Getting real‐world experience in sustainable agriculture

Summer internships allow students to get their hands dirty while exploring career paths and gaining valuable knowledge The post Getting real‐world experience in sustainable agriculture appeared first on McGill Reporter .

Vincent Piette and Catherine Lebrun Catherine Lebrun (B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.)’29) and Vincent Piette (B.Sc.(Ag. Env.Sc.)’28) are getting a crash course on why it can be important to get your hands dirty – literally. The two Sustainable Agricultural Systems students, based at Macdonald Campus, are undertaking their first internships this summer, getting paid to put to use knowledge they’ve gained in their first year.

Practical internships are a required part of their program. Both Lebrun and Piette explained that their current studies stem from their love of nature and represent a pivot from initial career plans. “I had my first epiphany that I wanted to become an agrologist when I was working on a degree in Biology and was looking for a summer job in a related field,” said Lebrun.

“I found work on a farm and, even though it was hard, I realized I loved what I was doing there. I was already questioning my path in Biology, and working on the farm made me start thinking about working in agriculture, something I’d never considered before.” Similarly, Piette found himself longing for the outdoors after completing a degree in Music Theory at McGill’s Schulich School of Music.

“My love of gardening brought me on this journey,” he said. “I really love to experiment with my home garden and was looking to learn more about the best way to help plants grow. I started to look into research on plants and agriculture and realized that, without any formal scientific background, I wouldn’t be able to bridge that gap and gain the knowledge I was after.”

Different opportunities in the same field Piette is working at Macdonald Campus, in the lab of one of his professors, studying plant pathogens and plant-light interactions. His responsibilities include taking care of plants in the greenhouse and dealing with any pathogen outbreaks. “I’m also responsible for propagating and maintaining pathogens and preparing samples that will be studied,” he added.

Although Piette said he’s more interested in studying soil science than plant pathogens, he said he feels he will be able to apply his internship experience to that area, as well. Lebrun, on the other hand, was looking for something to complement her experience working on a farm. She applied for a paid student internship with the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ) , Quebec’s ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food, and was successful.

“I really wanted to spend time outdoors – I love getting to actually experience my summer!” she said Lebrun’s responsibilities are similar to Piette’s – just with a lot more driving. “Our team is studying insects and sometimes mould, which means that I often have to drive from my home in Blainville to locations across the island to collect samples and document the site, or to farms to collect pests caught in the traps we set there,” she explained.

“I’ve realized I really enjoy being outside and getting to work directly with plants because I can see the impact of our work. I still have some data entry work at the office, but that’s usually something I do on the slower days when I don’t go out into the field.” Lebrun also gets a glimpse into the life of an agrologist, accompanying her colleagues on trips to farms to get a better understanding of the job.

“In class we learn about different programs available to farmers throughout the year, and I’m now getting a behind-the-scenes look at those agrological services,” she said. “I’ve really loved getting to speak with the farmers and learning what they actually need, what some of the problems are that they deal with – that’s been a big highlight for me with this internship so far.” Looking ahead Both Lebrun and Piette point to the sense of clarity they’ve gained when it comes to prospective careers.

“I’ve gotten a good idea of what a day would look like for an agrologist working for the government,” said Lebrun. “I’ve also learned what it’s like working with animals and with plants, which I found to be more hands-on and matches what I hope to do in my career.” Piette, for his part, said he has enjoyed learning about the scientific process applied at the lab.

“It’s given me a better idea of what I might want to do in the future.” The post Getting real‐world experience in sustainable agriculture appeared first on McGill Reporter .