Peter recently graduated in August 2022 with a masters in Biology. He plans to become a professor and is starting a PhD programs at Cornell in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Peter told us that he wants to help students "develop a fascination for the world around them."
Peter is from Holladay, UT and holds a deep love for fishing! He enjoys fly fishing and has a goal to catch as many different species as possible (currently at 49 species). It won't surprise you to learn that Peter's favorite research trip was to Juneau, Alaska to collect samples from rockfish, halibut, and salmon. When we asked Peter about the trip, he said they fished for four days and removed tissues and otoliths samples. When we asked Peter how he connected with his faculty advisor, his answer was simple! "As an undergraduate I took Animal Diversity with Dr. Mark Belk. I enjoyed Dr. Belk’s discussions about his research so I went up and asked him if I could join his lab." If any of you are looking for more research opportunities, go and talk to a professor whose class you enjoyed!
Peter clearly followed his own advice to students to "identify what you are passionate about and stay with it!" His love for fishing and desire to one day be a professor are integrated into his studies. We are grateful for his contribution to the department in the last few years and excited for his new adventure!