Stable Isotopic Applications to Great Plains Ecology, Paleoecology, Archeology, and Physiology

该奖项提供资金，继续支持奥古斯塔纳学院生物系一年的学习。该计划将支持本科生参与一项重点研究计划，该计划整合了来自大学奥古斯塔纳学院(6)的10名研究人员的研究活动。内布拉斯加州(1)，自然保护协会(1)，南达科他州立大学。(1)和黑山州立大学。(1)。由于草原生态和古生态方面的共同利益，以及每个项目的各个方面都受益于碳和氮的稳定同位素在研究方法上的应用，这些项目在科学层面上被整合在一起。将使用一个连贯的群体和独特的方法，在生态资源丰富的地理区域继续进行生态和考古重建，并包括对饮食和生理学日益增长的兴趣。十名学生(一半是女性，一半来自校外)将集中学习领域和实验室的问题。他们将被期望获得一些他们研究的理论基础以及实验设计和最终的解释。每周的研讨会和工作坊将审查每个项目的理论基础和研究设计；提高学生的图书馆、实验室、数据处理和科学写作技能；并扩大他们对相关项目的理解。为期十周的暑期计划和学年的独立研究将以REU研讨会结束，每个学生将在研讨会上展示他/她解释的结果和结论，并帮助为明年夏天的项目开发假设和研究设计。该领域的杰出女性将被选为研讨会演讲者，并成为所有学生和教职员工的榜样。我们将邀请20所高中挑选一名优秀的女学生参加REU研讨会，并在暑期返回一天。

This award provides funds to continue support for another year in the Department of Biology at Augustana College. The program will support undergraduate participation in a focused research program which integrates the research activities of ten investigators from Augustana College (6), Univ. Nebraska (1), The Nature Conservancy (1), South Dakota State Univ. (1), and Black Hills State Univ. (1). The projects are integrated at the scientific level because of the common interests in prairie ecology and paleoecology, and because aspects of each project benefit from the applications of the stable isotopes of C and N to the research methodology. A coherent group and a unique methodology will be used to continue ecological and archeological reconstructions in a geographic area of rich ecological resources and to encompass growing interest in diets and physiology. Ten students (half women, half from off-campus) will study field and laboratory problems with a common focus. They will be expected to gain some mastery of the theoretical basis for their study as well as the experimental design and ultimate interpretation. Weekly seminars and workshops will review each project's theoretical basis and research design; enhance the students' library, laboratory, data handling, and scientific writing skills; and broaden their understanding of the related projects. The ten- week summer program and academic year independent study will culminate in an REU Symposium in which each student will present his/her interpreted results and conclusions and help develop the hypotheses and research designs for next summer's projects. Outstanding women in the field will be selected as seminar speakers and serve as role models for all students and faculty. We will invite 20 high schools to select an outstanding woman student to attend the REU Symposium and return for one day in the summer.