On February 7, I attended a BRAVO! Datablitz featuring Pieter Rowlette and Stephanie Freeman. Both students spent their fall semester at Wageningen University, Wagenigen, The Netherlands. While the Stephanie and Pieter presented their research, the rest of us, enjoyed Dutch cuisine such as pea soup and chocolate cake.

Pieter, a UBRP student in Dr. James Field’s laboratory, Environmental and Chemical Engineering worked with Dr. Piet Lens, Agrotechnology and Food Sciences while at Wageningen University. Pieter discussed the effects of sulfate wastewater produced by industrial plants on, not only drinking water, but also ecological systems in the ocean. His research involved the reduction of this sulfate-rich wastewater by using anaerobic bacteria found in a local wastewater treatment plant. The aim of his research was to see if the bacteria could reduce sulfate at a pH of 5, and if dosed traced amounts of metals in the nutrients solution affected reduction. He found that sulfate reduction at a pH of 5 was feasible and plans to continue to with this research.

Pieter showed some pictures from his time spent abroad, as he described his non-research experiences. He explained that Wageningen is a small town based around the university. Everyone uses bikes to get around. He enjoyed living in the international wing of student housing, where he was able to mingle with other students studying abroad.

After a few questions from the audience, we served ourselves seconds and sat back down for Stephanie Freeman’s turn at the projector. Stephanie is currently an undergraduate in Dr. Reyes Sierra’s laboratory in the department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering. At Wageningen University, Stephanie worked in Dr. Alfons Stams’s laboratory in the Department of Microbiology. Like Pieter’s research, Stephanie’s project involved sulfate wastewater and bacteria. Her project though, had a molecular ecology twist to it and because of this; Stephanie had to learn new techniques such as denaturated gradient gel electrophoresis along with others to identify the types of bacteria and archea found in biofilms that reduce contaminants in wastewater. In the final part of her work, Stephanie presented some impressive images created using Fluorescent In-Situ Hybridization, or FISH. These images are used to visualize various microbial groups with an epifluorescent microscope.

Stephanie then showed us images of Wageningen and her various experiences in Dutch culture such as cheese, beer and wooden shoes. We also got to see pictures of the cities that Stephanie travelled to in her spare time. Stephanie emphasized how much she felt that BRAVO! was more than a research experience, but an international experience which she took advantage of in her travels.

I think it’s great that UBRP/BRAVO! offers these experiences to undergraduates who are interested in research and travelling. As a future BRAVO! student, I found the presentations to be very informative, plus they excited me about my own travels this summer. I will use some of the advice I received from the Pieter and Stephanie when I get to Ghent, Belgium for my BRAVO! experience.

Andrea Aguirre, UBRPer in Dr. Frans Tax’s laboratory Molecular & Cellular Biology