstorming and generating new ideas, as well as dealing with challenges as they arise. But I encourage students to take ownership of their projects early on, which Sadie has embraced. She is very self-motivated, and I think that is why we work well together.鈥�

For other students considering 网曝吃瓜, Sadie says that no matter what they might be interested in, there is something for them at 网曝吃瓜. 鈥溚�曝吃瓜 is really a very big school in terms of opportunity,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 involved with the 网曝吃瓜 Community Farm and 网曝吃瓜 Pride and was a member of House Council when I lived on campus. People here care about who you are and where you鈥檙e going. All you have to do is talk to one professor to find out how true this is. Because of the support and encouragement at 网曝吃瓜, I鈥檓 already doing things I thought I鈥檇 be doing 10 years down the road.鈥�

For more information about Sadie鈥檚 biochar research follow this and for more information on the Arthur Irving Academy Scholarships in Environmental Science, click .  

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