Adina Cazacu-De Luca

High School Apprentice

“As a SIFTer last year, I took every opportunity I could to come out to Tyson. I know it’s not a popular opinion, but I loved root washing. I found it therapeutic.”

Adina admits that this might be more nostalgia than reality, but it’s clear that she loves most aspects of the research process. Although she couldn’t see herself doing just field science the rest of her life, she loves being outside in the research gardens or exploring around Tyson.

“I’m really interested in public health, sustainable development, and urbanization. I think there’s going to be an interdisciplinary field out there for me, and if there’s not, I’ll make one. One thing I’m worried about is finding another community as friendly as Tyson. I really appreciate that high school students are taken seriously.”

Have you had any big takeaways from your experience here?

“I’ve been thinking a lot about the human implications of research. The big question about our prairie restoration research is, so what? And I’ve come to the conclusion that that question assumes the idea that the work is a means to an end for humans to use the environment. But I think stewardship in itself is a worthy cause regardless of whether or not we can directly benefit from the environment.”

Adina worked with Scott Mangan and Claudia Stein's Natural Enemies team during summer 2019. Learn more about their plant-microbial communities research here.