The
traditional RTP application deadline of February
1st was extend to February 15th to compensate
for the late
release (2 Dec 05) of paper-based application
materials, that had to be designed last minute
because on-line line systems remained unavailable.
There
were 167 applications
received for consideration by the application
deadline of Wednesday, 15 February 2006, of
which 154 were complete enough to effectively
review. Some applications received after the
deadline and some applications received for
general
NMNH internship placement were also considered.
A total of 172 applications were considered
for placement in the 2006 session of the Research
Training Program.
A
two
phase process was conducted to identify
finalists. Semi-finalists were not selected
this year. Three
evaluators (Lynn Copes, Chris Hardy, and Elisa
Maldonado), all former RTP participants and
therefore uniquely familiar with the program,
were selected from outside the institution (Arizona,
California, and Pennsylvania) to conduct a pre-screening
of the entire application set and nominate top
candidates for consideration as finalists. In
collaboration with this effort an on-site RTP
panel of judges also conducted a pre-evaluation
of all applications received. This panel of
judges reviewed applications from within their
discipline and nominated appropriate candidates
for the finalist set. The Entomology judge defered
applications to the Invertebrate Zoology judge.
There were 46 finalists.
The
six judges then reviewed application documents
from all 46 finalists by carefully reading and
evaluating application folders including completing
a 100 point score sheet to quantify their marks.
Review
of finalists began Tuesday, 21 Feb 06 at 1:00
p.m. Judges had until noon, Monday 27 Feb 06
to complete their evaluation and submit final
scores and ranks. The review deadline was extended
to noon on Tuesday, 28 Feb 06 to provide judges
adequate time to effectively evaluate all folders.
One judge (Anthropology) did not complete the
review and therefore their contribution to the
evaluation could not be included in the final
ranking.
Reviewers
typically score differently with some generally
awarding higher scores and others awarding lower
scores. To adjust for these differences, finalist
scores were normalized based on applicant rank.
The judges met Thursday, 2 March 2006 beginning
at 9:00 a.m. to discuss final rankings, nominate
the target of 10 candidates for participation
and identify complementary research advisors
to host students. Two judges were out of town
(Mineral Science and Vertebrate Zoology) and
contributed comments but couldn't attend for
the discussion. Another judge (Anthropology)
didn't complete the review and had a conflicting
appointment and therefore didn't participate
in the discussion, final selection, or placements.
The meeting concluded at 11:30 a.m. resulting
in 13 nominees for participation and 7 alternates.
At
the time of announcement (7 March 2006), one
position remained undeclared, pending discussion
with potential advisors and proposed projects.
Adjustments
in budget allocations and identification of
additional available research advisors increased
the program slots available from 10 to 15, and
then further adjustments were done resulting
in even more positions available, from 15 to
18. During the alternate consideration phase
(15 - 24 March 2006) new funding opportunities
became available, specifically from the Latino
Initiative Fund and Max Berry donation, making
possible the placement of even more students
culminating in a total of 20 RTP positions for
2006.
The
RTP '06 panel:
-
Laurie Burgess: representing Anthropology
(previously served on several RTP selecting
panels)
- Gene Hunt: representing Paleobiology
(former RTP intern and new curatorial hire)
- Tim McCoy: representing Mineral Sciences
(served on many RTP selection panels, hosted
many RTP students)
- Ted Schultz: representing Entomology
(hosted several RTP and other interns and representing
Dept. Chairsas well as information link to NMNH
administration)
- Ashleigh Smythe: representing Invertebrate
Zoology. (current Post Doctoral fellow and link
to our fellows and graduate students community)
- Jun Wen: representing Botany (former
post dococtoral fellow and new curatorial hire)
- Neal Woodman: representing Vertebrate
Zoology (affiliated agency representative, hosted
several RTP and other interns, served on RTP
scoring panels, also information link to Senate
of Scientists)
Research
Training Program
Participants - 2006
|
Class
of 2006
|
| |
Last
Name
|
First
Name
|
Home
University |
Year
in School |
Citizenship |
Research
Advisor |
|
|
Alvarez |
Jorge |
University
of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez |
Sophomore |
US |
Conrad
Labandeira & Bill DiMichele |
|
|
Armgardt |
Emily |
Seattle
University |
Junior |
US |
Ellen
Strong |
|
|
Barkley |
Madison |
Mount
Holyoke College |
Junior |
US |
Mike
Wise |
|
|
Brown |
Julia |
Vanderbilt
University |
Junior |
US |
Gene
Hunt |
|
|
Cockrell |
Bryan |
Princeton
University |
Sophomore |
US |
Ed
Vicenzi |
|
|
Ennis |
Megan |
Morehead
State University |
Non-graduating
Senior |
US |
Tim
McCoy |
|
|
Faust |
Katherine |
Louisiana
State University |
Sophomore |
US |
Terry
Chesser |
|
|
Hamilton |
Paige |
University
of Notre Dame |
Junior |
US |
Dave
Hunt |
 |
Job |
Jayme |
Minnesota
State University, Moorhead |
Junior |
US |
Eric
Hollinger |
|
|
Ketchum |
Sheena |
University
of Notre Dame |
Junior |
US |
Betty
Meggers & Paulina Ledergerber |
|
|
Marsteller |
Sara |
Cornell
College |
Junior |
US |
Don
Ortner |
|
|
Martinez |
Juan
Andres |
University
of the Republic of Uruguay |
Graduating
Senior |
Uruguay |
Don
Wilson |
|
|
McMahan |
Caleb |
Erskine
College |
Junior |
US |
George
Zug |
|
|
Moses |
Sylvia |
University
of California, Berkeley |
Junior |
US |
Ed
Vicenzi |
|
|
O'Connor |
Alisa |
University
of Notre Dame |
Junior |
US |
Eric
Hollinger |
|
|
Oreska |
Matthew |
College
of William and Mary |
Junior |
US |
Matt
Carrano |
|
|
Rasmussen |
Nick |
Oklahoma
State University |
Graduating
Senior |
US |
Dick
Thorington |
|
|
Saupe |
Erin |
St.
John's University |
Junior |
US |
Brian
Huber |
|
|
Strahl |
Maya |
Berry
College |
Non-graduating
Senior |
US |
Vicki
Funk |
|
|
Vann |
Kimberly |
University
of Mary Washington |
Junior |
US |
John
Brown |
|
Alternates
|
| Philips |
Jennifer |
Lewis
and Clark College |
Junior |
US |
Zoology |
|
Declined
|
| Arguello |
Alexander |
St.
Mary's College of Maryland |
Sophomore |
US |
DECLINED |
| Barton |
Melissa |
Colorado
College |
Graduating
Senior |
US |
DECLINED |
| Kelley |
Emily |
University
of Notre Dame |
Junior |
US |
DECLINED |
Research
Training Program
Participant Summaries
2006
Students
selected to join the RTP Class of '06 had until
Wednesday 15 March 2006 to notify the
RTP office if they accepted or declined participation
in the summer program. One student selected
to participate in the RTP '06 summer received
and accepted an offer from another site prior
to RTP notification and therefore immediately
declined (Kelley). The position was refilled
with an alternate (Hamilton). On the notification
date (15 Mar 06) another student declined participation
(Barton). Alternates for whom we were able to
find funding and placement were contacted Friday,
17 March 2006. One alternate (Arguello) had
already accepted an offer from another site
and therefore had to decline further consideration.
Alternates offered a position in the program
had until Friday 24 March 2006 to notify the
RTP office of their intentions and had to formally
accept or decline by Friday, 31 March 2006.
RTP
Class of '06
Jorge
Alvarez |
Emily
Alrmgardt |
Madison
Barkley |
Julia
Brown
Bryan Cockrell |
Megan
Ennis |
Katie
Faust |
Paige
Hamilton
Jayme Job |
Shenna
Katchum |
Sara
Marsteller |
Juan
Andrea Martinez
Caleb McMahan |
Sylvia
Moses |
Alisa
O'Connor |
Matthew
Oreska
Nick Rasmussen
|
Erin
Saupe |
Maya
Strahl |
Kimberly
Vann
|
- Gender:
Male
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
- Status:
Sophomore
- Major:
Geology
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
Latino Initiatives Fund
|
Jorge
Alvarez
I am from Hatillo, Puerto Rico. I am a sophomore
at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus,
majoring in Geology. After graduating I plan
on attending graduate school in the US, pursuing
a degree in paleontology. Lately, I've been
looking into ichnology, the study of trace fossils,
but I am interested in anything related to paleontology.
I
am vice president of the Student Geological
Society of my campus. I do some volunteer work
in the schools geology museum, giving small
talks to children, trying to promote their interest
in geology and paleontology. I greatly enjoy
field experiences, which is provided regularly
by the society and geology class field trips,
where we learn more about Puerto Rico's geology.
Last
year I was part of NASA's LOR (Life On the Rocks)
summer internship at Penn State University.
It was an excellent opportunity, learning much
and meeting new people, which I hope is repeated
(and, I'm sure, improved) this year. It was
during this program that I first visited the
Smithsonian, which although brief, was a great
experience.
On
the personal side: On my free time I enjoy
reading, video games, singing along to music
I like (not a pretty experience, I've been told...)
going to the beach and having fun with my friends,
and watching the Discovery, Science and Animal
Planet channels. I'm a happy guy, always on
a good mood, and trying to cheer people up.
Very excited to meet everyone else!
Research Advisors:
Conrad
Labandeira
Research
Paleobiologist and Curator of Fossil Arthropods.
B.A. (1980) California State University, Fresno;
M.S. (1986) University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee;
Ph.D. (1990) University of Chicago. Research
specialties: interactions between plants and
insects in the fossil record; fossil arthropods,
particularly insects; evolution of mouthparts
of insects; member ETE Program. Science Unit:
Department
of Paleobiology.
Bill
DiMichele
Research
Paleobiologist and Curator of Paleobotany.
B.A. (1974) Drexel University; M.S. (1976),
Ph.D. (1979) University of Illinois. Research
specialties: morphology, systematics, and
paleoecology of late Paleozoic plants, particularly
the structure of late Paleozoic ecosystems
and the relationship between long-term ecological
and evolutionary patterns. Member, ETE
Program. Science Unit: Department
of Paleobiology.
Title: Plant-insect
associations from the Early Permian of north-central
Texas: Early or Delayed Colonization?
Hypothesis:
The level of insect damage is significantly
lower than that of modern flora in environments
similar to those found in north-central Texas
in the Early Permian, because of the much lower
diversity of insects at the time and the narrow
usage of resources by the organisms.
Project
Summary: Millions of years ago a Permian-age
Earth underwent drastic changes in its climate,
afecting the ecosystem worlwide. This was the
last time such event has happenned. This research
focuses on the study of plant-insect interaction
evidence from a flora collection of the same
age, coming from north-central Texas, so as
to better understand the ecosystem's response
to an event like this. The counting and identification
of both flora and insect damage pattern is anticipated
to provide insight into of the roles insects
played in the survival and colonization of land
of said plants.
Project
Description: The flora chosen for this research
comes from part of a series of early Permian
age mudstone beds called redbeds that occur
throughout North Central Texas. At the time
this area was on the western margin of tropical
western equatorial Pangea, and was on the eastern
shelf of the Midland Basin. This area and its
specimens, both plant and vertebrates, are the
classic example of the Early Permian biota.
This flora comes from a warm period, within
a series of cold-warm pulses that were occurring
at the time. The analysis for insect damage
will help us understand the early evolution
of insect herbivory.
Plant
specimens will be organized taxonomically and
assessed quantitatively by species. Several
of the specimens will be chosen for photography.
The images taken will be processed using photo
editing software. All of the specimens will
be examined for insect damage. The different
types of insect feeding patterns will be counted
and the flora compared other studies of insect
damage on floras from this time period.
Materials
and Methods: A hand lenses will be used
for identification of plant specimens and insect
damage spotting.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Seattle University
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Biology
Career
Goals:
Graduate studies in evolution and development
of invertebrates and a career in invertebrate
research.
Sponsor:
Alice Eve Kennington Internship Endowment
|
Emily
Armgardt
I
am originally from Sturtevant, Wisconsin but
I usually tell people that I'm from Milwaukee
or even Chicago seeing as no one knows where
Sturtevant is. I am currently a junior at Seattle
University majoring in biology. I hope to pursue
a degree in developemental biology of invertebrates
in graduate school, however I'm still undecided
as to where I will go or what exactly I intend
to do with all this schooling.
I have been a volunteer interpreter at the Seattle
Aquarium for the past year, and I have learned
so much in my short time there. I spend my Saturday
mornings at the Aquarium talking to the public
about the animals in the touch tanks, trying
to communicate my fascination with marine invertebrates.
My absolute favorite thing to do while volunteering
at the aquarium is feeding the giant Pacific
octopuses and talk to the guests about how amazing
these creatures are.
I had the opportunity to take the evolution
and development class at Friday Harbor Labratories
last summer and it proved to be one of the most
challenging and rewarding experiences thus far
in my academic career. During the course of
the class, I observed the musculature of two
marine Harpacticoid copepod species using phalloidin
and flourscent micrsocopy. Because of my research,
I was able to travel to the annual SICB meeting
and present a poster on my findings. I am currently
doing further research on this topic, trying
to investigate two different Harpacticoid species
through confocal microscopy.
On
the personal side: Although I have always
been around water, growing up on the shores
of Lake Michigan, from the first second I saw
the ocean as a 10 year old I knew that I wanted
to be a marine biologist. I was also quite taken
with the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, especially
the mountains around the same time. As a girl
growing up in a small midwestern village (yes,
village) both of these things made me quite
the little oddity, and I hold the distinction
of being the farthest from home of all my high
school friends. When I'm not off galavanting
in Seattle, I like to do pretty normal things:
reading, catching up with friends, sleep, and
things that are not related to school or work.
Research Advisor:
Ellen
Strong
Research
Zoologist, Curator of Mollusks. B.A. (Honors)
(1991) University of California, Berkeley;
Ph.D. (2000) George Washington University.
Research specialties: Phylogeny of caenogastropods
using morphological and molecular data. Science
Unit: Department
of Invertebrate Zoology.
Title: Ontogenetic
Changes in Shell Microstructure of Freshwater
Gastropods
Hypothesis:
Lake Tanganyika gastropods did not evolve
their highly calcified shells solely as a result
of predation by decopod crabs.
Project
Summary: The Lake Tanganyika cerithioid
gastropods are a highly endemic and speciose
species flock. Scanning electron microscopy
will be utilized to examine ontogenetic differences
in the shell microstructure. Similarities and
differences will be integrated with a pre-existing
morphological data matrix and compared with
a current molecular phylogeny. These data will
be used to test hypothesis that assert differences
in shell microstructure are the consequence
of predation by crabs.
Additional
Opportunities: One week of field work at
Smithsonian's
Marine Station in Fort Pierce, Florida to
study ptenoglossan snails, a group of predatory
and parasitic marine gastropods that prey on
echinoderms and cnidarians. Work will include
gastropod identification and field techniques
for the collection and processing of marine
micro-mollusks.
Project
Description: Because of the unique and heavily
calcified and decorated shells of cerithioid
snails found in Lake Tanganyika, scientists
have puzzled over the phylogenetic relationships
(Michel et al, 1992). Many previous studies
have attempted to explain the pattern of speciation
present in the lake through various means, based
on geography and behavior. Resolution within
the phylogeny has been poorly understood for
many years. An earlier study (West and Cohen,
1996) has given predation as the main origin
of the unusual phenotypes exhibited by the different
gastropod groups within Lake Tanganyika. However,
this study looked exclusively at the adult microstructure
of the shells. Examining the ontogenetic sequence
present in shells will provide some evidence
for the evolution of the gastropod groups within
the lake. Additionally, the characters collected
from the shell microstructure will be plotted
against a current molecular phylogeny of the
Lake Tanganyikan gastropods. Previously, the
only method for obtaining shell microstructure
was through crushing the shells and analyzing
the cleanest piece available. Using the diamond
saw, the shells can now be precisely cut to
reveal the microstructure and sequence of ontogeny
more easily. A trip to the Smithsonian's field
station at Fort Pierece, Florida will augment
the lab work by demonstrating collecting techniques
of different snail groups along.
Materials
and Methods:
Samples will be prepared either by embedding
the shells in resin and then cut using the diamond
blade saw, or cut with the diamond blade saw
and then embedded in resin. Shells will be cut
along the long axis of the shell to reveal microstructure
throughout ontogeny. The resulting shell will
then be analyzed on the SEM.
The
results of this research are anticipated to
be presented at the SICB meeting in Phoenix,
Arizona 3-7 January 2007.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Mount Holyoke College
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Geology
Career
Goals:
After gradaute school, achieve a career
in geology, focusing on rock forming minerals.
Sponsor:
Smithsonian Women's Committee Endowment
|
Madison
Barkley
Ms. Barkley is from Hague, Virginia. She is
currently a Junior at Mount Holyoke College
in South Hadley, Massachusetts where she is
majoring in Geology with a minor in Astronomy.
She plans to attend graduate school with focused
study in mineralogy and gemology.
On
the personal side: Ms. Barkley's interests
include geomagnetism, the outer solar system
(Uranus, Neptune, Pluto & the Kuiper Belt),
and robotics. She an avid horse enthusiast and
has been riding and competing for over 10 years.
Most recently, she was a member of the Mount
Holyoke College Equestrian Team.
Research Advisor:
Mike
Wise
Geologist.
B.A. (1979) University of Virginia; Ph.D.
(1987) University of Manitoba. Research specialties:
mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry of
pegmatites; petrogenesis and evolution of
pegmatites and pegmatite-generating granites;
systematic mineralogy; regional distribution
of pegmatites in the Appalachians. Science
Unit: Department
of Mineral Sciences.
Title: F-OH- substitution
and thermal effects on the crystal structure
of pegmatitic topaz
Hypothesis:
The focus of this project is to examine
the changes in topaz crystal structure caused
by F-OH- substitution and to investigate the
structural changes due to temperature in order
to determine the viability of topaz as a geothermometer
in granitic pegmatites.
Project
Summary: This research examines the changes
of topaz crystal structure with varying temperature
and composition. Topaz is a fluorine-rich mineral
that commonly occurs in pegmatites. The topaz
crystal structure will expand or contract depending
on the ratio of fluorine to hydroxyl (OH-) in
the crystal structure. Temperature may also
affect the dimensions of the crystal structure.
X-ray diffraction will be used to determine
how these variables affect the structure of
topaz.
Project
Description: Pegmatites are intrusive igneous
rocks that are characterized by unusually large
grain sizes (> 20mm). The large grain size
can be attributed in part to relatively rapid
cooling in a water and volatile rich melt. Volatiles,
such as fluorine (F), boron (B), and phosphorous
(P), lower the viscosity as well as the solidus
temperature of the melt and facilitate the crystallization
of large crystals and the development of internal
zoning. There are two geochemical types of granitic
pegmatites. LCT pegmatites are rich in lithium
(Li), cesium (Cs), and tantalum (Ta) and are
usually associated with orogenic and collisional
origins. NYF pegmatites are related to anorogenic
granites and are enriched in niobium (N), yttrium
(Y), and are particularly rich in fluorine (LCT
pegmatites typically have low to moderately
high F contents). In NYF-type pegmatites, the
F rich mineral topaz (Al2SiO4(F,OH)2) is commonly
found, whereas topaz is generally uncommon in
LCT pegmatites.
Topaz
displays a relatively narrow range of bulk compositions;
the most important variation is due to substitution
of OH- for F. As OH- substitutes for F, the
crystal structure of topaz modifies to accommodate
the new element. Hydroxyl has a larger atomic
radius than fluorine and will stretch the structure
of the crystal. Rosenberg (1967) concludes that
as OH- substitutes for F, the b cell dimension
increases. A small change in c and no change
in a were also noted. In high F environments,
such as pegmatites and rhyolites, the b cell
dimension of topaz should be at its smallest
value. However, Rosenberg's work did not take
into account unit cell changes due to temperature
or pressure which are important factors in pegmatite
genesis. The focus of this project is to examine
the changes in topaz crystal structure caused
by F-OH- substitution and to investigate the
structural changes due to temperature in order
to determine the viability of topaz as a geothermometer
in granitic pegmatites.
Materials
and Methods: X-Ray Diffraction will be the
main tool in examining the specimens. Sample
localities wwill be chosen that represent pegmatites
from both LCT and NYF geochemical classes. Topaz
samples will be ground into a power and mounted
onto glass fibers. For some samples, additional
material will be collected in order to perform
a temperature study. The additional material
will be heated in a furnace to temperatures
between 500o-1000o C before being powdered.
All samples (heated & unheated) will be
X-rayed using the Rigaku micro-diffractometer.
A computer program will generate data in the
form of unit cell dimensions for each sample.
These data will be used to evaluate structural
changes due to composition and temperature.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Vanderbilt University
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Career
Goals:
After gradaute school, achieve a career
focusing on understanding human impact
on ecosystems including global warming
and patterns of climate change as related
to environmental policy.
Sponsor:
NMNH Office of the Director and William
A and Nancy F. McMinn Scholarship
|
Julia
Brown
I am originally from Bethesda, MD, and am currently
a Junior at Vanderbilt University in Nashville,
Tennessee where I am majoring in Ecology, Evolution,
and Organismal Biology. After college, I hope
to attend graduate school in ecology or a related
field, and perhaps go on to do ecological or
environmental research or have a career in conservation
or science education.
I
have been involved with undergraduate research
in the Biological Sciences Department at Vanderbilt
for several semesters, and have studied various
mutualisms through molecular and ecological
stoichiometry techniques. However, I am looking
forward to broadening my research focuses through
my project in paleobiology this summer! I also
work as a lab T.A. for a section of the Biology
Today class at Vanderbilt.
On
the personal side: I love everything about
biology, and am incredibly excited to be working
at the Smithsonian this summer. I have been
coming to the National Museum of Natural History
on a regular basis since I was in preschool,
when I used to spend my days reciting dinosaur
names to my teachers. Nowadays, I enjoy running,
hiking, eating, visiting museums, traveling
and seeing as many of my friends as possible
all over the country and abroad. I love the
Washington, D.C. area, and can't wait to spend
more time downtown, as well as in the surrounding
natural areas and by the Potomac River.
Research Advisor:
Gene
Hunt
Associate
Curator. B.S. (1995) Duke University; Ph.D.
(2003) University of Chicago. Research specialties:
long-term evolutionary changes; fossil ostracodes.
Science unit: Paleobiology. Science Unit:
Department
of Paleobiology.
Title: Body size
relationships to climate in Ostracodes
Hypothesis:
There will be an increase in ostracode body
size over time as global deep-sea temperature
decreases.
Project
Summary: The project will involve examining
macroevolutionary trends in deep-sea ostracodes,
and will focus on the evolution of ostracode
body size over a period of approximately 40
million years. Correlations between body size
and paleotemperature estimates will be investigated
in order to elucidate the mechanisms underlying
Cope's Rule: the tendency for body size to increase
over time.
Project
Description: A wide variety of organisms
display a phenomenon known as Cope's Rule, which
is a general tendency of body size to increase
over time. At the moment, the mechanisms behind
this evolutionary trend are poorly understood.
Ostracodes are small bivalve crustaceans with
an excellent fossil record that appear to exemplify
Cope's Rule. Preliminary studies have indicated
that changes in body size in the ostracode genus
Poseidonamicus are significantly correlated
with changes in deep-sea temperatures during
the Cenozoic. Ostracodes appear to become larger
as the climate cools. This finding relates Cope's
Rule to the equally notable Bergmann's Rule,
which states that modern organisms in colder
climates will be larger than those in warmer
climates. Cope's Rule, in this scenario, is
then a temporal manifestation of the spatial
Bergmann's Rule. This research follows an initial
study and examine a number of ostracode populations
from a series of sites on the ocean floor in
order to see if the same pattern appears across
additional sites and species. An increase in
ostracode body size as global deep-sea temperatures
decrease over time is expected.
Materials
and Methods: The research project will involve
two main procedures involving deep-sea ostracode
specimens. The samples come from different locations
in the ocean floor where research vessels from
the Deep Sea Drilling Project have extracted
cores, yielding ostracode specimens spanning
a long period of time in the same place. The
approximate age of the ostracodes has been previously
determined by biostratigraphic methods. The
samples have been pre-sorted into gridded slides.
First, the ostracode slides will be examined
under a dissecting microscope, and relevant
specimens will be digitally photographed. In
the next step, an image-analysis program called
ImageJ will be used to touch up the photographs,
if necessary, and to measure the length, height,
and area of the ostracodes. After size data
have been collected, correlations with an existing
Mg-Ca paleotemperature curve will be examined.
|
- Gender:
Male
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Princeton University
- Status:
Sophomore
- Major:
Chemistry
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
Department of Mineral Sciences
|
Bryan
Cockrell
Originally from Damascus, Maryland, I'm currently
a sophomore at Princeton University (New Jersey).
I plan to concentrate in chemistry or classical
archaeology with certification in Spanish and
Ancient Greek. My research interests revolve
around environmental geochemistry and Ancient
Greek, Mesoamerican, and Near Eastern archaeology.
After graduating from college, I plan to attend
graduate school in archaeology and then work
in a museum or university setting, going on
excavations and analyzing artifacts in a laboratory
for their composition.
On
the personal side: I play Bb and A clarinet
in the Princeton University Sinfonia, serve
as Projects Manager for Princeton-UNICEF, write
for Princeton Progressive Nation, edit for The
Daily Princetonian, and tutor in chemistry at
my residential college and at Princeton High
School. In my free time, I enjoy writing, reading,
playing tennis and golf, and listening to music.
Research Advisor:
Ed
Vicenzi
Supervisory
Research Geochemist. B.Sc. (1982) McGill University;
M.S. (1985) University of Oregon; Ph.D. (1991)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Research
specialties: microchemical studies of minerals
and glasses. Science Unit: Department
of Mineral Sciences.
Title: The Origins
of Layered Carbonates in Svalbard Peridotite
Xenoliths
Hypothesis:
Were multiple fluids responsible for the
deposition of carbonates into Svalbard peridotite
xenoliths?
Project
Summary: This
investigation will probe peridotite xenoliths
from a million-year-old volcano in the Svalbard
archipelago of Norway that contain carbonate
"rosettes." It has been proposed that
these layered carbonates were deposited into
the veins of the peridotite through hydrothermal
processes. In addition to being detected in
samples from Svalbard, they have been discovered
in the Martian meteorite ALH84001, potentially
supporting the controversial findings of preserved
extraterrestrial life forms in that meteorite.
The rosettes in both cases display distinct
chemical zoning, featuring iron and calcium
predominating in their cores and magnesium in
their rims. The main goal of this investigation
will be to characterize the source fluid that
carried these carbonates into the peridotite:
whether it was one fluid or multiple fluids.
Primary attention will be given to three areas
where rosettes have been seen in the past in
peridotite samples from the same location: (1)
inclusions in the mantle minerals, (2) along
grain boundaries of the mantle minerals, and
(3) in pore spaces of the lava.
Project
Description: In seeking to characterize
the carbonates' source fluid, two important
tasks will be completed: (1) detection of the
rosettes in the Svalbard samples using visible
light and electron microscopy and (2) mapping
the chemical composition of the samples. The
samples comprise several lava-coated "bombs,"
airborne mantle xenolithic material ejected
from the volcano and gathered from the volcano's
site. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) will
be the investigation's main tool. For further
investigation of the carbonates' source fluid,
"chimneys" of carbonates discovered
along the volcano and porous, layered carbonate
deposits from warm springs at the volcano's
site may be evaluated. In sum, this investigation
will employ hyper-spectral microanalyses to
collect detailed images that will aid in understanding
how these carbonates were deposited into the
peridotite and the significance of their presence
relative to similar deposits found in the Martian
meteorite collection.
Materials
and Methods: Reflected and transmitted light
microscopy will help to identify areas of the
samples for further analysis and will provide
a holistic view of the samples. In addition,
plane-polarized light will aid in the
identification of minerals within the samples.
After a library of images of the rosettes has
been amassed, SEM will be employed. The use
of SEM will incorporate primarily energy-dispersive
spectrometry with some wavelength-dispersive
spectrometry for more detailed quantitative
analyses. Scanning electron images will provide
textural context for the carbonate rosettes,
x-ray images will offer a full layer-by-layer
analysis of the samples' microchemical composition,
and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy, a
common tool for studying carbonate minerals,
will provide a confirmation of the characterization
of the source fluid.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Morehead State University
- Status:
Non-graduating Senior
- Major:
Geology and Astrophysics
Career
Goals:
After earning a graduate degree in planetary
geology, pursue employment in this field,
possibly at NASA.
Sponsor:
NMNH Office of the Director
|
Megan
Ennis
I am currently a non-graduating senior at Morehead
State University in Morehead, Kentucky. It is
a rather small school that is only 30 miles
from where I grew up. I am pursuing a double
major in Geology and Astrophysics. Upon graduation
I plan to attend graduate school to get a doctorate
in planetary geology.
I
have tried to stay busy in my small town. I
was the vice president of the Geology club for
two years and a member of the physics club.
Every summer I try to escape the small town
life and travel to new places. Geology has taken
me to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, New
Foundland and Labrador of Canada, West Texas
and New Mexico, and here and there around the
state to attend professional meetings and field
trips. I had an internship through the Planetary
Geology and Geophysics Undergraduate Research
Program funded by NASA which took me to Pasadena
California, where I worked for eight weeks at
the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. My research there
involved using Galileo Near Infrared Mapping
Spectrometer Data to study the variability in
thermal emission of several hot spots and volcanoes
on Jupiter's moon, Io. I spent last summer in
Montana at the Judson Meade Field Station to
complete my course work for geology field camp.
I currently work at the MSU Space Science Center
where I am conducting G/T (gain/temperature)
experiments on the new 21 meter space tracking
antenna.
On
the personal side: I was born in Allentown,
Pennsylvania and have lived in Minnesota. I
moved to Kentucky though at the young age of
five so I consider it home. I have one older
brother and two younger sisters. In my spare
time I enjoy mineral, fossil, or just any type
of rock collecting with my fiancé. I
also enjoy night sky observing, hiking, traveling
of any kind and just trying new stuff. I am
very excited to come to Washington D.C. this
summer. I have spent quite a bit of time there
before visiting my father who lives just a few
blocks from the GW dorms. I have always loved
the D.C. area and Smithsonian Museums, especially
the Natural History Museum.
Research Advisor:
Tim
McCoy
Geologist,
Associate Curator. B.S. (1986) Eastern Illinois
University; M.S. (1990) University of New
Mexico; Ph.D. (1994) University of Hawaii,
Manoa. Research specialties: meteorites, igneous
evolution of small bodies in the early solar
system, martian volcanological history derived
from meteorites. Science Unit: Department
of Mineral Sciences.
Title: Testing
the possibility of a tuff ring on Mars
Hypothesis:
Home Plate is a tuff ring deposit resulting
from a phreatomagmatic eruption and is therefore
of volcanic origin.
Project
Summary: Spirit, one of the two Mars Exploration
Rovers, has recently discovered a light-toned
circular feature with a diameter on about 80m.
It is not certain wether its origin is of sedimentary
or volcainic processes. We will be testing the
possibility of it being a volcanic tuff ring,
porduced by a violent eruption when magma and
water interact. If found to be a tuff ring it
may prove to be a location where alot of water
existed at one time.
Additional
Opportunities: Field work in New Mexico
for about 1 week.
Project
Description: In January of 2004 two Mars
Exploration Rovers (MER) launched by NASA, awoke
on the Martian surface. The MER rovers were
designed to work as robotic geologists with
the primary goal of finding evidence of water
on Mars. Although Spirit was the first to arrive
at it's destination, Gusev Crater (145 km in
diameter), it was not the first to find prominent
evidence of water. Gusev Crater was chosen as
the landing site for Spirit because a large
valley, Ma'adim Vallis, which may have been
carved by flowing water, opens into the South
rim of the crater. While evidence for water
may be less conspicuous at Spirit's landing
site, Opportunity's site shows clear evidence
of water in the water-lain sediments of the
bedrock. Although the rovers had a life expectancy
of 90 days they continue to traverse the Martian
surface, and it was not until recently that
Spirit has made what may be its most important
discovery, the evidence for water in volcanic
rocks.
Spirit
has now discovered "Home Plate", an
80 m diameter light-toned circular feature.
One hypothesis for the origin of Home Plate
is that it is a volcanic tuff ring formed during
a phreatomagmatic eruption. When basaltic magma
interacts with water at or near a planet's surface,
heat exchange occurs between the magma and water
causing fragmentation of the magma and vaporization
of the water, resulting in immense pressure
within the chamber followed by a violent explosive
eruption. With each of the initial explosions
beds demonstrating fining upper sequences are
deposited. Bomb sags are also a common feature
in these deposits The outcrop is then capped
by well sorted finely grained laminated cross-beds.
Currently,
some controversy exists as to whether the rocks
observed at Home Plate represent deposits of
a phreatomagmatic eruption or that of wind-lain
sediments. The goal of this research is to test
the tuff ring hypothesis by comparing the deposits
found at Home Plate with those found at phreatomagmatic
volcanoes in New Mexico. One week of field work
(June 11, 2006-June 16, 2006) will be done at
these sites in New Mexico that may be analogous
to those found at Home Plate. The volcanoes
that will be visited in New Mexico demonstrate
a typical broad flat crater with a low rim and
deposits including air-fall breccias, finely
bedded air-fall and pyroclastic surge beds.
Materials
and Methods: Critical observations will
be made in the field, and samples will be collected
and brought back to the lab for further spectral
and petrographic analysis. Also in the lab microscopic
images will be taken of the samples to be compared
with the microscopic images received from Spirit.
A field spectrometer will be used to measure
how the New Mexico tuffs reflect light. Key
observations also lie within the angle of the
cross-beds. Typical deposits resulting from
a phreatomagmatic eruption produce beds of tephra
with the maximum dip of is 3 to12 degrees. Cross-beds
angles in New Mexico will be measured along
with the stratigraphic sections. All data collected
in the field will be compared with data collected
by Spirit in order to confirm the tuff ring
hypothesis and therefore new evidence for water
on Mars.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Louisiana State University
- Status:
Sophomore
- Major:
Biological Sciences
Career
Goals:
After earning a graduate degree in ornithology,
achieve a career in at a university or
research institute performing laboratory
and field research on avian population
genetics.
Sponsor:
NMNH Office of the Director
|
Katie
Faust
I am from Mandeville, Louisiana, which is just
north of New Orleans. I'm currently a sophomore
in Biological Sciences at Louisiana State University
in Baton Rouge. I plan to attend graduate school
to pursue my interests in avian systematics
and evolution.
I've
always loved birds, and it was my interest in
them that brought me to LSU's Museum of Natural
Science, where I've worked in the lab since
the beginning of my freshman year. My main research
project has been a genetic characterization
of a hybrid zone between Red-billed and Black-billed
Streamertail hummingbirds in Jamaica, a collaboration
with Dr. Gary Graves of the NMNH. My work has
been supported by LSU's Chancellor's Future
Leaders in Research Program and the Howard Hughes
Medical Institute. In the summer of 2005, I
participated in the HHMI Summer Undergraduate
Research Program, at the conclusion of which
I presented a poster on my work.
On
the personal side: When I'm not in the lab,
I like to spend my time reading fantasy novels
and science literature, sketching birds, writing
stories, playing guitar, and birdwatching. I
love to travel, and I'm planning to take a trip
around the world after graduation. I'm thrilled
to be spending this summer in D.C.
Research Advisor:
Terry
Chesser
Adjunct
Scientist. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center,
U.S. Geological Survey. B.A. Georgia State
University; Ph.D. (1995) Louisiana State University.
Research specialties: North American birds;
seasonal distribution of South American austral
migrant birds; biogeography and systematics
of birds; modern molecular and cladistic techniques
for reconstruction of phylogeny, character
evolution, and biogeographic history. Science
Unit: Department
of Zoology, Birds
Division.
Title: Plumage
and genetic variation in an Amazonian antwren
Hypothesis:
Current subspecies designations agree with
genetic and morphological data for Myrmotherula
longipennis.
Project
Summary: Myrmotherula longipennis,
the Long-winged Antwren, is a bird that occurs
widely throughout the Amazon basin. There are
six known subspecies, all of which were described
before 1930. Many of the range boundaries of
the subspecies are uncertain or unknown, and
it is possible that observed differences between
populations are the result of clinal variation
as opposed to the existence of discrete subspecies.
This project will analyze morphological and
genetic variation in all six subspecies of M.
longipennis in order to determine whether
the current subspecies designations and their
ranges are correct. This research is part of
a larger study that will quantitatively analyze
vocal, morphological, and genetic data for three
species of Myrmotherula antwrens.
Additional
Opportunities: Attend "Evolution
2006,” the joint annual meeting of
the Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE),
the Society of Systematic Biologists (SSB),
and the American Society of Naturalists (ASN),
being held 23 - 27 June 2007 at Stony Brook
University in Stony Brook, New York.
Project
Description: Mymotherula longipennis,
the Long-winged Antwren, has a range that extends
throughout the Amazon basin. There are six recognized
subspecies, all of which were described before
1930. The ranges of most of these subspecies
are delimited by rivers, a common phenomenon
in the Amazon. However, whether the rivers are
primary causes of speciation through isolation
or simply boundaries to range expansion is still
a hotly debated topic among biologists. Furthermore,
the range delimitation between two of the subspecies
found south of the Amazon, M. l. transitiva
and M. l. ochrogyna, is still very much
in question. Sandwiched between two rivers,
with M. l. ochrogyna in the north and
M. l. transitiva in the south, the actual
boundary between these two taxa is not known.
In
considering geographical variation, it is important
to distinguish discrete variation from clinal
variation. If clinal variation is exhibited,
then a smooth transition can be observed from
one form of a species to another. If only two
sites on this cline are sampled, however, the
individuals may be mistaken for members of two
discrete subspecies. No quantitative work has
yet been done to determine if current subspecies
designations of Myrmotherula longipennis
and their ranges are accurate. This project
will analyze plumage color and sequences of
the mitochondrial gene ND3 in members of all
six subspecies of M. longipennis, in
order to determine whether current subspecies
designations agree with the molecular and morphological
data. By sampling throughout the ranges of these
subspecies, including areas of transition from
one subspecies to another, it will be possible
to determine whether any of the subspecies designations
are actually mistaken cases of clinal variation
within a single taxon, and whether the original
ranges described for each of these subspecies
are accurate.
Materials
and Methods: An Ocean Optics s2000 spectrophotometer
with OOIBase operating software will be used
to measure plumage color. Several different
body regions will be measured, with replications
to prevent error. This data will be analyzed
using the program Tiger SPECTRE, or something
similar.
To
measure genetic variation, sequences of the
mitochondrial gene ND3 will be produced for
selected individuals using standard PCR and
sequencing protocol. Trees to determine the
phylogenetic relationships among the subspecies
will be constructed using PAUP*.
To
measure genetic variation, the mitochondrial
gene ND3 will be sequenced in selected individuals
using standard PCR and sequencing protocol.
Trees to determine the phylogenetic relationships
among the subspecies will be constructed using
PAUP*.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
University of Notre Dame
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Anthropology
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
Notre Dame Partnership
|
Paige
Hamilton
I am an Air Force brat and have lived in many
US states and even a few other countries- Germany
most recently. Currently, my home is Little
Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville, Arkansas.
At Notre Dame, I am Anthropology and pre-med
major, and I plan on either attending medical
school or graduate school after graduation.
I've
always been an avid volunteer. This year, I
spend four hours a week at the local ER as a
"patient liaison," talking with patients
and doing minor tasks for the doctors and nurses.
I am involved in many dorm activities, especially
the interhall sports teams, and I will be an
RA for the coming school year. I also work as
the Hall Clerk for my dorm (mainly secretarial
duties) and as an assistant at the Chemistry/Physics
library at Notre Dame. I am a soon-to-be-inducted
member of the Lambda Alpha Honors society for
Anthropology. Last semester, I helped create
a documentary about a Notre Dame student/rapper,
and it has been selected for screening at two
film festivals in April. I am currently doing
independent research pertaining to mother-baby
sleep behavior under Dr. James McKenna.
On
the personal side: I am the second of seven
children- four boys and three girls. My interests
include anything active: running, soccer, swimming.
I spend my school breaks scrapbooking, going
to the gym, and spending time with my family
and puppy. Much of my free time of late has
been devoted to studying for the MCATs, but
I do take some time off to enjoy college life.
I love Washington D.C. and can't wait to spend
the summer there!
Research Advisor:
David
Hunt
Museum
Specialist/Physical Anthropology Collections
Management. B.A. (1980) University of Illinois;
M.A. (1983), Ph.D. (1989) University of Tennessee.
Research specialties: human variation, skeletal
biology, forensic anthropology, human mummies
of the world, dermatoglyphics. Science Unit:
Department
of Anthropology.
Title: Practical
Applications of Physical Anthropological Studies
Hypothesis:
There will be skeletal evidence of infection
due to tuberculosis on the ribs and spine of
individuals from the Terry Collection.
Project
Summary: This research will focus on quantifying
the presence of rib periostitis in individuals
whose reported death was pulmonary tuberculosis.
The results are expected to be consistent with
recent research on tuberculosis that was completed
using the Terry Collection. An additional aspect
will be evaluating the concomitant occurrence
of tuberculin lesions on the ribs and on the
spine.
Project
Description: Due to discrepancies in literature
searches on the frequency of rib and spine lesions
in individuals with pulmonary tuberculosis,
new research will be conducted to collect data
on the occurrence of these lesions using the
Robert J. Terry Anatomical Skeletal Collection
at the National Museum of Natural History in
Washington, DC. The Terry Collection consists
of 1,728 human remains, each with extensive
documentation, including the age, sex, cause
of death, and medical history of the individual.
A sample of individuals from the Terry Collection
who died from pulmonary tuberculosis will be
examined for the presence of tuberculin lesions
on the spine and ribs. The same number of individuals
in two other groups, those who died from non-pulmonary
tuberculosis and those who died from a non-respiratory
disease, will also be examined for the presence
of osteolytic lesions. Vertebral tuberculosis
is the most common skeletal lesion, with frequencies
three times that of lesions on the rib cage.
The number of individuals from each group who
carry skeletal evidence of tuberculosis in the
ribs will be quantified, as was done by Roberts
et al (1994) who used the Terry Collection for
their study. To expand from this original study,
the concomitant occurrence of lesions on the
vertebrae and ribs will also be evaluated.
Materials
and Methods: Fifty individuals known to
have died from pulmonary tuberculosis will be
randomly studied, along with 50 randomly-selected
people with general tuberculosis and 50 with
a non-respiratory cause of death, also randomly
chosen. The morphological range of lesions on
the anterior bodies of vertebrae and the visceral
surface of the ribs will be quantified using
the following scale: normal bone with no visible
change, mild periostitis on the bone surface,
moderate osteolytic lesions and/or new bone
growth, and extensive osteolytic lesions and/or
new bone growth. The material will be examined
using a magnifying glass and lamp.
The
results of this project will be presented at
the University of Notre Dame's Anthropology
Research Symposium in April 2007.
|
Updated photo
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Minnesota State University, Moorhead
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Anthropology
Career
Goals:
Pursue a Ph.D. in Classical Archaeology,
ceramic analysis with specialization in
prehistoric Greek ceramics. Achieve a
career as a university professor teaching
anthropology and conducting perhistoric
ceramic research.
Sponsor:
Smithsonian Women's Committee Endowment
|
Jayme
Job
Ms. Job is from Jamestown, North Dakota. She
is currently a Junior at Minnesota State University,
Moorhead (Minnesota) where she is majoring in
Anthropology with an emphasis in archaeology.
I
was born and raised in Jamestown, North Dakota,
which is also known as the "Home of the
World's Largest Buffalo" (a monstrous,
concrete creation that is in actuality an American
bison). Jamestown is about an hour and a half
west of the better-known Fargo, North Dakota.
My university is only a skip across the mighty
Red River from Fargo in Moorhead, Minnesota.
Here at Moorhead, I have had the opportunity
to work under the Chair of the Anthropology
Department as his Honor's Apprentice since the
fall of my freshman year. I have worked in the
Archaeology Lab in this capacity for three years
now, and my research includes work on the ceramics
of the prehistoric Sprunk site of North Dakota,
the historic site of Moorhead, and currently,
with a student research grant, the Devils Lake-Sourisford
burial complex of North Dakota and South-Central
Canada. I have also had the opportunity to work
with a wide array of geophysical instruments,
including magnetometers, resistivity meters,
and GPR. I have presented my work at the MSUM
Student Academic Conference in poster format,
and plan to present here again next month. In
the fall, I will be presenting my final report
at the Plains Anthropology Conference in Topeka,
Kansas. I have excavated at both the Sprunk
site and the Historic Moorhead site, and have
worked as a summer intern for the North Dakota
State Historical Society. My academic interests
include ceramics, ideology, Greek archaeology,
Mesoamerican archaeology, and Classical Studies.
I plan on attending graduate school for Classical
Art and Archaeology upon graduation.
On
the personal side: I love snowboarding,
reading, cooking, traveling, languages, and
anything to do with history or Italian food.
I am a member of the GEO-Club, the Archaeology
Club, Alpha Lambda Delta & Phi Kappa Phi
Honor Societies, the National Residence Hall
Honorary, and the 2005 Homecoming Court. I am
also a Complex Coordinator in the residence
halls and the Ballard Hall Council Advisor.
I am extremely excited to meet everyone and
work at the Smithsonian this summer!
Research Advisor:
Eric
Hollinger
Archaeologist.
B.A. (1990), M.A. (1993) University if Missouri,
Ph.D. (2005) University of Illinois. Research
specialties: Late prehistoric Midwest, Great
Lakes Plains, and Eastern States; Repatriation,
Archaeology. Science Unit: Department
of Anthropology, Repatriation.
Title: Sourcing
Pipestone Through Space and Time
Hypothesis:
By analyzing the pipestone collections of
the National Museum of Natural History spectrographically,
genuine catlinite objects will be discerned
from mimic materials. This will allow inferences
to be made regarding the social, political,
and cultural significance of the stone.
Project
Summary: The
purpose of this research is to ascertain prehistoric
trade routes employed by Native Americans by
analyzing samples of the red argillite clay
pipestone from southwest Minnesota known as
catlinite, including objects traded under the
fictitious guise of catlinite. By associating
catlinite artifacts and samples, found in known
locations, to the specific stone quarries from
which they derive, the movement of the object
over time can be inferred and the trade route
established. This research will also explore
the notion of `mimic' materials traded in the
historical record as genuine catlinite and the
areas from which they originate.
Project
Description: A general survey of the archaeological
and ethnographical collections housed at the
National Museum of Natural History, Museum Support
Center as well as collections housed by the
National Museum of the American Indian at the
Cultural Resource Center will be conducted to
locate pipestone and catlinite objects. Ethnographic
or archaeological objects resembling catlinite
will also be noted and considered for separate
study. All of the catlinite objects will be
documented photographically and later be subjected
to spectrographic analysis to determine their
unique mineral compositions. These unique signatures
will be used to identify the quarry from which
the stone originated. By tracing the movement
of the stone over its use-life, from its initial
exposure by miners to its final resting place
before museum acquisition, the trade route of
the object will be established. Establishing
the trade routes of several individual objects
may reveal patterns that expose primary prehistoric
trading routes. Many of the objects are also
linked to specific sites or cultures that are
associated with particular dates, which may
help to create a chronological framework for
the use of different trade routes through time.
Materials
and Methods: Catlinite objects employed
in the study will be documented photographically
in the Museum Support Center's Coloreal Ebox
for use during this research, for the proposed
website, and for general documentation purposes.
Notable objects may be subjected to further
documentation by means of digital photography
and scientific illustration to be used in presentation
of the proposed research. The objects will then
be subjected to non-destructive spectrographic
analysis to determine mineral composition.
The
results of this research will be used in creating
an internet-based website: Red Stone, Sacred
Stone, Pipestone, exploring the importance of
catlinite to Native Americans through space
and time.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
University of Notre Dame
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Anthropology
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
Notre Dame Partnership
|
Sheena
Ketchum
Ms. Ketchum is from South Bend, Indiana. She
is currently a junior at the University of Notre
Dame where she is pursuing a major in Anthropology
(focus on Archaeology) and a minor in Irish
Studies. She plans attend graduate school with
a focus on Prehistoric Archaeology.
Sheena
is primarily interested in the archaeology of
Ireland, France and Francophone countries. She
spent the 2004-2005 school year studying French
in La Rochelle, France. She has participated
in a community service orientated course which
performs various service projects at the Potawatomi
Zoo in South Bend, Indiana. She participated
in an Archaeology Field School during the summer
of 2003 which helped to capture her interest
in Archaeology. She is currently a student research
assistant and is doing a comparative study of
the lithic and prehistoric ceramics found at
Collier Lodge by the Notre Dame Field School.
On
the personal side: Sheena enjoys traveling,
reading, sailing, playing lacrosse or soccer
and playing with her five nieces and nephews.
Research Advisor:
Paulina
Ledergerber
Betty Meggers
Research
Associate. B.A. (1977) George Washington University;
M.A. (1981) George Washington University.
Research specialties: Ecuadorian prehistory/archeological.
Science Unit: Department
of Anthropology.
Title: Analysis
of Ceramic Collections from Morona Santiago,
South East Ecuador
Hypothesis:
There is a correlation between archaeological
sites in the Amazonian region with the sites
in the Andes Mountains based on the ceramic
vessels found at these locations.
Project
Summary: This research is a detailed study
of the pottery collections excavated in Santiago
County (Amazonian region) and Gualaquiza County
(Andes Mountains) Morona-Santiago, Southeast
Ecuador.
Project
Description: This research has two components:
pottery sherds will be drawn, photographed,
computerized, and scanned from sample sites
and then a petrographic analysis of the ceramics
will be conducted to analyze the mineral composition
of the pottery paste from sites located in both
counties. This research will describe and define
the ceramics from two counties in Southeast
Ecuador. It will seek to determine the technologies
used in the selection of clay, manufacturing
and decoration of ceramics for possible traces
to their sources. The research is anticipated
to provide insight into the physical attributes
of the ceramics and their geographical distribution
as well as create a base for factual comparison
with other collections and clarify several hypotheses
regarding the significance of the ceramic, the
function of it, the possible connections between
people from different distant regions.
Materials
and Methods: Pottery sherds will be drawn
following Meggers and Evans using a normal metric
ruler to measure the thickness of the sherds
and a special metric ruler to take impressions
of the sherds that will then be traced to draw
the exteriors and interiors of sherds. A concentric
circle scale graduated in two centimeter intervals
will be used to measure the rim diameter on
the sherds. The sherds will be photographed
using a digital camera. A petrographic microscope
and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) will
be used to examine thin sections of the sherds
to determine their mineral assemblage and chemical
composition.
The results of this research are anticipated
to be submitted for publication in late July
or early August, 2006. In addition, a poster
featuring this research is expected to be presented
in November, 2006 at the American Anthropological
Association Annual Meeting in San Jose, California.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Cornell College
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Biology
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
NMNH Office of the Director
|
Sara
Marsteller
My home is in Alliance, Nebraska. I'm currently
a junior at Cornell College in Mount Vernon,
Iowa (not Ithaca) majoring in biology and minoring
in Anthropology and Spanish. After graduation,
I plan to attend a graduate program in biological
anthropology focusing my research on topics
related to the coevolution of disease and diet.
Following completion of graduate school, I'd
like to continue conducting research, teach,
and assist in public education through museum
exhibits and children's science programs. The
unique block schedule at Cornell has provided
me with many opportunities to get off campus
and learn from real world experiences while
simultaneously completing my courses. Such experiences
include tropical field research in evolutionary
biology in Ecuador, ecological research in the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northern Minnesota,
and a 4-month stay in Bolivia studying Spanish
and Bolivian culture. These experiences have
honed my interests in evolution and ancient
civilization that have helped shape my goals.
I've
enjoyed spending my last two summers working
in the biology department at Cornell College
on evolutionary biology research regarding differences
in wing shape as determined by morphometrics
among sympatric cryptic species of Blepharoneura
(Tephritid: Diptera). I was able to present
my results at the National Evolution Conference
in Alaska last summer as well as at local symposiums.
Now I am eager to extend my research experience
into the anthropology field. My academic interests
have always been broad so I'm excited for the
opportunity to learn more about such a wide
range of disciplines over the course of the
program this summer.
On
the personal side: I grew up in Alliance,
Nebraska, always a small town girl with big
dreams. I'm a huge fan of the outdoors especially
for hiking, camping, canoeing, and fishing.
I also enjoy many types of dance, particularly
salsa. I like working with kids and have a part
time job with a local outreach program through
the Girl Scouts.
Research Advisor:
Don
Ortner
Curator,
Physical Anthropology. B.A. (1960) Columbia
Union College; M.A. (1967) Syracuse University;
Ph.D. (1970) University of Kansas; D.Sc. (Honorary)
(1995) University of Bradford, U.K.. Research
specialties: physical anthropology; human
biocultural adaptation; paleopathology; microevolution;
health and disease in Medieval England; calcified
tissue biology; Middle Eastern skeletal biology.
Science Unit: Department
of Anthropology.
Title: Determining
Dietary Deficiency as Evident from Human Skeletal
Remains
Hypothesis:
The projected prevalence of scurvy in the
sample will be about 10%.
Project
Summary: Skeletal remains of subadults from
the Irene Mound site located in present-day
Georgia will be surveyed for evidence of vitamin
C deficiency exhibited pathologically as scurvy.
Subadult skulls from the Jhule Site in Maryland
will be evaluated for lesions associated with
scurvy. This site is dated to the late prehistoric
period. Evidence of scurvy will be recorded
as abnormalities of the subadult skeletons in
the samples. These abnormalities include porosity
and porotic hyperostosis located in specific
areas of the cranium and mandible associated
with use of the temporalis muscle. Evidence
of scurvy will also be evaluated in the postcranial
skeleton, particularly areas of the scapula,
ribs, and major long bones known to exhibit
signs of an inflammatory response associated
with the disease.
Project
Description: Because of its link to malnutrition,
scurvy provides evidence of metabolic disease
in past populations and an important index of
dietary adequacy in past human populations.
Previous research identified scurvy among several
Native American groups (e.g. Ortner and Ericksen
1997; Ortner et. al. 2001). The effects of scurvy
are most apparent in the skeletons of individuals
still undergoing active growth. During active
growth, tissue remodeling and development are
a constant process. Vitamin C is a cofactor
in the hydroxylation of praline and lysine to
crucial amino acids in collagen, the major protein
in both bone and blood vessels. Deficiency in
vitamin C leads to the formation of defective
bone and blood vessels. Such blood vessels are
easily broken by minor trauma causing hemorrhage
into adjacent tissues. The body produces a vascular
response to the presence of chronic bleeding
by increasing the blood vessels needed to breakdown
and remove the clotted blood. The new blood
vessels are also defective creating additional
potential for abnormal bleeding. The abnormal
porosity seen in scorbutic individuals is from
the formation of pathways through the bone to
accommodate these new blood vessels. In some
cases, the vascular response may stimulate reactive
formation of porous bone on the cortical surface.
In subadults, areas of the skeleton usually
affected by scurvy are those particularly vulnerable
to trauma to blood vessels either through muscle
activity abrading the vessel or trauma caused
by even minor injury and biomechanical activity.
Materials
and Methods: Subadult age will be determined
by dental eruption, epiphyseal closure, and
length of long bones. Abnormal porosity will
be defined as numerous fine to large round holes
less than 2.0 mm in diameter which penetrate
cortical bone and can be seen with the naked
eye or with the use of a hand lens. Porotic
hyperostosis will be defined as porous bone,
either fiber (woven) or compact bone, formed
on cortical bone. Lesions will be marked as
present, absent, or not observable, and noted
whether bilateral and symmetrical where this
information is available. Areas of the skeleton
which will be examined are as follows: cranium
(cranial vault, greater wing of the sphenoid,
orbital roof and lateral orbital margin, posterior
maxilla, internal zygomatic bone, infraorbital
foramen, alveolar processes, and palate), mandible
(medial coronoid process and alveolar bone),
scapula (supraspinous fossa, infraspinous fossa),
ribs (costo-chondral end), major long bones
(metaphyses).
If
scurvy is found to be present among the populations,
a manuscript will be prepared for publication.
|
- Gender:
Male
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Universidad
de la República in Uruguay
- Status:
Graduating Senior
- Major:
Career
Goals:
Natural History and Evolution
Sponsor:
Alice Eve Kennington Internship Endowment
|
Juan
Andres Martinez
Mr. Martinez is from Montevideo, Uruguay. He
is currently a Graduating Senior at Universidad
de la República in Uruguay where he is
majoring in Natural History and Evolution with
a minor in systematics and vertebrate zoology,
mammals. He plans to attend graduate school
focusing his studies on systematics.
I
am currently working on my graduation thesis
which involves two different parts, genetic
geographical variation in populations of the
big red opposum (Lutreolina crassicaudata)
and the distribution and taxonomy of small didelphid
marsupials from Uruguay. I have already presented
some of my results at the Zoological Meetings
of Uruguay and in the Argentinean Seminary of
Mammalogy. In addition to my studies, I also
serve as a volunteer in the collection of mammals
at the National Museum of Natural History of
Uruguay developing curatorial activities. I
have participated in many fild trips in Uruguay
aided at looking into various aspects of Natural
History including faunal inventories and collecting
specimens. I recently took part in a fabulous
field campaign to Patagonia (Argentina) in association
with the project: "Postglacial Patagonia:
Evolutionary Responses of Small Mammals to Climate
Change", financed by The National Geographic
Society's Committee for Research and Exploration.
It was really amazing!!!
On
the personal side: I am a spontaneus, open
minded and very active person. I tend to work
very hard in order to achieve my personal and
academic goals.
I am devoted to my beautiful family and friends.
I like meeting people and I am sure that the
cultural exchange during this internship at
the Smithsonian Museum will be a highly enriching
experience. I really like listening to music
and doing sports. I play in a university league
soccer team named "Yaguarí"
which was funded by my grandfather in 1947,
during his college years. Since then being part
of that team has become a family tradition.
"I
enjoy being in contact with nature so I often
travel to the countryside and take part in as
many field trips and expeditiones as I can."
Research Advisor:
Don
Wilson
Senior
Scientist. B.S. (1965) University of Arizona;
M.S. (1967), Ph.D. (1970) University of New
Mexico. Research specialties: evolutionary
biology of mammals, especially bats; Mammal
Species of the World Project. Science
Unit: Department
of Zoology, Mammals
Division.
Title: Geographic
variation of the Gray Four-eyed Opossum Philander
opossum.
Hypothesis:
There is no geographic morphological variation
in Philander opossum over the geographical
range of the species.
Project
Summary:Grey four-eyed opossums are terrestrial
didelphid marsupials of the genus Philander,
distributed throughout the neotropics, from
central Mexico to northern Argentina. Presently,
six species of Philander are recognized
and, for one of them (Philander opossum),
no less than five subspecies have been described
(i.e. by molecular studies). That species exhibits
considerable morphological variation over its
wide area of occurrence, but no review of that
variation has yet been undertaken. This research
focuses on the morphological geographic differentiation
(mainly in skull dimensions) of the gray four-eyed
opossum P. opossum in an attempt to resolve
long-standing problems of species/subspecies
limits and their geographical ranges.
Additional
Opportunities: Attend the 86th
Annual meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists,
17 - 21 June 2006 at the University of Massachusetts
in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Project
Description: Several authors have reviewed
the contents of the genus Philander but
their taxonomic conclusions differ considerably.
The taxonomy of the genus remains controversial
at the species and sub-species level. Six species
of Philander have been described to date:
P. andersoni, P. deltae, P. frenatus, P.
mcilhennyi, P. mondolfii and P. opossum.
The latter ranges from Tamaulipas in east-central
Mexico to Misiones in northeast Argentina. Five
subspecies are recognized for that species:
P. o. canus, P. o. melanurus, P. o. fuscogriseus,
P. o. opossum and P. o. pallidus.
Some of them probably are composites of two
or more species or subspecies.
The
aim of this research is to clarify the taxonomic
status of some Philander taxa (P.
opossum subspecies principally) by means
of morphological and morphometrical analyses
and to assess whether those variations have
occurred concurrently with the genetic geographic
divergences reported in previous studies, in
which most of the subspecies mentioned above
were recognized.
To
test the hypothesis several cranial characters
and external traits in adult specimens of Philander
opossum will be recorded. In addition, it
has been reported that this species shows sexual
dimorphism in size. To compensate for this males
and females will be recorded separately.
Materials
and Methods: To perform this research, an
examination of skulls and skins of specimens
already assigned to the taxon Philander opossum
and deposited at the Smithsonian National Museum
of Natural history (NMNH) and at the American
Museum of Natural History (AMNH) will be studied.
Several
cranial and dental dimensions will be taken
using digital calipers to the nearest 0.01 mm.
Only adult (age classes 4 to 6) individuals
will be used in the analyses of skull measurements.
Specimen assignment to the different age classes
will follow the scheme of tooth eruption and
wear given in Gardner (1973). The external traits
to be analyzed are pelage pattern and color.
The statistical data analyses will be done with
a variety of computerized multivariate methodologies.
|
- Gender:
Male
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Erskine College
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Biology
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
NMNH Office of the Director
|
Caleb
McMahan
I'm from Abbeville, South Carolina. Currently
I'm a junior biology major at Erskine College
in South Carolina. After graduating from Erskine,
I plan to attend graduate school and pursue
a M.S. and Ph.D. in the field of Ecology and
Evolution. My research interests center around
evolutionary ecology and squamate systematics.
I am also interested in tropical herpetology.
At
Erskine, I have been actively involved in research
projects in plant physiology and conservation
ecology. My plant physiology work has utilized
tissue culture techniques as well as explored
seed germination in daylilies, Hemerocallis
sp. I am also currently working on a project
to serve as a preliminary investigation of relocation
as a potential conservation strategy for the
Eastern Box turtle, Terrapene c. carolina.
In addition to my research and classes, I manage
the care of live animals in the Animal Facility
at Erskine and am also involved with curatorial
work, mainly of amphibians and reptiles, in
the Biology Department's Vertebrate Collection.
On
the personal side: I enjoy hiking, wildlife
viewing, and other outdoor activities. I also
enjoy reading anything that happens to capture
my interests. I am actively involved with a
Biological Outreach Program, initiated by the
Biology Department at Erskine College. We invite
local school groups to bring their studentshalf
a million amphibian and reptile collection for
the day to participate in hands-on science activities;
introducing many students to some of the possibilities
in science. I am very excited about working
at the NMNH this summer!
Research Advisor:
George
Zug
Curator
of Amphibians and Reptiles. B.A. (1960) Albright
College; M.S. (1963) University of Florida;
Ph.D. (1968) University of Michigan. Research
specialties: evolution and systematics of
amphibians and reptiles, with emphasis on
South Pacific species; biology and systematics
of Recent turtles; Biodiversity
Surveys and Inventories Program. Science
Unit: Department
of Vertebrate Zoology, Amphibians
and Reptiles Division.
Title: Differentiation
of populations of the gecko Hemidactylus
in Myanmar
Hypothesis:
A number of morphological character traits
have occurred alongside recently discovered
genetic divergences within a species of Hemidactylus
in Myanmar.
Project
Summary: This project is a systematic study
investigating morphological differentiation
of populations of the gecko Hemidactylus
in Myanmar. These geckos are primarily nocturnal
and are excellent climbers. Hemidactylus
naturally occur in tropical areas of Africa
and Asia, and have recently been introduced
into many areas including North America (e.g.
H. turcicus). This genus has more evident
examples of large range extentions than any
other group of reptiles (Carranza & Arnold,
2006). A recent molecular study, relied heavily
on tissue from the CAS-SI Myanmar herpetological
survey, shows divergences within the Myanmar
species; eliciting the question whether morphological
differentiation came about in conjunction with
the genetic divergences of the Myanmar species.
Additional
Opportunities: Attend the Joint
Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists,
12 - 17 Jul 2006 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Project
Description: The Southeast Asian country
of Myanmar (formerly Burma) has five currently
recognized species of geckos within the genus
Hemidactylus. The genus Hemidactylus
is among the most speciose of the gekkonids
(~80 known species), as well as one of the most
widely distributed reptilian genera. Some species
within this genus have only recently been described
(Baha el Din, 2003, 2005; Henle & Böhme,
2003). Geckos within this genus are united by
derived traits in toe morphology. This includes
varying degrees of divisions in a number of
toe lamellae of the manus and pes. However,
there is sizeable variation among species in
traits such as head proportions, body and limb
size, degree of division in toe lamellae, and
scalation patterns (Carranza & Arnold, 2006).
Due to variation in several of these traits,
as well as widespread geographic ranges, the
genus Hemidactylus is systematically
and taxonomically difficult. Molecular studies
often give useful insights to better understand
the phylogeny and evolution of these taxa. In
a molecular study by Carranza and Arnold, fragments
of two mitochondrial genes from 30 species of
Hemidactylus were analyzed. Their results
show genetic divergence within the tropical
Asian clade of Hemidactylus, consisting
of two monophyletic groups.
The
goal of this project is to conduct a systematic
study of one of the species in Myanmar, to determine
if morphological differentiation has occurred
alongside the genetic divergences by comparing
groups from different geographic locales within
the species.
Materials
and Methods: Using specimens from the USNM
collection, as well as loan specimens from the
California Academy of Sciences, three of the
five Burmese Hemidactylus species will
be considered for systematic study. Each species
will be divided into groups based on locality
data. Groups will be initially compared for
noticeable differences and data collected on
individuals, both females and males, in each
of the groups for several mensural and meristic
characters, with some drawn from relevant publications
(Zug, et. al., 2003). These Data will be statistically
analyzed using the Systat program to determine
relationships between morphological differentiation
and the genetic divergences within the representative
species of various geographic localities in
Myanmar.
Anticipated
date of manuscript completion: November 2007
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
University of California, Berkeley
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Earth and Planetary Science
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
Bill and Jean Lane Internship Endowment
|
Sylvia
Moses
Sylvia is from Livermore, California. She is
currently a junior at the University of California,
Berkeley, where she is majoring in Earth and
Planetary Science and Integrative Biology. She
plans to attend graduate school and focus on
the interface between earth science and biology.
While she has a broad and deep spectrum of interests
in natural history, she is currently intrigued
by the evolution of the solar system, the unique
characteristics of earth and the events leading
to the origin of life.
Sylvia
has participated in research opportunities in
various aspects of natural history including
working on the ecological effects of non-native
plant species in the Australian "Bush,"
an internship at the Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory researching the biomineralization
of kidney stones, and an undergraduate research
apprenticeship studying the evolutionary significance
of "bizarre" structures in Stegosaurus
with Professor Kevin Padian. She is currently
doing independent research on manganese content
in microfossils in pelagic limestone via cathodoluminescent
microscopy under Professor Walter Alvarez.
On
the personal side: When I am not shooting
electron beams in the lab, I enjoy playing the
tuba in the University Wind Ensemble and playing
intramural soccer. I am a spontaneous and fun-loving
person with a passion for travel, particularly
exploring and getting lost in foreign countries
and finding fabulous or truly awful food (if
you are ever in Iceland, never eat a puffin!).
I am always up for adventures and have found
myself white water rafting, repelling, skydiving,
and scuba diving. I love music and enjoy any
type of concert, particularly world beats. I
also love playing sports and try to be as active
as possible.
Research Advisor:
Ed
Vicenzi
Supervisory
Research Geochemist. B.Sc. (1982) McGill University;
M.S. (1985) University of Oregon; Ph.D. (1991)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Research
specialties: microchemical studies of minerals
and glasses. Science Unit: Department
of Mineral Sciences.
Title: Developing
a Potential Chemical Biosignature of the Gunflint
Chert
Hypothesis:
Will microanalysis of the Gunflint chert
lead to distinct chemical biosignatures of early
life?
Project
Summary: The Gunflint chert of the northern
Lake Superior region is of particular interest
to the field of astrobiology because of its
extraordinarily well-preserved microfossils
and Precambrian age. Microfossils ~1.9 Ga in
age from the Gunflint formation provided the
first well-supported evidence suggesting the
existence of life during the Precambrian. These
specimens containing ancient life are critical
to understanding both the origins of life on
earth and in the great difficulty of detecting
extraterrestrial life in extraterrestrial samples.
Using a variety of advanced microscopy and microanalysis
tools, this study will focus on characterizing
the microchemistry of the Gunflint chert. With
electron, X-ray, and secondary ion imaging,
this study attempts to localize and characterize
kerogen features in the rock. This microchemical
evaluation should lead to an improved understanding
of chemical biosignatures for preserved primitive
life forms. Accordingly, our ability to evaluate
biogenicity of other ancient and extraterrestrial
specimens will be enhanced.
Project
Description: Microchemical analysis of the
Gunflint chert will contribute to the existing
library of potential chemical biosignatures
for the detection of ancient or extraterrestrial
life. Using light microscopy, a detailed map
of the sample will be recorded localizing areas
of interest around microfossils and kerogen.
The distribution of kerogen will be analyzed
to determine where it is correlated with microfossils.
Reflected light images will reveal what is available
for study on the surface of the sample by surface
analysis techniques. Scanning electron microscopy
will produce images of the micro-morphology
of the microfossils and kerogen. X-ray analysis
on the SEM will determine the chemical composition
of the sample including elemental species such
as carbon, nitrogen, silicon, and oxygen. The
presence or absence of nitrogen will be evaluated
to determine the possible presence of amino
acids and will be further investigated using
Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry
(ToF-SIMS) to characterize the molecular form
of nitrogen as specific amino acids. ToF-SIMS
will also reveal the molecular nature of the
carbon-rich phase and to evaluate differences
among the biogenic and non-biogenic materials.
The veracity of the Gunflint chert as a bonafide
and well-preserved Precambrian organic material
will be tested using cathodoluminescence microscopy.
Through these forms of microscopy and analysis,
a detailed and thorough map of the microchemical
and biological character of the Gunflint chert
sample will be established.
Materials
and Methods: This study will require the
use of light microscopy, high and low vacuum
scanning electron microscopy, X-ray microanalysis,
Time-of-Flight SIMS, and cathodoluminescence
imaging.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
University of Notre Dame
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Anthropology
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
Notre Dame Partnership
|
Alisa
O'Connor
I am a junior at the University of Notre Dame,
originally from O'Fallon, Illinois (just outside
St. Louis). An Anthropology and Photography
double major, I hope to pursue a career in which
I can combine the two fields. I am extremely
interested in social/cultural anthropology,
and love to explore the connections between
material culture and its social implications.
My plans will most likely take me to graduate
school to further my dreams of conducting cultural
research through ethnography and photography.
Last
summer I worked on an archaeological excavation
at the ancient Mayan site at Pook's Hill in
the Belizean rain forest. The site was approximately
1300 years old and was home to one of the only
sweat baths found in the country. This was an
amazing experience, due to the things we unearthed
and the local people with whom we lived and
interacted. Last semester I studied abroad in
London, which was probably the best four months
of my life. Currently I am an assistant to Dr.
Joanne Mack, an anthropology professor at Notre
Dame. Her research focuses on Native American
archaeology of the Northwest and portrayals
of Native Americans in modern society. I am
very excited to spend the summer researching
a specific Native American artifact (pipestones)
and creating an exhibit to explain their cultural
importance.
On
the personal side: My greatest love is traveling,
which I was able to do quite a bit of in the
past year. I am hoping to add several more countries
to my list in the next couple of years! Other
obsessions include local artists and discovering/listening
to music, and I DJ for the student-run radio
station on campus. I am also a photographer
for a Student Government project, and am on
the London Program Advisory Council. I can't
wait to meet the rest of the interns and spend
the summer exploring the big city!
Research Advisor:
Eric
Hollinger
Archaeologist.
B.A. (1990), M.A. (1993) University if Missouri,
Ph.D. (2005) University of Illinois. Research
specialties: Late prehistoric Midwest, Great
Lakes Plains, and Eastern States; Repatriation,
Archaeology. Science Unit: Department
of Anthropology, Repatriation.
Title: Pipestone
Analysis and Web Exhibit
Hypothesis:
I will be tracing the evolution of styles
and economic and social meaning of Catlinite
pipes across space and time, and I expect to
find that the important meanings attached to
the pipes followed them across the country,
affecting the economy and how they were perceived
by non-Natives.
Project
Summary: This purpose of this project is
to attain new information and meanings behind
the symbolism and artwork of Native American
catlinite artifacts.
Project
Description: The goal of this project is
to enhance and expand the Smithsonian's "Red
Stone, Sacred Stone, Pipestone" website
on the importance and uses of catlinite. The
first step in this research will be to survey
the archaeology and ethnography collections
and take notes on all the items made from catlinite
or material which looks like catlinite. All
of these artifacts will be photographed for
documentation, and some of the pieces will be
artistically photographed to highlight their
cultural significance. The collections that
will be photographed are mostly at the Museum
Support Center, and will be photographed for
documentation using the Coloreal Ebox. The artistic
photographs will be taken using the photography
equipment belonging to the Museum Support Center.
My
specific research will focus on the religious
and political symbolism of the worked catlinite,
as well as tracking and analyzing the evolution
of styles and artwork associated with the stone.
Catlinite was used in an array of cultural items,
and two that are of special importance are the
pipes and etchings. It will be important to
look at not only the different styles in which
the pipes were made, but also the artwork associated
with different pipes. As catlinite comes from
a specific quarry in Minnesota, Pipestone National
Monument, and yet catlinite artifacts are found
throughout the country, it is important to look
at trade routes and scientifically determine
the source of the catlinite and other material
which looks similar to catlinite in the collections.
The catlinite pipes in the collection will be
analyzed using a spectrographic analyzer during
the week of June 19th, and this process will
be used in my own research to verify that the
artifacts of significance are indeed made from
catlinite. Besides the National Museum of Natural
History's collection of artifacts, we will be
seeking access to the collections of the National
Museum of the American Indian to supplement
the study. The location and dates of when the
pipes were collected, and the tribal affiliation
will also be important to research in order
to understand the relationship between how the
pieces were being traded. Catlinite was considered
sacred by the local tribes, but this distinction
may have been exploited by other tribes and
whites for economic or political reasons. The
relationship between giver and receiver in the
exchange of pipes and various catlinite pieces,
and the meanings attached to these pieces is
a major aspect of this project. The expectation
of this research is that we will identify much
more variety in style and form than previously
discovered.
Materials
and Methods: ??
|
- Gender:
Male
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
College of William and Mary
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Economics and Geology
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
NMNH Office of the Director
|
Matthew
Oreska
I lived near Washington, D.C. in my early childhood
and visited the National Museum of Natural History
regularly. I now attend the College of William
and Mary (Virginia) and reside in Richmond,
Virginia. A junior at William and Mary, I am
majoring in economics and geology, distinct
yet complimentary fields. My particular interests
include environmental policy, resource management,
and paleontology, and I enjoy studying both
human society and the natural world. Despite
varied interests, paleontology has been a passion
since an early age and a guiding influence in
my academic career. Following graduate school
I intend to apply my research background to
environmental concerns.
Working
in the William and Mary Paleontology Lab since
freshman year has exposed me to the unique ecology
and preservational environments around the Chesapeake
Bay and the Virginia Coastal Plain. My sophomore
year I began conducting paleobiology research
in collaboration with Dr. Rowan Lockwood concerning
the Chesapeake Bay and its molluscan ecosystem.
The research sought to assess the quality of
the Chesapeake Bay's molluscan sub-fossil record
through a live-dead analysis. In light of recent
anthropogenic influences on the bay and its
ecosystem, using the sub-fossil record could
be particularly useful to conservation efforts.
I am currently beginning work on a senior research
project, which will involve a paleoenvironmental
reconstruction of the Early Cretaceous Cloverly
Formation. While I greatly enjoy the Quaternary,
the Cretaceous would probably be my favorite
period in geologic time.
On
the personal side: Washington, D.C. is my
favorite city. I really like exploring, and
I am always ready to take up creative pursuits
or athletic activities.
Research Advisor:
Matt
Carrano
Curator.
B.S. (1991) Brown University; M.S. (1995),
Ph.D. (1998) University of Chicago. Research
specialties: large-scale evolutionary patterns
in dinosaurs, dinosaur systematics, functional
morphology and biomechanics. Science Unit:
Department
of Paleobiology.
Title: Paleoecology
of vertebrate communities in the Cloverly Formation
(Early Cretaceous) of North America
Hypothesis:
The Cloverly Formation represents a homogenous
terrestrial environment, characterized by a
predominance of fluvial deposits.
Project
Summary: The Cloverly Formation crops out
throughout much of the western United States
and records a largely terrestrial, Early Cretaceous
environment. Unconformably overlying the Late
Jurassic Morrison Formation, the Cloverly provides
a wealth of macro and micro vertebrate material.
However, due to the sporadic nature of the Cloverly
Fm. fossil assemblages, little synthetic work
has been done to assess Cloverly Formation paleoenvironment.
The sedimentology of the Cloverly Formation
indicates predominantly fluvial and lacustrine
depositional environments, but it is not currently
known whether the Cloverly Formation records
the same general environment through time and
space, or whether it records a heterogeneous
patchwork of paleoenvironments like the more
fossiliferous Morrison Formation. A combination
of sedimentological data and faunal data will
be complied for the purpose of evaluating differences
between Cloverly Formation sites. Vertebrate
microfossil material will be collected, identified,
and counted for the purpose of quantitatively
comparing Cloverly Formation sites. The composition
of the faunal assemblages will also allow an
assessment of whether the Cloverly Formation
was predominantly fluvial or lacustrine.
Project
Description: This research seeks to quantitatively
address faunal composition in the Cloverly Formation
using vertebrate microfossil assemblages. Cloverly
vertebrate microfossils will be sorted by site
and identified to the lowest possible taxonomic
level. Taxon richness will be determined, and
faunal lists will be compiled for each site.
In addition, the minimum number of individuals
will be determined and used to determine relative
abundances. Fidelity between sites will be evaluated
using both species composition and abundance
metrics.
An
understanding of the Cloverly Formation paleoenvironment
will be ascertained using both sedimentological
data and vertebrate microfossil assemblages.
Previously collected sedimentological data and
data collected during the proposed summer fieldwork
will be used. An investigation of the types
of taxa preserved will yield further information
about Cloverly depositional environments. Percentages
of aquatic versus marine taxa will be determined
per site using knowledge of vertebrate life
habits acquired through morphological and phylogenetic
indicators.
Special
attention will be paid to taphonomy. In determining
whether the Cloverly Formation was predominantly
fluvial or lacustrine, the provenance and level
of transport of the individual skeletal elements
will be recorded. All vertebrate microfossil
material will be evaluated based on a qualitative
scale of taphonomic damage in order to determine
the extent of reworking. Special consideration
will be given to the types of skeletal elements
preserved. Commonly preserved and commonly absent
skeletal elements will be noted.
Materials
and Methods: Microfossil material from each
site will be sorted taxonomically. All specimens
will be identified if possible, and a faunal
list will be compiled with taxon richness data
for both the Morrison and Cloverly Formations.
Pearson Product-Moment correlations will be
used to compare species richness between different
Cloverly sites.
The
Shotwell method will be applied where applicable
to estimate the number of individuals represented
either within sites or within each formation.
Using Shotwell's method will involve an assessment
of which skeletal elements are preferentially
preserved relative to the elements' original
abundances in a vertebrate individual. The presence/absence
of skeletal elements will be recorded for reference.
The material present will be qualitatively evaluated
for taphonomic considerations. The degree of
weathering and abrasion will be determined for
each vertebrate microfossil based on a predetermined
scale.
After
estimating abundances using the Shotwell method,
Spearman Rank correlations will be used to compare
the abundances of the Morrison Fm. taxa with
the Cloverly Formation taxa. Evenness of the
assemblages will be determined based on the
estimated number of individuals preserved for
each species. Principal Components Analysis
(PCA) will be used on abundance data to identify
trends in the species data collected. Based
on the results of the analysis, inferences about
environmental influences can be made. Alternatively,
the Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA)
multivariable statistical technique could be
applied to the compiled data should PCA prove
inconclusive.
Ecological
information such as species composition will
be compiled, and a literature based study of
analogous paleocommunities will be conducted
to assist with a paleoenvironmental reconstruction.
From the literature, it will be possible to
determine which species are paleoenvironmental
indicators. Comparison with extant relatives
will also aid in qualitatively addressing paleoenvironment.
Additionally, sedimentological information will
be compiled from the literature to help reconstruct
paleoenvironment. Using both the sedimentology
and the microvertebrate record of the Cloverly
Formation will allow an assessment of how the
Cloverly Formation was deposited both geographically
and temporally.
The
project will involve a fieldwork component to
be conducted in the Bighorn Basin area in Wyoming.
Vertebrate microfossil material will be collected
from esteblished Morrison Fm. and Cloverly Fm.
sites. Microfossil material collected during
the summer 2006 field season will supplement
the National Museum of Natural History collection
of Cloverly microfossil material. Additionally,
sedimentological data will be collected from
each site to supplement existing sedimentological
data. Composition, mineralogy, grain size, and
visible sedimentological structures will be
recorded per site.
Materials
to be used on site at the National Museum of
Natural History include small dental tools,
paint brushes, dissecting/binocular microscopes,
digital cameras, and storage trays. Off-site
materials will include a digital camera, sieves,
dental tools, collecting containers, and GPS
equipment. The project will be conducted largely
in the National Museum of Natural History.
|
- Gender:
Male
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Oklahoma State University
- Status:
Graduating Senior
- Major:
Zoology
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
Robert W. Fri Internship Endowment
|
Nick
Rasmussen
Nick is from Tekamah, Nebraska. He is a graduating
senior majoring in zoology at Oklahoma State
University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He has been
accepted to the University of Kansas in Lawrence,
Kansas where he will pursue a M.A. degree in
museum studies with an emphasis in natural history.
After completing his M. A. degree, Nick intends
to earn a Ph.D. in either herpetology or entomology
and become a professor of zoology or a natural
history museum researcher.
He
has invested a great deal of time as an undergraduate
student conducting research. This includes topics
such as the effects of game fish stocking on
aquatic macroinvertebrates, a method for producing
and maintaining captive populations of green
anoles for laboratory use, interspecific competition
for prey among frogs, and intraspecific variation
in the physiology of a scorpion. Nick has given
presentations of his research at a number of
scientific meetings, and his efforts have earned
him two national scholarships, the Barry M.
Goldwater Scholarship and the Morris K. Udall
Scholarship. Nick also manages an educational
display of live animals in the Oklahoma State
University Department of Zoology, is active
in the campus recycling program, and is in charge
of a project for monitoring the local herpetofauna
of the Stillwater area.
On
the personal side: Nick doesn't just study
zoology in the classroom. He spends nearly all
his free time "herping" (looking for
amphibians and reptiles) and adding to his massive
insect collection. In addition to traveling
around to look for wildlife, Nick also enjoys
running, playing ultimate frisbee, hiking, canoeing,
camping, and eating strange things.
Research Advisor:
Dick
Thorington
Curator
of Mammals. B.A. (1959) Princeton University;
M.A. (1963), Ph.D. (1964) Harvard University.
Research specialties: systematics, ecology,
and anatomy of squirrels and New World monkeys;
studies of form and function; allometry and
morphometrics; flying
squirrel project. Science Unit: Department
of Zoology, Mammals
Division.
Title: A study
of the flying squirrels, Hylopetes, of
Southeast Asia
Hypothesis:
The smaller Hylopetes species on
the Malay Peninsula is H. platyurus and
the larger species is H. spadiceus. Also,
H. lepidus is restricted to the animals
from Borneo and Java.
Project
Summary: The focus of this study is the
taxonomy of a group of flying squirrels from
the genus Hylopetes which occurs in Southeast
Asia. There are species in this genus which
look quite similar, and as a result, there has
been a great deal of confusion over nomenclature
in the literature during the past century or
so. The primary focus of this study will be
on the following species: H. spadiceus, H.
lepidus, and H. platyurus. Skeletal
morphology and pelage coloration of museum specimens
will be used to determine where the species
occur and which names should be applied to them.
Additional
Opportunities: Travel to New York City in
July to examine specimens at the American Museum
of Natural History. Attend the Joint
Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists,
12 - 17 Jul 2006 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Project
Description: Hylopetes was first
described by Thomas (1908) as a subgenus of
Sciuropterus and was later raised to
the status of genus by Pocock (1923) on the
basis of bacula morphology. Members of this
genus are characterized by a simple dental pattern
with hypocone absent, extensively pitted tooth
enamel, and two septa in their tympanic bullae.
The distribution of the species in this genus
that will be part of this study include Myanmar,
Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java,
Borneo, and some of the nearby islands. H.
lepidus was the first of the three to be
described (Horsfield, 1822, Java). H. spadiceus
was described by Blyth (1847) from Arakan, Burma
(Myanmar), and H. platyurus was described
by Jentink (1890) from Deli, Sumatra. The goal
of this study is to characterize these species
using specimens collected from the countries
in which the types were described and determine
where else in the region they occur.
Corbet
and Hill (1992) showed a distribution for H.
lepidus throughout Java and Sumatra as well
as parts of Thailand, Borneo, and Mayalsia.
In addition, they showed a distribution for
H. spadiceus in se Myanmar, Thailand,
w Cambodia, se Vietnam, Malaysia, Sumatra, and
nw Borneo. Corbet and Hill (1992), however,
considered H. platyurus as part of H.
lepidus. The two species recognized by these
authors can be differentiated on the basis of
bullae size (those of H. spadiceus are
relatively larger).
Muul and Liat (1971) identified two species
of Hylopetes on the Malay Peninsula,
H. lepidus and H. platyurus. Both
species exhibit the following characteristics:
mesostyles on their premolar 4 and molars 1
and 2 that are small or absent and greatly inflated
mastoid bones. The two can be differentiated
on the basis of body size with H. lepidus
being larger.
Materials
and Methods: Specimens from both the Smithsonian
National Museum of Natural History and the American
Museum of Natural History will be studied. Data
collection will consist of skeletal morphometrics
taken directly using digital calipers and indirectly
using images produced by a computerized tomography
scanner. Measurements include skull morphology
particularly dentition and auditory capsules.
Pelage coloration of specimens will also be
analyzed.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
St. John's University
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Natural Science
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
The Honorable Max Berry Donation
|
Erin
Saupe
I
was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota. I am now a
junior at the College of St. Benedict/St. John's
University in St. Joseph, Minnesota (only about
10 minutes away from home). However, I have
traveled all over the world and have lived in
South Africa, Australia and Ireland. I have
conducted research on oil and gas potential
in the Gulf Coast with the USGS in the summer
of 2004. I have also conducted research on Mary
Anning, a 19th century paleontologist. I presented
both of these projects at national meetings
(GSA). I have had two field research projects.
One was with the USGS measuring, describing,
and correlating late Cretaceous stratigraphic
sections in southwestern Montana. My second
project involved prospecting for dinosaur sites
in late Cretaceous sediments in north-central
Montana and measuring and describing a stratigraphic
section through a dinosaur excavation.
After
graduation I hope to go to graduate school and
pursue a career in either paleobiology or mineralogy.
I am especially interested in how changes in
our environment affect the evolution of life.
I became enamored with natural science and geology
at an early age and would always go out looking
for new rocks to add to my ever growing collection.
I hope to take this passion to a college classroom
some day.
On
the personal side: I am a fun loving, caring
and passionate individual. I love the outdoors
and traveling anywhere. In my spare time I edit
for Studio One, a literary journal, TA geology
labs and copy edit for our school newspaper.
I am always up for adventure, especially when
it involves physical activity, and I always
make time for music and reading.
Research Advisor:
Brian
Huber
Research
Paleobiologist and Curator of Foraminifera.
B.A. (1981) University of Akron; M.S. (1984),
Ph.D. (1988) Ohio State University. Research
specialties: Study of Cretaceous climate and
oceanography; biostratigraphy and paleobiogeography
of Cretaceous and Paleogene foraminifera;
evolution and extinction dynamics of Late
Cretaceous and Paleogene planktonic foraminifera;
Cretaceous strontium and light stable isotope
isotope stratigraphy. Science Unit: Department
of Paleobiology.
Title: Evolution
and phylogeny of the Late Cretaceous Heterohelix
rajagopalani - Gublerina cuvillieri
lineage (planktonic foraminifera)
Hypothesis:
The phyletic transition between H. rajagoplanani
and G. cuvillieri is now proposed based
on SEM observations on test ornamentation appearance
and variability in time and space.
Project
Summary: This project will study the phyletic
transition between the planktonic foraminfera
Heterohelix rajagoplani and Gublerina
cuvillieri during the upper Campanian and
Maastrichtian (~74-65 million years ago) from
populations obtained from deep-sea drilling
sites in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.
It is proposed that the biserial H. rajagopalani
is the ancestor of multiserial G. cuvillieri.
Project
Description: H. rajagopalani and
G. cuvillieri, specimens will be picked
from the following sites: 761B and 762C (Exmouth
Plateau), Holes 1050C and 1052E (Blake Nose),
and Site 463 (Pacific Mountains). X-ray images
and SEM images will be taken to study how the
morphology of the two specimens has changed
over time. Digital images will be captured using
a transmitted light microscope, and shell growth
measurements will be obtained using ImagePro
biometric software. Preliminary observations
from SEM and x-radiograph images suggest that
the transition is expressed by separation of
the serial chambers, development of a multiserial
stage, and concentration of the ornamentation
elements on the chamber surface. Further x-ray
and SEM images need to be taken to confirm these
results and to quantitatively characterize the
differences between the species populations
as well as to establish the rate of taxonomic
change between the two species.
Stable
isotope data will be obtained to characterize
whether the depth habitat of the descendant
species changed from that of the ancestral species.
This will require picking well preserved single
species separates of 3 planktonic and one benthic
species plus rajagopalani and cuvillieri
per sample. Each sample analysis will require
enough specimens to total 50 micrograms mass.
Materials
and Methods: The project will involve the
use of a stereomicroscope, a transmitted light
microscope, a Scanning Electron Microscope and
a Faxitron x-ray unit. Additional materials
include a picking brush, gum tragacanth, DSDP
reports and ODP reports, Photoshop, mounting
slides, and the online CHRONOS foraminiferal
taxonomic dictionary.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
Berry College
- Status:
Non-graduating Senior
- Major:
Biology
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
NMNH Office of the Director
|
Maya
Strahl
I come from in a small village in upstate New
York and I am currently majoring in biology
at Berry College in northwestern Georgia. My
favorite areas of biology are ecology, evolution,
developmental biology, and plant biology. However,
most topics in biology interest me and I enjoy
wrestling with the broader theoretical questions
of science. I love reading and writing about
science and try to keep up with the latest findings.
My
interest in nature extends back to early childhood,
when I spent a lot of my free time reading books
about animals, attracting hummingbirds and chipmunks
to our garden, and trying to grow everything
from roses to tomatoes. However, I didn't seriously
consider a career in the natural sciences until
I decided to take a biology sequence to fulfill
a general education requirement. Shifting from
a liberal arts focus to general biology was
a major decision, but it was one of the best
choices I ever made. I have since been very
busy doing research and catching up on all those
science credits.
My
past research has mostly been focused on plants,
ecology, and conservation. Last year I participated
in two research projects on oak seedling development,
where we studied leaf ontogeny and the role
of the cotyledon in plant survival and growth.
As part of a project in my forest ecology course,
I was also involved in a study to assess the
results of prescribed burning on fire-suppressed
longleaf pine stands. More recently I've been
responsible for a long-term project on a limestone
glade community on the college campus. I started
the research as a National Science Foundation
intern during the summer of 2005, identifying
and quantifying the plant community and drafting
a management plan for its preservation. I have
continued developing the project throughout
the past year and will be presenting my findings
at the Annual Meeting of the Association of
Southeastern Biologists this year. In the future,
I hope to have the research site set aside as
a protected area for continued monitoring and
study.
On
the personal side: I have three brothers
and three sisters, of whom I am the second oldest.
During my spare time I enjoy reading, playing
chess, painting and drawing, shopping, writing
anything, and spending time with my friends
and family. The fantasy genre is my guilty indulgence
(Tolkien, Harry Potter, the Dune series, Anne
McCaffrey, and Madeleine L'Engle, among others),
but I also like to read other fiction, scientific
papers, news articles, and pretty much anything
else that happens to catch my interest.
Research Advisor:
Vicki
Funk
Research
Botanist and Head, Biological
Diversity of the Guianas (BDG) program.
B.S. (1969), M.S. (1975), Ph.D. (1980) Ohio
State University. Research specialties: systematics
of the Compositae, theoretical cladistics
and biogeography, and methods for estimating
biodiversity. Science Unit: Department
of Botany.
Title: Phylogeny
and Biodiversity of the Asteraceae Family in
the Guiana Shield
Hypothesis:
The tribe Mutisae is monophyletic in the
Guyana Shield.
Project
Summary: Systematics and Biodiversity are
often viewed as separate fields with Biodiversity
being linked to Conservaiton and Systematics
associated with evolution. However, given that
we have available information on distribution
and phylogeny along with elevation and environmental
information for the Compositae we can investigate
the two and perhaps answer the following questions
for the flowering plant family Compositae: 1.)
Are any of the tribes in the family a monophyletic
group in the Guiana Shield? 2.) Does the distribution
of any of the tribes correspond to the environmental
factors? 3.) Does the distribution of any of
the tribes correspond to the elevational gradients?
Additional
Opportunities: Attend the International
Compositae Alliance meeting 3-7 July 2006
in Barcelona, Spain at the Botanic Institute
of Barcelona, located on the grounds of the
Botanic Garden of Barcelona.
Project
Description: The Guiana Shield is home to
a very specific plant ecosystem, one that differs
significantly from those of surrounding areas
such as the Brazilian Shield, the Amazon, the
Andes, the eastern coastal forests of Brazil,
and southern South America. A variety of factors
including tectonic plate movement, Pleistocene
climatic changes, hydrology, topography, soil
types, competition, pollination, and hybridization
have all played a role in determining the current
vegetation patterns. The substrate of the Guiana
Shield consists of metamorphic and igneous rock
formed during multiple tectonic-thermal events.
The plants in this region are restricted to
the Guyana Shield area, northern South America,
and neotropical areas. The area is repeatedly
cited in the literature as containing a vast
number of unique species that are frequently
restricted to specific regions within the Shield.
The Guiana Shield river system isolates it from
the rest of terrestrial South America, probably
contributing to the development of this unique
flora. Five major theories have been formulated
to explain how the plant community in the area
evolved to be so different from that of the
surrounding regions.
The
family Compositae has a large presence in the
Guiana Shield region. This taxonomic group is
monophyletic, contains approximately 10% of
all known plant species, and is believed to
have originated in southern South America. It
has a number of distinctive physiological characteristics,
including florets that are grouped together
on a head in ray or disk arrangements, disk
florets in double spiral, thecae fused in a
ring conformation, styles that push pollen out
like a plunger, achene-type fruits, and, in
some groups, the calyx is like a pappus. In
addition to being diverse and species-rich,
the family has an extremely wide distribution,
with species present on all continents except
Antarctica. A supertree has been constructed
uniting different phylogenetic trees that describe
all the tribes of the family and display their
evolutionary relationships.
Since
the advent of DNA sequencing great strides have
been made in understanding the phylogeny of
the Compositae, especially at the tribal and
subfamily level. Systematics and Biodiversity
are often viewed as separate fields with Biodiversity
being linked to Conservation and Systematics
associated with evolution. However, given that
we have available information on distribution
and phylogeny along elevation and environmental
information for the Compositae we can investigate
the two and perhaps answer the following questions
for the flowering plant family Compositae:
1.) Are any of the tribes in the family a monophyletic
group in the Guiana Shield? 2.) Does the distribution
of any of the tribes correspond to the environmental
factors? 3.) Does the distribution of any of
the tribes correspond to the elevational gradients?
Materials
and Methods: Information is available about
both the flora and biogeography of the Guiana
Shield and the phylogeny of the Compositae family,
including species native to the Shield region.
The purpose of this research is to use phylogenetic
data, information from herbaria, and GIS mapping
to plot vegetation patterns of species in the
Compositae family. First, a complete list of
all the Composite species native to the Shield
area will be compiled. This type of analysis
will yield information about vegetation patterns
and the biodiversity of the area through phylogenetic
analysis, thus using a novel approach to generate
important information about the history of the
family in the region and about the region itself.
|
- Gender:
Female
- Ethnicity/Race:
- Institution:
University of Mary Washington
- Status:
Junior
- Major:
Biology
Career
Goals:
Sponsor:
NMNH Office of the Director
|
Kimberly
Vann
I am currently a junior at the University of
Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
My hometown is Chesterfield, Virginia, close
to Richmond. I am a biology major here, but
I hope to earn a degree in entomology in graduate
school. My main focus has always been Lepidoptera.
I am currently designing a research project
through my school testing the effects of transgenic
corn pollen on Painted Lady butterflies, which
I hope to carry out next semester. I work in
an accounting office on campus while I am in
school, but I am really looking forward to working
in a field closer to my major this summer. I
love any opportunity to do research and I have
never had the opportunity to work with a lepidopterist
before, so I am really excited.
On
the personal side: I have a great interest
in biology and it shows throughout my life.
My dorm room is filled with plants and a fish
tank. I have a bookcase full of science reference
books and various non-fiction books on Lepidoptera.
I enjoy working in the natural sciences, reading,
watching my favorite T.V. shows when I have
time, and spending time with my friends. I am
a member of Campus Scouts on campus and spend
time through the club working with younger Girl
Scouts. I enjoy this greatly because I was a
Girl Scout for most of my childhood. I am really
looking forward to getting to know people this
summer!
Research Advisor:
John
Brown
Adjunct
Scientist. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural
Research Service. B.S. (1983) San Diego State
University; Ph.D. (1988) University of California,
Berkeley. Research specialties: systematics
and biogeography of Tortricidae (Insecta:
Lepidoptera); biogeography of Baja California;
coservation biology; faunal surveys. Science
Unit: Department
of Entomology.
Title: Lepodoptera
Inventory of Plummers Island
Hypothesis:
Sesiidae species should differ from those collected
historically due to floral and faunal change
similar to other species in other families.
Although historical records were sparse, it
is hypothisized that Lymantria dispar
is common on the site because it is common in
the region, and adequate sampling has not been
used previously.
Project
Summary: This research focuses on an inventory
of butterflies, gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar)
and clearwing moths (Family Sesiidae) from Plummers
Island, MD. The island, currently part of the
C&O National Historical Park, was once owned
by the Washington Biologists Field Club and
continues to be used for field research. An
inventory of invertebrate fauna of Plummers
Island is currently being prepared for publication.
This research adds data for the under-studied
butterflies and diurnal moths. The data for
Family Sesiidae will be compared to historical
data to determine changes in the species present.
Project
Description: Butterfly fauna found on Plummers
Island will be inventoried. To do this the site
will be visited twice a week and a determined
path followed during each visit through the
mainland portion and around the island. Butterfly
species will be visually identified and counts
recorded. Vouchers will also be collected for
species previously unrecorded for the island.
For the diurnal moth species, two pheromone
traps will be randomly spaced on the island
for each family being sampled. These traps will
be checked twice a week when butterfly counts
are done.
Materials
and Methods: Inventory of the butterfly
fauna will be conducted twice a week. The boundary
of the study area is defined where the path
departs from the tow path adjacent to the C&O
canal, through the mainland on the way to the
island, and on the island. The path forms a
loop and when the path already walked is reached,
the count is finished to minimize double-counting
specimens.
Pheromone
traps will be set-up for two families of diurnal
moths (Lymantriidae & Sesiidae) in random
places on Plummers Island. Sticky traps are
used for the gypsy moth and a reusable pheromone
trap for clearwing moths.
This
work will augment a multi-authored paper to
be published in a Bulletin of the Biological
Society of Washington. The paper will be part
of a volume on the invertebrate fauna of Plummers
Island.
Statistics:
The '06 participants include 75% women; the
majority are in their Junior year (65%); and
most (40%) represent a geological focus.
CITIZENSHIP:
One foreign student was selected to join
the program this year.
GENDER:
The participants include 75% women and
25% men.
Male
5- (25%)
Female 15 - (75%)
YEAR
IN SCHOOL:
The majority of the participants, 13,
or 65%, are currently in their Junior
year, which is typical for the RTP. However,
unlike previous RTP years where there
are typically more underclassmen (freshman
and sophomores) in the set, this year
upper classmen are dominant. The upperclassman
selection is partly the result of providing
graduating seniors the opportunity to
participate in the program this year as
compensation for having to cancel the
'05 session.
Freshman:
0
Sophomore: 3
Junior: 13
Non-graduating Senior: 2
Graduating Senior: 2
Graduated: 0
DISCIPLINE:
We anticipated placing 2-3 students in
the anthropological sciences, 4-5 in the
geological sciences, and 5-6 in the biological
sciences. The composition of the program,
and selection of participants was targeted
to reflect these percentages. Actual selections:
Anthropological
Sciences - 5 (25%)
Biological
Sciences - 7 (35%)
- Botany
1
- Entomology
1
- Invertebrate
Zoology 1
- Vertebrate
Zoology 4
Geological
Sciences - 8 (40%)
-
Mineral Science & Geology 4
- Paleobiology
4
UNIVERSITY
ATTENDING:
The participants are from 18 different
colleges and universities.
Berry
College
College of William and Mary
Cornell College
Erskine College
Louisiana State University
Minnesota State University, Moorhead
Morehead State University
Mount Holyoke College
Oklahoma State University
Princeton University
Seattle University
St. John's University
Universidad de la Republica of Uruguay
University of California, Berkeley
University of Mary Washington
University of Notre Dame
University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
Vanderbilt University
ADVISOR:
Most participants were assigned a single
advisor but some (Alvarez, Job, and O'Connor)
will work with co-advisors (Labanderia
& DiMichele, Ledergerber & Meggers)
and one advisor (Hollinger) will host
2 students, thus, there are 20 different
scientists hosting students.
Brown,
John
Carrano, Matt
Chesser, Terry
DiMichele, Bill
Funk, Vicki
Hollinger, Eric
Hunt, Dave
Hunt, Gene
Huber, Brian
Labandeira, Conrad
Ledergerber, Paulina
McCoy, Tim
Meggers, Betty
Ortner, Don
Strong, Ellen
Thorington, Dick
Vicenzi, Ed
Wilson, Don
Wise, Mike
Zug, George
ETHNICITY:
There are 2 participants who self identified
through an optional questionnaire that
they consider themselves an under represented
US minority.
Black
or African American: 1
Hispanic American: 1
|
2006
|
Applicant
Pool
|
Semi-
finalist
|
Finalist
Set
|
Student
Participants
|
| Academic
Status |
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
| |
Freshman |
13
|
7%
|
|
|
3
|
7%
|
0
|
|
| |
Sophomore |
30
|
17%
|
|
|
8
|
17%
|
3
|
15%
|
| |
Junior |
56
|
32%
|
|
|
17
|
37%
|
13
|
65%
|
| |
Non-graduating Senior |
15
|
9%
|
|
|
6
|
13%
|
2
|
15%
|
| |
Graduating Senior |
29
|
17%
|
|
|
9
|
20%
|
2
|
15%
|
| |
Recent Graduate |
6
|
3%
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
| |
Other |
9
|
5%
|
|
|
3
|
6%
|
0
|
|
| |
Unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Research
Discipline |
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
| |
Anthropology |
61
|
40%
|
|
|
9
|
20%
|
5
|
25%
|
| |
Botany |
8
|
5%
|
|
|
4
|
9%
|
1
|
5%
|
| |
Entomology |
8
|
5%
|
|
|
4
|
9%
|
1
|
5%
|
| |
Invertebrate Zoology |
7
|
4%
|
|
|
4
|
9%
|
1
|
5%
|
| |
Mineral / Geo-Sciences |
32
|
21%
|
|
|
7
|
15%
|
4
|
20%
|
| |
Paleobiology |
17
|
11%
|
|
|
7
|
15%
|
4
|
20%
|
| |
Vertebrate Zoology - Birds |
9
|
5%
|
|
|
5
|
11%
|
1
|
7%
|
| |
Vertebrate
Zoology - Fishes |
1
|
1%
|
|
|
1
|
2%
|
0
|
|
| |
Vertebrate
Zoology - Herps |
8
|
5%
|
|
|
2
|
4%
|
1
|
5%
|
| |
Vertebrate
Zoology - Mammals |
12
|
8%
|
|
|
3
|
6%
|
2
|
10%
|
| |
Vertebrate
Zoology - general |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
General
/ Unknown |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Ethnicity |
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
| |
Minority
status* |
15
|
9%
|
|
|
3
|
6%
|
2
|
10%
|
| |
African American
|
3
|
20%
|
|
|
2
|
67%
|
1
|
|
| |
Asian American
|
6
|
40%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Hispanic American
|
6
|
40%
|
|
|
1
|
33%
|
1
|
|
| |
Native American
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Native Hawaiian
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Not declared |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Unknown
or Non-minority* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sex |
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
| |
Male |
45
|
27%
|
|
|
15
|
33%
|
5
|
25%
|
| |
Female |
122
|
72%
|
|
|
31
|
67%
|
15
|
75%
|
| |
Not reported |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Citizenship |
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
#
|
%
|
| |
US citizen |
107
|
|
|
|
34
|
74%
|
19
|
95%
|
| |
non-US citizen |
45
|
|
|
|
12
|
26%
|
1
|
5%
|
| |
Unknown |
20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Physically
Challenged* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| TOTAL |
172
|
|
|
|
46
|
|
20
|
|
