Lagomorph Research

If you make your way to the second floor of the Burke Museum, home to the biological collections, to the left of the staircase you’ll find a large glass window that provides visitors a glimpse into the inner workings of the biological collections. The wooden table directly behind this window may not have the most comfortable chairs, but it still became one of my favorite places to take caliper measurements. Through the glass, I got to witness the awe on the faces of children and adults alike as I took measurements of a rabbit femur or worked with a vertebra ‘necklace.’ Ever since my first introductory biology course, I’ve similarly been in awe of biological systems and evolution. I’m fascinated by the diversity of life, both extant and extinct, and what conditions act as drivers for this level or diversity.

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If you had asked me when I first entered UW what kind of research I would be a part of, I probably would have guessed something health‑related where I spent my time making growth medium and cleaning glassware. I never imagined that I would end up measuring bones in the Burke Museum, working on a project investigating the ecomorphology (environmental drivers of structural diversity) of the lagomorph (hares, rabbits, and pikas) skeleton. 

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A major part of finding my place in science and scientific research was expanding my understanding of the kinds of opportunities that exist and seeking experiences that I enjoy and align with my general interests. Instead of chasing the “perfect” research position - I’m now confident that this only exists when you are fully designing your own projects - I learned that a supportive research environment that centers my growth and development as an undergraduate researcher is much more important. 

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I am extremely fortunate to have joined a lab with a principal investigator who is just as committed to scientific investigation as he is holistically supporting his student researchers. Over the nearly two and a half years I’ve been a part of the Law Lab I have:

• Taken axial (spinal column and cranium) and appendicular (everything else) skeleton measurements on 50 specimens 

• Participated in journal club discussions with the undergraduate research team, also having the opportunity to lead some discussions

• With lab mates, I created posters and presented at UW’s Undergraduate Research Symposium (2024 and 2025) and the 2026 Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Conference

• Contributed to manuscript writing which we intend to be ready for publication by the end of the 2025-2026 academic year

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It’s incredible to reflect on the variety of skillsets I’ve developed through this work, but it would be disingenuous for me not to acknowledge anxiety I often carried when working on this project. This unease had nothing to do with the research environment and everything to do with my own imposter syndrome. Unlike my work in the anthropology department where the type of academic inquiry that has always felt natural to me, probably because my parents both earned degrees in the social sciences, evolutionary biology concepts felt unfamiliar and sometimes unattainable even with my genuine passion. Imposter syndrome is something that I have had to actively work through as a part of this project where I’ve frequently had the opportunity to engage in new experiences and project specific skillsets. 

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Just like all extant species, research itself and the skills required are ever‑evolving. This means that once you’ve begun to feel comfortable with an idea or skill, like taking caliper measurements, you shift towards developing a completely new one, like poster development and presentation. This continuous development has challenged me to continue centering growth over perfection and work on finding confidence in my resilience instead of my abilities.