Junior environmental health sciences major Lily Eubanks has worn many hats in the past year she has been at the Water Institute. She began her work on the toxic metals systematic review and then applied that knowledge in the lab through work on lead leaching potential and lead content with X-ray fluorescence (XRF) testing.

“It was cool that I got to do both and then once I got into the lab, getting to do different kinds of projects was awesome,” Eubanks said.

Thanks to these experiences, she has improved her experimental design and problem-solving skills and had the opportunity to present at the 26th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Working with a team to assemble the project for an audience also broadened Eubanks’ skillset.

“There was a communication aspect that I learned there and being able to explain the complex scientific things we are doing to a more general audience,” she said.

Eubanks believes that the Water Institute has made her a more confident scientist as she has spent more time in the lab and explored new areas of public health.

“My confidence in that regard has made me a stronger professional, especially as I step into internships and other scientific roles,” she said.

Eubanks has found the Water Institute’s resources, from lab equipment to academic mentors, to be invaluable in defining her interests and deepening her breadth of knowledge. She feels that her experiences have been widely applicable, and they have even helped her through her organic chemistry courses.

“I really think it’s defined my time at Carolina so far,” she said.

In the future, Eubanks is considering pursuing the Gillings School of Global Public Health accelerated master’s degree program. She also plans to continue working with the Water Institute and hopes to dive deeper into XRF research.