Helping Solve Global Agriculture Problems: Langley Students visits Abu Dhabi to present research

October 18, 2019

Last month, two Langley students had the chance to visit Abu Dhabi for the International Movement of Leisure Activities in Science and Technology (MILSET) Expo. The Expo Sciences International (ESI) hosts students from around the world to take part in lectures, presentations, workshops, and other opportunities for students to engage in STEM-related issues.

Sarah Choi was one of the two students from Langley — the other was Mac Dykeman who was interviewed here — who had the opportunity to attend the ESI. Choi presented her project which the development of a natural biofertilizer which she believes is better for the environment and human health. Here is an account of her experiences:

Tell me a bit about your project. What is it about, and what were your conclusions?

I developed a natural biofertilizer that involves the use of Hermatia Illucens, or Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL), frass, which acts as a substitute for synthetic fertilizers. Current synthetic fertilizers contain harmful chemicals to humans such as carcinogens, and its benefit for plants is further mitigated by the dissipation of nutrients into the atmosphere causing the release of greenhouse gases, and the leaching of nutrients which leads to groundwater contamination and eutrophication of bodies of water. My project found that BSFL frass can convey the role of a fertilizer by providing defense mechanisms for the plant when in contact with disease and supplying nutrients such as nitrogen. My results demonstrated that BSFL frass was able to increase nitrogen levels for plants without causing the dissipation or leaching of nutrients.

What inspired you to pursue this project?

After starting work in a horticulture lab, I became aware of more of the issues regarding the correlation between world hunger and crop failures. I have a friend who worked with me in the lab, and since she was from Afghanistan, she would tell me about how major crops like rice would occasionally fail, limiting optimal food production. I recognized that this was an ongoing problem, and this prompted me to initiate a small project of my own.

Tell me about your experiences in Abu Dhabi

In Abu Dhabi, I went sight seeing as a group with Team Canada to the Grand Mosque and the Souks. It was my first time visiting the United Arab Emirates and it was a very interesting to be surrounded by a different culture and learn about their traditions.

What experience in Abu Dhabi really taught you something about yourself? Did you have a groundbreaking/self-discovery moment?

I learned that I really enjoy presenting and discussing research with other people. For three days, we were presenting for the public, other participants, as well as various representatives from prestigious universities like Harvard. I was able to meet and talk to a wide range of people such as Abu Dhabi students and participants from all over the world. The variety of projects displayed throughout the hall was so interesting to see; and there were a wide range of different topics from dark matter classification to improved methods for Leukemia detection. I enjoyed these discussions with them and found that research is not just about finding a concrete conclusion but also about the questions that arise from the results.