Summer Research: What All of the Buzz is About by Sara Galbraith ‘11

IfirstgotinterestedinbeesbecausemyfriendBenwasextremelygoodlooking.Hewasaclassmatewhohadafewhoneybeehiveswhenwewereinhighschool,andheonceinvitedmetohelphimharvestandprocesshoney.Iagreedbothintheinterestofscienceandmyownvisualcontentment.Fortunately,mycuriosityinbeesandpollinationbiologycontinuedlongpastmyfascinationwithBen’salluringsmileandhelpedsteermetowardsOregonthispastsummer,whereIspenttenweeksinaNationalScienceFoundationResearchExperienceforUndergraduates(REU)andenteredtheuniqueworldofentomologyresearch.

LikeallREUprograms,thePollinationBiologyREUisapaidinternshipthathelpstrainContinuednextpage

November 2010 Volume 9, Issue 3

TheSt.OlafBiologyDepartmentNewsletter

BioMass

Upcoming Seminars Mondays

4 PM

RNS 410 ________________

November 29

Dr. Mark Davis

Macalester

The Biology and Ideology of Invasive Species _______________

Dec 6

Dr. Clark Lindgren

Grinnell

The neuromuscular junction: smarter than you think _______________

Infectious Inspiration by Natasha Seliski ‘12

DuringarecentpresentationatherAlmaMater,Dr.HelenPiwnica‐WormsreminiscedaboutenteringSaintOlafCollegein1975wantingtopursueacareerasateacher.Atthattimeshecouldnothaveimaginedtheextraordinary,expansive,andfulfillingjourneyshewasabouttoembarkon.Hernaturalcuriosityanddesiretotouchthelivesofpeopleinameaningfulwayultimatelyledhertoaremarkablecareerincancerresearch.AclasstaughtbySaintOlafprofessorTedJohnsonthatintroducedhertotheworldofcancerbiologyhadaparticularlyprofoundinfluenceonhercareerpath.Aftergraduatingin1979fromSaintOlafwithaB.A.,Dr.Piwnica‐WormsobtainedaPh.D.inmicrobiologyandimmunologyfromDukeUniversityMedicalSchool.Oncesheconductedherfirstsuccessfulexperiment,shewasbittenbytheresearchbug.

Dr.Piwnica‐WormswastrainedattheDana‐FarberCancerInstituteinBostonandwentontoserveonthemedicalschoolfacultiesofTuftsUniversity,HarvardUniversity,andBethIsraelHospital.Since1994shehasbeenaprofessorofCellBiology&PhysiologyandofInternalMedicineatWashingtonUniversityinSaintLouis.ShealsoconductsresearchattheHowardHughesMedicalInstitute.OnNovember5ththisdistinguishedalumnaconductedaseminaratSaintOlafsummarizingherresearchonthetranslationoffundamentalcellcycleprinciplestonovelbreastcancerpatients.Thediscussionincludedcellcyclecheckpoints,howdefectsinthemcausetheonsetofcancer,andhowherresearchisbeingappliedtothetreatmentofmetastaticbreastcancer.

Inadditiontobeinganexceptionalscholarandaccomplishedresearcher,Dr.Piwnica‐Wormshasawonderfulsenseofhumorandisgenuinelykindandapproachable.Herpassionandenergyforherfieldofstudyispalpableandquitecontagious.HeradvicetoSaintOlafundergraduatesinthenaturalsciencesistopursueacareerinafieldthatisexcitingtowakeuptoandpursueeverymorning.Sheencouragesusto,“Thinkofaquestionandapplytechniquestoanswerit.Keepaskingquestionstohelpsolvequestionsinnature.”

BioMass Page 2 of 6

undergraduatesforresearchinagraduateschoolsetting.DirectedbyDr.SujayaRaoatOregonStateUniversity,thisparticularREUfocusedonnativepollinatorsinthreeecosystemsofOregon:thePalouseprairieofeasternOregon,theconiferousforestintheCascadeMountains,andtheagriculturalWillametteRiverValleyinwesternOregon.

Pollinationbiologyisauniquestudybecauseitcombinesknowledgeofbotanyandplantidentificationwithanunderstandingofthepollinatoritself.Forthisreason,onanygivendayIcouldbepouringthroughwildfloweridentificationguides,countingantennalsegmentsonametallicblueOsmia,orhikingthroughsnowytrailstosetabeetrapnearalpineflora.Aswithmostecologyresearch,thedayscouldeitherbephysicallydemandingormentallydrainingdependingonhowmuchtimewasspentinthefieldandhowmuchwasinthelab.

MyfavoritedayswerespentintheZumwaltPrairie,thelargestremainingprairieofitskindinNorthAmerica.Wakingupatsunrise,wewouldloadthepickuptruckandfollowbumpydirtroadsuntilwereachedthefenceandhadtocontinuebyfoot,weigheddownbybeetrapsandcollectiongear.WewouldsetuptrapsatthewidespreadsitesmarkedonourGPS,surveytheflora,anddosomehandnettingforactivepollinators.Atdinnertime,wewouldreturntoourcabinwithgrassseedsstuckinoursocksandaninevitablyrosycolordespitethegobsofsunscreenwewentthrougheachday.Nomatterhownoisythecoyoteswereorhowcoldthenightsgotontheprairie,Isleptvery,verywellthoseweeks.

IwouldrecommendanREUexperiencetoanyaspiringresearcher,asitallowsforafullsummertoidentifyifresearchisreallysomethingthatyouenjoy.BecausetheNSFfundsREUprograms,theyarepaidinternships,soitispossibletoaffordasummerspentsearchingyourcareerpathoptions.IamcurrentlyapplyingtograduateschoolandwhileI’mnotsureI’llendupspecificallydoingpollinationbiology,IknowwhatIamlookingforafterexperiencingmultipleresearchsettings.Thissummerturnedouttoprovidemewithmorethantheresearchexperience,paycheck,andconnectionsIhadexpectedtogainfromanREU:itgavemenewconfidenceanddirectionforaftergraduation,andwasdefinitelyworthafewbeestings.

Summer Research – Who, What, When, Where, Why? byMikeSwift

EverWonderedaboutSummerResearch?Summerresearchoffersstudentsanopportunitytodofieldand/orlabresearchundertheclosesupervisionofafacultymemberoradvancedgraduatestudent.Thesearenot

Continuednextpage

BioMass Page 3 of 6

technicianjobswashingglasswareorcleaningcages;theyaresmall‐scaleindependentresearchprojectsdesignedtobecompletedin8‐12weeks.Who?YOU!!St.Olafstudentsarewidelyrecognizedfortheirexcellenttrainingandareindemandassummerresearchers.When?Studentswhohavehadsomebasicbackgroundcoursesintheirfieldofinterestaremostattractivetopotentialmentors,somoststudentsdoresearchthesummerbeforetheirsenioryear.Manystudents,however,areabletofindsummerresearchopportunitiesintheirpre‐Sophomoreandpre‐Junioryearsummers.Where?St.OlafofferssummerresearchintheBiology,Chemistry,MSCS,PsychologyandPhysicsdepartmentsaswellastheHumanities.DescriptionsofprojectsatSt.Olafinsummer2011willbepostedonlinesoon.Watchfornoticestothelink.SummerresearchprojectssupportedbytheNationalScienceFoundationResearchExperiencesforUndergraduates(REU)programarelocatedallovertheUnitedStatesanditsterritories.ForadescriptionofthesesitesseethefollowingURL: nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfmThissiteisorganizedbydiscipline(e.g.,biologicalsciences,chemistry)andissearchablebygeographicalarea(e.g.,Alaska,PuertoRico)orbyresearchtopic(e.g.,intertidalecology,cellulartoxicology).Therearehundredsofprojectsitesandthousandsofprojecttopicslistedatthissite!Why?Independentsummerresearchoffersyouanopportunitytotryresearchinaparticularfield(molecularchemistry),toseeaparticulararea(Seattle),tobuildyourresume(“NSF‐REUResearchFellow”),toearnmoney(stipendsvary,butareusuallyabout$3,500–4,500),tolearnaboutyourselfinasupportiveresearchenvironment,toseewhatresearchislikeatabigresearchuniversity(manysites),andtomeetothersmart,interestingstudentsinterestedinresearchinyourfavoriteareaofinterest.WhenShouldIApply?MostNSF‐REUsitesareadvertisingtheiravailabilityandsolicitingapplications(nearlyallonlineandfree)RIGHTNOW.Themostprestigioussites,themostselective,theonesinthecoolestplaces,receivethemostapplicationsfromthebeststudentsandhavetheearliestdeadlines(RIGHTNOW!).MostsiteshavedeadlinesinFebruary,andsomedon’thavedeadlinesuntillateinthespring.ButI’monlyanOle…St.Olafstudentsarewellknownassuperbsummerresearchstudents–nationwide!InthepastseveralyearsOleshavebeenselectedtodosummerresearchatKansasState,USCMarineLab,PuertoRico,UVA‐MountainLakeBiologicalStation,PittsburghMedicalSchool,Kansas,MiamiOhio,Iowa,Minnesota,TroutLakeBiologicalStation,andColoradoStatetonameafew!CHECKITOUT!!

“Independentsummerresearchoffersyouanopportunitytotryresearchinaparticularfield...”“Who?”“YOU!”

BioMass Page 4 of 6

Out like a Hurricane by Jamie Mosel ‘12

TheendofOctoberwasmarkedbyarare,andblusteryoccurrence.Studentsundoubtedlynoticed,overthedaysofOctober26thand27th,adrasticshiftinweather.Thewalkfromdormroomtolecturehallbecamesuddenlymoreofanadventure,combatingwindsthatmorethanonceleftmewonderingifImightbeblownoffmyfeet.If,asyouwatchedthetall,thintreesofNorwayValleyswayprecariously,ortheshinglespeelfromunfortunatebuildings,youwerestruckbytheintensityofsuchanimpulsivestorm,youwerecluingintosomethingthatmeteorologistswerewatchingwithinterest.Thestorm,whichsentspectaculargustsacrosstheSaintOlafcampus,andmuchoftheMidwest,wasinfactanextratropicalcyclone.

Thatinitselfisnottheendofitssignificance–thisextratropicalcyclonewasuniqueinthat,accordingtotheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministrationandtheNationalWeatherServiceWeatherForecastOfficeoutofDuluth,itsetanewrecordnotonlyforMinnesota,butalsoforthecontinentalUnitedStates,asthelowestoverlandnon‐hurricanesealevelpressure.OnOctober26th,aminimumsealevelpressureof955.2millibarswasrecordedinBigfork,Minnesota.NASA’sEarthObservatorypointsoutthat955.2millibarsisequivalenttothepressureofaCategory3hurricane.AsimplelookatasatelliteimageoftheMidwestbringsthepointhome;acharacteristicwhiteswirlisclearlyrecognizable,itseyesetonMinnesota.Inotherwords,thestormwassubstantial,anditsimpactwidespread.Alongwithlowpressure,italsobroughtrain,snow,tornados,andhighwindsacrosstheMidwest.TheDuluthWeatherForecastOfficestatesthatinIsleRoyale,Michigan–justeastofGrandPortage,Minnesota–sustainedwindspeedsreached68mph,withgustsreaching78mph.Thesehighwindsalsoriledupthewaters;theDuluthWeatherForecastOfficeliststhatwavesinthenorthofLakeSuperiorpeakedat27feet.

Amidstthedaytodayofstudying,exams,andendlesslistsofpreoccupations,astormsuchastheonethatusheredthroughthelastweekofOctobergivesreasontopause.Itisareminderthat,althougheasytoforget,weliveamongpowerfulforces.Standingoutside,thewindhowlingpastme,Icouldnothelpbutfeelexhilarated.Asthestormmovedinandout,soabruptlyandunannounced,manyofuscontinuedaboutourlives;nonetheless,whenallwassaidanddone,andthetreeshadbeensweptbareoftheirfadingleaves,wemustremarkatthewondrousabilityofourworldtochange,toshape,andtoinspire.

2 years out: my journey by Keeley MacNeill ‘08

AsIwrite,I’moverlookingtheGuanapoValleyataremotefieldstationintheNorthernRangeofTrinidad.I’vespentmorethanhalfofthelasttwoyearsworkingasatechnicianhereforDrs.SteveThomasandAlexFlecker.IfirstmetDr.ThomasthroughDr.JohnSchadewhileonmyfirstresearchexperienceattheEelRiverinCaliforniaasanundergrad.MikeSwift’se‐mailalias alertedmetoapositionwithaprojectthatstudiestheevolutionofguppiesinTrinidadianstreams.Atthetime,Iwasdecidingbetweenacareerinmedicineandacareerinacademiaandwanted

Continuednextpage

totaketimeofftofigureitout.Also,IknewthatIeitherwantedtodoaMastersorspendtimeasatechbeforestartingaPh.D.andbeingatechgavemebroaderexperiencesandmoreflexibility.Iapplied,andthankstomyconnectiontoDr.Thomas,receivedthejob.

Asaninternforahugeproject,Ilearnedsamplingtechniquesforthreeseparateteams:theguppyteam,whichintroducedhighpredationguppiesintoalowpredationstreamreachandconductsamonthlycensusbyrecapturingeverysingleguppyandgivingitauniqueelastomermark,therivulusteam,whichmonitorshowtherivulus(akillifish)respondstotheguppyintroduction,andtheecosystemteam,whichmonitorshoweveryotherbioticcompartmentchangesinresponsetotheguppyintroduction.Wealsoaddisotopicnitrogen(15N)intothestreamsforafewweeksonceayeartowatchhowit’sdistributedthroughthefoodweb.Atypicaldayincludeswakingup(sometimesnexttocreepycrawliesliketarantulas—nojoke),preppingstuffforthefield,drivingdownthesteepestroadI’veeverseentoaccessourtrails,hikingdownoneofthesteepesttrailsI’veeverseenwhilewatchingcarefullyforvenomoussnakes,wadingupaboutamileofstreamtoourfieldsite,swattingatleast300mosquitoes,samplinganythingfromepilithon(algaeandbacteriaonrocks)toinvertebrates,hikingbackoutandprocessingthesamples.

Mydayshavebecomemorecomplicatedsincemysix‐monthpositionendedandI’vetakenonmoreresponsibilities.WhenI’mnotinTrinidad,IworkatUN‐LincolnwhereIoverseetheundergradshiredtoprocesssamplesandmanagethedatathatwecollectduringoursamplingtrips.InTrinidad,Ioverseetheinterns,makesureeveryonehasaplacetostay,coordinatesamplingandvehicleuse,fixthetrucks(underthehoodisthelastplaceIexpectedtofindmyselfaftergraduating!),managelogisticslikeobtainingpermitsandinsurance,andwhenIfindtime,conductmyownproject.Manyofmyresponsibilitiesarenotsciencerelated,butthey’regivingmeinvaluableexperienceforwhenIhaveaprojectofmyown(Idecidedtopursueacademia).

Livinginadevelopingcountrypresentsmanyinterestingchallenges.I’velearnedtooperateonadifferenttimescale,aparticularchallengeformeasI’mnotapatientperson.OurcrewaresomeoftheonlywhitepeopleinTrinidad,sowe’reconstantlybombardedwithcommentslike“hey—whitie!”or“What’sup,snowman?”.Thedifferentsights,smells,foodsandtraditionsoftheTriniculturehavemeantforanexcitingexperience.NowI’mapplyingforgradschoolwithsomeoftheprofessorsI’vemetthroughtheproject.MySt.OlafeducationandresearchwithDr.Schadepreparedmewellforlifeaftergraduation.BecauseofthescientificandlifeexperienceI’vegainedthroughSt.Olafandthesetwoprojects,I’mmuchbetterpreparedtobeginaPh.D.programthanifI’dstartedimmediatelyaftergraduating.

BioMass Page 5 of 6

BioMass Page 6 of 6

The grays in times of white – winter in the eyes of Sciurus carolinensis by Tyler Refsland ‘12

Nowthattheleaveshavedropped,thesnowhasfallenandthetemperatureshaveplummeted,itistemptingtothinkthatnatureasawholehasnestledintoadensomewhere,nottoawakeuntilspring’swelcomingthaw.Butdesolateasitmayappear,winteronthehillisfulloffascinatingchangesandincrediblechallengesforthelargearrayofwildlifethatopttoremainintheseblusterynorthernlatitudes.Onefamiliaranimalinparticular,thegraysquirrel,hasanintriguingstorytoshare.

Thegraysquirrel(Sciuruscarolinensis)istheubiquitousneighboroncampus,andluckilyforus,ourfurryfriendsstickaroundallyear.Infact,theyremaininthesameterritoriestheyestablishedinthesummer.Overthewinter,squirrelslivealoneeitherinabandonedwoodpeckerholesorindreys‐tightlypackedleafneststhatarebuilthighupintheforkedbranchesoftrees.Thesedreysarelinedwithavarietyofshreddedmaterial,suchaslawnclippingsfromthequadandpiecesofVirginiacreeperfromHollandHall.Whileinthesenests,graysdonothibernate,unlikemostotherrodents;instead,theyrelyonfatreservesandcommunallycachedfoodsuppliestosurvivethewinter.Ondayswherethetemperaturecreepsabovefreezing,graysquirrelswilldescendhead‐firstfromtheirleafneststowardsthegroundtorummageforhiddenstashesoffood.Thisaloneisaremarkableundertaking,sincethesearborealgymnastsmustrotatetheirfeetfarenoughsotheirbackclawsarefacingup,allowingtheclawstohookintothebark.Grayshaveevolvedhighlymobileanklejointsthatmakethispossible.

Akeensenseofsmellandaninternalcompassassistgraysinlocatingtheircacheofacorns,buckeyenutsandsamaras(wingedseeds,suchasthoseofashandmaple),despitetherebeingcoveredunderinchesofsnow,plantlitter,andsoil.Thisistrulyanactoffaith,asthesquirrel’ssurvivaldependsonhowwellitcanrememberwhereitstashedfoodseveralmonthsearlier.Manyseedsareforgotten,butfortunately,whatwasoncefoodwillgrowintoanewtree,capableofsupplyingfuturegrayswiththewintercachestheyrequire.

Forgraysquirrels,foragingonthegroundduringwinterbringsgreatrisk.Byleavingthecomfortofthedrey,thesquirrelnotonlylosesvaluablebodyheatandexpendscostlyenergy,italsobecomesmorevulnerabletopredationbyhawksandowls.Forthisreason,agraymustmakethemostofitstimeonthegroundandfindasmuchcachedfoodaspossible.So,thenexttimeyouseeagrayandbrownfurballboundingaroundthesnow,youcanappreciatethecutenesswhileunderstandingthedanger!