Matthew Barnes
Honors Capstone Talk
TAS talk 2006
TAS talk 2007
NABS Poster 2006
Research Summary:
I participated in the Biology Summer Research Program 2005 and completed a Senior Honors Thesis with Dr. Burks during my senior year (2005-06). My research explored basic life history of the egg and hatchling stages of applesnails in exotic Texan (Pomacea insularum) and native Uruguayan (P. canaliculata). My thesis, "The snail or the egg: investigations of early life history stages of applesnails," included comparisons in average clutch egg numbers between exotic and native applesnails, the development of predictive clutch weight/egg number relationships for both populations, establishment of threshold sizes for applesnail hatching, and reports of hatchling growth under stressful conditions (predator cues and salinity). Overall, I hope that my examinations and comparisons of native and exotic applesnail populations will lend insight into what makes a successful invader.
Where I've been and Where I'm going:
If I had not worked with Dr. Burks, I may never have discovered
my passion for research. In addition to this discovery,
Dr. Burks' guidance in lab provided me with the skills necessary to begin working as
a graduate student: critical thinking, research methods, statistics,
writing, presenting....the list goes on. In short, working in the
Burks Lab provided me with the foundation on which to build a successful
scientific career. In my 4th year of graduate school, I have made the transition
from a Ph.D. student to a Ph.D. Candidate after completing my comprehensive exams.
So, now it is just all research from here on out. As a fun fact, I'll always be connected
with Dr. Burks as we share the same graduate advisor at The University of Notre Dame.
Send me an email!:
Matthew A. Barnes
Ph.D. Candidate, University of Notre Dame