From very early on Kenedy Williams knew what she wanted to be when she grew up, a biologist. Since she was little she spent her time exploring life outside and fishing for Pacific salmon with her dad. Not only that, she read biology books, did at home science kits and watched nature documentaries. With this life long fascination with life on Earth it is no surprise she eventually started a MSc in biology. She had to move across the Atlantic Ocean to do so. From the United States to Iceland, “an introvert’s paradise”, as she calls it.
Looking at teeth and jaw bones of salmonid fishes
And now she has finished her MSc from the University of Iceland! Last month Kenedy successfully defended her master’s thesis. For the last two years she studied the craniofacial adaptations of salmonid fishes. She looked at the jaws and teeth of different salmonid populations to see if they are different from each other depending on what the fish are eating.
Her Master’s project included a variety of work, to get the teeth and jaws for her project she did fieldwork (which she loved) to catch fish using electrofishing. Labwork involved boiling fish heads and extracting teeth and bones. And lastly, she did computer work to put landmarks on photographs of fish bones. She mentions it being her least favourite part because she had to spend “hours burning my eyeballs looking at a computer screen”. Luckily afterwards she could analyse her data. She mentions: “I really like analysing data, and being able to pick out the patterns in your results. I find it to be very satisfying to get results after all your hard work, and statistics can be weirdly fun sometimes.”
Note: landmarking bones on photographs is done by putting dots on specific areas of the bones. These dots have x and y coordinates and by comparing the x and y coordinates of each bone to other bones it is possible to detect changes in shape.
This love for biology also shines through in her personal interests. Kenedy enjoys being outside, hiking with her dog, and camping. Even fish aren’t safe from her during her free time as she likes fishing and exploring tide pools. But even the biggest outdoor lovers need a chill day sometimes and she will spend time inside crafting and watching tv.
You are never too young to do research
We ask every recent graduate about their tips and tricks on how to get involved with research. Kenedy emphasises that no one is too young to do research and to get involved with local labs and aquariums. She says: “Always send the email, introduce yourself, ask about internships. […] Ask to shadow, research the logistics of the job (salary, education, etc), and find what feels best for you.” Kenedy got her MSc opportunity by doing exactly that, reaching out by email and introducing herself. “You never get the things you don’t try for!”
Currently, Kenedy is still working for the lab group she did her MSc with, as well as, helping out with classes as a teaching assistant. She hopes to be able to stay in Iceland and find a job or PhD position. One thing she is sure of: “I will definitely still be a scientist in 5 years.”
