What is your project about?I am currently working with a new crayfish (Marmorkrebs) that is completely parthogenetic. Because this animal was only recently discovered (mid 1990s), there is much to learned. This means that my projects are varied and include some genetic experiments and several different types of behavioral experiments. In the future we hope to begin work on some ecology and neural anatomy experiments.
What have you learned or enjoyed so far?
So far the best part of REU for me has been the kind of one on one relationships I am building. Not only am I working more closely with the faculty but I have been able to build friendships with the other students in the program. I have also had the opportunity to meet other scientists (outside the valley) that I would have never met. All of this has helped me exercise my people skills which I know will be vital as I continue my career.
What are you looking forward to?
In the short term, I am most looking forward to giving a talk at the Texas Academy of Science conference. Although I have done a poster presentation at Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology in Boston (with REU) I think that this talk will give me some much needed practice with public speaking.
In the long term, I think I am most looking forward to entering graduate school. This next step for me is going to be a journey and challenge that I have spent a lot of time and effort preparing for.
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