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| Research Training Program |
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Research
Training Program Virtual Symposium & Poster Session - join us on-line Thursday, 1 August 2002, to view research poster presentations by the '02 RTP participants. Information about the Research Training Program:
Application Procedures : go directly to the current RTP on-line application forms
Highlights including a compendium of information and features from previous years
Smithsonian
Center for Education and Museum Studies Smithsonian Office of Fellowships - internships GRADUATES Smithsonian Office of Fellowships - fellowships POST GRADUATES PROFESSIONALS ACADEMIC LINKS For information and application materials about fellowships and other scholarly appointments offered at the Smithsonian, visit the Smithsonian's Office of Fellowships web site at: http://www.si.edu/ofg/ Produced by the Smithsonian Office of Fellowships, "Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Study" is a guide to research and study programs at the Smithsonian, plus a complete listing of scientific staff and their research specialties. The site address is: http://www.si.edu/ofg/sorsnmnh.htm CONTACT US
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Research
& Collections |
CRC,
SERC, and NZP
Following is the schedule of events for the day, but before you come you might want to know a little more about us:
Behind-the-Scenes
Intern's Open House * Friday, 12 July 2002 * 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. : NMNH OPEN HOUSE RTP interns will host Smithsonian's science interns from SERC, NZP, and CRC for a behind-the-scenes view of NMNH research, the National Collections, and our research facilities. We require advance notification of your visit. So we can plan accordingly, a complete name list of those attaending is due Wednesday, 10 July 02. Intern coordinators at participating locations should e-mail the list to Mary Sangrey at sangrey.mary@nmnh.si.edu We can accomodate no more than a total of 60 interns.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featured Neblina's tepui neighbor, Roirama, in his famous book "The Lost World." Neblina and Roirama are remnants of an ancient plateau that covered much of what is now the northern end of South America. Over millions of years, the plateau was worn down by wind and water, leaving a series of flat-topped mountains or "tepuis." Each tepui is an austere "island" marooned in a sea of lowland forest and savanna. As a result, the tepui inhabitants were isolated from the rest of the world resulting in many unique remnant from a time long since passed possessing characters which offer clues about evolution patterns and curiosities about features whose significance has yet to be learned. An RTP classic! You can't miss Roy's famous lecture about the adventures of field research, the search for (and discovery of?) living dinosaurs, and the answer to the important question: "Would you like blueberries with your oatmeal this morning?" Following the lecture tour groups will depart to their separate locations.
Research
Training Program
2002 25 May 2002 - 3 August 2002 A total of 20 students were selected to participate in the '02 session of the Research Training Program, including 4 international students representing Brazil (2), Ecuador, and Trinidad/Tobago. In addition, 7 middle and high school math and science teachers were selected to join the program as part of the new Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) initiative. Schedule
of Events |
Poster |
Program
Summary
Meet the
2002 participants
Meet the
2002 Research Experiences for Teachers participants
Mr. Bharat earned his B.S. degree in Biology from DC Teachers College in Washington, DC; M.S. degree in Biology from Howard University; and Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Maryland at College Park. He has been a science teacher at Anacostia Senior High School since 1974 where he teaches Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. He has been the chairperson of the Science Department at Anacostia Senior High School for the past 12 years and Senior Class Advisor for classes '91, '98' and '99. He has served on the Middle States Evaluation Committee in Columbia, MD at Hammond High School (1991) and as science chairperson for the Middle States Evaluation Committee at Ballou Senior High School (2000). Mr. Bharat is a member of the National Science Teachers Association, DC Science Teachers Association, and the National Association of Biology Teachers. He received a fellowship in 1993 and 1994 to join the National Institutes of Health Summer Teachers Research Program. He is the recipient the Metropolitan Area of Black Scientist Award as Outstanding Teacher of the year (1998).
In some cases species of this genus yield some of the most negative oxygen isotope values and most positive carbon isotope values relative to co-occurring planktonic foraminifer species, suggesting that it lived in the upper surface mixed layer, but the stable isotopic signatures are switched at other intervals or at other localities, suggesting that they lived at deeper levels. The goal of this project is to investigate temporal and geographic variation in stable isotopic signatures of species of Heterohelix relative to co-occurring planktonic foraminifer species to determine (1) if there are discernible stratigraphic or geographic patterns in these apparent depth habitat shifts and (2) if these patterns can be related to paleoceanographic and/or paleoclimate changes. The resulting data will also contribute to an understanding of the taxonomic relationships between these numerically abundant and geographically ubiquitous microscopic fossils.
Ms. Gentry earned her B.A. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia and M.A. in Math and Science Education from Virginia Tech University. She has also taken graduate level courses in Geology at the University of Montana. She is currently teaching 10th, 11th and 12th grade Earth Science and Active Physics at Herndon High School as part of the Fairfax County Public School system. She served as an intern with the United States Geological Survey (1998) including conducting field investigations in northern Maine, and has also been a Field Geologist with Rocky Mountain Geo-Engineering in Grand Junction, Colorado (1997). Project Title:
Paragenesis of minerals from NYF pegmatites
The objective of this project is to examine a suite of minerals from NYF-type pegmatites, determine their relative timing of crystallization and establish the chemical changes which took place during pegmatite genesis. Research Team: Mike Wise and Cathe Brown
Mr. Hammond earned his BS degree in Computer Technology and Mathematics from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio and his Masters of Education, Secondary Teaching and Curriculum Development from Howard University in Washington, DC He has been employed as a Mathematics teacher at Anacostia Senior High School since 1989, teaching Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, Trigonometry, and Statistical Methodology. He is a Certified Instructor in the Scholastic Achievement Test Preparation Program (SAT PREP) and the Senior Class Advisor for the '01 and '02 classes. He previously taught Mathematics at Surrattsville Senior High School (1995 - 1998) as part of the Prince George's County Public School system. He is a member of the National Mathematics Association, the National Educators of America, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He has been awarded the Who's Who of Teachers in America, Who's Who of College Students in America, and was recently selected to be one of the Technology Leaders for DC Public Schools. Project Title: Speciation (?) among the tricolored squirrels of Southeast Asia.
This project will
initiate an examination of this problem, focusing on four hypotheses.
1. There is only one species of tricolored squirrel, Callosciurus
prevostii. 2. There are several species in this complex. 3. Geographic
patterns of coat color provide clues to the genetic differences between
populations. 4. Cranial morphological differences parallel differences
in coat color and pattern and suggest that inter-population differences
exceed those expected in a single species. The study will be based on the extraordinary collections made by Dr. Abbott in the early 1900s. We will examine the skins of Callosciurus prevostii, the literature on tricolored squirrels, and the literature on island biogeography, and then we will select populations for study. We will compare the skulls, using external measurements, x-rays, and possibly CT scans. The data will be analyzed using a variety of multivariate procedures. Research Team:
Chad Schennum
Ms. John earned her BA in Mathematics and Chemistry from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts and is a Ph.D. candidate in Mathematics at American University. She has been a mathematics and Science teacher at Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington DC since 1988. She is a member of the Washington Teachers Union, American Association of University Women, and National Council of Teachers in Mathematics. In 1998 she won a Teacher Fellow Award from the American Association for University Women. Project
Title: Survey of baculum size and injury in the walrus (Odobenus
rosmarus).
Two recent reports, coupled with popular anecdotal accounts, suggest that breakage and rehealing of the baculum may be relatively common in the walrus. This project will survey the holdings of walrus skeletal material in the National Museum of Natural History to determine the number of injuries among the sample of baculae in the collection. All baculae will be measured (width and depth at 3 locations, length) to determine (a) whether a correlation exists between bacular size and male body size; (b) if certain sizes of baculae are more prone to breakage than others; (c) to determine whether breakage is limited to certain points of the baculum. Documenting the incidence of such injuries will provide the basis for understanding its cause.
Ms. Mauke earned a A.S. degree in Biology from Bergen Community College and BS degree in Biology from the University of Massachusetts. She is currently a science teacher, teaching Biology and Marine Biology at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute.
A single species of the blenniid shorefish genus Ophioblennius traditionally has been recognized throughout the tropical Atlantic. A recent molecular study (Muss et al., 2001) of Ophioblennius populations from the eastern Pacific and Atlantic suggests six Atlantic lineages characterized by genetic divergences equal or greater to those typically observed between species. Information from an anatomical study of specimens from localities analyzed in the molecular study will be combined with information from Springer's (1962) study of Ophioblennius to determine if genetic divergences discovered in the molecular study are correlated with morphological differences. One or more new species may be identified; if so, speciation in Atlantic Ophioblennius will be compared with that of other Atlantic shorefish genera in which several species recently have been determined to be masquerading under a single name. The ultimate goals of the study will be to provide a taxonomic revision of Atlantic Ophioblennius and to contribute information to a more long-term study of patterns of morphological divergence and speciation in tropical Atlantic and eastern Pacific shorefishes. The project may include travel to the annual American Society of Ichthyologists and herpetologists meeting in Kansas City (July 3-8) where the teacher will be able to meet some of the scientists involved in the molecular study of Ophioblennius. Research Team: Carole Baldwin, Victor Springer, Amie Hankins
Ms. Stewart earned her B.S. degree in Zoology and Ph.D. degree in Physiology from Howard University. She has been with the Baltimore County Schools since 1998 teaching Biology, Environmental Science, and Human Physiology and has served as administrator of enrichment programs for minority youth. Project Title: Repatriation Research
Project Description: The Repatriation Office conducts research on archaeological, ethnological, and human physical collections in response to requests for repatriation by Native American tribes and Hawaiian organizations. The repatriation process involves multiple lines of inquiry requiring detailed inventories and descriptions of remains and cultural objects, archival research, and analyses of historical and archaeological evidence to assess cultural affiliation of the collections. The research uses multidisciplinary applied archaeological and anthropological approaches to contemporary issues involving museums and native peoples. Special Skills and/or qualifications needed: Interest in Native American history, archaeology, or cultural anthropology. Good general computer, library, and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to utilize diverse analytical approaches in problem solving. Patience in completing detail oriented tasks. Research Team: Eric Hollinger, William Billeck, Dorothy Lippert, Steven Ousley, Beth Eubanks, Betsy Bruemmer, and Laurie Burgess.
Mr. Umelo earned his B.S. degree from D.C. Teachers College; M.S. from George Washington University, and Ph.D. from American University. He has been a Science teacher at Anacostia Senior High School since 1982, teaching Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. He was awarded a fellowship in 2002 from the National Science Foundation/Howard University "Developing Teacher Leaders in Middle and High School Science" and has also received a fellowship from the National Institutes of Health for their Summer Teacher Research Program (1995, 1992, and 1991). He is the Editor of the Anacostia High School publication "Science News," and a member of the National Science Teachers Association, D.C. Science Teachers Association, and the National Association of Biology Teachers. Project Title: A survey of the variation in microscopic feather characters of North American Gulls (Laridae) that are involved in birdstrikes.
Project Description:
The project may involve use of light microscopes, scanning electron microscopes and statistical software packages to quantify the micro-morphological differences in diagnostic feather characters among species of gulls. The results of this study will aid researchers in the identification of fragmentary feather evidence recovered from damaging birdstrikes. Ultimately, species identification data is used by engineers, airfield managers, and pilots to avoid damaging birdstrikes and improve aviation safety. Research Team: Carla Dove and Marcy Heacker-Skeans
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You are HERE.
To continue select the next option.
You're
invited to a special behind-the scenes Open House at
the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
We
will host a short social to get to know everyone and enjoy some light
morning refreshments. Coffee can be purchased across the hall in the
staff cafeteria.
Crammed
into a helicopter with many weeks worth of supplies the team of biologists
leave Caracas for base camp in the middle of the Venezuelan jungle.
In the distance, half-hidden in the fog and rain is Cerra de la Neblina,
discovered in 1953 (!), the fabled "mountain of the mist,"
a world of virtually unexplored peaks and canyons laden with scientific
mysteries. 
11:00
- noon : MORNING TOUR OPTIONS
Research
in the NMNH Department of Entomology is primarily collection based
and systematic in the broadest sense, involving evolutionary and
population biology, phylogeny, biogeography, bio-diversity, ecology,
behavior, and molecular studies, as well as basic taxonomy, comparative
morphology, and life history. To learn more visit: 
Research
in the NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences includes studies of
rocks dredged and drilled from the deep oceans; field and laboratory
investigations of active volcanoes; systematic investigations
of major mineral groups, including crystallographic and structural
examination; analysis of global-scale volcanism; chemical and
mineralogical analysis of meteorites; geochemistry of metamorphic
rocks and metamorphic fluids; and tectonic evolution of high pressure
- low temperature metamorphic terrains. On this tour you'll join
Dr. Tim McCoy on an adventure into the Meteorite collection,
featuring specimens from the moon, Mars, and various asteroid
belts (including the oldest rock known to date: approx. 4.566
billion years old). You'll then meet Russell Feather who
will guide you on la tour of the "Blue Room", a rare
viewing of the world's premier collection of gems and minerals.
To learn more visit: 
Research
in the Division of Fishes is directed primarily toward systematic
revisions of species, genera, and families, and the interpretation
of higher classification and biogeography. The Division covers
a broad spectrum of the great diversity of fishes, generally relying
on the vast resources of the national fish collection. The fish
collection, at the National Museum of Natural History, is the
largest in the world, with approximately 540,000 lots (a lot consists
of all specimens of a species from the same time and place) and
about 3.5 million specimens. This tour features a look at the
main offices and labs in the Division, including introductions
to the personnel and brief descriptions of the work conducted.
You'll
see the Coelacanth
(!!!) and as many "Oh My" specimens as possible.
We
may even demonstrate fish identification using taxonomic keys
and other tools. To learn more visit: 
The
archaeological, ethnological, and physical collections of the
NMNH Department of Anthropology include over two million specimens
from all parts of the world. The skeletal collections number among
the largest in the world and represent a variety of populations
including hundreds of specimens of known age and sex of modern
populations. If you join this tour group you'll see mummies, skeletons,
and shrunken heads...oh my! And yes, we'll even treat you to a
tour of our attic (you'll never guess what's up there). Guided
by Dr. Dave Hunt, we'll also visit the Terry Collection
(
Either
bring your lunch or purchase it from the staff cafeteria across the
hall. Stay in the ACR for lunch or spend the time visiting the Museum
shops utilizing your Smithsonian Intern photo ID to receive a 20%
discount on all purchases. Or, use your Smithsonian Intern photo ID
to obtain a free IMAX ticket to the 12:05 p.m. showing of the
film, 
1:30
- 2:30 p.m. : AFTERNOON TOUR OPTIONS
Research
in the NMNH Department of Paleobiology focuses on interdisciplinary
studies of the history of the earth and its biota, and their interactions
through time, including the systematics of
Including
4.6 million collections the U.S. National Herbarium was founded
in 1848 with the first collections accessioned from the US Exploring
Expedition. Research in the NMNH Department of Botany focuses
on plant systematics in the broadest sense: taxonomy, nomenclature,
comparative anatomy and morphology, palynology, phylogeny, phytogeography,
ecology, evolutionary theory, and conservation biology. Numerous
floristic studies are under way, while others are aimed at elucidating
evolutionary development, phylogeny, and the broad questions of
classification. Both modern and fossil species of many plant groups,
including the algae, mosses, lichens, ferns, and flowering plants,
are currently being studied. To learn more visit: 
The
National Museum of Natural History houses one of the most important
collections of mammals in the world. The collection is referenced
in the scientific literature by the acronym USNM, derived from
the former name United States National Museum. With roughly 580,000
voucher specimens, it is by far the world's largest, nearly twice
the size of the next largest mammal collections. The taxonomic
and geographic scope of the USNM mammal collection spans the globe
with especially strong representation from North America, Central
America, northern South America, Africa, and southeast Asia. Join
Dr. Richard Thorington and RTP '00 intern Chad Schennum
on a journey through the mammal collections. Here you will see
the smallest mammal, specimens of primates, squirrels, bats, and
other assorted goodies plus a visit to the fluid room. To learn
more visit: 
In
the Division of Birds, research is oriented
3:00
- 4:00 p.m.
OPTIONAL AFTERNOON SOCIAL
Navarro
Bharat
Rebecca
Gentry
John
Hammond
Kathie
John
Alla
Mauke
Donna
Stewart
Anthony
Umelo