'A personal connection with pristine land': how living and working in Yosemite changed my life
By Cassandra O'Brien, US Bioprocessing Manager
My first memorable exposure to the sciences was in fourth grade, when we were asked to design an experiment and see it through. I decided to test whether music affects a plant’s ability to grow.
I isolated one plant and played it classical, another got pop, and the third, rock ‘n’ roll. This routine of taking my turquoise, portable CD-player around the house each day to play music for my marigold plants went on for about a month (most likely, pretty inconsistently). Results: Music does not seem to play a role in a plant’s growth, but if you forget to water them, they will all die, and your fourth-grade experiment will go very poorly.
Fast forward to high school: I managed to get through the trauma of my fourth grade science fair, and biology became my favourite subject. When it was time to go to college, it was a no-brainer for me to continue down the bio path even though, at that point, I wasn’t entirely sure where it would lead.
I graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2012. After graduation, I joined the California Conservation Corps program: this is where the life-changing stuff begins. To start off, this organization’s motto is “Hard work, low pay, miserable conditions, and more”. It lives up to the promise in the best way. I joined a 14-person backcountry trail crew stationed in the northern wilderness areas of Yosemite National Park. We lived out of our tents for 6 months, building and restoring trails throughout the park, completely removed from technology, society, warm water, and viral YouTube videos (According to my mom, the “What does the fox say” video was HUGE while I was away).
I signed up for this program to do something different; I knew going in that the challenge would be a growing milestone (in every sense of the word — my muscles got huge), but I couldn’t have predicted how much it would change my course. I underestimated how much more appreciation I would have for our planet after this experience. The personal connection I formed with such a pristine land opened my eyes to not only the awe-inspiring intricacy of our planet, but also its delicate dependence on the civilization developing upon it.
I was hooked on this lifestyle and continued building trails the following season in Montana — same work, different bears.
After a few years of living in the northwestern woods of the USA, I decided it was time to turn the page and apply my passion for biology towards my new appreciation for sustainable living. Next stop: Boston. I figured I’d moved back east and explore a path towards studying urban agriculture. While applying for school, this new path took a hard left-turn towards the biotech world and brought me to a bioprocessing position at a local start-up company that uses microbes to increase crop yield. I found my niche in the microbial fermentation space and stayed with that team for five years.
Towards the end of my stint in Boston, my husband and I moved to a farm in Maine, where we currently reside. We’re slowly bringing back a 250-tree apple orchard, refining our maple syrup making skills, and attempting to tap into the mushroom-growing game. We also host weddings here but that is a whole other story.
Professionally, all of these experiences led me to Soil Carbon Co, where I now work as the Bioprocessing Manager for our US team. Our lab in Maine focuses on microbe screening, growth optimization, and scaled-up production. This work is crucial for large-scale manufacturing, and for getting our products into the hands of farmers. It is an exciting, mind-blowing time to be a part of this organization as we build momentum towards preserving our planet’s health for future generations.
How can if be 'crucial' to get your 'products into the hands of farmers' when you don't have a product yet? If you want to be a scientist, you need to familiarize yourself with the precautionary principle. Whatever your product turns out to be, you need to make sure it is fully tested and the risks and benefits are clearly understood before it is brought to market. You, clearly, do not have that mindset right now since you are so excited to push an untested product out that dor.