NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Convergent Evolution of Development and Feeding Biomechanics in Weakly Electric Fishes from South America and Africa

这一行动资助了2020财年NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，扩大了生物学领域代表性不足群体的参与。该研究金支持一项针对该研究员的研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。该项目融合了多个科学领域，并研究了“趋同进化”的概念，即在无关生物体中的类似特征。这项研究通过调查这样一个问题：在什么情况下生物体被认为是收敛的，从而解决了缺乏与“收敛进化”这个术语相关的明确术语的问题？这位研究员将使用综合方法研究两组不同的鱼类，并获得跨科学学科的培训。这项工作是该研究员未来将专注于收敛进化研究的研究计划的重要准备。赞助商将在教学和指导方面提供广泛的培训，因此该研究员将成为一名全面的学者，具有在研究项目中提供建议、讲课和领导学生的经验。在更广泛的影响活动中，该研究员将与所有教育水平的代表性不足的学生进行互动：K-12学生、STEM本科生和研究生。这些努力解决了STEM在所有级别缺乏代表性的问题，以增加博士后水平和博士后水平以外的整体多样性。该研究员将采取综合和跨学科的方法来研究两个有魅力的淡水鱼群体的趋同(及其术语)。电鱼，江鱼形目(南美洲)和桑鱼科(非洲)，通常被认为在许多方面是趋同的，包括基因、感觉系统和生态。以往的研究表明，虽然这两个群体在这些方面确实相似，但他们并不完全相同。该项目将使用各种方法来量化头部和头骨的形状，描述喂养模式，并测量饲养成功率，以进行不同电鱼物种的比较。这项工作的结果将使研究员了解这两个群体中的物种在发育过程和/或功能行为方面的趋同程度。这位研究员的目标是通过她的研究、合作和对代表性不足的学生的指导，使鱼类学领域多样化。这位研究员将在历史悠久的黑人学院和大学指导本科生，在本科生研究经验项目中为学生提供建议，在K-12学校领导科学课程，并为研究生举办旨在增加博士后水平多样性的研讨会。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2020, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The Fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The project incorporates multiple scientific fields and examines the concept of “convergent evolution,” or similar characteristics in unrelated organisms. This research addresses the lack of clear terminology associated with the term “convergent evolution” by investigating the question: at what point are organisms considered convergent? The fellow will use integrative methods to study two groups of diverse fishes and obtain training across scientific disciplines. This work is important preparation for the fellow’s future research program that will be focused on convergent evolution research. The sponsor will provide extensive training on teaching and mentoring so the fellow will be a well-rounded academic with experience with advising, lecturing, and leading students in research projects. The fellow will interact with underrepresented students at all educational levels during the broader impacts activities: K-12 students, STEM undergraduates, and graduate students. These efforts address the lack of representation in STEM at all levels, to increase the overall diversity at the postdoctoral level and beyond.The fellow will take an integrative and interdisciplinary approach to examining convergence (and its terminology) in two charismatic groups of freshwater fishes. Electric fishes, Gymnotiformes (South America) and Mormyridae (Africa), are generally deemed convergent in many ways, including genes, sensory systems, and ecology. Previous work showed that while these two groups are indeed similar in these aspects, they are not identical. The project will use methods to quantify head and skull shape, characterize feeding modes, and measure feeding success for comparisons across electric fish species. The results of this work will allow the fellow to understand the degree to which species in these two groups are convergent in developmental processes and/or functional behaviors. The fellow aims to diversify the field of ichthyology through her research, collaborations, and mentorship of underrepresented students. The fellow will mentor undergraduates at a Historically Black College & University, advise a student during a Research Experiences for Undergraduates project, lead scientific lessons at K-12 schools, and host workshops for graduate students aimed at increasing diversity at the postdoctoral level.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.