Writing an Honors Thesis in Ecological Biology: Louis Balas
This week we interviewed Louis Balas about his experience writing an honors thesis in the Ecological Biology department. Louis graduated from CU last week with summa cum laude honors.
What is your major? What extracurriculars are you involved in?
I am majoring in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental biology with a minor in Space. I work in the Medeiros Lab studying evolutionary and developmental biology and have also worked in a private lab using analytical chemistry to analyze cannabis. Outside of work, I volunteer with the Boulder Homeless Shelter and PISEC. I also enjoy weightlifting, playing chess, and listening to rap and jazz music.
What is your honors thesis about?
I pursued my thesis under Dr. Daniel Medeiros in the EBIO department. My thesis research aimed to identify and examine the activity of regulatory DNA related to a gene called twist1b in zebrafish. Twist1b plays an important role in the development of the neural crest, a cell population responsible for the formation of the nervous system and head skeleton. Studying this regulatory DNA and how it changed throughout vertebrate evolution can give us insight into how the neural crest evolved.
Where did the inspiration for this topic come from?
I wanted to work on this research after I took a class with Dr. Medeiros called Animal Developmental Diversity. In the course, we were introduced to the field of evo-devo (which studies how developmental processes evolved in different organisms throughout time). I became really interested in the role of regulatory DNA in this process and worked with Dr. Medeiros to hop on a project in his lab that aligned with my interests.
Why did you want to write an honors thesis?
I wanted to work on an honors thesis to get a more practical sense of what it is like to pursue a Ph.D. I also enjoy asking fundamental questions about the environment around us and coming up with ways to answer these questions. Writing an honors thesis is a great way to engage with this curiosity.
What was the research process like?
My research involved some computational work and wet-lab experiments. In short, I identified candidate “regulators” of this neural-crest developmental gene using computational methods. Then I tested where in the zebrafish embryo these regulators were active using gene-editing methods. I had the opportunity to work with live zebrafish embryos and microinject these embryos with a special cocktail of DNA. I then took pictures of these embryos throughout their development, which was my favorite part of the process because I saw these organisms transform from a single cell to a collection of organs, tissues, and skeletal structures within a few days.
Throughout this data collection and experimentation process, I enjoyed the great feeling of diving deeply into a topic and contributing to tangible discoveries. And at the end of the research process, it was satisfying and exciting to share what I had spent so much time thinking about with my peers and professors.
However, I also dealt with the frustration of many failed experiments, struggling to master specific lab techniques, and experiencing the notorious writer’s block as I tried to convey my collective months of work into some pages of paper. And while these challenges can be demoralizing at times, they are something everyone engaging in the research process deals with. Being able to experience the highs and lows of the research process was invaluable because it helped me get a clearer picture of what a research career could look like.
What was the biggest challenge writing an honors thesis?
If you plan on completing an honors thesis on a topic requiring wet lab or fieldwork, I HIGHLY recommend you start data collection as soon as possible. My biggest challenge was managing my time around conducting experiments; as I started my wet lab work the semester I was set to defend my thesis. This made the research process more demanding because I juggled finishing my thesis and collecting data simultaneously. In addition, experiments will inevitably fail and require troubleshooting as you conduct your research – so it’s always helpful to budget more time than you think you need to finish everything.
What was your experience presenting your thesis?
I really enjoyed presenting my thesis to my committee members! The idea of defending your work to a panel of experts is intimidating to almost everyone who starts working on a thesis. However, by the time of my defense, I had spent so much time thinking about my research that it felt natural and exciting to share my discoveries with my mentors and advisors. This is a sentiment that many other students completing theses have shared with me, so don’t let a fear of public speaking or presenting stop you from working on a thesis!
What is one piece of advice you would give to students interested in writing an honors thesis?
Find a topic or research question you are passionate about and can make your own. The research process can be challenging and requires perseverance. Experiments are bound to fail, writing can be difficult, and there will be snags that you can’t control for. However, dealing with these setbacks feels much more worthwhile and manageable if you are personally invested and interested in your research. There were several moments throughout the thesis process where I doubted my ability to finish my research. However, whenever I struggled with my motivation, I was reminded how inspired I was by my field and the topics I spent so much time exploring. So work with your advisor to address a question you genuinely care about, and don’t be afraid to pivot and switch topics if that’s what it takes to enjoy the process!
To find out more about the honors thesis process, see https://www.colorado.edu/honors/graduation.
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