Semester 2: Spring 2026
Reflection #4: WHAT?
The biggest obstacle I have encountered with my project has been time management. The first semester of my capstone was also the first semester I was employed while still taking full-time classes, so I found myself with less time to allot to coursework and studying than I was used to. Because of this, I struggled to meet milestones on time while writing my manuscript. This project has reinforced my goals by gaining me experience in conducting research and formalizing results, and improved my leadership skills by requiring me to meet goals independently. I have been able to incorporate innovation into my project by developing and streamlining a standard measurement procedure for estimating swelling depth alongside my graduate student supervisor and PI, allowing me to gather novel data, as well as iteratively improving my manuscript for clarity and accuracy.
Reflection #5: SO WHAT?
This project matters to me because it helps bring insight into the evolution of sexual signals and the study thereof. Additionally, it allowed me firsthand experience in conducting biological research, which is an opportunity I feel incredibly privileged to have. I would describe my self-confidence over the course of this project as "cyclical"-- for every step that I gain new knowledge and expertise, there has been a step where I discover how much deeper knowledge and skills I have yet to learn and develop. I don't consider this to be a bad thing, but proof that I have been learning and growing continuously throughout my project. I have felt the most accomplished after processing and visualizing my data, and the most concerned while struggling to meet writing deadlines.
Reflection #6: NOW WHAT?
I am leaving my mark by continuing the work on evaluating methods to quantitatively describe variation in the estrous swellings of yellow baboons. Through this project, I've gained valuable understanding of descriptive statistics in biology. I'm planning to publicly present my project as a poster in the upcoming Ecological Integration Symposium. I would give the same advice to my past self as I would any other student beginning their capstone project-- set realistic goals with specific checkpoints and give yourself time to achieve them. As for my long-term goals, I plan to take a gap year after graduating with my Bachelor's degree before pursuing graduate school to gain more workforce experience. I'd like to celebrate with my family and my labmates.
No matter how much one plans their trajectory, life can take unexpected turns. These can be positive as well as negative. It's important to be open to opportunities.
Semester 1: Fall 2025
Reflection #1: WHAT?
My capstone project is to create a manuscript and poster for the 2026 Ecological Integration Symposium presenting the results of my undergraduate research with Fitzpatrick Lab investigating the variance of estrous swelling depth in yellow baboons and its correlation with swelling width, length, and various factors. This will help provide insight into the evolution & ecology of sexual ornamentation in female animals. I will be bringing my skills in R, scientific writing, and communication to this project; however, I definitely want to deepen my R programming and develop my public speaking skills. This connects directly to my professional goals, as I want to pursue a career in biological research (more specifically, mycology.) I am passionate about the pursuit of knowledge, especially in overlooked areas; comparatively, much less study has been devoted to sexually dimorphic species in which female individuals exhibit sexual ornamentation than those in which male individuals do. I expect to face challenges in managing my time, as this will be my first semester holding a job during the school year.
Reflection #2: SO WHAT?
I chose to undertake a Biology Honors departmental capstone because I am pursuing a career in biological research. I believed the experience would be valuable, and it very much has been. More specifically, my research project was chosen in collaboration with my lab PI and capstone advisor, Dr. Fitzpatrick. Conducting a research project, preparing a manuscript, and presenting a poster fulfills the Biology Honors capstone requirements. However, I would more personally define success in this capstone experience as also contributing directly through primary research to the field of biology/ecology. That is what has excited me most about this project, and I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to do so.
Reflection #3: NOW WHAT?
I am utilizing previous experience from numerous classes in my project, most notably: Fundamentals of Ecology, from which I developed a research and data-collection workflow; Statistics for Biology, from which I learned the basics of using R; and the Honors courses Introductory Biology I and II and Genes, Ecology, and Evolution, from which I learned fundamental concepts both of what is currently known and how biological research is conducted. One of the biggest things I am personally grappling with in this project is time management; I feel that I have to re-learn how to delegate time every semester, especially as I am now employed part-time as well as enrolled full-time. I have learned, however, not to catastrophize, even when I feel behind schedule; my Capstone advisor has been very helpful in this respect. I am collaborating with fellow undergraduate researcher Aidan Lee; we have related projects in the same lab, and I am using his data as part of my analysis.
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