Introducing Dasik

Contributed by Dasik Clouse

Hello all! 

My name is Dasik Clouse. I am a fourth-year undergraduate student here at Kansas State University. I am entering my final semester and will graduate this fall from K-State. I am from a very small town in Kansas called Medicine Lodge. While attending Kansas State, I switched majors only once. Originally, when I first arrived at K-State I had enrolled in the College of business with a major in accounting. Shortly after my second semester, I decided I was very uninterested in accounting and switched majors to general microbiology. This switch was rather unusual to most, as these majors have relatively nothing in common, but I realized that my interest in science had always been much higher than crunching numbers and learning tax law. I have now been with the Lee Lab for almost a year and I will be returning for my third and final semester. 

During my time with the Lee lab, I have received some of the most helpful experiences. Before the lab I had very little idea of what working in a lab was like. I have come to very much enjoy the lab space here at KSU. When I first joined the Lee Lab, I worked under Anna’s watchful eye. Anna cares about the quality of research as much as anyone, and she took the necessary time to teach me different protocols and techniques in the lab. I first learned how to complete DNA extractions, followed by conducting DNA quantification. These protocols are where most of my time in the lab has been spent over the last two semesters. During the spring 2024 semester a new graduate student, Brooke, and I began working together experimenting with DNA extractions. We worked together to improve the DNA extraction protocol for rhizosphere DNA samples to ensure that our quantification results would be the best they could be. 

This lab has taught me so much. Apart from learning techniques and protocols, I have learned how to work as a team in a research setting. There is so much necessary communication needed to operate a research project. All projects can run into roadblocks and problems that no one expects. One of my favorite things to do is being able to problem solve with others and think deeply about how issues can be fixed. Science is a never-ending learning experience, and the Lee lab has been a place where learning never stops. 
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After graduating from Kansas State University, I plan to begin applying for federal and private sector high containment lab research positions. I am very thankful for this lab and the amazing individuals I have gotten to work with. The knowledge and experiences I have gained from this opportunity have set a great foundation for all future opportunities.