life and death at chek jawa for fos open house
TRANSCRIPT
LIFE AND DEATH LIFE AND DEATH AT CHEK JAWAAT CHEK JAWA
A UROPS RESEARCH EXPERIENCEA UROPS RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Key points of this sessionKey points of this session
►What is UROPs?What is UROPs?►Why I decided to do UROPs?Why I decided to do UROPs?►How did I do it?How did I do it?
Brief introduction of Chek JawaBrief introduction of Chek Jawa Different phases of my projectDifferent phases of my project
►What have I learnt or benefited?What have I learnt or benefited?
What isWhat is
U R O P sU R O P s
Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in ScienceOpportunities Programme in Science
►doing an independent research project doing an independent research project ►work with Faculty staffwork with Faculty staff► foster mentoring relationshipsfoster mentoring relationships
Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in ScienceOpportunities Programme in Science
►work and gain knowledge in a specific work and gain knowledge in a specific field of study field of study
►experience creative thinkingexperience creative thinking►acquire special communication and acquire special communication and
presentation skillspresentation skills
Key points of this sessionKey points of this session
►What is UROPs?►Why I decided to do UROPs?►How did I do it?
Brief introduction of Chek Jawa Different phases of my project
►What have I learnt or benefited?
What motivated me to do What motivated me to do UROPsUROPs??
►CuriosityCuriosity►Answer questionsAnswer questions►gain experiencegain experience►more free play to pursue topicsmore free play to pursue topics
Key points of this sessionKey points of this session
►What is UROPs?What is UROPs?►Why I decided to do UROPs?Why I decided to do UROPs?►How did I do it?How did I do it?
Brief introduction of Chek JawaBrief introduction of Chek Jawa Different phases of my projectDifferent phases of my project
►What have I learnt or benefited?What have I learnt or benefited?
Have you been to Have you been to Chek JawaChek Jawa before? before?
Where isWhere is Chek JawaChek Jawa
Chek Jawa
Chek Jawa is lauded for its high Chek Jawa is lauded for its high biodiversitybiodiversity
Figure from
Ria Tan
Six distinct ecosystems
exist at Chek Jawa
and it is abundant
with locally rare fauna and flora
LifeLife at Chek Jawa at Chek Jawa
Key points of this sessionKey points of this session
►What is UROPs?What is UROPs?►Why I decided to do UROPs?Why I decided to do UROPs?►How did I do it?How did I do it?
Brief introduction of Chek JawaBrief introduction of Chek Jawa Different phases of my projectDifferent phases of my project
►What have I learnt or benefited?What have I learnt or benefited?
Research begins with Research begins with observations, giving rise to observations, giving rise to
a research questiona research question..
After a period of exceptional heavy rain After a period of exceptional heavy rain in Jan 2007, a field trip to Chek Jawa in Jan 2007, a field trip to Chek Jawa
revealed…revealed…
DyingDying Carpet Anemones Carpet Anemones
DyingDying Sponges Sponges
DyingDying sea stars and sea cucumbers sea stars and sea cucumbers
Most soft bodied marine animals were Most soft bodied marine animals were affectedaffected
Mass Mass DeathDeath occurredoccurred
on January 2007on January 2007
Asking Asking questionsquestions►What happened at Chek Jawa?What happened at Chek Jawa?►What caused the mass death?What caused the mass death?►Why were some animals more Why were some animals more
affected as compared to others?affected as compared to others?►Is this mass death a tragic event?Is this mass death a tragic event?►Will Chek Jawa recover? Will Chek Jawa recover? ►If yes, how?If yes, how?
Answering Answering questionsquestions through.. through..
UROPSUROPS
Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors
Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors
Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors1. Mr. N. Sivasothi 1. Mr. N. Sivasothi (Department of Biological Science, NUS)(Department of Biological Science, NUS)
2. Dr. Peter Todd 2. Dr. Peter Todd (Department of Biological Science, NUS)(Department of Biological Science, NUS) 3. Dr. Dan Rittschof 3. Dr. Dan Rittschof (Duke University)(Duke University)
Photo: Ria Tan
At the beginning…At the beginning…
►reading up various literatures reading up various literatures ►compilation of data and past observationscompilation of data and past observations►Discussions with my supervisors and expertsDiscussions with my supervisors and experts►Yet also left alone Yet also left alone Independence! Independence!
Resources from NUS LibrariesResources from NUS Libraries
Literature read upLiterature read up
At the beginning…At the beginning…
►reading up various literaturesreading up various literatures ►compilation of data and past observationscompilation of data and past observations►Discussions with my supervisors and expertsDiscussions with my supervisors and experts►Yet also left alone Yet also left alone Independence! Independence!
Some supervisors Some supervisors may have may have
funnyfunny requests requests
Blogging…Blogging…http://cjproject.blogspot.comhttp://cjproject.blogspot.com
Embracing internet tools… Embracing internet tools… use of Google Document for preliminary draftsuse of Google Document for preliminary drafts
Embracing internet tools… Embracing internet tools… use of Google Group to keep everyone in the loopuse of Google Group to keep everyone in the loop
Conducting of field surveysConducting of field surveys
2.2. Transects surveys (once in 3 months)Transects surveys (once in 3 months)3.3. Monitoring of different groups of marine Monitoring of different groups of marine
animals (once in 2 months)animals (once in 2 months)
Sometimes we set off early…Sometimes we set off early…
…sometimes we go back late
Six transect linesSix transect linesT1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T1
T5
T4
T3
T2
T6
Transect surveyingTransect surveying
Sometimes disasters do happen…Sometimes disasters do happen…
……af t e r a day’ s har d wor kaf t e r a day’ s har d wor k
Not all things work!Not all things work!
Carpet AnemonesCarpet Anemones((Stichodactyla haddoniStichodactyla haddoni))
Photos: Ria Tan
•30 located and marked
•Shortest and longest diameter axis measured
•Tentacles counted
Sea anemone morphology is variable Sea anemone morphology is variable
NOTNOT easy to study easy to study
What I’ve learnt from field What I’ve learnt from field applications from Dr Daphne Fautin?applications from Dr Daphne Fautin?
► anemones from tide pools anemones from tide pools contract when exposed to contract when exposed to airair
► can detach and movecan detach and move► difficult to determine sizedifficult to determine size► density differs density differs ► incorrect to correlated size incorrect to correlated size
with agewith age
Seeking Seeking helphelp as a UROPS student as a UROPS student
►Easier as a NUS student doing researchEasier as a NUS student doing research►Experts and agencies sometimes flooded Experts and agencies sometimes flooded
with emailswith emails►Advantage of UROPS- taken seriouslyAdvantage of UROPS- taken seriously►Supervisor’s emails/phone calls also usefulSupervisor’s emails/phone calls also useful
Nearing Nearing submissionsubmission of report… of report…
►Data compilation for analysisData compilation for analysis►Start writing!Start writing!►Long and detail conversationsLong and detail conversations►Oral presentation drillOral presentation drill►Oral presentation exam with two lecturer Oral presentation exam with two lecturer
examinersexaminers
Corrections on my report draftsCorrections on my report drafts
Email discussions with various Email discussions with various supervisors/experts etcsupervisors/experts etc
Nearing Nearing submissionsubmission of report… of report…
►Data compilation for analysisData compilation for analysis►Start writing!Start writing!►Long and detail conversationsLong and detail conversations►Oral presentation drillOral presentation drill►Oral presentation Oral presentation examexam with two lecturer with two lecturer
examinersexaminers
ChallengesChallenges and frustrations and frustrations
►especially at the beginningespecially at the beginning►There are also not-so-helpful peopleThere are also not-so-helpful people►Have to learn how to accept failuresHave to learn how to accept failures►Some of best learning is by making mistakesSome of best learning is by making mistakes►Reflect on themReflect on them
Key points of this sessionKey points of this session
►What is UROPs?What is UROPs?►Why I decided to do UROPs?Why I decided to do UROPs?►How did I do it?How did I do it?
Brief introduction of Chek JawaBrief introduction of Chek Jawa Different phases of my projectDifferent phases of my project
►What have I learnt or benefited?What have I learnt or benefited?
How UROPs has enhanced my How UROPs has enhanced my undergraduate experienceundergraduate experience??
►Understand the meaning of Understand the meaning of researchresearch►Start questioning, analysing and exploringStart questioning, analysing and exploring►More questions than answersMore questions than answers►Walk out of comfort zone Walk out of comfort zone ►Wholesome student and learnerWholesome student and learner
What are my What are my future plansfuture plans after after UROPs?UROPs?
►Preparing to publish my findingsPreparing to publish my findings►Working on sea stars behaviour and ecologyWorking on sea stars behaviour and ecology► teaching after I graduate from NUSteaching after I graduate from NUS►Sharing experiences with my students Sharing experiences with my students
Some interesting Some interesting experiencesexperiences
Celebrating Celebrating ChristmasChristmas at at Chek JawaChek Jawa
My firstMy first filmingfilming experienceexperience
Featured at The Straits TimesFeatured at The Straits Times
Featured at NUS Advertorial, Featured at NUS Advertorial, The Straits TimesThe Straits Times
Friend who is inspired to do work at Friend who is inspired to do work at Chek Jawa too Chek Jawa too
Many more Many more experiencesexperiences recorded here recorded here
cjproject.blogspot.comcjproject.blogspot.com
Look out for public talks notices!
Thank you Thank you & best wishes& best wishes