Alongside several members of the Kawahara lab, I was able to attend the annual Entomological Society of America conference hosted in Portland, Oregon. This formative experience was supported by the FLMNH and CUR travel awards, for which I am deeply grateful to have received. These awards made it possible for me to present a poster at my first conference, an opportunity that will help guide future career decisions.
Traveling to Portland with my fellow lab members was an exciting opportunity to deepen my understanding of our collective silk research and other interesting Lepidoptera projects. Presenting my preliminary data on the spatial expression of silk genes in two aquatic moth species was the highlight of my trip. I was honored to receive first place in the systematics, evolution, and biodiversity section of the undergraduate poster competition. This achievement has generated confidence in myself as an emerging researcher and affirmed the direction of my academic efforts. More importantly, the poster session opened the door to meaningful conversations with students and researchers working in SysEB and adjacent fields.
Attending talks and symposia across a wide range of topics allowed me to learn about research happening nationwide, while also helping me refine my own interests. It was thrilling to see concepts I had previously encountered only in the classroom applied to active, ongoing research. Even presentations that did not initially align with my specific research focus proved to be highly informative, offering new perspectives, methodologies, and ways of thinking that I could apply to my own work. The broad spectrum of available talks and posters strengthened my curiosity and reminded me of the interdisciplinary nature of science.
Beyond the conference itself, I spent time exploring downtown Portland, including the iconic Powell’s City of Books and Voodoo Donuts. I also made a point to experience Oregon’s natural landscapes through nature trails and a birding expedition, which served as a powerful reminder of the organisms and ecosystems that motivated much of the research discussed at the meeting.
This experience would not have been possible without the generous support of the Florida Museum of Natural History and the Center for Undergraduate Research. Their investment in undergraduate travel and research allowed me to grow both academically and personally, helping me clarify my future goals and strengthening my commitment to a career in scientific research.
Skyla Sheehy is an undergraduate student at UF working in The Kawahara Lab as an undergraduate lab assistant, advised by Dr. Akito Kawahara, Director of the McGuire Center Lepidoptera and Biodiversity and Curator at the Florida Natural History Museum.
The 2025 Fall Student Travel Awards are supported by the FLMNH Department of Natural History, including funds from the Louis C. and Jane Gapenski Endowed Fellowship. If you would like to help support this fund for future student awards, please go to: