Meet team members at Mon Cheri, a coffee shop down the street from our apartment.
Sara L.
Major/Minor
Junior, BS in Biology/Biotechnology; Minor in Biochemistry
Completed Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) at the Tirana, Albania Project Center.
An IQP is often called life-changing by WPI students, requiring teams to delve into a problem that matters to real people.
Project
Sara traveled to the Albania Project Center to complete her IQP, working with three other students and local sponsor Eco-Albania to assess the economic value derived from exporting medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) to international markets. She and her teammates examined ways in which the harvesting techniques of these plants along the Vjosa River could be improved; they also considered the potential impacts of the impending dam construction and trade implications on the plants.
Reflection
Sara and her team were faced with communication challenges between themselves and the natives throughout the IQP experience. Her inability to communicate effectively pushed her to study the language and work hard to connect with the locals, both verbally and through body language. Her team was ultimately able to complete a field study in southern Albania where many of the people spoke little or no English.
Overall, Sara gained a greater sense of independence from her time in Albania, and is no longer afraid to try things on her own. She learned a great deal about traveling safely and became more comfortable with the idea of being alone and still thriving in a new, unfamiliar environment.
Hometown
Bedford, NH
Major/Minor
BS in Biology/Biotechnology; Minor in Biochemistry
Project Advisor(s)
Professor Robert Hersh
Professor Peter Christopher
Project Sponsor
Achievements
- Working alongside a biotechnology professor in a laboratory her freshman year and completing a summer undergraduate research fellowship, contributing data to a pending multi-department publication.
- Appointment as Director of Parent and Alumnae Relationships in her sorority chapter and new connections she formed.
Aspirations
- Attend graduate school to work towards a PhD in either molecular or cellular biology.
- Securing a career in academia.
Typical Work Week Schedule
Typical Weekend Schedule
A visit to the Berat Castle, a fortress overlooking the town of Berat, situated above the Osumi river in south-central Albania
Greeting an employee of Gjedra, a medicinal and aromatic plant collector in the Berat region, while visiting for a plant tour
Taking a tour at a medicinal and aromatic plant collector facility in the Berat region
Team meeting with project sponsor, EcoAlbania, at the sponsor’s office
Interviewing an employee from a medicinal and aromatic plant collector facility in the Berat region
Greeting the tour guide at a medicinal and aromatic plant collector facility in the Berat region
Touring the Berat Castle, a medieval fortress built in the 13th and 14th century, situated above the Osumi river in Berat
Outside Gjedra facility, a medicinal and aromatic plant collector in the Berat region
Preparing to conduct interviews and gather materials from the medicinal and aromatic plant collector in the Berat region
Hiking excursion to the Valbona region in northern Albania
Team photo with members of Gjedra, a medicinal and aromatic plant collector in the Berat region