Name: Juliette Ajeneza
Major: Chemical Engineering
Research Location: University of Notre Dame
Juliette spent six weeks in Dr. Goodson’s developing yeast-based, whole-cell biosensors to measure bioavailable nutrients as a way to provide a simple and cheap method for monitoring the nutrient supply in water streams and soil samples. Her research developed an assay that measures the amount of phosphorus in turbid solutions and soil samples. She also developed experimental procedures for studying the effects of buffers on phosphorus absorption from the soil.
Juliette says, "I grew up in the rural area of Rwanda where agriculture is the major activity and source of income for most families, including my own family. The major concern in my community is that despite all the effort and time spent doing agricultural activities, families that do farming remain the poorest. Hearing about a project that could help farmers from economically disadvantaged regions piqued my interest. I wanted to explore this area further with the hope that I can contribute to a better farming experience for the families like my own. This topic proved relevant to my goal, and with my skills and knowledge as a chemical engineer, I hope to help develop the biosensors so that families can monitor plant growth and minimize the money spent on phosphorus-based fertilizers and minimize the effects caused by over-application of fertilizers".