In August, Nguyen and Anthony officially joined the lab in person. We spent a lot of time unboxing equipment, sorting through old supplies, and deciding what to keep, all while getting the space cleaned and organized. By the start of September, our aquarium systems were installed and nearly ready to go. Once the last bit of construction in the facility is done, we’ll be fully operational.

When Sophie returned to Chicago from the MBL in mid-September, all of our lab members were finally together, and it really felt like the lab was officially here. At the end of the month, we attended the Darwin Cluster Retreat at the Field Museum, where Anthony and Sophie gave fantastic flash talks.

We’re still streamlining our day-to-day operations, but every week it’s becoming clearer what we need and what’s left to do. Experiments are starting and we’re essentially in full operation. While we’re all still learning, we’re making steady progress together!

Come visit us at Culver 305. Hopefully more punctual updates and pictures to follow!