Laboratory Members
Bui Thuy , 5th Year Masters '11
My years as an undergrad are officially over. Looking back at the last four years of my life at Clark, I am amazed at how I’ve grown. Upon entering my first Intro to Biology class, I knew that this was where I wanted to be. I never doubted that I wanted to study science (specifically animal behavior) and seeing Professor John Baker give his first lecture with his famous court jester hat really helped. Genetics, Marine Biology, Conservation Biology, Animal Behavior; each class I took built up my understanding of science and has allowed me to take another step on the road to becoming a scientist.
I never expected my first biology course to be the stepping stone that propelled me into a world dominated by the threespine stickleback fish. It was after my second or third Bio 101 class, during freshmen year, that I approached Professor Baker about an on-campus job in the Biology department. Ever since then I have been entwined with the tiny, but vastly important, stickleback that occupies Clark’s very own fish room. I learned how to feed the fish, fix their tanks, measure them and many other necessities that keeps the fish room functional. I once spent a whole semester organizing and alphabetizing the thousands amount of jars of preserved stickleback in our lab.
One aspect that was truly unique for me was caring for the embryos that were shipped to Clark by my peers and advisors from places such as British Columbia or Alaska. There was something soothing and rewarding about watching the embryos slowly develop into small fry and watching them take their very first feeding of brine shrimp. It was especially cool when I saw their little hearts beating under the microscope. I even saw Siamese embryos (thanks to graduate student Justin for pointing it out!!!).
During my Junior year I had enough stickleback experience to start on my fifth-year Master's research project (a little early, but it was the best decision ever!). This opportunity was given to me through the Beaver Fellowship, which allowed me to gain hands-on lab experience. I spent the summer setting up amazing contraptions (who said science wasn’t an art?) to test the anti-predator behaviors of stickleback from Garden Bay and Crystal Lake to three different predators; trout, tern and scuplin. This was my first time running my very own experiment but I had the guidance of Professor Susan Foster and Justin and the help of my fellow student, Shannon. What I first took away from this experiment was frustration since I did not get the significant results I was hoping for; it was more along the line of getting no reactions from the sticklebacks at all. Then I realize science was about trial and errors and pushing forward. I just have to keep working at it before I can come up with the perfect protocol. I still remember what Professor Baker told me as I was applying for the fifth year Master's program. He said that this would be the hardest thing I will ever do, but if I can do this, then everything else will be a piece of cake. I am current working on my Master’s program, with a brand new protocol, and I can’t wait to take this challenge head-on. So wish me luck as I wish my peers the same with their own project!
Send Bui an email at tbui@clarku.edu