As a junior searching for research experience, I was able to join the vanEngelsdorp Lab this semester to discover an interest in research I never knew I had. From day 1, I was welcomed and taught how the lab worked as well as the various projects that were occurring. Shortly after, I began my own independent project, comparing the precision of various methods to prepare Nosema samples, in addition to joining the PollinaTerps. My independent project was created in hopes of finding a more consistent manner to crush honey bee samples in preparation for Nosema counting. The current method involves the use of a Pin…