a little about my research share some undergraduate · 2017-05-26 · multiparameter sondes ......

University of Colorado

University of Delaware

Texas A&M University

Vancouver Island University

University of Belize

Penn State University

Lamar University

Goals of the presentation:• Promote undergraduate

research experiences• Provide some insight to an

academic career in ecology• A little about my research • Share some undergraduate

student researcher stories

Undergraduate School

CU Internship and Research

Aquatic and Wetlands Company, Jay T Windell (Pres.)

Surveyed Boulder Creek for the corridor restoration plan

Bushnell, J.H., B.J. Haney, N.M. Butler, B.M. Wahle, and M.P. Hoch. Community structure and seasonal variability in an alpine flowage system, Green Lakes Valley, Front Range Colorado. American Zoological Society, Denver, CO, Dec. 1984.

Graduate School

University of Delaware,

College of Marine Studies

Lewes, DE on the Delaware Bay

Graduate student research campus

RV Cape Henlopen

The David L Kirchman Lab Research on bacterioplankton

Focus on ammonium use by bacteria

Five publications from PhD research

Undergraduate Interns assisted with research in summer.

http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp

University of Delaware Summer Intern Program

Research Topics/Keywords: oceanography, marine science, biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, coastal studies

Contact: Dr. Ana Dittel 302 645 4275adittel@udel.edu

Post-doctoral Experience US EPA – Gulf Ecology Division

TAMU – Department of Oceanography

Gulf of Mexico Nitrogen and phosphorus availability to planktonic

bacteria assessed using enzyme activity measurements

Role of protozoans in the cycling of nitrogen.

OSV Peter W. Anderson

Florida Keys Sewage fate in coastal waters

Sensitivity of bacterioplankton to nitrogen nutrient pollution

http://www2.epa.gov/careers/student-internships

Jed Campbell (USEPA Scientist, SCUBA Training)

Kevin S. Dillon, PhD

(Assoc. Prof. Marine

Ecology, GCRL-USM)

First academic position

Taught courses in: Advanced Microbiology

Microbial Ecology

Aquatic Ecology

Tropical Marine Biology

Research with undergraduates: Oyster-Vibrio ecology

V.I. Marmot Deaths

Mycorrhizal Fungi

Belize River Water Quality

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) grant for water quality training and research.

Microbial and physicochemical water quality parameters at eight sites in the Belize River watershed.

Three years of study with exchange students.

Belize River Water Quality

Andrew Cameron, PhD (Assist Prof of Microbiology, University of Regina, SA, CN)

Andrea Griffiths, M.Sc. (Occupational Hygienist/ Safety Advisor at Vancouver Island Health Authority, Victoria, BC, CN

Cameron Weighill, M.Sc. (Senior Public Health Inspector, The Regional Municipality of York, ON, CN)

VIU Undergraduates

VIU Undergraduates Donovan Lynch (Science Operations

Manager at Fisheries and Oceans Canada)

Aaron Jex, PhD (Vet Science Dept, Melbourne Univ, Melbourne, Australia)

Nematodes of Burrowing Australian Cockroaches

Hammerschmidtiella hochi

University of Belize

Wilbert Ramclam (Banana Enterprises Limited, Agro Division)

Adriel Castaneda (Fisheries Liaison, Belize Fisheries Department)

Clara Blanco (Belize Brewing Co., Microbiologist)

Indalecio Vallejos (Foreign Affairs Project Manager, USDA, Silver Spring, MD)

Taught courses in:

General Microbiology

Microbial Ecology

Lake and Stream Ecosystems

Tropical Ecology

Research:

Wood-waste Leachate photo-biodegradation

Stream periphyton nutrient availability

Lake bacterioplankton nutrient limitation

Watershed restoration

Stream Restoration in the Pennsylvania Piedmont:

The odorus reek Restoration Efficacy Program

Stream Erosion links to Coastal Pollution

Aggressive stream bank erosion.

Increased development and “flashiness” flows during rain storms.

No riparian buffer.

Deep fine “legacy” sediment deposits from 1700s mill ponds that now cover valley floors.

Sediments and nutrients reach Chesapeake Bay

Impact of Water-Powered Mills on Sediment Storage

Merritts and Walter (F&M College)

Pennsylvania Piedmont Mill Pond “Legacy” Sediments

C

“J”-hook structures along meanders.

Natural Stream Channel Design (NSCD)

Replacing the riparian (streamside) forest.

Test Effectiveness of Restoration

Discharge rating curves

Multiparameter sondes

TN, TP, SS

Baseflow

Storm-event

Periphyton (bimonthly)

Macroinvertebrates(spring & fall)

Fish (annually)

Water QualityContinuous Monitoring and Storm Events

www.ysi.com

Fish surveys by electrofishing

Peter Siwik (Scientist at EA Engineering Science and Technology & Siwik Produce Farm, Felton, PA)

Jason Shirey (Aquatic Scientist at Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Agency)

Mark Brickner (Aquatic Scientist at Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Agency)

Mavish Mango (Laboratory Analyst, Becton, Dickinson and Company)

Sejal Patel (Research Assistant, Molecular Diagnostics Department, Naval Medical Research Center -Silver Spring, MD)

PSU Undergraduates

Teaching (current):

Tropical Biology in Belize

Environmental Toxicology

Environmental Microbiology

Biological Oceanography

General Biology (non-majors)

Research:

South Stann Creek Watershed in the Maya Mountains, Belize

Sulfate reducing bacterial communities in SETX salt marshes

Bacterioplankton community dynamics in Lake Sabine Estuary

Microbiomes of the striped mullet (Mugil cephalis)

Assessment of Stream Continuum Concepts for a

Neotropical Watershed of the Maya Mountains, Belize,

Central America.

Does the community of periphyton, stream insects, and fish change with stream size?

Students of our Tropical Biology Program (Summer 2017 is the next offering)

Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) in SETX Salt Marshes

SRBs degrade 50% of production by anaerobic respiration using sulfate and forming sulfide

Sulfide is toxic to marsh plants

Does the SRB community differ in time and space after seawater flooding or subsidence restoration

Assessed marsh plants, geochemistry, & SRBs using molecular techniques

dsrB DGGE All SRB have dissimilatory

sulfite reductase (Dsr)

PCR amplification of dsrBgene and the DGGE profile of bands (fingerpring) reflects SRB community differences between samples.

There were distinct differences with depth in sediment.

Wettest sites and seasons with highest sulfide had uniquely different SRBs

Sabine Lake Plankton Community Who are the bacterioplankton

and phytoplankton of Lake Sabine Estuary?

How do they vary with season?

physicochemical conditions?

biological conditions?

How do plankton and benthose communities interact?

Next Generation Sequencing analysis of the 16SrRNA gene.

Microbiome of Mugil cephalis

Little known of fish microbial communities

Gut (intestine)

Skin & scales

How variable within populations and among populations?

Who’s there?

Hunter Keeney (Biology Instructor, LSC-Orange)

Sarah Jennings Stagg (Biomedical Eng. doctorate, UTSA)

Alex Edgerly (UT Dental School )

Devin Eddings (UIW Feik School of Pharmacy)

Mohammad S. Hassan (VCOM, Medical School)

Wesley Cooksey (UTSA Dental School)

Justin Pittman (Environmental Analyst, VISTA, TX)

Other LU students: Christina Rainey, Joanna Chavez, Lindsey Rice,

Lindsay Aras, Sarah Maguina, Ryan Winchester, Datron Brown, Chelsea McDonald, Maci Reeves, Hostin May, David Bassa, Jonathan Rubio, Jordan Goldstein, Kelli Creel.

LU Undergraduates

The Environmental Biology STAIRSTEP Team

Stipend: $1,500 per long-semester plus $1,000 in summer

Duties and responsibilities of STAIRSTEP students:

Participate in marine biology outreach education - Sp 2016

Participate in marine biology research - Su 2016.

Maintain a B average in your major and at least a 2.5 GPA

Eligibility Criteria:

A declared major within the Department of Biology;

An average of B in major courses and minimum 2.5 GPA overall;

Freshman, sophomore, or recently transferred student; first generation college student; Low income as defined by TRIO; or a student underrepresented in STEM disciplines.

Other Department of Biology Researchers

Dr Armacost – bird community ecology

Dr Christensen – brittle star ecology and physiology

Dr Haiduk – snake population genetics

Dr Kucknoor – pathogenic protist pathogens

Dr. Lian – cancer biology and biomaterials engineering

Dr. Nicoletto – fish behavior ecology

Dr. Pyne – stream macroinvertebrate community ecology

Dr. Terry – plant systematics and evolution

Dr. Yoder – fish parasites

UR for ALL! Undergraduate Research defined- "An inquiry or

investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original, intellectual, or creative contribution to the discipline..."

-The Council on Undergraduate Research

LU - Office of Undergraduate Research

LU - McNair Scholars Program

LU - David J Beck Fellowships

NSF - Summer Undergraduate Research Internships

US EPA - Undergraduate Research Internships