#sciencetechnology

NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DAY - 11 MAY, 2021

The Theme of the National Technology Day 2021 is “Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future”.

Biology student dives into coral restoration project  

Caitlyn Collins has reached new depths in her study of marine biology.

Quite literally.

The second-year biology (M.S.) graduate student spent part of her summer research work at the Roatan Institute of Marine Science in Honduras where she not only helped with a coral restoration project but learned to SCUBA dive to fully participate in the underwater data collection.

“The idea of jumping into the water, not knowing what was under you, and looking straight out into the blue would freak me out,” said Collins, who visited the institute with her coral reef ecology class through the Chincoteague Bay Field Station in Wallops Island, Va. “Now, I feel like it was the most incredible thing I’ve ever done, and I can’t wait to get back in the water.”

She added, “I found the endless blue calming and the weightlessness of diving relaxing. I got to swim with sea turtle and get up close to groupers and sharks, something I never thought I would do. I learned the diversity of coral and was able to see it in person, something you can’t really understand by just learning about it during lecture.”

Her underwater work was done as part of a coral restoration project being conducted at the Roatan Marine Institute.

“They’re taking fragments of Acropora cervicornis (Staghorn Coral) and Acropora palmata (Elkhorn Coral) and connecting them to a tree,” Collins said. “This tree will allow them to grow without the threat of predation and disturbance. Once the fragments reach a certain size, the fragments are replanted onto the reef.”

This is done in an effort to help restore coral reefs. Both of these corals are extremely important to the foundation of coral reefs and are a critically endangered species, according to Collins.  

“I was able to collect data on what species are on the reef, the type of substrata they’re living in, and the temperature and depth they are found at,” said Collins, who was taught to SCUBA dive up to 20 meters into the ocean and collect data. “Before this trip, I had no experience SCUBA diving and doing field work in the water. Now, I have done 25 dives and have learned techniques for collecting scientific data underwater.”

Even after experiencing the depths of the ocean up close, Collins believes the best part of being in Roatan was being exposed to the culture of Honduras.

“I got the opportunity to meet local people who knew so much about the ocean and the coral reefs around them that you would never know after being there for only two weeks,” said Collins, who’s working with Thomas Klinger, professor of biological and allied health sciences, to study the effect thermal stress has on the metabolic rates of sub-tidal species of sea urchins found in the Caribbean. “This data will be used as part of my thesis work to show the ecological impact these species of sea urchin will have on the coral reefs in the Caribbean.”

All of her collected data will give insight into the potential impacts of climate change on oceanic life.

“After I graduate, I would love to work at a marine station like the Roatan Institute of Marine Science,” Collins said. “This trip gave me valuable experience I would need to start a career like this. The experience helped me build field skills as a marine biology and also learn how to collect data while under water.”

Biology intern gets hands-on herpetological experience

Alyssa Williams, a biology major focused on ecology, conservation and field biology, interned this summer at Refreshing Mountain’s Wildlife Center in Stevens. 

She cared for reptiles and amphibians at the facility and taught school groups about herpetology. As part of her internship, she practiced snake identification in the Pocono Mountains. She and her coworkers identified a total of 23 snakes including a copperhead and timber rattlesnake. 

A summer in the Smithsonian

It’s a popular summer destination for tourists, but for one recent Bloomsburg University graduate it was simply the next step of her career pursuit.

Keara Drummer, a graduate student pursuing her masters in biology, is no stranger to museums and paleontology studies. During her time as an undergraduate at Bloomsburg University, she interned with the American Museum of Natural History where she had the opportunity to work with Invertebrate Paleontology Collections. This summer at the Smithsonian, she had the opportunity to build upon her pre-existing knowledge.

“My first internship was what I’ve been doing as an undergraduate collections assistant,” Drummer said. “The second internship was to get new skills in collections management. Conservation is inherently a large part of taking care of collections. Therefore, a set of skills I most definitely need to be a successful museum collections manager somewhere.”

Under the instruction of conservation specialist, Cathy Hawk, Drummer spent this past summer as a conservation intern working with a variety of specimen types including the new t-rex exhibit.

“My favorite experience was helping with the photo documentation of the new "Nation's T rex" for the new Deep Time fossil hall exhibit coming summer 2019,” Drummer said. “I got to hold and touch a Tyrannosaurus Rex and work and learn from one of the most influential natural history conservators in the world, Cathy Hawks.”

According to Drummer, the insight she gained this summer will carry into her graduate studies and potentially her future career.

“The knowledge gained about NMNH (National Museum of Natural History) itself and the conservations and collections skills I've learned and the networking I did this past summer is something I am thankful for every day,” she said. “I learned a lot about wet specimen and their care/needs. I am bringing that knowledge back to Bloom for their Biological Teaching Collections and the Paleontology Teaching Collections.”

Although most of her summers were spent working with paleontology, Drummer plans to focus on her degree in biology.

“I never wanted to go into paleontology specifically, but I wanted to work with collections of any variety,” Drummer stated. “I want to become a museum collections manager, scientist, specialist, etc. I like paleontology, but I'm at Bloom still to obtain a MS in Biology to make myself more marketable for other natural history collections (ornithology, entomology, invertebrate zoology, mammals, Invertebrate paleontology, vertebrate paleontology, etc).Who knows, maybe I'll end up as a paleontology collections manager? But, I'm just going where the wind takes me. I'm pretty open to any genre of natural history if it includes caring for a collection.”

Oceanography class goes coastal for spring break

It’s not unusual for college students to travel to the beach for spring break. It is when they go with their professor. It certainly is when the trip is part of the course curriculum.

Cynthia Venn, professor of environmental, geographical and geological sciences, took her oceanography class on a brief coastal trip over spring break from Virginia to Florida seeing first-hand how the geology and climates changed down the coast.

“It's one thing to be able to take a class so small and really have one-on-one time with the professor to learn the material, but to actually experience it hands-on is a much better way to further your education,” says Shannon Carr, a senior environmental science major. “Dr. Venn would provide us with photos of different birds, but we really got to know them once we saw them in their natural habitats.”

According to Carr, some of her favorite parts of the trip took place in Florida. A particular stop at Loggerhead Marine Center — a rehabilitation center for multiple different sea turtle species — was very memorable.

“It was really cool to see the vet's office and all of the turtles they have there,” Carr says. “It was also cool to hear their stories as to why they are there and how well they've recovered since they arrived.”

Another highlight occurred on an airboat ride through The Everglades, according to Carr.

“We got to see mangrove trees up close and personal, which is something you can't find up here in Pennsylvania,” says Carr, adding the trip has tremendously shaped her future.

“I'm graduating in May, and I'm looking to find a job in Coastal Restoration,” Carr says. “Since this class topic is not something offered regularly in the EGGS department, being able to have the opportunity to take it my senior year has been beyond awesome.”

Carr says the oceanography class did a great job of meshing together previous classes she took, such as biology, soil resources and surface hydrology.

EGGS major lands competitive summer internship

Paleontology isn’t a typical career track for an environmental geoscience major, but that’s not stopping Keara Drummer from testing the waters this summer at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Drummer, a junior, will be among the select few interning to help curators on the Royal Mapes Collection — a scientific collection of over 500,000 fossil specimens, mostly from the Upper Paleozoic of the central United States. She was one of six chosen for this highly competitive eight-week internship.

“It became a target because the internship does basically what I've been doing helping organize the EGGS paleo collection, except on a larger more professional scale,” Drummer said. “I enjoy the nature of the job, and I'm up for the bigger challenge. I've always had a fascination for museums as a kid.”

According to Drummer, the Department of Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences has prepared her for this opportunity through individualized instruction, hands-on field experience and networking opportunities with professionals. One connection she says gave her a competitive edge to land the internship was work with paleontology instructor Alan Gishlick, who also works for the American Museum of Natural History.

Gishlick opened Drummer up to the idea of paleontology on a professional level. With his help, Drummer says she had the opportunity to learn about and execute the suggested archival process for fossil specimens, catalog the information of fossils and use the online Paleobiology database to identify taxonomic ranks for the last two years.

While this is not a set career path for Drummer, she says this experience will help her get closer to her career goals and open up doors for opportunities in other fields. She is grateful to the EGGS faculty who have opened her up to so many career enhancing opportunities and allowed her to be a well-recognized student, not just a number in the 150-person lecture hall. 

Hito en neurología: crearon neuronas humanas a partir de células de un paciente argentino con Alzheimer hereditario – Infobae https://www.infobae.com/salud/ciencia/2026/04/01/hito-en-neurologia-crearon-neuronas-humanas-a-partir-de-celulas-de-un-paciente-argentino-con-alzheimer-hereditario/