At the University of Utah, Megan DuVal is making strides in the field of myrmecology, the study of ants, transforming her fascination into meaningful research that has taken her from analyzing specimens in a university lab to exploring ecosystems in Brazil. According to At The U, DuVal's journey started as a freshman when she joined the Longino lab through the ACCESS Scholars program, delving into the flight seasonality of male army ants.

Army ants are not just intriguing subjects for DuVal, they're a barometer for the health of our ecosystems, their numbers, or sheer absence, reflecting the state of the environments they inhabit. DuVal's work underscores the critical role these creatures play as they're often among the first to vanish in deteriorating habitats, signifying broader ecological issues during her research, DuVal has engaged with mentorship from John Longino, a professor of biology, and Rodolfo Probst, a biology alum and postdoctoral researcher.

In her time at the university, Megan has traversed beyond Utah, contributing to projects and presenting findings in Canada and Oregon, while her research has also brought her close to diverse ant populations in varied locales like the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History and the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, as she detailed in her college's profile. However, her academic and fieldwork isn't merely academic; it's personal. The sense of isolation that shadowed her through high school started dissipating as she found belonging within the myrmecology community and groups like SACNAS, which have been instrumental in her journey as an autistic and LGBTQ+ individual.

Now, as she works as a learning assistant and a teaching assistant at the College of Science–SRI, Megan witnesses not only her growth but that of her peers through these collective experiences, with ambitions to eventually teach and conduct further research in ant systematics and taxonomy. "Through research, I’ve been able to find a community at the U, build relationships with mentors, learn valuable research skills and I’ve worked with some really amazing ants in some really cool places," DuVal shared, as per At The U, conveying the deep meaning and impact her studies have had on her. As she plans to extend her undergraduate journey into a fifth year to complete her studies at a pace that suits her, DuVal's commitment to her work and her personal development sets an inspiring example for students navigating academia.