When most people imagine a cutting-edge scientific laboratory, donkeys, wine and vines rarely make an appearance. But for University of St. Thomas student and biochemistry major Clara Lucero ’24, that was exactly the kind of laboratory she embraced this summer. Instead of a long parade of beakers and microscopes, this laboratory featured plenty of fresh air and one incredible Italian vista.

“It was definitely weird at first not to be in a traditional lab,” Lucero said. “But in so many ways, this felt like something more. We were able to apply the same ideas of classroom work to this amazing real-world setting.” Lucero and 10 fellow undergrads traveled to Italy for a special interdisciplinary course, Sustainability of an Italian Vineyard – A Biological and Chemical Approach.