Helping Creatures Great and Small
Student Snapshot: Molly Butts ’27
From identifying dolphins in the Adriatic Sea and caring for sea turtles to administering needed medication orphaned animals and birds, Molly Butts ’27 (biology) finds joy in learning by doing—and in connecting her passions for science, animals and movement.
Hometown: East Bridgewater, Mass.
High school: East Bridgewater Jr./Sr. High School.
Major: Biology, with a minor in dance.
On choosing Dickinson:
Being at a smaller college means you’re not just another face in the room—every professor gets to know you personally. All of my professors have been helpful and willing to put in extra time and effort to help their students.
Best thing about my Dickinson experience so far:
The people! Dickinson makes it easy to balance academics and activities, so there’s plenty of time to do what I love and spend time with friends.
Best thing about my major:
There are so many branches of biology, and I enjoy choosing classes that align with my interests and will support my postgrad goals.
Favorite class/learning experience:
The labs in Intro Biology with Associate Professor of Biology Scott Boback. We dissected a fetal pig and learned a lot about anatomy throughout the course. I valued these labs because they brought our lectures to life.
Favorite professor:
You can tell that Associate Professor of Biology Scott Boback loves what he does, and that makes his classes much more enjoyable. He’s also generous with his time and deeply invested in student success.
On studying abroad:
I studied abroad in Veli Lošinj, Croatia, with the School for Field Studies. It's a very hands-on program that includes class time, excursions and fieldwork. I was on a boat, performing photo identification of dolphins and in the Turtle Rescue Center, caring for injured sea turtles. The final month of the program was devoted entirely to a research project.
About my internships:
At the New England Aquarium, I worked as a sea-turtle rescue and rehabilitation intern. I learned about food preparation and diet for sea turtles and observed medication administration and radiology procedures. At the New England Wildlife Center, I focused on wildlife, from raccoons and opossums to squirrels, bunnies and birds. Some of the animals were orphans, separated from their mothers or injured. I learned hand-feeding techniques and species-specific diets for each animal and practiced administering medications. This center also operates an Odd Pet Vet clinic, where I learned a lot about veterinarian-patient interactions and how vets approach complex medical procedures.
About my student-faculty research:
Last year I conducted research on snakes with Professor Boback and two other biology students. We exposed snakes to the scents of familiar caretakers and unfamiliar individuals after a seemingly stressful disturbance, with heart rates monitored before and after. Our results suggested that when exposed to human scents, boa constrictors’ heart rates returned to baseline levels faster, but we observed no difference between their reactions to the scents of familiar and unfamiliar caretakers. This may indicate that captive snakes are calmed by any human scent—and that human-associated disturbances are less stressful than other events.
Most important thing I’ve learned so far:
Advocate for yourself. You really do miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
Clubs and organizations:
Hypnotic Dance Crew (executive) and Dance Theatre Group.
Honors/scholarships/awards:
The 1783 Scholarship.
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Published January 23, 2026