1 min to read
A day in the field
How a full day in the field works!
The day begins with a hearty breakfast before checking our equipment and getting to the car. The coordinates of the chosen site are set on the GPS, and often hours are spent in the car discussing the characteristics of the site, possible challenges and how to deal with them, but also sharing our knowledge, past work and work in progress. Those moments are extremely formative, being able to interact with colleagues from other universities, highly competent and experienced colleagues, and experts in subjects that are somewhat related but different from one’s own field of study, allows one to broaden one’s knowledge. And this is the most beautiful and important aspect of creating a multidisciplinary team.
Once you reach the sampling site, the first thing you do is observe the area, make sure you can work safely, and choose the exact spot to take the samples. Once all the samples have been collected, you return to the car ready to head to the next sampling site. Some days we manage to reach up to three different sites, other days one or two, often depending on distances or weather conditions. After completing the sampling, you return home and start cleaning and organising all the equipment, labelling samples, finishing analysis, recording data, and planning work activities for the next day. Once finished, the work day comes to an end and you relax with a good dinner accompanied by pleasant conversations, enjoying the landscapes and starry skies offered by the beautiful places where you are.
Often, at the end of workdays, one is very tired, but just thinking about how fascinating and important this work is is enough to feel ready for a new day of discovery and knowledge. Experiences like this allow you to get a broad overview before interpreting the data obtained in the lab.
(Fotos: Jacopo Pasotti, 2024)
