Mathias Tye

Title of Work: 

Interning in a Plant Production Physiology Lab in Japan

Abstract:

Global climate change continues to have large impacts on Earth’s ecosystems, often leading to drought, salination, and desertification of previously wet environments. In order to further understand the global implications of climate change, and to realize new methods of mitigating the effects that climate change has on agricultural systems, I spent 540 hours working in a plant physiology lab at Kyushu University in Japan. While in this lab, I spent time reviewing literature on the potential for organic farming to sequester carbon, and develop healthier soils and foods, as well as how CAM photosynthesis may be able to infer drought tolerance in rice. Alongside that, by cultivating and harvesting crops, and measuring soil and crop metrics, I gained deeper insight into the methodology behind lab processes and institutional research. Ultimately, I was limited in my ability to perform deeper science related to genetic modification and microbial analyses due to the gap in my understanding of the Japanese language, and inability to communicate complex jargon in a second language. Nonetheless, I contributed to research that may lead to discoveries which change the balance of global food systems, and propel humanity into an era of competently mitigating the effects of global climate change.

Keywords: Study abroad, second language acquisition, organic agriculture

Title of Work (Global Language):  

植物生産生理学のインターンシップ

Abstract (Global Language):

気候変動が世界中の環境を変化する。この気候変動は農業にどんな影響が与えるのをわかるために、九州大学の植物生産生理学の研究室にインターンシップに540時間をした。そこで、有機農業で炭素の貯留し方とCAM光合成について論文を読んだ。さらに、私は作物を植え収穫したり、土壌を計り解析したりした。このインターンシップをしたおかげで、私は日本語を練習したり、日本の文化について習ったり、研究室の大事な体験をもらったりした。

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