The Santa Cruz River hasn’t been a reliable source of water since European settlers changed the sustainable water use patterns of Indigenous people like the Hohokam in the late 1800s. Even before large farms began overdrawing from its sources in Arizona, the river water often dried up for entire seasons. Since the 1950s, until more recently, projects around Tucson have partly or fully restored water flow in some areas, but many parts of the riverbed still remain entirely dry year round.

Undergraduate researchers wanted to determine the effects that differences in water flow had on reptile and amphibian species richness and abundance. TWS member Riley Gallagher, an undergraduate student in rangeland management at the University of Arizona, and her colleagues surveyed four sites along the Santa Cruz River—some dry and some restored—around Tucson. Every other weekend, from February 2021 to August 2022, a team of students organized by the local TWS student chapter at the University of Arizona—would walk along both banks of the river, noting every species they came across.

“Everyone had a good understanding of the species that were there,” said Gallagher, vice president of the student chapter.

One of the sites had been restored perennially since the 1950s, while another was restored 3.5 years before the study period. A third site had water restored halfway through the study period, while the last site remained completely dry except for during the seasonal monsoons.

In a poster presented at The Wildlife Society’s 2022 Annual Conference in Spokane, the researchers found a total of 20 species of reptiles and amphibians at all of the sites. These included various species of whiptails, some that were hard to categorize due to interbreeding, and other species of lizards, snakes, turtles and toads. There were also invasive species like red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) and American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus), which outcompete the local Sonoran Desert toad (Incilius alvarius). But some sites had more species richness and abundance than others.

The western whiptail (Cnemidophorus tigris) was the most abundant species found at all sites. But that lizard was mostly found in highest abundance at the site that had 70 years of water. The common side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana) was the species seen most often at the other three sites.

The least abundant species overall were the red-eared slider, Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) and the spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera)—all nonnative species.

The best two sites for both species richness and abundance were the two that had water restored earlier. The site with 70 years of water and the site with 3.5 years of water both had 16 species of reptiles and amphibians, though these species weren’t exactly the same at each.

The site with water restored halfway through the study period saw a small change in species richness. The surveyors observed 11 species before and 13 species after.

“We didn’t see a huge increase in the species that were observed after the water was introduced,” Gallagher said. “It does take some time for species to become reestablished in the area.”

Many species were only found at wet sites. Those included the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Clark’s spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister), California kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae), red spotted toad (Anaxyrus punctatus), checkered garter snake (Thamnophis marcianus) and spiny softshell turtle.

The dry riverbed only had seven species of reptiles and amphibians and none that weren’t also found at wet sites.

Gallagher said that these results reveal how water shortages, which many parts of the Southwest are experiencing, can affect wildlife richness and abundance. But water restoration projects appeared to improve this particular situation, though it took some time before species abundances caught up.

“Introducing effluent flow into a dry river can help increase species richness and abundance in an area,” Gallagher said.

Written by: Joshua Rapp Learn for The Wildlife Society; used with permission. Find the original article here.

Casey McGill heard about the Plant Science for Global Food Security (PSGFS) program from Professor Diane Wang during the spring 2022 semester. “PSGFS seemed like the type of experience that many students seek out,” says McGill, senior in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. “The opportunity to travel abroad during the summer semester, a learning experience and paid for!”

Led by Purdue, PSGFS is a six-week research and study program at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines. The program has two components: three weeks of research evaluating diverse rice accessions under the guidance of an IRRI scientist/team, and an intensive three-week course on Rice Research to Production (RR2P), which provides significant field research and field trips to some of the most beautiful locations in the country. Students are recruited from Purdue as well as five of the partner institutions including North Carolina A & T University, Florida A &M University, University of Illinois, Tuskegee University, and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. All expenses are paid for by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant.

“We’re grateful that we were able to carry out the inaugural year of the program this past summer, as the IRRI was just beginning to lift restrictions from the pandemic,” explains Diane Wang, assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy and the project’s principal investigator.

Casey McGill was the only student from Purdue that attended the 2022 program, and not only was it her first time traveling abroad but it was her first time flying on an airplane.

“The entire experience was eye opening,” says McGill. “Some of my most memorable highlights were exploring the city, experiencing a different culture, and gaining a completely new perspective.”

After the summer 2022 program, a study funded by a CILMAR seed grant and conducted by the Evaluation and Learning Research Center revealed students gained an awareness of cultural influences on work habits and values in an international setting.

“Enhancing intercultural competencies and building international research capacities are such important goals in our work,” says Gary Burniske, assistant program director with Purdue’s International Programs in Agriculture (IPIA). “We’re anxious to recruit Purdue students because this is such a great opportunity to work with scientists and researchers from around the world.”

Written by: Nyssa Lilovich for the College of Agriculture at Purdue University; used with permission. Find the original article here.

For Eric Escobar-Chena, the best part of attending Virginia Commonwealth University was his last couple years in school. That’s when he had the opportunity to get more involved in the Insect Ecology and Behavior Laboratory, sometimes known as VCU’s “Bug Lab,” run by biology professor Karen Kester, Ph.D. It was in that lab that he discovered a “deep respect for insects.”

“Insects became interesting to me once I learned how unique and specific their roles in ecology can be,” he said.

Escobar-Chena — a biology major in the College of Humanities and Sciences who will graduate in December — is a teaching assistant this semester for a lab section of an entomology course. In September, he contributed to a French-led study involving parasitic wasps. And he’s investigating graduate school opportunities in ecology with a focus on field work and beetles, which he admires for their “impact on their environments and their overall robustness.”

“Eric is delightful. He is a highly intelligent person with a talent for creative problem-solving. He is a natural leader and has an amazing work ethic,” Kester said. “Foremost, he is passionate about ecology and entomology. Also, he is a generous human being with a great sense of humor.”

Escobar-Chena is a founder and the current president of the student organization Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability, or VCU SEEDS, which is a chapter of the Ecological Society of America and that aims to diversify and advance the ecology profession through opportunities that stimulate and nurture the interest of underrepresented students to participate in ecology and become leaders in the field.

“What stands out about Eric is his genuine curiosity for the natural world and his ability to welcome others into science,” said Catherine Hulshof, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biology. “He’s one of those students you know will go on to advance and change the discipline of ecology. I can’t wait to see what incredible things he will continue to accomplish in his career.”

Kester and Hulshof have been important mentors for Escobar-Chena, he said.

“While I didn’t really have a plan for much of college, people like Dr. Kester and Dr. Hulshof have given me spectacular opportunities for improving myself and given me the push I need in order to continue to do so,” he said.

Escobar-Chena is both a first-generation U.S. citizen and a first-generation college student.

“Even though my parents didn’t really have much coming to this country from Paraguay, I like to think I had a fairly normal upbringing,” he said. “My family lived in the suburbs, and my two sisters and I made our way through public schools fine. However, my parents have worked incredibly hard to ensure we have access to what we need in order to thrive.”

Being a first-generation college student was a bit of a bigger challenge while pursuing his degree, he said, but it ultimately worked out thanks to hard work, perseverance and the support of friends, family and VCU.

“For the first couple years it felt as if I was wandering aimlessly through college,” he said. “However, as the years passed and with a lot of support from family, friends, and mentors, things felt easier and I eventually found my place.”

Throughout much of his time at VCU, Escobar-Chena held a number of jobs on top of keeping up with school.

During his freshman and sophomore years, he worked at an ice cream shop while also interning in Kester’s lab. His junior year, he started working in the Bug Lab through a work-study opportunity, though it closed temporarily during COVID-19.

During the pandemic, he worked various odd jobs, including selling homemade bread and desserts from home, construction with his father and as a delivery driver.

After getting vaccinated, he started working at Costco, returned to work at the Bug Lab and started working as a teaching assistant at VCU.

“It’s been a grind but at this point I am more accustomed to always being busy than having time off,” he said. “There were most definitely times that got overwhelming, but I always think about how much my parents have gone through and the ridiculous amount of work they’ve done to give us a life in the U.S. so I try not to let it affect my school life.”

As a TA in entomology, Escobar-Chena is teaching for the first time and has found it to be greatly gratifying.

“It’s been incredibly fun to watch people grow more and more fond of bugs,” he said.

Following graduation, Escobar-Chena is looking forward to attending grad school and pursuing research opportunities in the field.

“I have always loved field work,” he said, “So long term I want to be able to support myself while being able to spend most of my time out in nature.”

Written by: Brian McNeill for VCU News at Virginia Commonwealth University; used with permission. Find the original article here.

As a first-generation student, finding opportunity has been difficult. On top of that, I have really big dreams, so it becomes essential. Tenacity is my only chance. Let us never underestimate how much one person can influence an entire field.

As a young kid, I was inspired by a particular scientist in my field; she is known for her research in molecular neuropsychiatry. I’ve been reading her research for years, and back then it was a necessity for me because it’s often what kept me wanting to wake up the next day. I had a long abusive childhood and was denied so much opportunity, but I was determined to someday find my niche, and every time I read her works I felt like there was hope. Dr. Brennand was by far my greatest role model and favorite scientist.

Last November, I joined a virtual open house for the Yale Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program. This is a webinar for seniors or people in gap years applying to the graduate school for neuroscience. Of course, I was an undergraduate sophomore so I had no real place in being there, except I wanted to network and get to know my future. What can I say, I’ve always dreamed of being a Yale student.

In the webinar, they mentioned Dr. Kristen Brennand and her work, but she was absent. My automatic first thought was, The Kristen Brennand?! The one I’ve admired for so many years? The one who’s always so ahead?! Dr. Brennand has a tendency to publish well ahead of other scientists in her field. Read works of others in this area and they connect point A to point B or maybe even C, which is great and is new information, but when Dr. Brennand releases something she tends to connect everything through E or F. Honestly, it’s kind of scary to think where psychiatry would be if she wasn’t involved.

Anyway, I found out Dr. Brennand had moved her lab from New York to Yale, and it took me two months to gather the courage to email her. Should I express that I’m her biggest fan? No, I should wait. I had never been hesitant to seek an opportunity, so this feeling was a first. Through communicating with her, I obtained the opportunity to visit her lab over the summer, which honestly just made my world, but it marked a special place in my journey I’ll never forget and it’s what causes me to inspire others.

Prior to this internship, I was never a publicity person. I wanted my privacy. Upon receipt of the opportunity, everybody at my home university went crazy and celebrated along with me because no one from my school had ever received such a prestigious opportunity since the founding of my school in 1887. But I felt a feeling I had never felt before, that I never knew existed, that I can’t put into words… Imagine praying for something, hoping for it with all your heart for so many years, and all of a sudden everything you’ve ever asked for and dreamed of gets placed into the palm of your hand. This was how I felt, it was an amazing feeling, and what hit me was the realization that most people never even get to experience this feeling because they don’t dream big. Wow. Well this made me want to help others obtain that feeling even just once in their lives, so I put aside my selfish desires and decided I did want to start inspiring others.

At Yale over the summer, I cared more than anything about what Dr. Brennand thought of me. I had never been a people pleaser and usually am a very independent thinker, but what my idol concluded was very important to me. Dr. Brennand was the future me – hopefully! Honestly, if I become half the scientist Dr. Brennand is, I will be really impressed and will have lived the best life I could live.

My post-doctoral mentor brought it to my attention: I shouldn’t let myself be dictated by what one person thinks. He quickly saw my admiration for Dr. Brennand and determined that it might be a little unhealthy. My love for neuroscience really rose to the surface, though, so much that it caused me to change institutions and become a neuroscience student immediately.

In the Brennand lab the imposter syndrome for me was very real. I felt like I didn’t belong and like I had been given a favor due to being tenacious, or stubborn. The funny thing is that I went to Harvard afterward and never felt that way and wouldn’t have felt it in any other lab. It really was the fact that I was working under the scientist who brought me into science and whose work had inspired me for ten years to be what I want to be, and how was I to inform her of this without being weird? I asked her to sign her doctoral dissertation, which I had ordered a few years prior. I thought, Well, as great a scientist as she is, she was bound to have a rabid fan sooner or later at some point. Dr. Brennand is one of the most humble and down-to-earth people I know, especially to have accomplished all that she has, and it never phases her when she’s recognized and she gives credit to everyone else –  I mean, even in her dissertation she specifies that at one point she thought she wouldn’t complete grad school – but if she’s honest she can probably admit that it’s no surprise she has a fanbase.

I am at Harvard now in a neuroscience lab thanks to her recommendation as well as her advice for me to try something new: an animal model or a computational project. I value her advice greatly, so I took on both at once and am very thankful to be here at Harvard studying neuroscience.

The purpose of writing this experience is to speak to researchers and students alike. You never know whom you might inspire and what that person may accomplish, so when you teach and research, do it with a passion. Love what you do because you don’t know if the next Nobel Prize winner or face of the field might be your biggest fan.

Written by: Brianna Trippe; used with permission.

When Kristen Barwick made the decision to attend the University of Missouri, her primary goal was to get into a research laboratory. Barwick enjoyed biology and chemistry as a high school student and developed an interest in research after listening to a professor describe their research endeavors.

“I honestly didn’t even know research was an option until my senior year of high school,” Barwick said. “I was at a career fair and a scientist shared what they were working on. I immediately knew it was something I wanted to pursue. I’m big on asking questions and I love learning. Research gives me the opportunity to do both.

“I chose Mizzou because of its status as a Tier 1 research university. I knew I would be able to gain great insights and experiences here since there is such a strong focus on research.”

The Freshman Research in Plants (FRIPS) Program allowed Barwick, a biochemistry major, to get a taste of research during her first year as a Tiger when she joined the lab of Antje Heese, an associate professor of biochemistry. Barwick is still part of Heese’s lab as she enters her junior year.

“Dr. Heese is amazing,” Barwick said. “She’s helped me so much and prepared me to take on my own projects. I’m very blessed to be able to work with her.”

Barwick added that Heese played a big role in helping Barwick secure two national awards this summer. Barwick earned a 2022 American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), a highly competitive national fellowship that helps undergraduate students conduct research in plant biology. Barwick also received a National Science Foundation (NSF) travel grant from the 2022 Plant Cell Biology International Conference, which was held this month in Greece.

“I knew both were a possibility, but I never dreamed I would be in this position,” Barwick said. “I love working in Dr. Heese’s lab, and the fellowship will allow me to not only continue to do so, but also build my own research footprint. Being able to travel to Greece was an amazing experience as well.”

Only a few undergraduate students receive the ASPB Fellowship each year. The fellowship includes a $4,000 summer stipend and membership into the ASPB. Barwick will also have the opportunity to travel to the ASPB annual meeting next year where she will present on her research, which is focused on working with bacteria to create a specific antibody to help locate proteins that can be used in further research. Her project is titled, “Expressing and purifying the Arabidopsis EPSIN 1 ENTH domain for antibody production.” Barwick works closely with Kelly Mason, a graduate student studying biochemistry.

“We work with plant immunity and spend a lot of time studying mutants that could potentially affect a plant’s ability to protect itself against pathogenic infections,” Barwick said. “It is really exciting work, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Barwick recently discussed her research during the 2022 Plant Cell Biology International Conference as well, which was held Aug. 1-5, in Crete, Greece. She received NSF funding for that trip, as well as funding from the MU Douglas D. Randall Young Scientists Development Fund and the MU Interdisciplinary Plant Group (IPG). The IPG is one of CAFNR’s Programs of Distinction.

“Kristen’s success underlines the critical nature of undergraduate research experiences and fellowships at MU that are so critical for our students to be competitive for fellowships at the national level,” Heese said.

Barwick, who is part of the Honors College at MU, said she is excited to continue to conduct research at Mizzou, especially in Heese’s lab. She is already starting to look at potential graduate school opportunities, too.

“Biochemistry offers you a lot of options and really unique pathways,” Barwick said. “For me, I’m interested in continuing my education as a graduate student and then doing research in industry. I would love to do research for a company.”

Written by: Logan Jackson, University of Missouri, College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources; used with permission.
Please visit here to read the original article.

Eight undergraduate students in Orlean Beeson School of Education presented their research proposals at the SoCon Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina Oct. 14-15.

SURF was designed with the focus of bringing together undergraduate students presenting their research projects for perhaps the first time via posters or oral presentations. The event is a collaborative project by the membership of the Southern Conference and welcomes research from the humanities and the arts in addition to the STEM disciplines.

The students selected and their projects are:

• Heaven Colquiett and Christa Chery, seniors on the fast-track master of social work program in HDFS – Parental Criticism / Willingness to Intermarry – Faculty Mentor: Jonathan Davis
• Collin Defee, senior in HDFS – Secondary Traumatic Stress – Faculty Mentor: Jonathan Davis
• Hannah Freeman, senior in teacher education – Reading Strategies to Improve Spelling with Derivational Relations in 4th Grade Students – Faculty mentor: Karen Birkenfeld, Tarsha Shepard
• Sarah Howe, senior in teacher education – Teaching of Reading Action Research Project – Faculty mentor: Tarsha Shepard
• Emily Lankford, senior in teacher education – Effective Research-Based Instructional Strategies for Improving Letter/Sound Recognition Among Kindergarten Students – Faculty mentor: Karen Birkenfeld, Tarsha Shepard
• Mary Snyder, senior in teacher education – Using Multisensory Strategies to Improve Reading Rate Among Third Graders – Faculty mentor: Karen Birkenfeld, Tarsha Shepard
• Molly Ward, senior in teacher education – An Evaluation of Multisensory Strategies to Improve Spelling Among Fourth Grade Students – Faculty mentor: Karen Birkenfeld, Tarsha Shepard priority.”

Written by: Leighton Doores, Samford University, Orlean Beeson School of Education; used with permission.
Please visit here to read the original article.

The July 2022 issue of NCTE’s College English features an article written by 14 undergraduates, who were enrolled in a research methods course, English 3470, taught by Dr. Joyce Kinkead in Fall 2020. 

The students sought to discover outcomes of a course designed for English majors that teaches empirical research methods and uses quantitative and qualitative data collection. Their review of literature found that while several studies have focused on undergraduates who engage in research—considered a “high impact practice”—little, if any, work has been done to measure impact on English majors who conduct empirically based research. Their findings elicited through interviews and surveys indicate that such a course can have a significant impact on students’ understanding of and practice with research, while also involving them in studies meaningful to their future careers. Additionally, authentic dissemination of research through presentation and publication contributed to their communication skills. 

Joyce says, “College English has a very high threshold rate for acceptance, and it’s really extraordinary that undergraduates are published in this venue. I’m incredibly proud of them. Credit goes to editor Melissa Ianetta, too, who made undergraduate research a priority.”

Written by: Utah State University, Department of English; used with permission.
Please visit here to read the original article.

Kathryn Vanden Hoek proves that it is never too early to dive into research if you have a passion for it.

The undergraduate research assistant started hands-on research her freshman year through the Freshman Research in Plants Programs (FRIPS). This program introduces new students to plant research and exposes them to a lab setting. She matched with the Chris Pires lab at Bond LSC in January of 2021.

“I absolutely love it,” Vanden Hoek said. “I knew for a long time that I wanted to do research, so I wanted to start as soon as I possibly could and I’m really glad that I did.”

Now a sophomore, Vanden Hoek joined the BioInformatics in Plants program (BIPS) where she paired up with a computer science student to work in the lab. Her partner focuses on the coding side of a project while Vanden Hoek sticks with working directly with plants.

She uses phytoremediation on cakile maritima plants. Also known as the European sea rocket, this sprawling species can be found growing on sandy beaches along coastlines in Europe. Cakile maritima are typically used to learn about plant reactions. In the lab, she uses the plant to extract pollutants out of the soil. Vanden Hoek studies the genes of the plant and how it can withstand certain pollutants, which could be applied to other species in the future.

“There are so many amazing things that you can do with plants,” Vanden Hoek said. “They are so intricate and complex, but we can take advantage of that and learn more about how they work.”

A typical day for her starts with classes before coming to Bond LSC. Here she collaborates with graduate student Shawn Thomas to conduct the hands-on portion of their experiments. Thomas is also part of the Pires lab but both students collaborate with the Mendoza lab frequently as well. Vanden Hoek runs various protocols, works in the sterilization hood frequently, and goes over posters for upcoming conferences.

Her goal is to work on solutions for climate change, a cause she is extremely passionate about. For her, interacting and questioning the natural world has always played a large role in her life.

“My grandma once said when I was a little kid, ‘I have never seen a kid who loves playing in the dirt so much,’” Vanden Hoek jokes. “My sister was the Barbies and fashion girl, my brother was the video games boy and I was outside digging in the dirt and playing with flowers all the time.”

Her parents are both in the medical field, which originally encouraged her to become a doctor. She constantly immersed herself in the medical world, so it made sense to her to go down that path. However, a senior project in her high school calculus class quickly changed her mind.

“I was giving the presentation in class and talking about possible solutions with everyone, and there was just this spark inside of me,” she said.

Her project covered climate change and from there she combined her love for science, plants, and the environment. Pursuing this field has also helped her through the pandemic and to overcome other obstacles.

“I am a huge introvert,” Vanden Hoek confesses. “My freshman year I struggled a lot, especially with COVID and I preferred individual projects because I wanted to just get my research done by myself. But through the programs and classes I’ve been in, I understand that it’s a lot nicer to have other people to lean on and have others’ perspectives on the research.”

She explains that she has gained a deeper sense of understanding for others in her research area from the interactions she has had at Bond LSC. When she isn’t in the lab, she loves to explore the world of fashion design.

“I think if I didn’t have this drive to make a difference that I would quit and try to become a fashion designer,” Vanden Hoek said.

She loves thinking about new clothing ideas, thrifting, and reworking clothing pieces into new outfits. Taking care of her houseplants, painting, and baking are a few favorite hobbies that allow her to slow down in her everyday life. Yet even in her downtime, she is still a tenacious learner and absorbs as much information as possible.

“My mom always said that I’m relentlessly curious,” she said. “I feel like that’s how a lot of researchers are — they wonder about life and how things work — and science is their avenue to explore that.”

Written by: Karly Balslew, Bond Life Science Center, the University of Missouri; used with permission.
Please visit here to read the original article.