In November 2024, I was able to travel to Phoenix, Arizona to present my ongoing graduate research at the Entomological Society of America’s Annual Meeting. This would not have been possible without the support of the FLMNH Travel Award and the Louis C. and Jane Gapenski Endowment, to which I am very thankful.
With this funding, I was able to present my work at ESA a third time, but this time as a student in the FLMNH. This support has been instrumental in my professional development and has allowed me to make life-long connections with other entomologists and researchers. I was able to present preliminary research on the production of a high-quality reference genome for the imperiled Frosted Elfin butterfly (Callophrys irus). This research will allow us to further understand the species and population genetics and structures of the widely threatened species. In addition to my own talk, I was able to attend a wide range of other talks of interest to my research, including education-based, macrophotography of insects, and genomics.
Having attended and presented at this conference for a third time, I found that I was much more confident in communicating my research, as well as networking. As I have attended twice before, one of my most anticipated events is the Women and Allies in Entomology Breakfast held at the beginning of the conference. This is one of my favorite events, as it is a casual way to network across all disciplines, ages, and experiences of entomology.
Following the conference, I had the opportunity to visit the Grand Canyon for the first time, which is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. This has only reinforced my desire to study and protect the natural world. Again, this travel would not have been possible without the support of the FLMNH Travel Award and the Louis C. and Jane Gapenski Endowment, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been able to attend ESA2024. Thank you to the Natural History Travel Awards Committee for considering me and my research!
Taylor Pierson is the Molecular Lab Manager at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity.
The CMSS & Postdoc 2024 Fall Travel Awards are funded with the support of the FLMNH Directors Office and the Department of Natural History.