Shayne Dodge is a Masters Candidate in the Department of Zoology and Physiology at the University of Wyoming. Shayne is interested in the factors that determine entry into and exit from diapause, as indicated by shifts in the temperature dependence of metabolic rate in bumblebees. His favorite part of his work is problem solving and working with animals.  For as long as he can remember, Shayne has had a fascination with the natural world and science.  When he was an undergraduate he had the opportunity to take Invertebrate Zoology, a course that helped him realize his love of insects.

Early on as an undergraduate Shayne was in the lab for the first time trying to make a basic solution.  Using a hot plate and stir rod he mixed the ingredients in the beaker. For a closer look, Shayne picked up his beaker, but upon its return to the hot plate the stir rod began to dance erratically.  After several attempts to remedy the situation (and a bit of frustration) he learned that lowering the stir rate and then increasing it again was all that was needed to fix the dancing rod.  Some things you can’t learn from a book. Shayne enjoys the process of learning and hopes to continue his academic career by pursuing his PhD.  Once Shayne completes his coursework he hopes to teach at the collegiate level.  One of Shayne’s mentors encouraged and advised him early on in his academic career to read everything; he feels this is vital to his academic success but also believes this is solid advise for just about everything in life.