Your future, our focus
Northwest College student and biology major Tawna Herrera recently learned her winter break is going to be vastly different than it’s been in the past.
Set to fly out Dec. 25, Herrera is headed to East Africa for a 27-day research expedition through National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), where she’ll experience cultural exposure, outdoor skills and scientific research opportunities in the heart of Tanzania.
“It’s just such an unreal opportunity to go on an adventure doing what you love,” Herrera said. “I am looking forward to immersing myself in scientific field research and examining the microbiome in the soil located on Mount Kilimanjaro."
Herrera’s participation is aided by scholarships and grants from the Colorado-Wyoming Alliance for Minority Participation, which supports and encourages participation in STEM education. She will participate in microbiome sampling and high-elevation research on Kilimanjaro, implementing bioinformatics skills gained through participation in NWC’s Idea Networks for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program.
“I am also looking forward to learning the language and the culture of the Masaai people, who we will be staying with for a week. Overall, I am looking forward to the whole expedition,” Herrera said.
In addition to conducting research and gaining exposure to new cultures, she’ll go on a safari, walk among zebras, giraffes, ostriches and wildebeests, and travel through the plains and forests of Tanzania.
The next component of the expedition includes a daylong drive through the Ngorongoro Crater, where the group will see African wildlife in their natural habitat.
The final two weeks of the course will be spent on Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa. Students will focus on scientific research projects including sampling and analysis, formulating scientific hypotheses, collecting original field data and learning best practices for discussing and presenting data.
The backpacking route length spans approximately 40 miles, with the average pack weighing anywhere from 50-60 pounds.
During the excursion, the group will hone their outdoor living and leadership skills. Participants will return home seasoned backpackers, world travelers and international expedition scientists.
INBRE is supported by the National Institutes of Health in an effort to train aspiring scientists and health practitioners in biomedical research. NWC has been involved in this project since 2004, broadening the education for more than 200 students in that time.
Many NWC INBRE students have gone on to medical, pharmacy and naturopathy schools as well as earning advanced degrees in various aspects of biology.
Wyoming INBRE funding is intended to enhance biomedical research capacity, expand and strengthen the research capabilities of biomedical faculty, and provide access to biomedical resources for promising undergraduate students throughout the eligible states.
The Wyoming INBRE network is composed of the students, teachers and researchers at the University of Wyoming and Wyoming community colleges.
The project described was supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Grant #2P20GM103432.
Herrera is set to graduate from NWC in May 2020.
