Living the LOREX through Dalhousie: Lessons Learned, Friendships Made, and Career Development Accomplished

Globalization is driving scientific collaborations to become more accessible and desirable. The Limnology and Oceanography Research Exchange (LOREX), a program funded by NSF, has the goal of fostering international connections and research collaborations among graduate students and universities around the world. My experience with this program began with professional development training at the 2019 ASLO meeting and became fully realized when I went to Dalhousie University to work with Dr. Zoe Finkel. I had to learn to deal with the challenges of working with live organisms, enjoy the benefits of working closely with several post-doctoral students, and say “yes” to new experiences both personal and professional. I learned how to answer the question, “what do I do when my phytoplankton keep dying?” First you mourn, then you keep pushing forward. Although my research period in Canada is complete, my international collaborations are not finished. Currently, I am using the tools that the LOREX program gave me by participating in a global lecture series and applying for international professional positions.