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Below you will find mentor bios and project descriptions for the 2019-2020 academic year. You will be paired with one of these fantastic scientists to conduct research on the project described.
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Disclaimer: We make every effort to match you with a project closest to your interest but cannot promise you one of your top 5 projects. We do promise that every single one of our projects and mentors are amazing and you will have a phenomenal experience.
Life Science
Alexandria Moore, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation at AMNH
Keywords: Conservation, Ecology
Project: Wetlands are among the most productive and diverse ecosystems on the planet, providing essential services to wildlife and humans alike. However, across the world wetlands are also among the most threatened and endangered habitats due to various human activities. Given the ecological and economic importance of these vulnerable systems, initiatives that focus on restoring the health, structure, and functioning of these habitats have been crucial but not always successful. Ecosystem restoration projects are diverse, with methods and approaches that vary across habitat types, ecological communities, land use, and more. What methods are most effective in restoring wetlands? Is it most important to improve the physical landscape, such as the hydrology and soil quality? Or does it make more sense to reintroduce key species? How do we identify and locate areas of conservation and restoration concern? And how do we incorporate humans (their histories, culture, and traditional knowledge) into efforts to address these questions? For this project, SRMP students will work alongside me as I develop a research project based in Hawaii/American Samoa mangrove wetlands in order to help improve conservation and restoration outcomes.
Bio: For as long as I can remember, I have always asked “how” and “why” questions. Why is there an “s” in the word islands? How does the middle part of a bridge get built? Why is my horoscope always so accurate? These types of questions have driven me to learn more about myself and the world around me with dedication and persistence. As an Research Scientist and NSF Fellow at AMNH, I take this drive to understand the underlying mechanisms of how and why things work and apply it to our natural environment. How do predator-prey interactions influence the way ecosystems work? Why aren’t restored habitats as healthy as natural habitats? How can we combine the answers to these two questions to conserve and restore vulnerable ecosystems? Through my work, I hope to address these and every other “how” and “why” question.
Project: Wetlands are among the most productive and diverse ecosystems on the planet, providing essential services to wildlife and humans alike. However, across the world wetlands are also among the most threatened and endangered habitats due to various human activities. Given the ecological and economic importance of these vulnerable systems, initiatives that focus on restoring the health, structure, and functioning of these habitats have been crucial but not always successful. Ecosystem restoration projects are diverse, with methods and approaches that vary across habitat types, ecological communities, land use, and more. What methods are most effective in restoring wetlands? Is it most important to improve the physical landscape, such as the hydrology and soil quality? Or does it make more sense to reintroduce key species? How do we identify and locate areas of conservation and restoration concern? And how do we incorporate humans (their histories, culture, and traditional knowledge) into efforts to address these questions? For this project, SRMP students will work alongside me as I develop a research project based in Hawaii/American Samoa mangrove wetlands in order to help improve conservation and restoration outcomes.
Bio: For as long as I can remember, I have always asked “how” and “why” questions. Why is there an “s” in the word islands? How does the middle part of a bridge get built? Why is my horoscope always so accurate? These types of questions have driven me to learn more about myself and the world around me with dedication and persistence. As an Research Scientist and NSF Fellow at AMNH, I take this drive to understand the underlying mechanisms of how and why things work and apply it to our natural environment. How do predator-prey interactions influence the way ecosystems work? Why aren’t restored habitats as healthy as natural habitats? How can we combine the answers to these two questions to conserve and restore vulnerable ecosystems? Through my work, I hope to address these and every other “how” and “why” question.
Paul Sweet, Ornithology
Keywords: Bioinformatics, Conservation, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Systematics
Project: How can we use museum specimens and archival data to produce a historic snapshot of bird diversity and map the expeditions of early 20th century scientists? Learn how to be a biological specimen detective and produce online data visualizations. The AMNH Whitney South Seas Expedition spent a dozen years from 1920 to 1932 traveling around the Pacific Ocean collecting some 40,000 bird specimens from over 600 islands, the longest ornithological voyage in history. Although these specimens are critical to our understanding of the biodiversity of the region almost none of them have associated geographic coordinates. We will work to discover geographic information for the bird specimens collected on this expedition. We will examine bird specimens and their original labels; consult the hand-written catalogs and the unpublished field journals, as well as various online and published sources. This hands-on research work will generate data that can be used not only by the students to learn GIS applications, but will also be archived in our database and be available to all researchers with an interest in the Pacific. Once we have obtained our georeferenced locality data we will work with colleagues from Carto, a Brooklyn based digital mapping group, who will guide us in the use of their mapping program. We will learn how to visualize our data to generate an engaging and informative digital map showing the WSSE route with links to specimen records and historic photographs. The previous year’s SRMP students studied the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. This year we will be working on Eastern Polynesia.
Project: How can we use museum specimens and archival data to produce a historic snapshot of bird diversity and map the expeditions of early 20th century scientists? Learn how to be a biological specimen detective and produce online data visualizations. The AMNH Whitney South Seas Expedition spent a dozen years from 1920 to 1932 traveling around the Pacific Ocean collecting some 40,000 bird specimens from over 600 islands, the longest ornithological voyage in history. Although these specimens are critical to our understanding of the biodiversity of the region almost none of them have associated geographic coordinates. We will work to discover geographic information for the bird specimens collected on this expedition. We will examine bird specimens and their original labels; consult the hand-written catalogs and the unpublished field journals, as well as various online and published sources. This hands-on research work will generate data that can be used not only by the students to learn GIS applications, but will also be archived in our database and be available to all researchers with an interest in the Pacific. Once we have obtained our georeferenced locality data we will work with colleagues from Carto, a Brooklyn based digital mapping group, who will guide us in the use of their mapping program. We will learn how to visualize our data to generate an engaging and informative digital map showing the WSSE route with links to specimen records and historic photographs. The previous year’s SRMP students studied the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. This year we will be working on Eastern Polynesia.
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor on Fridays.
Lauren Audi, Genomics
Keywords: Cultural Anthropology, Genetics & Genomics, Conservation
Project: AMNH is currently working on re-vamping the Hall of the Pacific Northwest Coast. This involves
extensive collaboration with leaders from the native communities represented in the exhibit in an effort to create a meaningful exchange of knowledge and skills. During meetings with museum scientists/conservators, community members have expressed interest in discovering which species
various cultural artifacts were made of in order to have a better understanding of cultural practices and traditions. Some objects that have been identified for sampling include armor, a drum made from animal skin and rugs woven from dog hair of a possibly extinct species.
This research project will use genomic methods known as metabarcoding in order to identify sequences of unknown samples from ancient DNA. As part of this interdisciplinary study, students will get to see how cultural museum collections can be used in order to further both scientific and cultural understanding. They will contribute to research that will be utilized in an AMNH exhibition. Furthermore, they will gain knowledge not only in molecular genetic techniques (i.e. DNA extraction, PCR, DNA sequencing), but also cultural anthropology and objects conservation.
Project: AMNH is currently working on re-vamping the Hall of the Pacific Northwest Coast. This involves
extensive collaboration with leaders from the native communities represented in the exhibit in an effort to create a meaningful exchange of knowledge and skills. During meetings with museum scientists/conservators, community members have expressed interest in discovering which species
various cultural artifacts were made of in order to have a better understanding of cultural practices and traditions. Some objects that have been identified for sampling include armor, a drum made from animal skin and rugs woven from dog hair of a possibly extinct species.
This research project will use genomic methods known as metabarcoding in order to identify sequences of unknown samples from ancient DNA. As part of this interdisciplinary study, students will get to see how cultural museum collections can be used in order to further both scientific and cultural understanding. They will contribute to research that will be utilized in an AMNH exhibition. Furthermore, they will gain knowledge not only in molecular genetic techniques (i.e. DNA extraction, PCR, DNA sequencing), but also cultural anthropology and objects conservation.
Bio: I am a botanist and the genomics lab manager at AMNH. I received my MS from Northwestern University in Plant Biology and Conservation. My research usually involves using genomic methods to develop conservation tools for underutilized crop species (breadfruit) and endangered plant species (Hawaiian Lobeliads), but I am also interested in community-based, “post-colonial” science, or using science in a way that supports and gives back to the communities we work in. My upcoming work for SRMP will be in collaboration with the objects conservation department in order to answer questions about cultural materials used in traditional practices that are important to community members from Pacific Northwest Coastal Tribes.
Personal Website: www.medusagreehouse.com
Personal Website: www.medusagreehouse.com
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor on Mondays and Fridays.
Lucas Rocha Moreira, Ornithology, Columbia University
Image credit: Jillian Ditner/Cornell University
Keywords: Systematics, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology
Project: One of the most fascinating findings in Ornithology was that several unrelated bird species have evolved to look like other larger species that live in the same area. This phenomenon of plumage convergence has intrigued ornithologist for a long time and is particularly common in woodpeckers (hyperlink > https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190408161633.htm). Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain why it occurs, but there is a lot of debate still going on. One of the proposed hypotheses to explain it, called interspecific social dominance mimicry (ISDM), suggests that smaller birds may gain an evolutionary advantage from mimicking a larger dominant species. This advantage includes deceiving and scaring off other small animals to gain access to resources, like food and nesting sites, with less competition. Although there is strong theoretical evidence that this mechanism is possible, it is very hard to test it empirically. One of the expectations from plumage mimicry is that it occurs not only at the broad species level, but also at the population level. If a species is evolving to look like the other, their intraspecific variation should also be matched geographically. Luckily, the huge collections of the Ornithology Department of the AMNH allow us to test this prediction never tested before.
In this project we will look at how populations of six woodpeckers that look alike, but are not closely related, vary in plumage and body size. We will use specimens from the collections to quantify geographic variation in color and body size. We will then ask whether this variation is correlated between the mimic (small bird) and model (large bird) and whether other factors, such as environmental variation, might explain it. Students will get hands-on training in collection-based research, including digital photography, morphometrics (hyperlink > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphometrics) and basic statistical analysis in R.
Bio:I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B) at Columbia University. I am originally from Brazil and have always been fascinated about science and natural history. I have studied evolution and population genetics of a range of organisms, from fish to plants, but found my passion in ornithology. Currently, my research focuses in exploring the mechanisms the drive variation in the genotypes and phenotypes of birds, and how these two are connected. I am particularly interested in understanding how the populations of two North American woodpeckers, the Hairy and Downy woodpeckers, have adapted to a range of environments. To do so, I combine genomic, phenotypic and environmental data to elucidate 1) how populations vary in space in relation to climate and 2) what genes have allowed them to adapt to these different environments.
Project: One of the most fascinating findings in Ornithology was that several unrelated bird species have evolved to look like other larger species that live in the same area. This phenomenon of plumage convergence has intrigued ornithologist for a long time and is particularly common in woodpeckers (hyperlink > https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190408161633.htm). Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain why it occurs, but there is a lot of debate still going on. One of the proposed hypotheses to explain it, called interspecific social dominance mimicry (ISDM), suggests that smaller birds may gain an evolutionary advantage from mimicking a larger dominant species. This advantage includes deceiving and scaring off other small animals to gain access to resources, like food and nesting sites, with less competition. Although there is strong theoretical evidence that this mechanism is possible, it is very hard to test it empirically. One of the expectations from plumage mimicry is that it occurs not only at the broad species level, but also at the population level. If a species is evolving to look like the other, their intraspecific variation should also be matched geographically. Luckily, the huge collections of the Ornithology Department of the AMNH allow us to test this prediction never tested before.
In this project we will look at how populations of six woodpeckers that look alike, but are not closely related, vary in plumage and body size. We will use specimens from the collections to quantify geographic variation in color and body size. We will then ask whether this variation is correlated between the mimic (small bird) and model (large bird) and whether other factors, such as environmental variation, might explain it. Students will get hands-on training in collection-based research, including digital photography, morphometrics (hyperlink > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morphometrics) and basic statistical analysis in R.
Bio:I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B) at Columbia University. I am originally from Brazil and have always been fascinated about science and natural history. I have studied evolution and population genetics of a range of organisms, from fish to plants, but found my passion in ornithology. Currently, my research focuses in exploring the mechanisms the drive variation in the genotypes and phenotypes of birds, and how these two are connected. I am particularly interested in understanding how the populations of two North American woodpeckers, the Hairy and Downy woodpeckers, have adapted to a range of environments. To do so, I combine genomic, phenotypic and environmental data to elucidate 1) how populations vary in space in relation to climate and 2) what genes have allowed them to adapt to these different environments.
Image credit: Jillian Ditner/Cornell University
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor Tuesdays.
Anthony Caragiulo, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics
Keywords: Ecology, Conservation, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics and Genomics
Project: Coyotes (Canis latrans) have greatly expanded their range in the recent past and are now abundant throughout nearly all North America, having recently colonized highly urbanized areas such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Toronto. Coyotes are well established to the north of NYC but have recently migrated into NYC's dense urban matrix and have been captured in parts of Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. Genetic studies on canids (coyotes, wolves, dogs) have revealed extensive interbreeding between these species causing changes in the physical appearance of these hybrid individuals. Eastern coyotes look different compared to their western counterparts due to interbreeding with wolves, and it’s been noted that some NYC coyote individuals have “dog-like” appearances. The hypothesis is they are interbreeding with domestic dogs in the area and this is underlying a more “dog-like” appearance.
This study will examine key physical features of coyote skulls from across their range to determine if NYC coyotes have different skull shapes that can be explained by interbreeding. We will use the AMNH Mammalogy collection and create 3D representations of coyote, wolf, and domestic dog skulls to examine their similarity to NYC coyote skulls from recently euthanized individuals. Students will learn about geometric morphometrics, morphology, statistics, and gain experience in using programming languages (mainly R) for statistical analysis
Bio: I am a research scientist and the Assistant Director of Genomic Operations of the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics at AMNH. My main interests are conservation genetics and population genetics of vertebrates. I spend most of my time researching large carnivores (i.e. pumas, jaguars, snow leopards, tigers) using noninvasive techniques (i.e. scat, scent sprays, hair). I’m really interested in using new noninvasive methods for understanding how these carnivores use the landscape. I’m also interested in using genetics to answer ecological questions, such as (1) how long has an organism been in an area? (2) what’s their colonization pattern? (3) what landscape features drive their genetic and population structure/diversity? I am also interested in using museum collections for historic and ancient DNA to examine past genetic patterns.
www.researchgate.net/profile/Anthony_Caragiulo
www.researchgate.net/profile/Anthony_Caragiulo
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Darice Westphal, City University of New York
Keywords: Bioinformatics, Ecology, Conservation
Project: Bioinformatics galore! This project will focus on deforestation trends using remote sensing data from NASA’s satellites. Students will use the R programming language to develop scripts to process and analyze raw data. The main goal will be to determine if protected areas are helping to slow deforestation. This project will build on last year’s work, but this time we are tackling those tricky bits that require some innovative problem solving. Students might be interested in this
project if they like writing computational scripts, developing beautiful maps, or want to understand more about deforestation trends or conservation in general. Check out some of the work from last year!
Project: Deforestation trends in Madagascar, the role of protected areas.
Bio: I study the impact of deforestation on the world’s smallest primates, Mouse Lemurs. I use data from DNA and from remote sensors like satellites. However, I’ve finished my wet lab work and am now focused entirely on Bioinformatics, which means spending a lot of time writing scripts in computer languages like R. I teach Human Evolution at two CUNY colleges as well as part of the After School Program (ASP) at the AMNH. Although, I have worked hard to hide my Wisconsin accent, you can still hear it if you get me to say the word “joke”.
Personal Website: http://daricewestphal.student.nycep.org/
Project: Bioinformatics galore! This project will focus on deforestation trends using remote sensing data from NASA’s satellites. Students will use the R programming language to develop scripts to process and analyze raw data. The main goal will be to determine if protected areas are helping to slow deforestation. This project will build on last year’s work, but this time we are tackling those tricky bits that require some innovative problem solving. Students might be interested in this
project if they like writing computational scripts, developing beautiful maps, or want to understand more about deforestation trends or conservation in general. Check out some of the work from last year!
Project: Deforestation trends in Madagascar, the role of protected areas.
Bio: I study the impact of deforestation on the world’s smallest primates, Mouse Lemurs. I use data from DNA and from remote sensors like satellites. However, I’ve finished my wet lab work and am now focused entirely on Bioinformatics, which means spending a lot of time writing scripts in computer languages like R. I teach Human Evolution at two CUNY colleges as well as part of the After School Program (ASP) at the AMNH. Although, I have worked hard to hide my Wisconsin accent, you can still hear it if you get me to say the word “joke”.
Personal Website: http://daricewestphal.student.nycep.org/
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Please note: I am unavailable to mentor on Fridays.
Mike Tessler & Seth Cunningham, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics
Keywords: Bioinformatics, Ecology, Conservation, Genetics and Genomics
Project: This project is focused on rapid and advanced detection of aquatic invasive species that threaten the upstate NY’s natural resources, economy, and human health. In brief, we will use environmental DNA (eDNA) – DNA fragments from myriad organisms that exist in environmental samples – for detection of aquatic invasive species (plants, animals, and microbes). This will also help us determine the distributions of native species that may be at risk of local reductions or extinctions due to invasive species. The project will allow students to conduct lab work and then analyze the large next generation sequencing datasets we produce.
Michael's Bio: I am a next generation naturalist, studying the evolution and ecology of understudied organisms using advanced molecular techniques. I treasure time spent in nature or in the lab with unusual critters, plants, and microbes. While modern scientists typically specialize on a single question or a single group of organism, I am happiest asking many questions on many organisms. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher working in genomics at AMNH and NYU.
Project: This project is focused on rapid and advanced detection of aquatic invasive species that threaten the upstate NY’s natural resources, economy, and human health. In brief, we will use environmental DNA (eDNA) – DNA fragments from myriad organisms that exist in environmental samples – for detection of aquatic invasive species (plants, animals, and microbes). This will also help us determine the distributions of native species that may be at risk of local reductions or extinctions due to invasive species. The project will allow students to conduct lab work and then analyze the large next generation sequencing datasets we produce.
Michael's Bio: I am a next generation naturalist, studying the evolution and ecology of understudied organisms using advanced molecular techniques. I treasure time spent in nature or in the lab with unusual critters, plants, and microbes. While modern scientists typically specialize on a single question or a single group of organism, I am happiest asking many questions on many organisms. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher working in genomics at AMNH and NYU.
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Seth's Bio:My research focuses on better understanding the spatial patterns of biodiversity through the use of genomic techniques and species distribution modeling. Much of this work has focused on aquatic or semi-aquatic species ranging from crocodiles to invasive plants. I place a strong emphasis in answering questions that help inform conservation and/or management decisions. While I am currently a Visiting Scientist at AMNH, I recently completed my Masters degree at Fordham University.
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Please note: We are unavailable to mentor on Mondays and Wednesdays.
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David Kizirian, Herpetology
Keywords: Evolutionary Biology, Systematics, Taxonomy, Genetics & Genomics
Project: Preliminary Assessment of a Herpetological Collection from Yen Bai Province, Vietnam. Students will work with material from Yen Bai Province, Vietnam to determine if the collection includes new species. Morphological and/or molecular data will be collected and compared with known species.
Bio: Most of my research has focused on fieldwork and species-level systematics of lizards and snakes, including descriptions of new species. In addition, I argue for species models that reflect unique inherent organization and process, like models used to recognized units of diversity in other scientific disciplines. Related to that, I also argue for classifications that more accurately reflect discovered diversity and historical complexity. Currently, I’m working on a model of Batesian Mimicry that explains the phenomenon as a dynamic configuration of mutualistic relationships, rather than parasitism.
Project: Preliminary Assessment of a Herpetological Collection from Yen Bai Province, Vietnam. Students will work with material from Yen Bai Province, Vietnam to determine if the collection includes new species. Morphological and/or molecular data will be collected and compared with known species.
Bio: Most of my research has focused on fieldwork and species-level systematics of lizards and snakes, including descriptions of new species. In addition, I argue for species models that reflect unique inherent organization and process, like models used to recognized units of diversity in other scientific disciplines. Related to that, I also argue for classifications that more accurately reflect discovered diversity and historical complexity. Currently, I’m working on a model of Batesian Mimicry that explains the phenomenon as a dynamic configuration of mutualistic relationships, rather than parasitism.
Richard Baker, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics
Keywords: Bioinformatics, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics & Genomics
Project: This project will examine the molecular variation associated with functional differences in spider silk. Silk is one of the most important biomaterials on the planet. While silk production has evolved independently several times among arthropods, it is best known for its critical role in spider ecology and evolution. Many spider species, particularly orb-web weavers, produce numerous different types of silk that originate from a series of specialized glands and that serve different specialized functions such as web construction, prey capture, prey wrapping, and egg encasement. Despite the evolutionary and applied significance of silk, little is still known about the molecular evolution of silk proteins.
In this project, SRMP students will determine the gene sequence of different silk proteins for a species of garden spider and examine the pattern of genetic and genomic evolution among these silk genes. Specifically, we will focus on questions regarding adaptive variation in gene copy number and the pattern of gland-specific silk production. This research will involve dissections of silk glands, molecular techniques associated with both RNA and DNA sequencing, and bioinformatic computer analysis.
Bio: After receiving my PhD in 1999, I conducted postdoc research at University College London and the Joint Genome Institute (near San Francisco, CA). I joined the Sackler Lab at AMNH in 2007 and have been mentoring SRMP students for the past nine years. I live in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.
Project: This project will examine the molecular variation associated with functional differences in spider silk. Silk is one of the most important biomaterials on the planet. While silk production has evolved independently several times among arthropods, it is best known for its critical role in spider ecology and evolution. Many spider species, particularly orb-web weavers, produce numerous different types of silk that originate from a series of specialized glands and that serve different specialized functions such as web construction, prey capture, prey wrapping, and egg encasement. Despite the evolutionary and applied significance of silk, little is still known about the molecular evolution of silk proteins.
In this project, SRMP students will determine the gene sequence of different silk proteins for a species of garden spider and examine the pattern of genetic and genomic evolution among these silk genes. Specifically, we will focus on questions regarding adaptive variation in gene copy number and the pattern of gland-specific silk production. This research will involve dissections of silk glands, molecular techniques associated with both RNA and DNA sequencing, and bioinformatic computer analysis.
Bio: After receiving my PhD in 1999, I conducted postdoc research at University College London and the Joint Genome Institute (near San Francisco, CA). I joined the Sackler Lab at AMNH in 2007 and have been mentoring SRMP students for the past nine years. I live in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.
Brian Shearer & Julia Arensen, Anthropology
Project: Primates are the group of animals most closely related to humans. For this reason, primate anatomy and evolution has been very well studied for its relevance to understanding us. However, colobines are a group of primates that live in Africa and Asia whose evolutionary relationships are not well understood. Colobines are very colorful and very diverse, and also have an geographically extensive fossil record. In this project, students will collect morphological data to be used in a cladistic analysis to investigate the relationships of these monkeys. The major goals of this project will be to create novel characters for evaluating morphology and to construct a character matrix for cladistic analysis in order to test hypotheses about colobine evolutionary relationships.
Students will be using photographs, skulls, CT scans, 3D reconstructions, and fossil casts to look for morphological differences that may reflect their evolutionary relationships. Students will learn how to use the statistical program R, MS Excel, the parsimony cladistics program TNT, the imaging software ImageJ for photographs, and several 3D image manipulation programs. They will also learn about evolutionary principles, primate evolutionary history, and Biogeography, and will learn how to construct and interpret evolutionary trees.
Bio: Brian Shearer is currently teaching anatomy at the NYU School of Medicine after receiving his PhD in Biological Anthropology. He is broadly interested in primate anatomy, evolutionary biology, and the South American Miocene, where he conducts field work in Colombia. Brian likes to cook and makes a mean loaf of bread. Julia Arenson is a PhD student interested in the evolution of colobine monkeys. She teaches at Lehman College and Hunter College, and does field work in the badlands of Wyoming looking for the very earliest primates. Julia is a more accomplished cook than Brian, but her bread needs work.
Students will be using photographs, skulls, CT scans, 3D reconstructions, and fossil casts to look for morphological differences that may reflect their evolutionary relationships. Students will learn how to use the statistical program R, MS Excel, the parsimony cladistics program TNT, the imaging software ImageJ for photographs, and several 3D image manipulation programs. They will also learn about evolutionary principles, primate evolutionary history, and Biogeography, and will learn how to construct and interpret evolutionary trees.
Bio: Brian Shearer is currently teaching anatomy at the NYU School of Medicine after receiving his PhD in Biological Anthropology. He is broadly interested in primate anatomy, evolutionary biology, and the South American Miocene, where he conducts field work in Colombia. Brian likes to cook and makes a mean loaf of bread. Julia Arenson is a PhD student interested in the evolution of colobine monkeys. She teaches at Lehman College and Hunter College, and does field work in the badlands of Wyoming looking for the very earliest primates. Julia is a more accomplished cook than Brian, but her bread needs work.
Brian and Julia
Please note: Brian is unavailable to mentor on Thursdays. Julia is unavailable to mentor on Mondays.
Jacki Lacey, Anthropology
Keywords: Cultural Anthropology
Project: As the climate changes, so do our lives. An emerging area of research is understanding ways in which human health is impacted by climate change. This project explores the medical anthropological context of the pharmaceutical industry in the city of Arusha, Tanzania, a place I have worked for 14 years. We are researching the marketing and production of cough syrup to that might be used to alleviate symptoms of respiratory distress that are locally attributed to climate change by both local pharmacists and patients. We want to understand what people believe now about how climate change impacts health so we can understand how this might change over time. The project looks at the intersection of biomedicine (pharmaceuticals and pharmacies) and traditional medical beliefs and technologies, including herbal remedies and explanations for increased rates of respiratory illness.
Bio: I am a medical anthropologist studying intersections of infectious disease, culture and climate change across East Africa and the South Pacific. I have been at the museum for 9 years and this is my 9th cohort of SRMP mentees. I teach in the ASP program, so you might have taken 21st Century Culture, Language and Society or Politics, People and Pathogens with me. I have a background in Virology and Public Health and those are lens through which I look at the world by being an Anthropologist. Technically speaking, the plot of Night at the Museum would be my fault if it happened in the real world—if you want to know why, become an Anthro SRMP mentee :).
Project: As the climate changes, so do our lives. An emerging area of research is understanding ways in which human health is impacted by climate change. This project explores the medical anthropological context of the pharmaceutical industry in the city of Arusha, Tanzania, a place I have worked for 14 years. We are researching the marketing and production of cough syrup to that might be used to alleviate symptoms of respiratory distress that are locally attributed to climate change by both local pharmacists and patients. We want to understand what people believe now about how climate change impacts health so we can understand how this might change over time. The project looks at the intersection of biomedicine (pharmaceuticals and pharmacies) and traditional medical beliefs and technologies, including herbal remedies and explanations for increased rates of respiratory illness.
Bio: I am a medical anthropologist studying intersections of infectious disease, culture and climate change across East Africa and the South Pacific. I have been at the museum for 9 years and this is my 9th cohort of SRMP mentees. I teach in the ASP program, so you might have taken 21st Century Culture, Language and Society or Politics, People and Pathogens with me. I have a background in Virology and Public Health and those are lens through which I look at the world by being an Anthropologist. Technically speaking, the plot of Night at the Museum would be my fault if it happened in the real world—if you want to know why, become an Anthro SRMP mentee :).
Peter Galante, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation
Keywords: Bioinformatics, Conservation, Ecology
Project: Coyotes are highly adaptive carnivores originally inhabiting arid regions of the American west, however land-use change and loss of habitat have pushed these animals away from their native range. Recently, coyotes have started moving into New York City, being spotted in and around all boroughs except for Staten Island. Recently, researchers at AMNH have GPS-collared a coyote with the hope to learn more about the species and how it moves through this urban habitat. We will be learning about machine learning techniques for biology using a computer programming language to examine how the coyotes are moving throughout the city based on weather, habitat, and time of day. Check out these links for more information: How Scientists are Using Poop to Study NYC Coyotes; NYC Citizens are Collecting Coyote Scat for Science; An Icon of the American Wilderness is Alive in the Bronx; Students in the Bronx Studying NYC Coyotes
Bio: I am a Biodiversity Informatics Specialist in the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Museum. I am interested in trends in animal and plant distribution and diversity. This means that I combine large datasets of plant and animal information with environmental data like climate to see patterns across landscapes. This involves sometimes mining data from old sources, or using state of the art satellite imagery. I am also interested in the Ecology and natural history of the Northeastern US, including the plants and animals that live here.
Project: Coyotes are highly adaptive carnivores originally inhabiting arid regions of the American west, however land-use change and loss of habitat have pushed these animals away from their native range. Recently, coyotes have started moving into New York City, being spotted in and around all boroughs except for Staten Island. Recently, researchers at AMNH have GPS-collared a coyote with the hope to learn more about the species and how it moves through this urban habitat. We will be learning about machine learning techniques for biology using a computer programming language to examine how the coyotes are moving throughout the city based on weather, habitat, and time of day. Check out these links for more information: How Scientists are Using Poop to Study NYC Coyotes; NYC Citizens are Collecting Coyote Scat for Science; An Icon of the American Wilderness is Alive in the Bronx; Students in the Bronx Studying NYC Coyotes
Bio: I am a Biodiversity Informatics Specialist in the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Museum. I am interested in trends in animal and plant distribution and diversity. This means that I combine large datasets of plant and animal information with environmental data like climate to see patterns across landscapes. This involves sometimes mining data from old sources, or using state of the art satellite imagery. I am also interested in the Ecology and natural history of the Northeastern US, including the plants and animals that live here.
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor on Mondays and Fridays.
Arianna Kuhn, Herpetology
Keywords: Bioinformatics, Genetics and Genomics, Systematics, Conservation, Evolutionary Biology
Project: The island of Madagascar is classified as one of the six major biodiversity hotspots of the world. This means that the island has many species found nowhere else on earth, but also that this region and its extreme species richness is highly at risk from habitat loss. By documenting ad describing species currently unknown to science, we can provide critical information to environmental protection agencies. Madagascar is often referred to as a “natural laboratory” for studying how new species form because it has been isolated from the continents of Africa and India for a long time— about 80 millions year—and possesses a diverse array of sharply contrasting habitats across a compact landscape (about the size of California!). In particular, reptiles make up a large proportion of the vertebrate diversity on the island but are drastically understudied in comparison to other species groups, such as lemurs and frogs.
Broadly, my project will involve the steps of documenting and describing completely unknown species to science. The focal group for this work will be in the genusParagehyra (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/463977-Paragehyra-felicitae), an understudied group of rock-dwelling geckos previously thought to occur only in southern Madagascar. Recent studies have provided evidence of a potential new gecko from the Tsingy de Bemaraha (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2009/11/stone-forest/) of Western Madagascar. Because previous studies lacked data to confirm the identity of the newParagehyra, its status remains ambiguous. A recent AMNH collection trip (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04yVyEhLBeY) recovered many new tissue samples for this species, so I am looking for students interested in (1) extracting and analyzing the DNA from these new samples to look for genetic differences and understand evolution on Madagascar (2) photographing and examining specimens in order to identify external characteristics (such body size and color pattern) that can be used to identify this species in the wild and (3) helping to write up of a formal species description (https://www.earthtouchnews.com/discoveries/new-species/this-slithering-spectre-is-madagascars-newest-snake-species/) that will be submitted for publication in a scientific journal, with potential for co-authorship. If you love reptiles and evolution, join me in the Herpetology Department to meet a great group of scientists and do some really awesome research!
Bio:I am a graduate researcher at the AMNH & City University of New York who loves amphibians and reptiles. I started working in lab studying the evolutionary relationships of geckos in Africa as an undergraduate and fell in love with doing field work and helping to describe new species to science. As my work in the lab progressed, I knew that I wanted to continue to conduct research that would ultimately help explore and conserve unique biological diversity but exploring its origins and stability through time. Now, I am nearing the final stages of my Ph.D. project, which focuses on understanding diversification in a group of charismatic snakes endemic to the island of Madagascar. See my website for more: https://ariannakuhn.com/
Project: The island of Madagascar is classified as one of the six major biodiversity hotspots of the world. This means that the island has many species found nowhere else on earth, but also that this region and its extreme species richness is highly at risk from habitat loss. By documenting ad describing species currently unknown to science, we can provide critical information to environmental protection agencies. Madagascar is often referred to as a “natural laboratory” for studying how new species form because it has been isolated from the continents of Africa and India for a long time— about 80 millions year—and possesses a diverse array of sharply contrasting habitats across a compact landscape (about the size of California!). In particular, reptiles make up a large proportion of the vertebrate diversity on the island but are drastically understudied in comparison to other species groups, such as lemurs and frogs.
Broadly, my project will involve the steps of documenting and describing completely unknown species to science. The focal group for this work will be in the genusParagehyra (https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/463977-Paragehyra-felicitae), an understudied group of rock-dwelling geckos previously thought to occur only in southern Madagascar. Recent studies have provided evidence of a potential new gecko from the Tsingy de Bemaraha (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2009/11/stone-forest/) of Western Madagascar. Because previous studies lacked data to confirm the identity of the newParagehyra, its status remains ambiguous. A recent AMNH collection trip (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04yVyEhLBeY) recovered many new tissue samples for this species, so I am looking for students interested in (1) extracting and analyzing the DNA from these new samples to look for genetic differences and understand evolution on Madagascar (2) photographing and examining specimens in order to identify external characteristics (such body size and color pattern) that can be used to identify this species in the wild and (3) helping to write up of a formal species description (https://www.earthtouchnews.com/discoveries/new-species/this-slithering-spectre-is-madagascars-newest-snake-species/) that will be submitted for publication in a scientific journal, with potential for co-authorship. If you love reptiles and evolution, join me in the Herpetology Department to meet a great group of scientists and do some really awesome research!
Bio:I am a graduate researcher at the AMNH & City University of New York who loves amphibians and reptiles. I started working in lab studying the evolutionary relationships of geckos in Africa as an undergraduate and fell in love with doing field work and helping to describe new species to science. As my work in the lab progressed, I knew that I wanted to continue to conduct research that would ultimately help explore and conserve unique biological diversity but exploring its origins and stability through time. Now, I am nearing the final stages of my Ph.D. project, which focuses on understanding diversification in a group of charismatic snakes endemic to the island of Madagascar. See my website for more: https://ariannakuhn.com/
Dagmawit Abebe Getahun, Paleontology/Anthropology
Keywords: Evolutionary Biology, Physical Anthropology, Systematics, Taxonomy
Project: Gelada baboons (Theropithecus gelada) are monkeys that are only found in the highlands of Ethiopia, East Africa. These monkeys are unique both in terms of their behavioral and physical characteristics. They are the world’s only grass-eating monkey. They are also one of the most terrestrial primates known, second only to humans.
For a long time, it has been recognized that geladas live in northern (Semien Mountains National Park surroundings) and central (Guassa region) Ethiopia. Several researchers in the 19th and 20th century have considered these two populations as two separate subspecies; Theropithecus gelada gelada in the north and Theropithecus gelada obscurus in the central highlands. However, there have been no formal research efforts to analyze the physical characteristics of these two populations of geladas.
This project will be one of the first attempts to scientifically examine the physical differences between the northern and central gelada populations. As a result of their unique dietary adaptations, geladas have a very distinctive skull. Because of this, we will investigate the differences between the two populations of geladas by studying their skulls. We will analyze 3D surface scans of gelada skulls and use a method called 3D geometric morphometrics to evaluate whether there are any differences between the two populations and if there are differences, we will then quantify them. Based on our results, we will discuss about whether these populations should indeed be different subspecies and other similar taxonomic issues.
Students will receive training in cranial anatomy, primate taxonomy, 3D surface scanning (using the Artec Space Spider) and processing as well as an introduction to 3D geometric morphometric methods.
Project: Gelada baboons (Theropithecus gelada) are monkeys that are only found in the highlands of Ethiopia, East Africa. These monkeys are unique both in terms of their behavioral and physical characteristics. They are the world’s only grass-eating monkey. They are also one of the most terrestrial primates known, second only to humans.
For a long time, it has been recognized that geladas live in northern (Semien Mountains National Park surroundings) and central (Guassa region) Ethiopia. Several researchers in the 19th and 20th century have considered these two populations as two separate subspecies; Theropithecus gelada gelada in the north and Theropithecus gelada obscurus in the central highlands. However, there have been no formal research efforts to analyze the physical characteristics of these two populations of geladas.
This project will be one of the first attempts to scientifically examine the physical differences between the northern and central gelada populations. As a result of their unique dietary adaptations, geladas have a very distinctive skull. Because of this, we will investigate the differences between the two populations of geladas by studying their skulls. We will analyze 3D surface scans of gelada skulls and use a method called 3D geometric morphometrics to evaluate whether there are any differences between the two populations and if there are differences, we will then quantify them. Based on our results, we will discuss about whether these populations should indeed be different subspecies and other similar taxonomic issues.
Students will receive training in cranial anatomy, primate taxonomy, 3D surface scanning (using the Artec Space Spider) and processing as well as an introduction to 3D geometric morphometric methods.
Bio: My name is Dagmawit (Dag) and I’m a PhD candidate at the City University of New York. My research is mostly focused on studying the evolution of Old World Monkeys, particularly gelada baboons and their ancestors. I am interested in understanding what these primates looked like, how many species there were, what kind of environments they lived in and so on. I use 3D data like surface and CT scans to answer these questions. I have worked at multiple archaeological and paleontological field sites in East Africa. I love working in the field and excavating fossils.
Luciana Gusmão, Invertebrate Zoology
Keywords: Evolutionary Biology, Systematics, Taxonomy, Genetics & Genomics
Project: Sea anemones are very simple and yet very diverse marine invertebrates found in all latitudes from shallow coral reefs to the deepest marine environments. Due to the simplicity of their body plan, anemones may be hard to identify and classify which hinders our understanding of the biodiversity and evolution of the group. Our goal this year will be to study nematocysts, the stinging intracellular capsules found exclusively in cnidarians. Nematocysts have proven to be a reliable feature that help identify and classify sea anemones, but their diversity and distribution are not well understood. We will use different kinds of microscopes (light, confocal, SEM) to describe and investigate the morphology of different types of nematocysts. In addition, we will record their discharge (one of the fastest cellular processes in nature!) to further investigate our current nematocyst classification. Because nematocyst discharge is only possible in live specimens, we will also maintain live animals in an aquarium which is always fun!
Some links:
Facebook live about anemones symbiotic with hermit crabs
https://www.facebook.com/naturalhistory/videos/live-anemones-with-luciana-gusm%C3%A3o/10154925200821991/
SRMP class of 2017 experience:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR3kwR9YlqM
Bio: I’m a marine biologist working as a research associate in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). I’m a specialist in marine invertebrates known as sea anemones (cnidarians) which I have studied for over 15 years. During this time, I’ve traveled extensively to visit museum collections and to collect animals by hand or scuba diving. My work focuses on describing their diversity and estimating evolutionary relationships among them in order to understand symbiotic associations, reproduction, and morphological convergence in the group.
Project: Sea anemones are very simple and yet very diverse marine invertebrates found in all latitudes from shallow coral reefs to the deepest marine environments. Due to the simplicity of their body plan, anemones may be hard to identify and classify which hinders our understanding of the biodiversity and evolution of the group. Our goal this year will be to study nematocysts, the stinging intracellular capsules found exclusively in cnidarians. Nematocysts have proven to be a reliable feature that help identify and classify sea anemones, but their diversity and distribution are not well understood. We will use different kinds of microscopes (light, confocal, SEM) to describe and investigate the morphology of different types of nematocysts. In addition, we will record their discharge (one of the fastest cellular processes in nature!) to further investigate our current nematocyst classification. Because nematocyst discharge is only possible in live specimens, we will also maintain live animals in an aquarium which is always fun!
Some links:
Facebook live about anemones symbiotic with hermit crabs
https://www.facebook.com/naturalhistory/videos/live-anemones-with-luciana-gusm%C3%A3o/10154925200821991/
SRMP class of 2017 experience:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR3kwR9YlqM
Bio: I’m a marine biologist working as a research associate in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). I’m a specialist in marine invertebrates known as sea anemones (cnidarians) which I have studied for over 15 years. During this time, I’ve traveled extensively to visit museum collections and to collect animals by hand or scuba diving. My work focuses on describing their diversity and estimating evolutionary relationships among them in order to understand symbiotic associations, reproduction, and morphological convergence in the group.
Sara Oppenheim, Genetics and Genomics
Keywords: Bioinformatics, Ecology, Entomology, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics & Genomics
Project: The evolution of plant-herbivore interactions in the Noctuidae, a family of moths that ranges in diet breadth from extreme generalists feeding on many plant orders to extreme specialists feeding on a few plant species in a single genus. Many noctuids are worldwide pests posing a serious threat to human agriculture, and identifying the genetic basis of their broad host plant ranges could lead to ecologically sustainable strategies for controlling them. Through a combination of laboratory assays, high throughput sequencing, and bioinformatic analysis I hope to address two important questions:
SRMP activities: These questions can only be answered with computational approaches to the analysis of DNA and RNA sequences. Students participating in this project can expect to learn the basics of command line computing, and build on this foundation to carry out bioinformatic analysis of sequences from different insect tissues and species. The goal of the project is to identify genomic regions that differ in sequence or expression between insects with different patterns of host plant use.
Students will experience: laboratory assays of caterpillar performance on different plant species (10%); molecular biology lab techniques (extraction and evaluation of RNA from various tissues) (10%); command line basics (UNIX and Perl) (20%); handling sequence data from raw reads to assembly (20%); analysis and interpretation of transcriptome data (40%); and, most importantly, how all these activities interact to allow us to use next generation sequencing to test hypotheses about how adaptive traits evolve.
Project: The evolution of plant-herbivore interactions in the Noctuidae, a family of moths that ranges in diet breadth from extreme generalists feeding on many plant orders to extreme specialists feeding on a few plant species in a single genus. Many noctuids are worldwide pests posing a serious threat to human agriculture, and identifying the genetic basis of their broad host plant ranges could lead to ecologically sustainable strategies for controlling them. Through a combination of laboratory assays, high throughput sequencing, and bioinformatic analysis I hope to address two important questions:
- Is host plant range evolution genetically conservative, such that the same genes are implicated across all taxa, or do different species use different sets of genes to achieve the same phenotype?
- Are changes in host plant range correlated with changes in particular gene categories (digestion, detoxification, host plant detection, etc.)?
SRMP activities: These questions can only be answered with computational approaches to the analysis of DNA and RNA sequences. Students participating in this project can expect to learn the basics of command line computing, and build on this foundation to carry out bioinformatic analysis of sequences from different insect tissues and species. The goal of the project is to identify genomic regions that differ in sequence or expression between insects with different patterns of host plant use.
Students will experience: laboratory assays of caterpillar performance on different plant species (10%); molecular biology lab techniques (extraction and evaluation of RNA from various tissues) (10%); command line basics (UNIX and Perl) (20%); handling sequence data from raw reads to assembly (20%); analysis and interpretation of transcriptome data (40%); and, most importantly, how all these activities interact to allow us to use next generation sequencing to test hypotheses about how adaptive traits evolve.
Phillip Skipwith, Herpetology
Keywords: Evolutionary Biology, Systematics, Taxonomy
Project: My project focuses on how the snake skull evolves across species living in similar
ecological niches. To accomplish this, I’m using x-ray computed tomography (CT-scanning) to non- destructively examine the bones of snakes from across the world. Do snakes living in trees look the same? Can we expect venomous snakes to have more conservative skull shapes than non-venomous species? These are the sorts of questions I am trying to address. I’m looking for help processing CT scans and digitally manipulating them for statistical analyses. This is a great opportunity to see what snakes are made of and to use some really cool imaging software.
Project: Using CT-scanning to test convergence in the snake skull
Bio: I am a postdoctoral research in the Department of Herpetology. I did my Masters at Villanova University and my PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. My research focuses on 1) figuring out how different species are related to one another using statistical methods, 2) how these species diverged across evolutionary timescales, and 3) how the body evolves in the face of different evolutionary pressures. For my postdoc, I’m using snakes from across the world in combination with genomic and x-ray imaging tools. I’m looking for curious people to help my with some of my x-ray data.
Project: My project focuses on how the snake skull evolves across species living in similar
ecological niches. To accomplish this, I’m using x-ray computed tomography (CT-scanning) to non- destructively examine the bones of snakes from across the world. Do snakes living in trees look the same? Can we expect venomous snakes to have more conservative skull shapes than non-venomous species? These are the sorts of questions I am trying to address. I’m looking for help processing CT scans and digitally manipulating them for statistical analyses. This is a great opportunity to see what snakes are made of and to use some really cool imaging software.
Project: Using CT-scanning to test convergence in the snake skull
Bio: I am a postdoctoral research in the Department of Herpetology. I did my Masters at Villanova University and my PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. My research focuses on 1) figuring out how different species are related to one another using statistical methods, 2) how these species diverged across evolutionary timescales, and 3) how the body evolves in the face of different evolutionary pressures. For my postdoc, I’m using snakes from across the world in combination with genomic and x-ray imaging tools. I’m looking for curious people to help my with some of my x-ray data.
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor Wednesdays and Fridays.
Nadav Gazit, Center for Biodiversity & Conservation
Keywords: Conservation, Ecology
Project: Do you find art AND conservation interesting, and wanted to mesh the two? This project gives you an opportunity to see at least one way to go about it…
The students will choose a conservation topic of interest (an endangered species, a critical habitat, etc.), and will research the different aspects of the topic: important information and conservation issues. For example, last year’s team created a guidebook about sea turtles and the conservation challenges they face. In this work, we will learn how to perform a literature review, including how to find reliable resources, and learning how to read and synthesize scientific literature.
The artistic part will include learning how to use illustration software like Adobe Illustrator, to illustrate the topic of choice and the conservation issues we discover into a guidebook for others to learn about it.
Bio: I am a Visual Creative & Research Assistant at the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (CBC), and work on projects relating to conservation, human well-being, and sustainability. I also help produce educational materials for college students and professionals, as part of the Network of Conservation Educators and Practitioners program at the CBC. A significant part of my job includes graphic design and illustrations (and I am also a painter outside of the Museum walls!). My background education includes a Bachelor’s in Geography, a Master’s in Environmental Science, with a focus on climate change, and non-degree art programs.
Links to work at CBC:
-https://www.amnh.org/our-research/center-for-biodiversity-conservation/research-and-conservation/biocultural-conservation-planning/biocultural-approaches
-https://www.amnh.org/our-research/center-for-biodiversity-conservation/capacity-development/ncep/lessons-in-conservation
Project: Do you find art AND conservation interesting, and wanted to mesh the two? This project gives you an opportunity to see at least one way to go about it…
The students will choose a conservation topic of interest (an endangered species, a critical habitat, etc.), and will research the different aspects of the topic: important information and conservation issues. For example, last year’s team created a guidebook about sea turtles and the conservation challenges they face. In this work, we will learn how to perform a literature review, including how to find reliable resources, and learning how to read and synthesize scientific literature.
The artistic part will include learning how to use illustration software like Adobe Illustrator, to illustrate the topic of choice and the conservation issues we discover into a guidebook for others to learn about it.
Bio: I am a Visual Creative & Research Assistant at the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (CBC), and work on projects relating to conservation, human well-being, and sustainability. I also help produce educational materials for college students and professionals, as part of the Network of Conservation Educators and Practitioners program at the CBC. A significant part of my job includes graphic design and illustrations (and I am also a painter outside of the Museum walls!). My background education includes a Bachelor’s in Geography, a Master’s in Environmental Science, with a focus on climate change, and non-degree art programs.
Links to work at CBC:
-https://www.amnh.org/our-research/center-for-biodiversity-conservation/research-and-conservation/biocultural-conservation-planning/biocultural-approaches
-https://www.amnh.org/our-research/center-for-biodiversity-conservation/capacity-development/ncep/lessons-in-conservation
Maria Strangas, Herpetology
Keywords: Ecology, Evolutionary Biology
Project: With changing climates, understanding how wildlife is affected by environmental temperatures becomes more important every day.
This year, my SRMP team will be studying the thermal ecology of Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) at Black Rock Forest. Using data from temperature loggers throughout the forest and from infrared thermal images of the turtles themselves, we will ask: What temperatures are available to the turtles in this area? What temperatures do the turtles choose?
We’ll use this information to understand threats to the turtles from the changing climate. Given what we know about these box turtles, where can they live as temperatures warm? This project will have you learning about ecology, evolution, animal behavior, species ranges, and computer coding.
Bio: I’m all about evolutionary biology and mentoring in science. I am currently the manager of SRMP and also work in the Herpetology department at AMNH. Before I came to the museum I earned my PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at CUNY, working at City College of New York. I grew up in Michigan and Greece, where I spent my free time watching lizards, catching frogs, and digging in the dirt. I've lived in NYC for 9 years now, and am always on the look-out for local wildlife.
Personal Website: www.mariastrangas.com
Project: With changing climates, understanding how wildlife is affected by environmental temperatures becomes more important every day.
This year, my SRMP team will be studying the thermal ecology of Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) at Black Rock Forest. Using data from temperature loggers throughout the forest and from infrared thermal images of the turtles themselves, we will ask: What temperatures are available to the turtles in this area? What temperatures do the turtles choose?
We’ll use this information to understand threats to the turtles from the changing climate. Given what we know about these box turtles, where can they live as temperatures warm? This project will have you learning about ecology, evolution, animal behavior, species ranges, and computer coding.
Bio: I’m all about evolutionary biology and mentoring in science. I am currently the manager of SRMP and also work in the Herpetology department at AMNH. Before I came to the museum I earned my PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at CUNY, working at City College of New York. I grew up in Michigan and Greece, where I spent my free time watching lizards, catching frogs, and digging in the dirt. I've lived in NYC for 9 years now, and am always on the look-out for local wildlife.
Personal Website: www.mariastrangas.com
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Physical Science
David Lindo Atichati, Earth and Planetary Science, AMNH
Keywords: Bioinformatics, Earth and Planetary Science, Ecology
Project - Natural and biological locomotion of the ocean: In this project we will study the motion of the ocean and explore how these motions affect collective behavior of marine animals at different scales. Two questions inspire this project. 1) Why is the motion of the ocean important? The ocean produces 50% of the planet’s oxygen, meaning that every other breath we take comes from the sea. Also, the oceans store and transport the vast majority of the carbon dioxide on Earth. 2) Why is collective behavior of marine animals important? Their small individual size notwithstanding, biological communities form dense aggregations of tens of meters that move vertically hundreds of meters during vertical migrations. These vertical migrations are the greatest migrations in the word. At the length scale of the community aggregation, the collective behavior and motion of marine animal can be relevant to the planetary driven motion of the surrounding water column. Theory of fluid dynamics and limited empirical evidence suggest that groups of animals generate water motions that cannot be generated by isolated individuals.
Students in this project will assemble and use water turntables (Image 1, Tweet). I strongly believe that ‘students learn when they do’. Using simple materials such as Legos and a turntable (https://diynamics.github.io), students will complete an experiment each week. They will initially explore the motion of fluids by means of weekly engaging hands on experiences with water of different temperatures and salinities, and geographical barriers. Then, they will shed light on the motion of the ocean and collective behavior of marine animals by embedding baby fish and baby crustaceans in the turntables, and using a pose estimation tool developed by colleagues at the Rowland Institute of Harvard University. This SRMP project will contribute to build a paradigm-shift in marine biophysics, with novel implications for a planetary scale biological locomotion of (not in) the ocean.
Bio: Originally from Barcelona, Spain, I became enraptured with the ocean when I spent the weekends of my childhood running with my dad on the Mediterranean shores. I frequently wondered why the ocean moved the way it does. Years later, I received a Ph.D. in Oceanography, completed my doctoral courses and a postdoc at the University of Miami, and received a postdoctoral award at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. I am now an assistant professor at CUNY GC and research associate at AMNH, where I conduct the bulk of my research. In Lindo Lab, our group study the physics of the ocean, trying to understand the mechanisms that link water motion and life within it.
Project - Natural and biological locomotion of the ocean: In this project we will study the motion of the ocean and explore how these motions affect collective behavior of marine animals at different scales. Two questions inspire this project. 1) Why is the motion of the ocean important? The ocean produces 50% of the planet’s oxygen, meaning that every other breath we take comes from the sea. Also, the oceans store and transport the vast majority of the carbon dioxide on Earth. 2) Why is collective behavior of marine animals important? Their small individual size notwithstanding, biological communities form dense aggregations of tens of meters that move vertically hundreds of meters during vertical migrations. These vertical migrations are the greatest migrations in the word. At the length scale of the community aggregation, the collective behavior and motion of marine animal can be relevant to the planetary driven motion of the surrounding water column. Theory of fluid dynamics and limited empirical evidence suggest that groups of animals generate water motions that cannot be generated by isolated individuals.
Students in this project will assemble and use water turntables (Image 1, Tweet). I strongly believe that ‘students learn when they do’. Using simple materials such as Legos and a turntable (https://diynamics.github.io), students will complete an experiment each week. They will initially explore the motion of fluids by means of weekly engaging hands on experiences with water of different temperatures and salinities, and geographical barriers. Then, they will shed light on the motion of the ocean and collective behavior of marine animals by embedding baby fish and baby crustaceans in the turntables, and using a pose estimation tool developed by colleagues at the Rowland Institute of Harvard University. This SRMP project will contribute to build a paradigm-shift in marine biophysics, with novel implications for a planetary scale biological locomotion of (not in) the ocean.
Bio: Originally from Barcelona, Spain, I became enraptured with the ocean when I spent the weekends of my childhood running with my dad on the Mediterranean shores. I frequently wondered why the ocean moved the way it does. Years later, I received a Ph.D. in Oceanography, completed my doctoral courses and a postdoc at the University of Miami, and received a postdoctoral award at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. I am now an assistant professor at CUNY GC and research associate at AMNH, where I conduct the bulk of my research. In Lindo Lab, our group study the physics of the ocean, trying to understand the mechanisms that link water motion and life within it.
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Linda Sohl, Earth and Planetary Science
Project: Using a 3D Global Climate Model to Explore Factors Contributing to Planetary Habitability In my current research, my main tool is a complex computer model called a general circulation model or global climate model, a.k.a. GCM. GCMs are usually used to study processes of modern and future climate of Earth, but in this case, the GCM I use has been adapted so that I can simulate a wide range of Earth-like planets that are very different from modern Earth. We use this same GCM to explore Earth much earlier in its history, when the geologic record suggests that it would have looked like an alien world to us (and we might not have survived very long under those conditions!). Using the GCM allows us to explore and test different ideas about those environments – for example, whether the Earth was really hot or barely warm enough to keep from freezing over, and whether it had a very thick carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere vs one where methane was much more prominent.
For your research project: You’ll learn first some things about climate models – how they work, what information goes into the model to get it started, what the model produces, and the steps that all climate scientists take to analyze model results. Then we’ll transition into analyzing results from the NASA/GISS exoplanet GCM, called ROCKE-3D. You’ll also learn about some of the questions that we’re hoping to explore with our climate simulations, such as what conditions might be needed to resolve the Faint Young Sun Paradox, or what happens to climate and the potential for life when a planet’s orbital configuration (obliquity, eccentricity, precession) looks different from modern Earth’s.
Bio: I have always been fascinated by Earth and sky. Growing up in the Bronx, I used to sit for hours at a time with a rock & mineral guide in one hand and a bunch of pebbles in the other, trying to figure out what the last ice age left in my backyard. At the same time, I was a huge sci-fi fan and loved to read stories about alien civilizations among the stars. As a scientist now, I can blend the Earth science I’ve learned with my interest in looking for life on other worlds, by trying to characterize what climatic conditions can support the development of life as we know it – and using that information to figure out how we might find other planets that harbor life.
For your research project: You’ll learn first some things about climate models – how they work, what information goes into the model to get it started, what the model produces, and the steps that all climate scientists take to analyze model results. Then we’ll transition into analyzing results from the NASA/GISS exoplanet GCM, called ROCKE-3D. You’ll also learn about some of the questions that we’re hoping to explore with our climate simulations, such as what conditions might be needed to resolve the Faint Young Sun Paradox, or what happens to climate and the potential for life when a planet’s orbital configuration (obliquity, eccentricity, precession) looks different from modern Earth’s.
Bio: I have always been fascinated by Earth and sky. Growing up in the Bronx, I used to sit for hours at a time with a rock & mineral guide in one hand and a bunch of pebbles in the other, trying to figure out what the last ice age left in my backyard. At the same time, I was a huge sci-fi fan and loved to read stories about alien civilizations among the stars. As a scientist now, I can blend the Earth science I’ve learned with my interest in looking for life on other worlds, by trying to characterize what climatic conditions can support the development of life as we know it – and using that information to figure out how we might find other planets that harbor life.
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Daniella C. Bardalez Gagliuffi, Astrophysics, AMNH
Keywords: Observational Astrophysics
Project: Kepler is a space telescope which stared at the same patch of sky for 4 years, leading to the discovery of over 3000 planets orbiting stars other than our Sun using the transit method. As planets orbit their stars, they block part of the starlight on our line of sight, leading to a dip in the stellar flux, which is understood as a transiting planet. For Kepler to confirm a planet, it needed to observe at least 2 transits, limiting the range of orbital periods that can be identified. However, they kept records of all transit events. After two of the wheels keeping Kepler pointing at the same direction failed, the mission became K2 and only stared at patches of sky for about 80 days.
This year, we will look at single transit events from Kepler and K2 and confirm or reject the hypothesis that they are true planets. This will require looking at light curves, which are plots showing the variation of flux over time, validating them with a Python routine called Namaste. We will also search for other astrophysical events such as eclipsing binaries, and atmospheric variability.
Bio: I am a postdoctoral fellow at AMNH interested in the formation, evolution, and atmospheres of very low mass binary stars, brown dwarfs, and giant planets. I study these objects primarily with near infrared spectroscopic data. I am originally from Lima, Peru, where I studied a couple of years of Environmental Engineering before transferring to MIT, where I obtained my Bachelor in Physics. I got my PhD in Physics from UC San Diego, where I also learned how to surf. I’ve also lived in Spain and France, speak Spanish and French, have 2 cute doggies back in Lima, and love to do yoga, cook, and eat.
Project: Kepler is a space telescope which stared at the same patch of sky for 4 years, leading to the discovery of over 3000 planets orbiting stars other than our Sun using the transit method. As planets orbit their stars, they block part of the starlight on our line of sight, leading to a dip in the stellar flux, which is understood as a transiting planet. For Kepler to confirm a planet, it needed to observe at least 2 transits, limiting the range of orbital periods that can be identified. However, they kept records of all transit events. After two of the wheels keeping Kepler pointing at the same direction failed, the mission became K2 and only stared at patches of sky for about 80 days.
This year, we will look at single transit events from Kepler and K2 and confirm or reject the hypothesis that they are true planets. This will require looking at light curves, which are plots showing the variation of flux over time, validating them with a Python routine called Namaste. We will also search for other astrophysical events such as eclipsing binaries, and atmospheric variability.
Bio: I am a postdoctoral fellow at AMNH interested in the formation, evolution, and atmospheres of very low mass binary stars, brown dwarfs, and giant planets. I study these objects primarily with near infrared spectroscopic data. I am originally from Lima, Peru, where I studied a couple of years of Environmental Engineering before transferring to MIT, where I obtained my Bachelor in Physics. I got my PhD in Physics from UC San Diego, where I also learned how to surf. I’ve also lived in Spain and France, speak Spanish and French, have 2 cute doggies back in Lima, and love to do yoga, cook, and eat.
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Mark Popinchalk, Astrophysics
Project: My project will be looking at rotation rates of stars using data from the TESS spacecraft. As stars rotate, any star spots on their surface will rotate with them. We can measure the change in brightness as the darker spots come into and out of view, which we call a light curve. Imagine the star kind of like a lighthouse, where the repeating change in brightness lets you know how often it completes a rotation.
The rate at which a star rotates is likely related to its age. If a star starts spinning at a certain speed, it will slow down over time due to interactions with its magnetic field. (A good analogy is how a top slows down over time due to interactions with the table its standing on) The study of how rotation rate is associated with age is called Gyrochronology, and while a relationship certainly exists, it is not well understood.
Our project will look to constrain Gyrochronology in some way, specifically for lower mass stars know as M dwarfs. I’m still deciding on the final science goal, but our process will be to take TESS light curves and many M dwarfs and look for relationships either with regards to known young objects, multiple star systems, or maybe even those with planets.
Bio: I am an astrophysics doctoral student here at the Museum, as well as the CUNY Graduate Center. I study the relationship between how quickly stars rotate and how old they are (think of how a spinning top slows down over time, but with stars!). Specifically, I look at M dwarf stars, which are the most numerous and coolest (in both temperature and social status) in our galaxy. I also engage in science outreach and education around the city, including planetarium shows here at the Museum. When not working on science projects I like to cook food, play board games, and run around with my ultimate frisbee team.
The rate at which a star rotates is likely related to its age. If a star starts spinning at a certain speed, it will slow down over time due to interactions with its magnetic field. (A good analogy is how a top slows down over time due to interactions with the table its standing on) The study of how rotation rate is associated with age is called Gyrochronology, and while a relationship certainly exists, it is not well understood.
Our project will look to constrain Gyrochronology in some way, specifically for lower mass stars know as M dwarfs. I’m still deciding on the final science goal, but our process will be to take TESS light curves and many M dwarfs and look for relationships either with regards to known young objects, multiple star systems, or maybe even those with planets.
Bio: I am an astrophysics doctoral student here at the Museum, as well as the CUNY Graduate Center. I study the relationship between how quickly stars rotate and how old they are (think of how a spinning top slows down over time, but with stars!). Specifically, I look at M dwarf stars, which are the most numerous and coolest (in both temperature and social status) in our galaxy. I also engage in science outreach and education around the city, including planetarium shows here at the Museum. When not working on science projects I like to cook food, play board games, and run around with my ultimate frisbee team.
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor on Fridays.
Johanna Vos, Astrophysics
Keywords: Observational Astrophysics
Project: Brown dwarfs are objects that bridge the gap between stars and planets. They are generally believed to form like a star, but do not have sufficient mass to sustain nuclear burning in their core. A star like our Sun will continue to burn hydrogen for ~10 billion years. However, a brown dwarf does not have an internal energy source, so spends its life slowly cooling and dimming over time. Brown dwarfs have similar temperatures to directly-imaged exoplanets, and their atmospheres are thought to resemble those of the directly-imaged planets. Since brown dwarfs do not orbit a bright host star, they are much easier to observe, making them excellent analogs to directly-imaged exoplanets.
Photometric variability monitoring is a powerful technique that is used to probe the atmospheres of brown dwarfs. By measuring the brightness of a brown dwarf as it rotates, we can look for signatures of cloud features as they rotate in and out of view. In this project we will use data from the K2 and TESS missions to search for cloud- driven variability in a sample of cool brown dwarfs.
Bio: I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Astrophysics Department at the American Museum of Natural History. Before coming to NYC I completed my undergraduate degree at Trinity College Dublin and my PhD at the University of Edinburgh. My research focuses on atmospheres the lowest-mass brown dwarfs. These objects share similar temperatures, masses, radii and compositions with directly-imaged exoplanets, but can be observed much more easily. I use ground-based telescopes in Hawaii and Chile as well as space-based telescopes to explore the presence of dusty clouds in the atmospheres of these objects. When not pondering weather systems on distant planets, I like to go to ballet class.
Project: Brown dwarfs are objects that bridge the gap between stars and planets. They are generally believed to form like a star, but do not have sufficient mass to sustain nuclear burning in their core. A star like our Sun will continue to burn hydrogen for ~10 billion years. However, a brown dwarf does not have an internal energy source, so spends its life slowly cooling and dimming over time. Brown dwarfs have similar temperatures to directly-imaged exoplanets, and their atmospheres are thought to resemble those of the directly-imaged planets. Since brown dwarfs do not orbit a bright host star, they are much easier to observe, making them excellent analogs to directly-imaged exoplanets.
Photometric variability monitoring is a powerful technique that is used to probe the atmospheres of brown dwarfs. By measuring the brightness of a brown dwarf as it rotates, we can look for signatures of cloud features as they rotate in and out of view. In this project we will use data from the K2 and TESS missions to search for cloud- driven variability in a sample of cool brown dwarfs.
Bio: I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Astrophysics Department at the American Museum of Natural History. Before coming to NYC I completed my undergraduate degree at Trinity College Dublin and my PhD at the University of Edinburgh. My research focuses on atmospheres the lowest-mass brown dwarfs. These objects share similar temperatures, masses, radii and compositions with directly-imaged exoplanets, but can be observed much more easily. I use ground-based telescopes in Hawaii and Chile as well as space-based telescopes to explore the presence of dusty clouds in the atmospheres of these objects. When not pondering weather systems on distant planets, I like to go to ballet class.
Jason Curtis, Astronomy, Columbia University
Keywords: Observational Astrophysics
Project: Our Sun is 4.5 billion years old, and will “live” for 10 billion years (astronomers often use terminology borrowed from biology: stars aren’t alive and they don’t evolve, but we still describe stars and how they change over time with these terms). The Earth and other planets in the solar system were all formed (“born”) at approximately the same time as the Sun, so when the Sun was young so were its planets. The same is true for all other stars and their planetary systems. In its youth (<100 million years old), the Sun emitted intense high-energy radiation (UV and X-rays; XUV), driven by its rapid rotation (<1 day) and resulting strong magnetic fields. Over time, stars like the Sun slow down, their magnetic fields weaken, and this high-energy emission wanes (e.g., the Sun now only spins once every 26 days). But in those “active” early years, the XUV emission can wreak havoc on planetary atmospheres via photoevaporation. The goal of our project is to measure how fast young stars spin, as a function of their age and mass, with the goal of understanding how rotation and the related emission of high-energy radiation impacts planet formation, growth, and eventual habitability.
To accomplish this goal, we need samples of stars with known ages. However, age is difficult to infer for individual stars. Fortunately, stars form in groups and can be collectively age-dated when analyzed together due to the fact that stars with different masses “evolve” at different rates. Dozens of young groupings of stars can be found within a few hundred light years from the Sun, which is very close by astronomy standards. We will use the 3D positions and 3D velocities measured for >1 billion stars by the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission to identify members of these groups and infer their ages. Then, we will measure how fast their stars spin using data collected by NASA’s new Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
Stars form spots on their surfaces (relatively small, cool, dim patches), and as a star spins, these dim spots rotate into and out of view causing the overall brightness to decrease and increase with a periodicity equal to a star’s rate of rotation. TESS is imaging large sectors of the sky every 30 minutes for 27 days at a time. We will use these data to analyze the brightness variations for individual stars in our sample, and measure rotation periods. For an example, check out our recent paper on the Pisces-Eridanus stellar stream.
First, the rotation period distributions for stars found in coeval stellar populations (i.e., groupings of stars formed at the same time and so share a common age) form unique sequences that are distinct from younger or older groups. Therefore, the candidate members of these groups and clusters we identify with Gaia can be confirmed as true members based on the rotation periods we measure with TESS. Validating membership is critical if we are to use stars and their planets in these groups to study how stars and planets in general change over time.
Second, once we have created rotation period distributions for stars in groupings at a range of ages, we can study how stellar rotation changes over time. And sometimes while conducting such investigations, we accidentally stumble upon new exoplanets! While measuring stellar rotation in the 3 billion year old cluster Ruprecht 147, I discovered a planet with a diameter 2.5 times that of Earth orbiting its star every 14 days. Other teams are searching for exoplanets among these stars as well, but we might get lucky and spot a new one missed by their computer algorithms.
Bio: I grew up in California, graduated from high school in 2000, earned my Ph.D. in Astronomy & Astrophysics from the Pennsylvania State University in 2016, and became a father in May 2018. I currently work as a postdoctoral research scientist with Professor Marcel Agüeros at Columbia University. Together, we study how to infer how old stars are. For stars with masses similar to or lower than our Sun’s, the most promising technique is called “gyrochronology,” which literally means time-keeping with rotation. In other words, we can tell how old a star is by how fast it spins.
My latest research result was recently summarized on the “Research highlights from the journals of the American Astronomical Society” webpage:
https://aasnova.org/2019/08/02/not-so-fast-some-stars-show-a-spin-down-slowdown/
Project: Our Sun is 4.5 billion years old, and will “live” for 10 billion years (astronomers often use terminology borrowed from biology: stars aren’t alive and they don’t evolve, but we still describe stars and how they change over time with these terms). The Earth and other planets in the solar system were all formed (“born”) at approximately the same time as the Sun, so when the Sun was young so were its planets. The same is true for all other stars and their planetary systems. In its youth (<100 million years old), the Sun emitted intense high-energy radiation (UV and X-rays; XUV), driven by its rapid rotation (<1 day) and resulting strong magnetic fields. Over time, stars like the Sun slow down, their magnetic fields weaken, and this high-energy emission wanes (e.g., the Sun now only spins once every 26 days). But in those “active” early years, the XUV emission can wreak havoc on planetary atmospheres via photoevaporation. The goal of our project is to measure how fast young stars spin, as a function of their age and mass, with the goal of understanding how rotation and the related emission of high-energy radiation impacts planet formation, growth, and eventual habitability.
To accomplish this goal, we need samples of stars with known ages. However, age is difficult to infer for individual stars. Fortunately, stars form in groups and can be collectively age-dated when analyzed together due to the fact that stars with different masses “evolve” at different rates. Dozens of young groupings of stars can be found within a few hundred light years from the Sun, which is very close by astronomy standards. We will use the 3D positions and 3D velocities measured for >1 billion stars by the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission to identify members of these groups and infer their ages. Then, we will measure how fast their stars spin using data collected by NASA’s new Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).
Stars form spots on their surfaces (relatively small, cool, dim patches), and as a star spins, these dim spots rotate into and out of view causing the overall brightness to decrease and increase with a periodicity equal to a star’s rate of rotation. TESS is imaging large sectors of the sky every 30 minutes for 27 days at a time. We will use these data to analyze the brightness variations for individual stars in our sample, and measure rotation periods. For an example, check out our recent paper on the Pisces-Eridanus stellar stream.
First, the rotation period distributions for stars found in coeval stellar populations (i.e., groupings of stars formed at the same time and so share a common age) form unique sequences that are distinct from younger or older groups. Therefore, the candidate members of these groups and clusters we identify with Gaia can be confirmed as true members based on the rotation periods we measure with TESS. Validating membership is critical if we are to use stars and their planets in these groups to study how stars and planets in general change over time.
Second, once we have created rotation period distributions for stars in groupings at a range of ages, we can study how stellar rotation changes over time. And sometimes while conducting such investigations, we accidentally stumble upon new exoplanets! While measuring stellar rotation in the 3 billion year old cluster Ruprecht 147, I discovered a planet with a diameter 2.5 times that of Earth orbiting its star every 14 days. Other teams are searching for exoplanets among these stars as well, but we might get lucky and spot a new one missed by their computer algorithms.
Bio: I grew up in California, graduated from high school in 2000, earned my Ph.D. in Astronomy & Astrophysics from the Pennsylvania State University in 2016, and became a father in May 2018. I currently work as a postdoctoral research scientist with Professor Marcel Agüeros at Columbia University. Together, we study how to infer how old stars are. For stars with masses similar to or lower than our Sun’s, the most promising technique is called “gyrochronology,” which literally means time-keeping with rotation. In other words, we can tell how old a star is by how fast it spins.
My latest research result was recently summarized on the “Research highlights from the journals of the American Astronomical Society” webpage:
https://aasnova.org/2019/08/02/not-so-fast-some-stars-show-a-spin-down-slowdown/
Please note: I am unavailable to mentor on Wednesdays and Fridays.