Sun + Beach + Genetics = FUN!

Hola!

So I spent last weekend at a hotel in Atlantic Beach learning about the latest genetics research going on at UNC and soaking up some rays on the sand. Our trip began Friday afternoon after class. I carpooled with a couple of other first year students. It was a long 4 hour trek to the coast and it poured down rain, so much that it was hard to see the road, fortunately that didn't last long.

We arrived at the "retreat" around 10pm at which point I went to a poster session (a set time where some of the students and post docs talked about their recent work in the form of a poster). On Saturday I listened to a series of talks, spent some time studying on the beach - lame I know, but I had exams this week, so I had to prepare :-(. The rest of Saturday was spent with more posters, presentations, and some alcohol.

On Sunday we headed home after more presentations. The retreat was a really great way to connect with students and faculty in an off campus environment. I talked to some faculty and graduate students about potentially rotating in their labs. I am really starting to settle in here and meet lots of nice people. I think the program did an excellent job of selecting great people, because I have yet to meet another student that I don't get along with.

For your viewing pleasure I have also included some photos taken at the beach. Some of them are various artistic renditions of the pier I was studying under. The towel is a souvenir we each received for attending. I was pretty excited to get a free towel and a weekend at the beach just for listening to some great science!

While the retreat was fun, I am super excited to spend this weekend around Chapel Hill catching up on some stuff! In the next entry I will cover the high-lights of this past week, promise it will be the last one for now!

~S