"I was reminded of how working in the clean lab felt when I first started. It could be overwhelming keeping up with the chemistry, environmental control, and support needed to run the lab. However, our team was up to the challenge of keeping things clean and organized." -Dr. Sedlacek
"Quite a lot. This trip was my first experience in a clean lab and also my first time preparing samples. Before this I had no clue how much time and effort went into getting the information I have seen in papers." -Riley
"I learned a lot about the current research projects at OSU, how hard and expensive it is to have and sustain a clean lab and how much work it takes to keep it working. I was reminded of the importance of patience in research since many times the outcome of experiments does not follow your planned timeline (when things do not work as you expected and then you need to figure out what went wrong). Another important thing that I learned was the importance of asking the right questions when facing an issue in the lab in order to solve it." -Juliana
"There were so many new experiences for me, but the biggest eye-opener for me was definitely finding out what a clean lab is and how clean a “dirty” clean lab is. I walked into the lab on Sunday with absolutely no idea what to expect. The Radiogenic Isotope Lab at OSU (when clean) is virtually dust-free and when it’s dirty it looks like a regular (fancier) laboratory. After cleaning it, being temporarily taken aback by the dazzling white countertops, and learning about the mechanics of the lab, I began to fully grasp how unique this experience truly was." -Jessica
"The entire trip was fun, but specifically: ice cream, the 80’s lab party, and talking to high schoolers. We went to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream multiple times throughout the week and it was just such good ice cream, I miss it already. During the wet chemistry day on Monday, we used a large beaker to amplify and blast 80’s pop music while worked through the final hours of the day which made the tedious nature of the tasks more manageable. And finally, on Tuesday I went to Dayton to talk to some high schoolers about all the cool things we do with the BETA Project and shocking them with the knowledge that we had to vacuum the clean lab’s ceiling! They also really enjoyed all the brachipod fossils from Rockford, IA." -Jessica
"There was a lot of fun to be had in Columbus. We ate a lot of amazing food that you can’t get in Cedar Falls. I enjoyed checking out one of the local climbing walls while I was there, which had one of the largest continuous bouldering walls I have ever seen in person and a DJ playing some of my favorite songs to climb to." -Riley
I enjoyed watching the individual student’s reactions to the lab. Our team comes from three different home departments, and each one had a different take and feel for lab work. I also love that Jessica got to spend a day with Dr. Christina O’Malley. Chrissy is one of my closest friends, and she mentored my early teaching experiences in grad school. I still use many of her strategies in my classroom today. It was fun to talk to Chrissy about having Jessica in her classroom. She said, 'There was audible gasping at the 'vacuum the ceiling' picture. I had told my chem students about the clean lab before. I don't think they believed me.'" -Dr. Sedlacek
"The wet chemistry day was for me the most fun in the lab as we were active and constantly doing something as opposed to the long waiting time for the column days. Outside of the lab, the most fun was the great restaurants in town!" -Juliana
"My favorite thing about the lab was how cleaned and organized it looked after we finished the cleaning. Seeing the enormous change and our contribution to bring the lab back up to its feet was a looot of work but with a very satisfying outcome." -Juliana
"The lab feels like home to me. I spent a huge amount of time in there between summer 2007 through 2011. I went in there less after my daughter was born in 2012." -Dr. Sedlacek
"The set-up of the lab looked like something out of a science fiction movie. Having compartments built within walls to pass something from one room to the next, having fume hoods everywhere, and the dazzling clean work areas were surreal." -Jessica
"I enjoyed how peaceful the lab was. It felt very disconnected from the outside world, time seemed to pass differently when you spent all day in a room without windows." -Riley
"I don’t think I could truly pick a favorite. If my purchases were to be used as a measure of enjoyment, it would have to be the espresso-flavored ice cream from Jeni’s (I had it on a majority of the days of the trip)." -Riley
"Academically, being able to be back in a clean lab and experience again the importance of a clean environment to obtain great results when looking at smaller concentrations. Personally, my favorite part of the trip was the food and ice cream." -Juliana
"As a teaching major, I would never have guessed I would have had the opportunity to work in such a high-tech laboratory. The entire experience was truly amazing. Well, that, and the food. The food was delicious." -Jessica
I enjoyed bringing a new group of students into the lab and teaching them how to do the wet chemistry and columns work. Lab work can be tedious, but it is important to understand where these numbers come from. I think that Juliana, Riley, and Jessica have a better understanding of this process now. It was also great to field some of their questions regarding why we do each step. It’s easy to follow a recipe, but it is much better to understand why each step is needed." -Dr. Sedlacek
"While most people would probably give you a funny face if you told them you spent spring break in Ohio, I had an excellent time there and it was one of the most memorable spring breaks I have ever experienced." -Riley