By Anna Kolganova – I was born in West Siberia, Russia, in a small town called Surgut. Even though this town is not well known, it is still one of the main energetic centers of Russia, where oil and gas industry is highly developed. Growing up in this colorless point in Siberia, I was always surrounded by news about how oil spots occur in rivers and on soil surface and how energetic industry makes unique Siberian ecosystems suffer. This is why at High School I decided to become an environmentalist. I spent 4 years of my life pursuing Bachelor’s degree in the field of Ecology and Environmental Management in the University of Tyumen. On the second curse of my Bachelor program, my Advisor offered me to take part in an International scientific conference and I agreed. I wrote my first scientific article about environmental pollutants and their cancerogenic influence on the residents of Surgut. On this conference I got the first place. The day of this conference was my birthday and I made myself the greatest gift – I found my destination. I realized that I want to be a scientist. And this is how my scientific path began.
I have been dreamed to study in the USA since school. Last year I got my Bachelor’s degree and applied to the Ohio State University. I got a fellowship and now I am pursuing my Master’s Degree in Environment and Natural resources here. Under Dr. Lal’s mentorship I am developing my thesis work about methanogenesis in ruminants and ways of cattle methane emission reduction. In the century of the climate change issue, it is highly important to do research that can help us to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
It has been a month since I became a member of OSU student community and C-MASC. I feel free and happy here because I got a chance to develop myself as a scientist by doing thing that I really like. I met lots of great people here, students and Professors are supportive and this helps me to not feel as an extra person in this unknown country. I already have 7 scientific publications which I wrote as an undergraduate student. Here, at OSU, I have a lot of opportunities to increase the number of my researches and I know for sure that I will do this. I am still trying to get used to new conditions, but I can definitely say that this is a priceless experience. I hope that my journey at OSU and C-MASC will be full of exciting moments.