Katy Takumi, RaMP Participant

Working with Dr. Ned Dochtermann

What are you working on right now?

Currently, I am measuring and photographing literally hundreds of frozen crickets (Gryllus integer) to get various morphological measurements such as head width and femur length. The goal being to compare this data to their behavioral data and seeing if there are any correlations between their morphological traits and their behavior. I am also working on creating a project of my very own that I should be able to complete before the program's end, hopefully.

What is your favorite part of this experience?

There’s a lot I enjoy about this program and the lab I work in, but I’d have to say my favorite part is the freedom I have here. I am able to work at my own pace, help out with a variety of other tasks in the lab, and look into other topics if I choose to do so. This has allowed me to learn about the different aspects of research and has given me the opportunity to try many things that I wasn’t able to do before. Although I will admit that I do have a bit more freedom than my fellow RaMP members as my research specimens [crickets] aren’t exactly going anywhere anytime soon.

What do you enjoy most about Fargo?

I’ve enjoyed just how different yet together this place feels. I moved to Fargo from my home in Arizona and decided, since this was only a year long internship, that I would be alright without my car. So, I have only seen Fargo from a very small, yet incredibly close view. I’ve enjoyed walking its streets, going past the apartments where I live, through some quaint suburban neighborhoods, and exploring the busy downtown area. I’ve been told that in order to find things to do in Fargo you would have to travel far, but I’ve found plenty in just a few miles walk from where I live.