Determined to make her time at BYU count, Janey Cress (PWS ‘26) plunged into undergraduate research. After growing up in a desert area, she gained a love for water that drew her to aquatic macroinvertebrates, organisms that scientists use to determine the health of freshwater ecosystems. In the Paul Frandsen Lab, she focuses on caddisflies, whose larvae spin silk entirely underwater. Their unique ability to weave cases, nets, and cocoons beneath the surface has caught the attention of material scientists, who are especially interested in its high elasticity and potential biomedical use.
Recently, Cress’ work in the lab has centered on how caddisfly silk varies between species and across instars, or developmental stages. She wants to uncover how the silk’s structure and properties change throughout the caddisfly lifecycle. To her, “undergraduate research is a great way of seeing science in action.” Throughout her time at BYU, she has sought out opportunities in research to strengthen her skills as a student and scientist.
One of the most significant of these opportunities came when she received a College Undergraduate Research Award (CURA) grant for a project she proposed on the effects of sediment pollution on macroinvertebrates. Through this experience, Cress learned not only how to conduct independent research but also how to write a grant proposal and defend the significance of her work.
She later presented her CURA project at the Entomological Society of America Conference in Portland, Oregon—her first time attending a conference of that scale. It was a valuable experience, exposing her to a broad spectrum of scientific work.
Cress appreciates the emphasis that BYU places on undergraduate research and the encouragement students receive to get involved early. “I wouldn’t be the scientist that I’ve become in a different environment,” she shares. She is grateful to Frandsen and other professors, including Dr. Neil Hansen, Dr. Ben Abbott, Dr. Russell Rader, and Dr. Riley Nelson, for challenging her assumptions about environmental science and showing her the joy that comes from scientific learning.
Another meaningful part of her BYU experience has been the freedom to explore the relationship between science and faith. “Studying the processes of our world—from the geological formation of the Earth to evolution and genetics—and learning what we’ve discovered through the scientific method, while also seeing it as God’s artwork and part of His plan, has been truly beautiful,” Cress reflects.
Looking back, Cress is proud of how fully she was able to immerse herself in research during her time at BYU. Presenting her CURA project in Oregon—something she never saw herself doing—became a clear marker of her growth. With each class she took and each opportunity she seized, her view of the world expanded. “Every time I learn the name of a bug or process, every time I observe it in nature,” she explains, “it clicks in a different way, and it just brings me joy.”
After graduation, Cress hopes to gain more real-world experience in the field before pursuing a master’s degree related to freshwater ecology. The education she received at BYU sparked a love of ecology and natural science that will continue to shape her future as she dives deeper into the field.