The group, composed of three biology majors (Dunn, Meserve and Stahle), had taken classes from Gapp, which helped them become interested in summer research. Stahle, a senior, had actually done research the previous year and felt it was a very beneficial and worthwhile opportunity. Dunn also emphasized the importance of doing summer research and taking advantage of the opportunities afforded to students by the professors and the program.
Dunn was also involved in another research project, under the direction of Professor of Biology Ernest Williams. She has been researching a New York State threatened species of butterfly, the Frosted Elfin. There are very few published articles on this species and Dunn and Williams were hoping to discover ways in which its survivorship could be increased. Dunn collected caterpillars and eggs of the Frosted Elfin from the Rome Sands Plains and then observed the butterflies, in efforts to learn more about the threatened creature.
Dunn was interested in doing research for Professor Williams because she had enjoyed an ecology class that she took from him. This research project provided her with more field work, while her studies with Gapp involved more lab work. Dunn noted that this ended up being a good balance since it exposed her to the two different sides of research.