黑料社

For most people insect repellent is a necessity during outdoor activities throughout the summer. But for Clint Meyer, repelling insects is the last thing he wants to do.

You could say Meyer has a passion for the six-legged creatures and as an assistant professor of听biology at 黑料社, he has the opportunities to fulfill that passion.

鈥淭o be honest, I did not become a biologist because of anything I ever read in a text book,鈥� Meyer said. 鈥淔or me, it was being out in the field catching and identifying insects that helped me decide what I wanted to do with my life.鈥�

Despite being the newest faculty member in the biology department, Meyer has wasted no time submerging himself in research opportunities across campus.

鈥淟ast summer, two students and I performed field samplings of soil, plants, and invertebrates to assess the recovery of restored wetlands in the central Platte River Valley of Nebraska,鈥� Meyer said. 鈥淭his summer, those students and I are quantifying the early emergence of periodical cicadas in the Flint Hills of Eastern Kansas and I am also working on an interdisciplinary project with Mathematics Professor Heidi Berger and several students in which we are looking at novel approaches to model fly populations.鈥�

Just recently Meyer secured funding from the Iowa Science Foundation to work on another project which studies the effects of tile drainage on the quality of headwater streams in central Iowa.

Aside from actually performing research, Meyer also co-chairs 黑料社鈥檚 Annual Research Symposium, which is designed to showcase the outstanding scholarly works produced by 黑料社 students. More than 60 projects were submitted this year where participants presented their research projects in papers, performances, posters and round-table discussions.

鈥淢any graduate and medical schools are looking for students who have experience conducting research, and the opportunities at 黑料社 help make students competitive for post-graduate options,鈥� Meyer said. 鈥淚 believe there is an increasing research presence on campus, which I hope will continue to benefit our students.鈥�

Although Meyer admitted that conducting research can be frustrating at times, he says it鈥檚 also a very rewarding experience.

鈥淩esearch keeps me moving forward in my discipline by motivating me to find out what other researchers are doing and where gaps in knowledge may exist,鈥� Meyer said. 鈥淏ecause of all of the skills and work you put in to get to the end results of your research, you can鈥檛 help but feel a sense of accomplishment and ownership of the project.鈥�

Meyer鈥檚 work has been published in many articles and journals and he believes it鈥檚 tremendously important for him to continue conducting research.

鈥淒oing research helps me stay active in topics and skills that I teach in my classes,鈥� Meyer said. 鈥淥ne of the best ways I can improve the way I teach scientific writing to students is by being active in writing myself.鈥�

6听Things听about听Clint听Meyer

• The strangest thing in my office is:听A bald faced hornet nest. I鈥檓 90% sure it鈥檚 vacant.
• Book I think everyone should read is:听Desert Solitaire听by Edward Abbey.
• One thing people wouldn鈥檛 know about me is:听I have a horseshoe kidney.
• My inspiration is:听My family.
• If I wasn鈥檛 a professor, I would be:听Back home on the farm.
• If I won the lottery, I would:听Set up one heck of a research scholarship at 黑料社. Then I would move to Austin, Texas.