Scott's research explores why certain tortoises had a stronger chance of survival
From WTAMU Newsroom
CANYON — A recently published major research project by a West Texas A&M University assistant professor is a reminder to go where the science leads.
Dr. Peter A. Scott is the lead author of a study of the DNA of Mojave desert tortoises that appeared as the cover story of the Nov. 27 issue of Science.
“It’s pretty wild,” said Scott, an assistant professor of wildlife biology. “It’s not something I ever thought studying some tortoise DNA would get me. Part of that is that these results stem from a side project, so one of the main lessons is to listen to what the data says and be flexible enough to go where it tells you. Sometimes, you get an unexpected but powerful result.”