Barton Springs is a resource unique to Austin, Texas, drawing thousands of visitors every year. Yet, Barton Springs is home to endangered species of salamanders rarely seen by the public. In the early 1990s, evolutionary biologist David Hillis discovered the Barton Springs salamander. On Oct. 13, 2016, Hillis shared how the Barton Springs salamander was identified as an endangered species and its impact in Austin's economic development. He is one of Cornell's A.D. White Professors-at-Large.