By: Agnes Villaroman

Agnes Villaroman: What inspired you to do this project? 

Thuy-Tien Bui: Ecology is a main focus area of my major and I’ve had a strong interest in applying ecological principles to real-world problems. I previously worked on a project analyzing oyster disease data for NOAA Fisheries, and this initially sparked my curiosity for fisheries science and fish ecology. During a science communication meeting with Ben, I mentioned I was enrolling in a fish ecology course. He brought up a project he had been working on with an ecologist at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area studying tidewater gobies and invited me to join the project as a data assistant.

Villaroman: What are some things you learned from your research? Anything surprising?

Bui: Beyond learning new coding techniques in R and reading all there is to know about tidewater gobies, I learned that research takes a lot of patience and is not always a linear path. Ben and I had to do a lot of troubleshooting with the dataset preparation and often had to revise our plans or take different approaches. I’ve learned to appreciate the data exploration stage of research and this experience has definitely given me more confidence to pursue projects like this in the future. 

Villaroman: How would you bridge the gap from your research to research users (science communication)?

Bui: I think that describing the overall problems tidewater gobies are facing and explaining the research results simply and in a way people can relate to would help bridge the gap between the scientific community and the broader public. An engaging way we could cater our science communication to park visitors is through informational and illustrated signs in Rodeo Lagoon explaining the threats to tidewater gobies and their importance to the estuary ecosystem. We can relate the problem to our experience as humans by explaining the anthropogenic threats of coastal development, how the storms we experience also affect gobies, and why gobies are important for keeping the lagoon ecosystem stable and enjoyable for park visitors.

Villaroman: What is some advice you have for students pursuing a project in a similar field as you?

Bui: I’d say that research is a valuable experience to have as an undergraduate if you are interested in it. If you have questions about a topic, reach out to a graduate student or professor working on that subject and let them know! Even if they aren’t taking on new students, they might be able to connect you with someone else doing adjacent work. Another piece of advice I would give is that it’s ok to ask for help. I had to learn that it’s better to ask for help on a complicated problem than to stress trying to solve it on your own. Your advisor is a valuable resource and you’re learning, so ask for help when you need it!