Experience of an ERASMUS student at IBB
The Botanical Institute of Barcelona (IBB) is a centre with almost 100 years of scientific history behind it. And throughout this time hundreds of students from different levels and from all over the world have done their bit to increase the knowledge we have about plants. During the summer of 2022 we had the pleasure of having among our ranks Margaux Naudy, a student at the ISARA School of Engineering in Lyon, who came to IBB as part of the ERASMUS project.
Margaux sorting seeds for the reproductive success of Arctium minus.
This summer, I did my third-year engineering school internship with a team of researchers at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona. For me, it was a way to learn more about the world of botany and research work”
Margaux has spent 3 months researching the Asteraceae family, within the COMPOSITAE project led by Dr. Oriane Hidalgo. The goal of this project is to learn about the evolutionary and functional aspects behind the great diversity of chapters found in the family.
During these summer months, I have done a lot of fieldwork in the Catalan Pyrenees. The aim was to collect flower heads from plants of the “Asteraceae” family in order to dissect, count and classify seeds to evaluate reproductive success, among other tasks. It was a great job of observation, patience and rigour. I was with a super passionate team, which has taught me a lot during the field trips”
Alpine meadows were one of the places visited to sample Asteraceae.
Beyond the scientific training, the ERASMUS programme provides students with tools that will help them in their future career, as it allows them to be in contact with people from other disciplines and cultures.
It was a good social experience that allowed me to meet many researchers specialised in different sectors. For example, I was lucky enough to work for two days in the Pyrenees with entomologists and learn about butterflies. It was very interesting. It has also allowed me to learn how a research study works and the methods to achieve what we want”
We hope that Margaux will develop a prosperous working and personal life, and we wish her the best of luck in her next stay in Argentina. We also encourage all students who are interested in IBB projects to contact us.
