NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Japan

2013 财年 NSF 东亚及太平洋夏季学院 (EAPSI) 在日本举行

• 批准号: 1310719
• 负责人: Rachel Racicot
• 金额: $ 0.51万
• 依托单位: Racicot Rachel A
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-06-01 至 2014-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1310719&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; East; Asia; Pacific; Summer

This action funds Rachel Racicot of Yale University to conduct a research project in Geosciences during the summer of 2013 at The National Museum of Nature and Science/Tsukuba Science Center in Tokyo and Tsukuba, Japan. The project title is "Evolution of Echolocation in Porpoises and Dolphins Elucidated from High-Resolution CT Scans Revealing Inner Ear Morphology." The host scientist is Dr. Naoki Kohno.Living dolphins and whales (cetaceans) employ echolocation as a means of avoiding predators and finding prey; this involves a unique suite of anatomical features that allows the emission and reception of sound from parts of the ear, skull, and soft tissue structures. How porpoises and their relatives evolved echolocation is an important area of research crucial to developing more effective conservation strategies. In particular, the inner ears of these animals perform a pivotal role in both sense of space and sound reception. This project examines the evolution of echolocation in porpoises and their relatives by digitally extracting the inner ear labyrinths from computed tomographic (CT) scans of some of the earliest fossil delphinoids, and comparing them with extant species. Documenting the changing morphology of inner ears from early-diverging porpoises to extant species provides a sense for how they perceive the three-dimensional world around them. This project CT scans Fossils and recent material from museum collections in Japan and the morphology of their inner ears is digitally reconstructed using state-of-the-art software. The morphology of inner ears helps reconstruct the evolutionary relationships between modern groups of dolphins and porpoises, for which additional morphological evidence is sorely needed. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, the analyses used by the Fellow employ cutting-edge CT scans and software for accurate measurement and statistical analyses. These CT data represent an increasingly important resource in the earth and natural sciences; three-dimensional analyses allow for non-destructive digital examination of internal features (which are otherwise impossible to obtain), and are permanent digital records available to future researchers, museums, and the general public via websites such as www.digimorph.org. This project will be submitted to peer-reviewed scientific journals such as the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, and Paleontological Research. The charismatic nature of marine mammals affords exceptional opportunities for public outreach, including lectures and development of educational materials. Ongoing mentorship of undergraduates at Yale in the use and interpretation of CT scans will be enhanced by this research in Japan. The Fellow will also share her experiences with the Japanese Society for Women in Science.

该行动资助耶鲁大学的 Rachel Racicot 于 2013 年夏季在日本东京和筑波的国立自然科学博物馆/筑波科学中心开展地球科学研究项目。该项目的标题是“通过高分辨率 CT 扫描揭示内耳形态学阐明的鼠海豚和海豚回声定位的进化”。主持科学家是 Naoki Kohno 博士。 现存的海豚和鲸鱼（鲸目动物）利用回声定位作为躲避捕食者和寻找猎物的手段；这涉及一套独特的解剖学特征，允许从耳朵、头骨和软组织结构的部分发射和接收声音。鼠海豚及其近亲如何进化回声定位是一个重要的研究领域，对于制定更有效的保护策略至关重要。特别是，这些动物的内耳在空间感和声音接收方面都发挥着关键作用。该项目通过从一些最早的海豚化石的计算机断层扫描 (CT) 扫描中以数字方式提取内耳迷路，并将其与现存物种进行比较，研究海豚及其近亲回声定位的进化。记录从早期分化的江豚到现存物种内耳形态的变化，可以让我们了解它们如何感知周围的三维世界。该项目通过 CT 扫描日本博物馆收藏的化石和最新材料，并使用最先进的软件以数字方式重建内耳的形态。内耳的形态有助于重建现代海豚和鼠海豚群体之间的进化关系，为此迫切需要额外的形态学证据。 EAPSI 奖学金的更广泛影响包括为研究员提供美国以外的第一手研究经验；各自地点的科学、科学政策和科学基础设施的介绍；以及对社会、文化和语言的定位。这些活动符合 NSF 的目标，即在科学家、工程师和教育工作者职业生涯的早期进行国际合作教育，从而确保美国科学劳动力具有全球意识。此外，该研究员使用的分析采用了尖端的 CT 扫描和软件来进行准确的测量和统计分析。这些 CT 数据代表了地球和自然科学中日益重要的资源；三维分析允许对内部特征进行非破坏性数字检查（否则无法获得），并且是永久的数字记录，可供未来的研究人员、博物馆和公众通过 www.digimorph.org 等网站使用。该项目将提交给同行评审的科学期刊，例如《古脊椎动物学杂志》、《生态与进化趋势》和《古生物学研究》。海洋哺乳动物的魅力本质为公众宣传提供了绝佳的机会，包括讲座和编写教育材料。日本的这项研究将加强耶鲁大学本科生在 CT 扫描的使用和解释方面的持续指导。该研究员还将与日本女性科学学会分享她的经验。