Boise State University
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Boise State Student, Ben Davis, has been awarded a Summer Fellowship at Mount Desert Island Biological Lab in Salisbury Cove, Maine
International circus performing and researching in biology labs are a couple activities that excite Boise State University senior Benjamin Davis. Davis is double majoring in Pre-Veterinary Studies, and Cell and Molecular Biology. He was recently awarded a summer fellowship at the Mount Desert Island Biological Lab in Salisbury Cove, Maine.
Situated on the shores of Frenchman’s Bay, the MDIBL, founded in 1898, is an independent, non-profit research institution which focuses its research on marine and non-marine organisms to learn about the fundamental biology of life. A wide range of organisms are studied including sharks and sea urchins, which are used to learn about development and regeneration.
Davis will spend the summer researching with his summer mentor, Dr. James Coffman, a senior investigator at MDIBL. The Coffman lab studies the developmental physiology of the sea urchin among other things. More specifically, Davis may be using sea urchin larvae as an organism to study regenerative capacity and its loss with age.
“I chose to apply for his lab because I read his work and found it fascinating. I am very interested in developmental biology and the idea that understanding fundamental mechanisms of development would provide powerful intellectual tools for understanding the treatment of many diseases as well as informing investigations of evolutionary history,” said Davis.
The research experience he will gain in Maine is not the first of its kind for Davis. Davis has been an undergraduate researcher in Boise State professor Dr. Julia Oxford’s lab for nearly three years. Last year, he spent time as a summer Fellow at Idaho State University through Idaho Idea Network of Biomedical Research Excellence. Idaho INBRE is dedicated to increasing biomedical research in Idaho as well as advancing research opportunities for faculty and students attending Idaho universities and colleges. Maine is also an INBRE supported state.
The summer fellowship at MDIBL, which runs from mid-June to late-August, not only provides a summer of research experience, but also includes paid travel expenses, room and board and a weekly stipend.
“The location is pretty amazing as well. Mount Desert Island is the second largest island off the East coast and from what I gather from photos, very beautiful. It is home to Acadia National Park and the historic playground of the rich Bar Harbor,” said Davis.
Davis has travelled far from Boise for other occasions. He called Switzerland home for a few years. He lived in the town of Sion, which is in the heart of the Alps near Mount Blanc. While there, Davis had an unusual job.
“I was a circus performer. I trained and worked with a group of acrobats. While I was there, it was in hopes of continuing my education but through circus. In France, Belgium and Sweden, state funded circus conservatories focus on contemporary circus in which small troupes of performers are skilled in dance, music, and acting as well as their specific discipline. I auditioned each spring for the national circus school for three years. I never got accepted. Eventually the troupe I was performing with disbanded and I came home to Boise to see my family,” said Davis.
Davis had hopes of coming back to Boise and saving money to return to San Francisco, California, the original location he started learning and training in circus acrobatics. After working several dead end jobs and not being able to save much money, Davis made the decision to return to a more traditional education path.
“I have always wanted to learn something at a higher level. It looks like it is going to be biology rather than clowning, but when all said and done, it was an incredible experience. I was able to meet amazing people and travel all over Europe,” said Davis.
When asked about future plans, Davis said,
“I definitely plan to continue my education; my hope is a combined clinical and research program, either a DVM/PhD or MD/PhD.”
Article written by Ashley Rasmussen, Boise State University
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