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

该行动资助科罗拉多大学博尔德分校的 Joshua Stepanek 于 2013 年夏季在东京小金井的东京学艺大学开展生物学研究项目。该项目的标题是“硅藻属双耳瓶的分类学和系统发育研究”。主持科学家是 Shigeki Mayama 博士。硅藻是几乎所有水生环境中发现的重要且多样化的微藻类群。在硅藻中，双耳瓶属的成员由于能够自然产生大量细胞油而被选为潜在的重要生物燃料来源。尽管显示出有希望，但该群体的多样性和进化历史仍然知之甚少，从而削弱了其潜在的有用性。初步数据显示，安芙兰是一组关系较远的亚群，广泛分布在硅藻生命树中。该项目利用日本独特的植物区系以及日本硅藻研究人员的专业知识，继续对双耳瓶属的分类学和进化历史进行调查。这些目标是通过有针对性地收集已知的 Amphora 种群，然后分离和培养现有的 Amphora 类群来实现的。利用形态学和分子技术从这些集合中构建进化树。合作成果包括： 收集过程中遇到的新物种的描述和出版；迄今为止对安芙兰属进行最广泛采样的系统发育； 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。在日本进行研究的独特经验将通过科罗拉多大学的院系研讨会进行传播。这些将重点介绍所进行的研究，以及通过 EAPSI 奖学金向广大年轻研究人员提供的文化经验，他们可以从类似的经历中受益。此外，这项研究的结果为进化研究的“现实世界”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，将进化论带出实验室，并以普通公众可以理解的方式展示其实际重要性。将正在进行的进化研究如何影响人们的日常生活并与实际问题和决策标记密切相关，是这项进化研究的重要组成部分。

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.