Researcher Interview

Logan Freeman

Professor Rob Gioielli

Honors 1015

2 November 2022

Professor Interview

I interviewed professor Patrick Owen, PhD, who is my professor for “Cincinnati Natural History and Conservation”. This interview was conducted in person on Oct. 18th. While in class, I found it very intriguing when he mentioned had done research in the past. Growing up, I have always been someone who appreciates the nature around us. Therefore, to cover a general science requirement for my degree, I was excited to learn in this BIOL class. 

I began the interview with an introduction of who I am, I presented my major and how I developed my relevant interest in nature. I defined how, in the future, I am aspiring to connect my Information Technology degree with nature in some way. Then I posed the question of what led professor Owen to gain an interest in his field. He started by saying that he grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania where he was given the opportunity to experience many different aspects of nature. Him, his father, and grandpa often visited wetlands to go hunting. In this environment he was able to observe and learn a lot about nature. Though, as he began college, he claims that he did not know exactly what he wanted to do in life. He only really chose BIOL because he believed it would be the degree he least hated. After college, where he gained his Bachelors, he participated in a research opportunity with a colleague regarding how frogs interact and co-exist. They primarily studied green frogs in particular in many places and environments across America. The main method of completing this research was going to the habitats of these frogs and playing specific frog sounds through a speaker. To record data, they used a tape recorder to document how the frogs in the area reacted to the noises they played. The data they collected was used to chart and determine correlations of how these frogs interact with other frogs. Concluding that these frogs were territorial in nature and were able to distinguish from familiar and unfamiliar stimuli. He even showed me some of the books he published his work in. One book was a journalized research report where all of the information he and his colleague gathered was put into examinations and conclusions. He also showed me a section he wrote that was published for a State of Ohio field guide. He said that even another state, I believe Wisconsin, asked him to publish his work due to the lack of research. Flipping through these books gave me the realization of how all of the data and information we know needs to be studied in the first place. Although this seems trivial, the simplest of information needs to be verified in some manner. This really put into perspective the importance and potential of research and grad school which I haven’t noticed before. Professor Owen was proud of his work, which is certainly a quality needed to produce research like this.

Following this conversation, I asked a more broad question regarding how the process of graduate school works. Before this, I did not have a solid understanding of grad school, so I hoped to learn more about it. Hearing Professor Owens talk about his experience and further research opportunities really inspired me. Graduate school can turn into different things for different people. For Professor Patrick Owen, he did not aspire to become a professor, but that is the path he took. In fact, he said he was the first in his family to pursue this kind of path in teaching. He originally began teaching at a school in Lima Ohio before where he transitioned to UC Blue Ash. Currently, he is conducting research on earthworms, where there is a lack of research. Him and a colleague are studying the many different species of earthworms, both native and invasive, that are found in this area. He said that no one has conducted this kind of research since the 1930’s, most likely due to its boring nature. Though, research like this is important because someone needs to do it for the information to exist. I learned a lot more about graduate school, where I definitely felt I had lacked this knowledge. We also began discussing possible opportunities regarding my career and interests. Where I aspire to combine my passions of technology and nature. I took from this conversation the idea to keep trying and not to give up, even if you are unsure of where you are going. 

Overall, I certainly learned a lot from my interview with Professor Patrick Owen. I am glad this class gave me a reason to do something like this. I have always wished to gain a perspective of the path others have taken, partially in a field I am potentially interested in. The idea and motive of research makes more sense to me, and may potentially be something I may pursue.