Our fourth Plants3D Retreat was an awe-inspiring event where students from different cohorts, graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and guest speakers came together for an unforgettable weekend in the mountains. The Lake Arrowhead Conference Center provided the perfect backdrop for this beautiful gathering, where participants engaged, shared their research, and learned from one another. It was a weekend of triumph, as Rachel, Haley, and Ben emerged victorious in the Design Tournament with their innovative idea to solve the issue of lettuce bolting at temperatures that exceed 75F.
One of the guest speakers also hosted engaging workshops on science communication, which impacted everyone who attended the weekend and concluded with the famous lightning talks, leaving everyone with a sense of accomplishment and inspiration.
“I attended the Plants3D Retreat at Lake Arrowhead for the first time this year with no idea what to expect. Upon arriving, I found a full schedule of talks, workshops, food, and socializing. I really enjoyed meeting the Plants 3D students from previous cohorts. The science communication workshop was also very interesting with a lot of fun activities of describing our research in different formats.” Ben van Raalte
“I enjoyed my experience at the Plants3D retreat. In particular, I thought the communication exercises were really well done and helped me to think about new ways to present research ideas. I also thought the poster session was a great way to interact with students from other departments and faculty that I don’t get to talk to often.” Nora Flynn
“One of the most beneficial aspects of the retreat for me was connecting with students across the cohorts of Plants 3D fellows. I was able to collaborate with students from multiple departments and those who joined in different years of the program, which fostered a sense of camaraderie within the program. The exchange of ideas and experiences was invaluable and helped me learn with new perspectives and fresh ideas for improvement in my work.” Haley Larsen
