Troy High School senior Cadence Sen recently presented her scientific research at the Texas Academy of Science (TAS) annual meeting in Waco, Texas, where she earned first place in the undergraduate poster presentations for freshwater science. Cadence a student in the Texas Bioscience Institute (TBI) at Temple College, presented her study on temperature-induced stress and starvation in zebra mussels, a pressing ecological issue in Central Texas.

The Texas Academy of Science supports research at colleges and universities across the state, fostering scientific development among both professionals and students. Through TBI, Cadence and her peers had the opportunity to conduct research, collaborate with mentors, and present their findings at TAS, an achievement that works as a catalyst for their academic and professional futures.

Her work focused on the impact of rising temperatures on the mussels' metabolic rates, revealing how prolonged exposure to warm water leads to starvation and large-scale die-offs in the fall.

As part of the biology pathway in the TBI program, she plans to attend the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) post graduation to study nursing with the long term goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.

Her participation in the Texas Academy of Science conference stemmed from a research methods course at TBI, which allowed students to gain experience in a scientific investigation. Alongside her peers, Cadence conducted laboratory work at Temple College under the mentorship of Dr. Jason Locklin, where she analyzed data on zebra mussels.

“We studied how warmer temperatures impact the physiological condition of zebra mussels,” Cadence explained. “We found that as temperatures rise, their metabolic rates increase, causing them to consume more food. But if food isn't available, they starve, leading to mass die-offs.”

She conducted many experiments, measuring mussel shell lengths and dry tissue weights to determine their overall health. 

Cadence initially viewed the TAS conference as an opportunity to gain biological honors, but she never expected to walk away with first place.

“I honestly didn’t think I was going to win,” she admitted. “I just wanted to present my research, get my biological honors, and be done with it. But when I found out I won, it was a complete surprise! A lot of them asked some really difficult questions, which kind of scared me, but it paid off once I knew I learned I earned first place."

_{Group Photo Courtesy of Cadence Sen}

As she looks ahead to UMHB, Cadence hopes her journey inspires other students to explore STEM opportunities and push themselves beyond their expectations. Congratulations to Cadence Sen on her outstanding achievement!