Institute of Plant Biology
I found myself standing at Kew, Wakehurst. I worked on controlled ageing experiments across 30 distinct species, placing seeds in sealed containers with Lithium Chloride solutions to regulate humidity, resting them over intervals of 0, 2, 5, 9, 14, and 20 days before sowing them onto water-agar plates. Tracking their progress day after day and waiting for tiny radicles to break through the seed coats taught me a gentle kind of patience. In addition, I was responsible for germination tests on seeds that had been resting in long-term storage for 4 to 20 years. Opening those old collection packets and watching seeds stored over two decades ago come back to life was incredible. Knowing my daily measurements contributed to a global conservation effort brought a quiet sense of pride. This peaceful setting and my daily work also reshaped how I view my professional life. As my time here draws to a close, I take home valuable research experience and the self-reliance that comes from living independently in a new land.
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