Discovery

Preparing for graduate school’s rigors and research can present a daunting task. The selection and application process alone is tough, and many students don’t even consider graduate school an option. In the United States, certain groups such as Latinos and African Americans have been underrepresented among faculty in colleges and universities.

Into the gap steps the McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program. Through seminars, workshops, and a paid research program guided by faculty mentors, WSU undergraduates work together as a cohort toward graduate school and doctoral programs.

I attended a few of the presentations at the research symposium for McNair scholars this week, to see what they’re working on. In an airy room at the top of the Smith Center for Undergraduate Education, I watched undergrads Mapuana Antonio, Alyssa Tanhueco, and Jacqueline Nuha present their research to fellow students and faculty.

What struck me, as much as the content, was the passion and deep personal connection to the research. Their common goal—graduate school and PhD programs—seemed more than a means to achieving employment. The students involved in the program care about what they study.

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Every year hard apple cider consultant Peter Mitchell treks from Britain to Mount Vernon teach a course in cider making to serious hobbyists and business owners. Last week 19 students from around the United States and Canada met with him at the Washington State University Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center to learn everything from the history of cider production to fruit selection and fermentation.

I skipped the orchard management and yeast handling instructions, but on the last day nosed in on the sensory evaluation training. The students met at the picturesque La Conner Flats farm to sample ciders and even share some of their own homemade efforts. Under the green and white striped awning of the patio Mitchell stood in front of a table populated with bottles – tall and short, from cider businesses just five miles away and as distant as Spain and France.

To lay a tasting groundwork, Mitchell began with two simple samples that were made from apples grown at the WSU research station. The first was cider made from galas, which he called dessert apples. The sample filled our glasses with a bright yellow. He held it up and asked the students to describe the color. “Clear,” said one lady. “Light caramel,” said another. “I would very much describe this as straw,” he said peering down into his own glass. A few wrote that in their notebooks. Then he told them to look at the liquid. Is it thick, did it shine? Yes, and a little.

“Keep it still and see what you can pick up,” he said, “Then give it a good swirl.” The swirl brought up a “hint of cantelope,” and “citrusy.” It’s not complex, he noted, it’s more winey.  “And that’s about it. Not a lot. Don’t go looking for something that isn’t there.”

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