Summer 2012 - eDisk - Franklin & Marshall College

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Summer 2012 Page 8Summer ResearchWith Roger Thomas:Katie Oxman ‘14 (Hackman)Katie is a Geosciences major, long interested in paleontology. As a Hackman Scholar, she has been continuingto build a database, now nearly complete, of descriptions and images of organisms preserved in the localKinzers Formation. This important record of the “Cambrian Explosion” has never been studied comprehensively.Katie will work on new material found by a local collector in her senior year. Meanwhile, she has departedfor New Zealand where she will study in the fall.Callie Maron ‘14 (Hackman)Callie, a Geosciences major who is also interested in physics and astronomy, has been working as a PaleobiologyResearch Assistant. She has been gathering and analyzing quantitative data documenting unusual patternsof variation in the Pliocene bivalve Glycymeris americana from the southeastern U.S. This variation is significantbecause its sudden and brief appearance in otherwise unremarkable shells coincided with a marked shift inAtlantic Ocean currents, following final closure of the Isthmus of Panama.With Bob Walter:Jordan Appleyard ‘13, Aaron Myers ‘13, Xinyu Deng ‘15 (Cargill Summer Scholars)Projects: Water quality and de-nitrification potential of restored valley bottoms in the Big Spring Run and LititzRun Watersheds (Lancaster County), in comparison to a functioning wetland ecosystem at Great Marsh (ChesterCounty). What they do: Surface and groundwater sampling for water quality analysis, measuring these samplesfor dissolved nitrate, phosphate and other constituents, conducting in-situ measurements with a multi-probefor T, pH, ORP, DO, and Specific Conductivity. Designing experiments to measure the de-nitrification potentialof restored wetland ecosystems, including to develop methods to measure N 2O with gas chromatography (GC)and GC-mass spectrometry.With Candace Grand Pré:Amy Moser ‘13 (Hackman scholar)Amy is working in Central PA - She is working on high-resolution Holocene/Pleistocene climate and environmentalreconstruction using diatoms from vibracores collected at Great Marsh in PA. This is a unique study thatwill offer insight into how the local and regional environment has changed since the last glacial maximum, theYounger Dryas, and the Holocene.Amalia Handler ‘13, Carla Freund ‘15, Apoorva Mathur ‘13 (Cargill Summer Scholars)Amalia, Carla, and Apoorva are all working on water quality and real-time environmental monitoring at bothMillport Conservancy and Big Spring Run. Amalia will be using diatoms as proxies for water quality and assessingthe health of Lancaster streams and restoration efforts. Carla will be looking at the local temporal andspatial variability in diatom communities at Millport and Big Spring Run and the implications for using diatomsas biological proxies of water quality. Apoorva is looking at cost-benefit analyses for various models of streamrestoration/conservation and comparing the models to the restoration/conservation efforts occurring at Millportand Big Spring Run.Julia Fiala ‘13 (F&M summer travel award)Julia is doing research in Great Britian and Washington, D.C. to compare and contrast the history of climatescience, sea level science, and environmental policy in the UK and the US. She will try to understand howscientific discoveries, legislation, politics, and people have shaped current national and international climate andenvironmental policy.Steve Clipman ‘13 (Mellon Environmental Studies award)Steve is in the Galapagos exploring the social, philosophical, and environmental implications of current “ecotourism”practices in the Galapagos. He is conducting interviews with the Ecuadorian Minister of Tourism,scientists, locals, and tourists to understand the pros and cons of ecotourism in the Galapagos Islands.
Summer 2012 Page 9Yellowstone National Park, 2012During their spring break vacation, Professor Sarah Dawson and eleven members of ENV 374 “WildlifeConservation” class traveled to Yellowstone National Park, accompanied by Professor Andy de Wet. Thegroup was led by a guide as they traveled around the park in search of wolves and other wildlife. Thewolves of Yellowstone are well known as an example of a successful reintroduction of a predator intoan ecosystem. At one point they witnessed a pack of wolves unsuccessfully attempt to attack a herd ofbison. The class also studied the wide variety of geological features in the Park and received informativetalks from local experts on a variety of topics. Although cold at times, the trip to Yellowstone was inspiringand informative.Hot News!Karen Mertzman ‘96 and Prof. Stan Mertzman consulted for two days this summer at the ArmstrongWorld Industries “magma-making” facility in Millwood, West Virginia.
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