“Laboratory Rotations”: the new teaching unit in the Research track of the M2 in Plant Sciences

This teaching unit includes two two-week internships conducted within research teams, including those of the SPS network. These internships allow students to become familiar with the design and execution of experiments, refine their technical skills, discover new research topics, and expand their scientific network.

The “Laboratory rotations” embody the “training in and through research” approach, an innovative pedagogical method that teachers are gradually integrating into all SPS master’s programs, and which SPS strongly supports.

This teaching unit has already proven successful in another SPS master’s program, the international M1 in Plant and Microbial Molecular Biology (PMB), established in 2023. This master, which has served as an excellent testing ground for pedagogical innovation, will merge with the M1 in Plant Sciences from the 2026-2027 academic year.

We  interviewed Hoc Nguyen and Jacob Van Buskirk, international students in the M1 PMB program, who recently completed their lab rotations:

Hoc Nguyen

“The lab rotations were fun, exciting, and intellectually satisfying, playing an important role in my academic development by allowing me to observe how scientists think, solve problems, and conduct independent research.

I had the chance to meet many kind and interesting people while experiencing different working environments, which increased my exposure to diverse teams and created opportunities for networking and potential future positions.

What I enjoyed most was analyzing results and interpret them. I find the process of making sense of the data both rewarding and stimulating. The most exciting part was discussing these interpretations with my supervisors, as their perspectives often revealed blind spots or flaws in my reasoning, helping me sharpen my critical thinking skills.”

Jacob Van Buskirk

“The lab rotations offered me an enriching introduction to the research environment, particularly suiting my hands-on learning style.

My rotation at IPS2, focused on dry lab work, was extraordinarily helpful; I gained invaluable skills by processing the full pipeline of ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, and Hi-C data, a resource I will rely on well into the future. Equally impactful was my time at IJPB, where I made strong connections and felt deeply involved with the institution.

Receiving such guidance from both teams was illuminating, reminding me why I chose this career path.”