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

这项行动资助科罗拉多博尔德大学的约书亚·斯捷潘内克于2013年夏天在东京小金井的东京学芸大学进行一项生物学研究项目。该项目的名称是“双眉硅藻属的分类和系统发育调查”。“主办科学家是真山茂树博士。硅藻是一种重要而多样的微藻，几乎在所有水生环境中都能找到。在硅藻中，双眉藻属的成员由于其天然产生大量细胞油的能力而被挑选出来作为潜在的重要生物燃料来源。虽然被证明是有前途的，该集团的多样性和进化史仍然知之甚少，破坏了其潜在的有用性。初步数据显示双眉藻是一个远亲亚群的集合，广泛分布在整个硅藻生命树中。本计画利用日本特有的植物群，以及日本硅藻研究者的专业知识，继续对双眉藻属的分类学和演化历史进行调查。这些目标是通过有针对性地收集已知的双眉藻种群，然后分离和培养双眉藻类群来实现的。从这些收藏品中，正在使用形态学和分子技术构建进化树。合作成果包括：在收集过程中遇到的新物种的描述和出版;迄今为止对双眉藻属进行的最广泛的采样;以及对硅藻中重要谱系和特征的进化的见解。EAPSI奖学金的更广泛的影响包括为研究员提供美国以外的第一手研究经验;介绍各自所在地的科学，科学政策和科学基础设施;以及社会，文化和语言的方向。 这些活动符合NSF的目标，即在科学家，工程师和教育工作者的职业生涯早期进行国际合作教育，从而确保具有全球意识的美国科学工作者。在日本进行研究的独特经验将通过在科罗拉多大学举行的部门研讨会传播。这些将突出所进行的研究，以及通过EAPSI奖学金获得的文化经验，以广泛的年轻研究人员谁可以从类似的经验中受益。此外，这项研究的结果为进化研究在“真实的世界”中的应用提供了一个理想的例子，并将在科学界之外产生更广泛的影响。通过科罗拉多大学进化外展委员会的公共外展计划，这项研究将提供一个机会，将进化带出实验室，并以一种可访问的方式向公众展示其实际重要性。关于正在进行的进化研究如何影响人们？的日常生活，并密切联系在一起的实际问题和决策标记是一个重要组成部分，这一演变的研究。

This action funds Joshua Stepanek of the University of Colorado Boulder to conduct a research project in Biology during the summer of 2013 at Tokyo Gakugei University in Koganei, Tokyo. The project title is "Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Investigation of the Diatom Genus Amphora." The host scientist is Dr. Shigeki Mayama.Diatoms are an important and diverse group of microalgae found in virtually all aquatic environments. Within diatoms, members of the genus Amphora have been singled out as a potentially important biofuels source due to their ability to naturally produce large amounts of cellular oil. Although shown to be promising, the diversity and evolutionary history of the group continues to be poorly understood, undermining its potential usefulness. Preliminary data has shown Amphora to be a collection of distantly related subgroups, widely distributed throughout the diatom tree of life. This project continues an investigation into the taxonomy and evolutionary history of the genus Amphora, utilizing both the unique flora of Japan, as well as the expertise of Japanese diatom researchers. These goals are being met through the targeted collection of known Amphora populations, followed by the isolation and culturing of Amphora taxa present. From these collections, an evolutionary tree is being constructed using morphological and molecular techniques. Collaborative outcomes include: the description and publication of new species encountered during collections; the most extensively sampled phylogeny to date for the genus Amphora; and insights into the evolution of important lineages and characteristics within diatoms.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. The unique experience of conducting research in Japan will be disseminated through departmental seminars at the University of Colorado. These will highlight the research conducted, as well as the cultural experience obtained through an EAPSI fellowship to a broad group of young researchers who could benefit from a similar experience. Furthermore outcomes from this study provide an ideal example of "real world" applications of evolutionary research and will have broader impacts outside the scientific community. Through public outreach programs of the Evolution Outreach Committee at the University of Colorado, this research will provide an opportunity to bring evolution out of the laboratory and demonstrate its practical importance in an accessible way to a general public audience. Relating how ongoing evolutionary research effects people?s everyday lives and is closely tied to practical problems and decision marking is an important component of this evolutionary study.