dialogue

Lane Baron ’26 smiles at the camera from the deck of a boat, wearing a helmet and floatation vest.

courtesy of lane barron ’26

“This experience has solidified my interest in specializing in marine science,” says Lane Barron ’26, whose research was supported by Swarthmore’s Academic Division Funding through the Enders Research Memorial Award. “It has deepened my love of research and the scientific process.”

studentwise: Charting New Waters

by Ryan Dougherty

for five days this summer, Lane Barron ’26 awoke to the gentle rocking of the R/V Rachel Carson, the morning light spilling over snow-capped peaks, and the chatter of scientists ready to lower nets into the chilly waters of Puget Sound.

“I stepped onto the boat knowing very little about the collection techniques and procedures and had to jump right in,” Barron recalls. “It was incredible to watch the team work together to collect all of the samples. I was quickly reminded how fun science is, especially when you get to learn and work with such a great group of people.”

A biology major with minors in psychology and environmental studies, Barron spent the summer in the University of Washington’s Oceanography Department, working in the lab of Karen Chan, former assistant professor of biology at Swarthmore. Their research focused on the spatial and temporal distribution of crab larvae — zoea and megalops — in the Sound, an essential link in the marine food web.

Most days, Barron was bent over a microscope, carefully drawing and identifying the delicate forms of zooplankton. But the fieldwork was a highlight: vertical and oblique net tows, CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) water profiling, and sample collection that brought Barron face to face with sea lions and porpoises.

“Being on the water surrounded by the most incredible mountain ranges and sea life was surreal,” Barron says. “I fell in love with living on the boat, and felt very grateful to call the Rachel Carson my home, workspace, and lab for a week.”

The experience didn’t just sharpen her technical skills in marine invertebrate taxonomy — it also deepened Barron’s career ambitions.

“This experience has solidified my interest in specializing in marine science,” says Barron, whose research was supported by Swarthmore’s Academic Division Funding through the Enders Research Memorial Award. “It has deepened my love of research and the scientific process.”

Beyond the data collected, Barron gained something less quantifiable: a network of mentors and peers, and the experience of doing science in a place where mountains meet sea.

“I have made many meaningful connections, learned a new skill set, and made memories that will last a lifetime exploring the Pacific Northwest.”

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