NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Macrophysiological patterns in the thermal and optical properties of ant cuticular structures

2021 财年 NSF 生物学博士后奖学金：蚂蚁表皮结构热和光学特性的宏观生理模式

基本信息

批准号：
2109399
负责人：
Meghan Barrett
金额：
$ 13.8万
依托单位：
Barrett, Meghan
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Fellowship Award
财政年份：
2022
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2022-03-01 至 2024-02-29
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2109399&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship Biology FY

项目摘要

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented 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 seeks to understand the connection between the structure of ant hairs and cuticles and their thermal and optical properties in variable environmental conditions. Variation in the thermal properties of ant cuticles and hairs may allow them to heat up in cool environments and stay cool in hot environments. Patterns in thermal and optical properties will be analyzed across species along an elevational gradient in the Chiricahua Mountains in Arizona, and within species across latitudinal gradients in North America (from Canada to Mexico). As the first survey of biodiversity in cuticular structures with unique thermal/optical properties, this project will inspire engineering applications for global thermal and energy challenges (solar energy capture, radiative cooling, biomimetic materials, etc.). The Fellow will also develop curricular materials about thermal properties of living organisms to be used in high-need Los Angeles schools and published in peer-reviewed education journals as well as hosting culturally responsive mentoring and grant writing workshops for minoritized students at the host institutions and national conferences.The Fellow will use scanning electron microscopy to analyze the microstructure of ant cuticles and hairs, using both existing museum collections of widespread North American ant species and specimens collected by the Fellow along an elevational gradient at the Southwestern Research Station in Arizona. Fourier-transform infrared thermography, reflectance spectrophotometry (from ultraviolet to mid-infrared), and finite element method modeling will be used to analyze the thermal and optical properties of ant cuticular structures. Environmental data collected using local weather stations will be used to understand if solar radiation and temperature can predict the optical/thermal properties of ant cuticular structures. The research is integrated with an education plan aimed at increasing participation of underrepresented groups by 1) developing K-12 lesson plans in partnership with Noyce Scholars and Master Teacher Fellows to be used in high-need Los Angeles schools, and 2) publishing these plans in peer-reviewed and open access education journals. In addition, the Fellow will expand culturally responsive mentoring programs for minoritized postdocs and students at California State University Dominguez Hills and University of Southern California.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.

该行动为2021财年的NSF博士后研究奖学金提供了资金，从而扩大了在生物学中代表不足的群体的参与。奖学金支持该研究员的研究和培训计划，这将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。该项目试图了解在可变环境条件下蚂蚁毛和表皮结构之间的联系及其热特性。蚂蚁表皮和毛发的热特性的变化可能使它们在凉爽的环境中加热并在热环境中保持凉爽。将在亚利桑那州Chiricahua山脉的高度梯度以及北美（从加拿大到墨西哥）的纬度梯度跨物种（从加拿大到墨西哥）的物种中分析热性质和光学性质的模式。作为具有独特热/光学特性的表皮结构中生物多样性的首次调查，该项目将激发用于全球热能和能源挑战的工程应用（太阳能捕获，辐射冷却，仿生材料等）。该研究员还将开发有关将在高需求洛杉矶学校使用的生物的热能性能的课程材料该研究员在亚利桑那州西南研究站的海拔梯度沿着海拔梯度收集的广泛的北美蚂蚁物种和标本。傅立叶转换红外热仪，反射分光光度法（从紫外线到中红外）以及有限元方法建模将用于分析蚂蚁表皮结构的热特性和光学特性。使用当地气象站收集的环境数据将用于了解太阳辐射和温度是否可以预测蚂蚁表皮结构的光学/热特性。这项研究与一项旨在通过与Noyce Scholars和Noyce Scholars和大师教师研究员合作制定K-12的课程计划的教育计划融入了旨在增加代表性群体不足的小组的参与。此外，该研究员将在加利福尼亚州立大学多明格斯·希尔斯（Dominguez Hills）和南加州大学（University of Southeral California）的少数化博士后和学生中扩展具有文化响应的指导计划。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的审查标准通过评估来通过评估来获得支持的。