2 August, 2002
Alla Mauke
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
Dear National Science Foundation,
I am writing to express my sincere appreciation to NSF for providing the funding to allow me to participate in the Research Experience for Teachers at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History.
Due to your generosity, I was awarded the opportunity to participate in a
fish study. I worked with Dr. Carole Baldwin, a leading authority on systematics
of fishes, who was both knowledgeable and helpful. I looked at the pigmentation
of a tropical Atlantic shorefish called Ophioblennius atlanticus, or
the redlip blenny, which was previously believed to be only one species. With
the help of my advisor, we devised a data sheet that included numerous pigment
characters such as the patterns of pigment on the head and dorsal-, pectoral-,
anal-, and caudal fins. While looking at the pigmentation of the specimens,
we discovered that there are actually four distinct Atlantic species, and
possibly a fifth. This discovery increases our understanding of biodiversity
in the Atlantic and raises issues about biogeographic patterns, topics that
we cover in my Biology class.
Thanks to this rare opportunity I can take my experience back into the classroom.
I know I will share my enthusiasm for research with my students, thereby helping
to create a new generation of scientists.
Again, I would like to express my gratitude to NSF for providing funding
to allow me to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It's not every day
that you get to work at the Smithsonian.
Sincerely,
Alla Mauke
Research Experiences for Teachers, 2002