6 August 2004
Arden Ashley
Macalester College
St. Paul, Minnesota 55105-1899
To the National Science Foundation,
I am writing to express my sincere thanks for your financial support of my particiaption in the Research Training Program at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The opportunity to conduct my research with Dr. David Pawson has been incredibly rewarding. I spent my research time this summer studying some Floridian sand dollars that appear to be hybrids between the genera Mellita and Encope. This research has been very enriching and I have discovered that I truly love studying echinoderms and exploring their amazing diversity.
The RTP curriculum offers much more than just a research experience. The lectures, tours, demonstrations and workshops have all served to inspire my curiosity and cement my eclectic love of the natural history disciplines. I have always been fascinated by museums and the opportunity to explore behind the scenes has been exhilerating. I am grateful for every moment to learn more about natural history and I therefore have enthusiastically attended the optional events such as the bird skinning, plant histology and rock cutting demonstrations. These opportunities would not have been possible without your support.
As I consider my options for future careers, I am strongly considering entering the field of secondary science teaching. I believe that I will be a more effective teacher as a result of my experiences this summer. I am inspired to share my love of this subject with future generations of scientists. The importance of good science education in this country is not underestimated by the National Science Foundation and I therefore hope that you agree that your support of my participation in this program has been well-invested.
I can offer nothing more than the promise that I will not forget the generosity of the National Science Foundation and that I will do my best to return the favor to the scientific community in the years to come - through the research I conduct and the youth I teach.
Sincerely,
Arden Ashley
Research Training Program
Class of '04