As a child, Evan Baldwin was interested in science. As he got older, inspiring teachers along the way helped to spark his interest even further.
"I've always had passionate science teachers who were good at teaching," said Evan, who is a senior pre-med major with a minor in chemistry.
One of Baldwin’s passionate science teachers is Dr. David Merwine, associate professor of biology, who was revisiting a research project studying snails that Baldwin was drawn to.
"I had an aquarium growing up, and we had snails. I have always found snails interesting.”
Baldwin wanted to be part of the project, so he reached out to Dr. Merwine.
“Hey, I hear you need someone to help with your research—I could be that person!”
The collaborative research project focuses on local freshwater snails and the effects of glyphosate, the primary chemical found in the herbicide Roundup, which Baldwin said is found in rivers, streams, and ponds.
Baldwin said he hopes to see how the glyphosate affects the snails’ locomotor and behavioral processes and achieve some statistically useful results.
He doesn’t expect to become a snail expert when he graduates, but Baldwin sees the research as an opportunity to learn more about the world of research and scientific processes because of its significance to the medical field.
“I’d like to understand how scientists go about a study with certain variables, and if it doesn’t go according to plan, how they change those variables to achieve different results.”
One of the aspects of the project that Evan enjoys most is caring for the snails.
“They’re like my pets on campus. The lab and the snails give me a little ‘mental break’ from the outside world. I can just have some peace and quiet and take care of the snails.”
Challenges are expected in any research project, and Baldwin’s project is no exception. But he realizes that challenges are part of research and also give him the chance to figure out “why.”