Anita Murdock
Lab affiliation: Kumar Lab
Degree(s) you hold: B.Sc
Degree being sought (M.Sc./Ph.D.): M.Sc.
Hometown (City, Country—list multiple if you have them!): Born and raised in Brandon, MB. Roots in Fisher River Cree Nation (Treaty 5 territory) and Long Plain First Nation (Treaty 1 territory).
Your research project in one sentence: Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in drinking water distribution systems in First Nation communities.
Degree(s) you hold: B.Sc
Degree being sought (M.Sc./Ph.D.): M.Sc.
Hometown (City, Country—list multiple if you have them!): Born and raised in Brandon, MB. Roots in Fisher River Cree Nation (Treaty 5 territory) and Long Plain First Nation (Treaty 1 territory).
Your research project in one sentence: Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in drinking water distribution systems in First Nation communities.
What do you do to relax when you have a lazy day at home?
On lazy days, I’m either reading or crafting something. My main hobbies are sewing or beading with a cup of tea.
Here is the first blanket I finished (it’s supposed to be bigfoot/Sabe walking through the forest).
On lazy days, I’m either reading or crafting something. My main hobbies are sewing or beading with a cup of tea.
Here is the first blanket I finished (it’s supposed to be bigfoot/Sabe walking through the forest).
What are you most excited about for 2021? Goals?
I am most excited to finish my thesis and to graduate this year! A few other friends are graduating in other departments so it will be a big (virtual) celebration.
What techniques do you/will you most often use in your project?
I’ve completed the bench work of my project but I’m most familiar with quantitative PCR.
What's one silly mistake you've made in the lab?
Running my PCR product off the gel after placing the gel towards the wrong pole and then doing it again when our lab moved from 412 to 423 because the gel electroporator was placed differently. I’ve now learned to pay attention even when doing things that seem like routine work.
What are any current problems you are having with your research?
Not any particular problems just many, many, many errors working through R! My patience has never been this tested.
What did you hope to get out of grad school in the beginning compared to now?
I joined grad school to purse my interests in microbiology and to continue my professional development but at the end of my degree I’m grateful for the academia/professional and personal connections. Interacting with students as part of being a TA and other opportunities that bring students to our labs has also been a highlight with the Verna. J. Kirkness program being a personal favourite!
I am most excited to finish my thesis and to graduate this year! A few other friends are graduating in other departments so it will be a big (virtual) celebration.
What techniques do you/will you most often use in your project?
I’ve completed the bench work of my project but I’m most familiar with quantitative PCR.
What's one silly mistake you've made in the lab?
Running my PCR product off the gel after placing the gel towards the wrong pole and then doing it again when our lab moved from 412 to 423 because the gel electroporator was placed differently. I’ve now learned to pay attention even when doing things that seem like routine work.
What are any current problems you are having with your research?
Not any particular problems just many, many, many errors working through R! My patience has never been this tested.
What did you hope to get out of grad school in the beginning compared to now?
I joined grad school to purse my interests in microbiology and to continue my professional development but at the end of my degree I’m grateful for the academia/professional and personal connections. Interacting with students as part of being a TA and other opportunities that bring students to our labs has also been a highlight with the Verna. J. Kirkness program being a personal favourite!