4 August 2006
Caleb
McMahan
Erskine College
Due West, South Carolina
Dear NMNH Office of the Director,
It is always an incredible feeling to walk into the Smithsonian's National
Museum of Natural History (NMNH), but it is an astounding feeling to
walk in knowing you get to spend your summer working at one of the most
distinguished natural history museums in the world with some of the
most well known and prominent scientists in their fields. I would like
to express my sincere appreciation to you for your funding and support
which has allowed me to have the opportunity to participate in the Research
Training Program (RTP) this summer. This has truly been one of the best
experiences I have had.
One of the many strengths of this program is its emphasis on engaging
the participants in the work being done and the importance of all departments
and collections within the NMNH. Exposure to all of these fields allows
us to understand the importance and value of these collections. I am
also very pleased that I was able to meet and get to know staff from
other departments and divisions around the NMNH.
This summer I was privileged to have the opportunity to work with Dr.
George Zug on a systematic study of Burmese Hemidactylus geckos
in Myanmar and Yunnan, China. This was my first introduction to working
on systematic herpetology. I have thoroughly enjoyed this project and
learned an incredible amount of information regarding herpetology, systematics,
and research methods. I also feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity
to work with George, who is a phenomenal advisor and scientist. With
your support, I was also able to attend the 2006 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists
& Herpetologists. This was a terrific meeting at which I was able
to meet a variety of herpetologists from across the globe, and learn
what current research is being pursued in this field. It was an enormously
rewarding experience.
This summer has definitely been a once in a lifetime opportunity, and
I again thank you for allowing me to share in this wonderful experience.
Sincerely,
Caleb McMahan
Research Training Program
Class of '06