In this project, participants will be working as part of the crowdsourcing activities of an international group of scientists working with students to find the next generation of antimicrobial agents from soils in our own backyards or campuses. Students will gather soil samples, perform testing on that soil for environmental recording, and then plate the soil samples to obtain specimens. We examine the specimens for potential antimicrobial activity and then test against known specimens to further characterize their activity.
As much of this work needs to occur in our laboratory at Penn State Schuylkill, participants in this region of the state are highly encouraged to join.
A Canvas course with required readings, as well as directions are provided. Initial training is safety training through Penn State. Students will be required to obtain a soil sample and perform a dillution series with plating. Students will observe the materials after incubation and note any changes. Plating of bacteria will require 2 hours per visit which includes training time. Sessions would be weekly for the 2 hours for the duration of the student's participation.
Students must be enrolled at Penn State. Students from any major can apply, as long as they have an interest in Soil microbes and Antibiotics. All background and techniques will be taught.
Students should submit what their interest is in the project and what they hope to gain from the experience. This can be included in the email.
If you are interested in the position, please email the Principal Investigator, Mary Ann Smith, at mvs14@psu.edu