South Dakota Mines Internship Inspires California High School Student to Create Research App

September 25, 2024
South Dakota Mines Internship Inspires California High School Student to Create Research App
Anagha Ashok, a junior from American High School in Fremont, Calif., works in a laminar flow hood as she applies paraffin wax to one of her streaked microbial plates. This hands-on technique was part of her research experience at South Dakota Mines, where she isolated and identified extremophilic bacteria from vermicompost samples.

Anagha Ashok, a junior at American High School in Fremont, Calif., recently interned at South Dakota Mines, working on cutting-edge projects focused on advancing biomanufacturing and sustainability.

While she gained hands-on experience in the biotechnology field, Ashok also walked away with a desire to create a tool that makes research more efficient.

“This summer was an incredible opportunity for me. All my time in the lab taught me one thing: I loved science. I also realized that I wanted to combine the lab knowledge I gained with my existing computer skills,” she said “While I was sad to leave South Dakota Mines labs at the end of my summer vacation, I left with a new goal: to create an app. While collecting data in the lab, I noticed that everyone was recording information manually in notebooks—a tedious task that could take away valuable time from their experiments.”

Ashok now wants to create an app that simplifies data collection and provides other features to support researchers. She shared her idea with Tanvi Govil, Ph.D., and Rajesh Sani, Ph.D., professors in the Karen M. Swindler Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, whom she worked with over the summer. “I hope this project turns into a tool that helps students in the research field run their experiments more efficiently.”

Ashok observed Mines Ph.D. students Jasmeet Kaur and Navdeep Kaur, before taking on her own project identifying a wide variety of bacteria from a vermicompost sample. Vermicompost is a type of compost made using worms to break down organic waste like food scraps, plant material and paper.

“During her internship, Anagha isolated and purified more than 100 unique extremophiles from the vermicompost samples," Govil said. “Despite her young age, Anagha tackled complex scientific tasks with enthusiasm, determination and a clear passion for biotechnology.”

Through hands-on lab experience, Ashok gained essential skills in microbiology, from culturing bacteria to analyzing data. “These skills will undoubtedly serve her well as she pursues her education and explores career paths in biotechnology,” Sani added.

Beyond her work in the lab, Anagha participated in discussions with many other graduate students and faculty on campus, gaining insight into potential career paths in STEM fields. Her involvement in the program enhanced her technical skills and nurtured her curiosity for scientific inquiry, making her experience this summer a transformative step in her academic journey, Govil said.

“This internship has truly changed the way I view things, and I hope to apply everything I've learned in the near future,” Ashok said. She hopes to continue pursuing opportunities in science and looks forward to applying what she has learned in her future studies.

 “Students like Anagha, who bring a wide array of skills and passion to the table, are rare,” said Govil. “We hope she returns to our lab in the future to continue her journey in STEM.”