Whether it’s sharks, manta rays or armadillos, Cal State Fullerton biology grad student Julia Teeple has a curiosity for animals. That curiosity has led to four research paper publications in scientific journals, giving her a track record that’s rare for a master’s degree candidate.
When starting college, Teeple didn’t know that her fascination would lead her into a new world of research and wonder over what she could discover in a lab.
“Whether I’m watching a movie or walking around a park, I find myself looking at organisms and thinking, ‘Why might they look like that?’ Or, ‘How is it that they’re able to do the things they need to do?’” said Teeple, a Class of 2026 grad.
Teeple has co-authored two papers about how armadillos’ protective armor works and two papers on her manta ray research. Three of Teeple’s papers appeared in Integrative and Comparative Biology, and one was in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Professor of biological science Misty Paig-Tran first worked with then-undergrad Teeple on studying shark teeth, a project that earned Teeple second place in a California State University systemwide research competition. During Teeple’s graduate studies, they collaborated on manta ray and armadillo research, the latter funded by a grant from CSUF’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
Paig-Tran said Teeple’s self-directed research and prolific publishing are more akin to the output of a postdoctoral researcher who spent five or more years earning a Ph.D.
While Teeple is especially inquisitive and driven, “the culture here at CSUF really enables her to satisfy these curiosities,” Paig-Tran shared.