MESRP 1999 Research Summaries

This summer, we participated in a research internship at Horn Point Environmental Laboratory in Cambridge, Maryland. We worked for Dr. Laura Murray, under the close supervision of her technician, Mr. Brian Sturgis. Horn Point boasts easy access to practically all types to terrestrial and aquatic environments typical of Eastern North American coastal plains. This makes for an excellent research facility at which to conduct studies of marine, estuarine, and coastal environments.

As a team, we worked to assist with each other’s individual projects. Pat concentrated on using artificial substrates (i.e. ribbons tied to plastic grids that simulate seagrasses and their movement) to monitor water quality. She performed her experiments at local waterways in close proximity to her school. We knew from last year’s study that because of the positive correlation of epiphytes on the 2nd leaf Z. marina and the ribbons, artificial substrates were effective tools. This summer she probed deeper into their reliability. She also tested the water column for numerous parameters. From the data she collected and interpreted, Pat concluded that although these ribbons were good indicators of water quality, it was necessary to consider more. To more fully quantify the health of a waterway, artificial substrates needed to be accompanied by analysis of the water column as well as light availability and depth.

Georgia focused on areas in Newport Bay and Chincoteague Bay. Her project examined whether or not a dense SAV (submerged aquatic vegetation) bed had a greater impact on water quality than did a sparse bed. She hypothesized that a dense bed would take up more nutrients than a sparse bed, thereby better improving the quality of surrounding waters. This inquiry was performed by seagrass and artificial substrates studies. She also analyzed the effect of the tidal cycles on water column nutrient levels. From her experiment, Georgia concluded that dense seagrass beds do indeed affect water quality more greatly than do sparse beds.

Working with Laura and Brian for two consecutive summers has truly been a pleasure. Learning the basics of SAV ecosystems came quickly and easily, and we are still discovering a great deal. Moreover, transferring these studies to the classroom will be a relatively effortless task because these experiments were first performed (with less sensitive equipment) by Pat and her students. Pat plans to continue their field trips to these waterways, and to extend the parameters that are being tested with more advanced equipment. Georgia hopes to assist in these field trips and plans to model Pat’s work when she student teaches in the spring.

The most exciting and beneficial aspect of this internship was the camaraderie that developed between us. Having an in-service and pre-service pair has added a dimension to this experience that has been profitable to both of us. Pat’s expertise and experience in how to teach complimented Georgia’s fresh perspective of what to teach. The internship was remarkable in terms of both knowledge gained and great times shared.

This past summer, I completed my fourth year of research at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory on Solomons Island. This is the southernmost point in Calvert County, and the lab is at the mouth of the Patuxent River and the Chesapeake Bay. Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (CBL) is the research facility for the University of Maryland. Besides the staff scientists, there are undergraduate and graduate students, as well as PhD candidates, working on various experiments.

I conducted three experiments during my eight weeks at CBL. I revised my project from last summer – Run-off Effects on Invertebrates – by collecting fresh water from three locations in Calvert County, including one site in the Battle Creek Cypress Swamp. Hyallela azteca are used in the experiments because they are readily available at CBL, are easy to maintain in a classroom setting, and they are invertebrates (a requirement of Calvert County Schools for animal experimentation in the classroom). Ten Hyallela were placed in each water sample with four replicates of each and checked seventy-two hours later for survival rates. The water sample from the swamp allowed for the highest survival rate.

I also conducted a toxic dose experiment using Wisconsin Fast Seeds and serial dilutions of three weed killers and one fertilizer. The seeds were germinated in empty film canisters, and the results were achieved in three days. This will provide the opportunity to replicate the experiment in the classroom, teaching the concept of making dilutions and graphing results.

The final project I worked on was to find the LC50 for Hyallela in the four chemicals – Shoot Out, Weed B Gone, Broadleaf Weed Killer, and Peters Plant Food. There were three replicates of each, plus controls. Ten Hyallela were placed in each beaker for 96 hours. The concentrations tested were 0.5, 0.01, 0.0005, and 0.0000005. There was some survival at the .0000005 concentration, but the LC50 was not reached. This experiment will need to be continued with weaker dilutions. Once the LC50 is determined, students will use the information in terraqua containers. The chemical will be added to the soil at the top and allowed to percolate down to the water where the Hyallela will be living. Students will then see the direct relation and delicate balance between land and water.

This summer experience has given me the opportunity to read, research, and talk about experimental ideas for the classroom. I had the opportunity to try the plans and make changes so these will be worthwhile experiences for my students.

I recently finished my second year of research at the Appalachian Laboratory (AL) in Frostburg, MD. The Appalachian Laboratory, in rural Allegany County, is located at the interface between the Appalachian Plateau and Ridge-and-Valley physiographic provinces. Because of the rainshadow effect of the Plateau and variable topography, the area has a wide range of habitats. AL faculty research is centered on watershed and landscape ecology. The current research of my mentor, Dr. Steve Seagle, is focused on forest ecosystems and the role played by their distribution within landscapes having multiple land uses. During the summer of 1999, my research was an extension of Dr. Seagle's ecological indicators project, which is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. The purpose of this project is to define measures of the ability of landscapes to support multiple resources. One such resource is the forest interior birds that migrate to forests of this area to breed and raise young during the summer. An important aspect of the suitability of forests for these birds is food production in the form of insects and insect larvae.

Twenty study sites were located in Western Maryland: ten in Green Ridge State Forest (in the drier Ridge-and-Valley) and ten in Savage River State Forest (on the wetter Appalachian Plateau). Within each of these State Forests, the study sites were stratified between drier upper slopes and wetter lower slopes. In order to quantify food availability for birds that forage on the forest floor (such as the Ovenbird), invertebrate biomass was estimated in for the litter layer of the forest floor at three points within each of the twenty sites. These point samples were repeated three times during the summer. Litter was collected using an 8-inch diameter metal pipe inserted through the litter, with all litter inside collected into a plastic bag. Litter, but not soil humus was included in the collection. Each bag was labeled with the site number, sampling station, date, litter depth, and any special placement comments. Once the litter was collected, it was brought back to the lab to be analyzed. Each sample was placed in a Berlese funnel under a 40-watt bulb for 48 hours. Litter invertebrates fell through the funnel into a three:one solution of ethyl alcohol. The invertebrates were removed from the alcohol solution, sorted from small pieces of litter, and dried in an oven at 105 degrees Celsius for18 hours. The invertebrate dry mass was then calculated and ratios of invertebrate biomass:litter biomass were calculated.

Preliminary results indicate that in comparison to previous studies, the total biomass of invertebrates collected was low. This result probably stems from a summer-long drought that keeps the forest litter layer dry, creating poor habitat for the invertebrates. Nonetheless, there were notable differences among the study sites, indicating that forest "quality" for litter-foraging birds varies as a function of physiographic province and hillslope position. We hypothesize that the drought depressed breeding success of the litter-foraging birds because of food shortages. This hypothesis will be tested as the bird breeding data collected on these sites is analyzed during the fall.

This summer I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Daniel Wubah at Towson University. Dr. Wubah's mycological research had given rise to a collaborative project involving Dr. David M. Schaefer of the Physics Department. They had come to the conclusion that the emerging field of nanotechnology (and the Atomic Force Microscope) might be a more than effective tool with which to conduct novel research in the area of mycology. With the ultimate goal of studying forces involved in fungal spore adhesion, they quickly assigned me the task of taking some preliminary scans so that a better understanding of spore ultrastructure could be achieved.

After 'hitting the books' and getting somewhat comfortable with the physics/fungal aspects of the project, I soon found myself in the 'captain's chair' behind quite an extraordinary (read expensive) machine. The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) has the unique ability to produce three dimensional, topographical images of surfaces down to the atomic level. The AFM also possesses two significant advantages over previously invented microscopes in that not only can it image non-conducting surfaces (of which most biological membranes consist of), but it can also measure any interaction forces that may exist between surfaces (such as those between a spore and a plant surface, for example).

The images gleaned from the AFM turned out to shed a good deal of light on the ultrastructure of fungal spores (no pun intended). Daily however, they seemed to lead to a growing list of questions that, as yet, remain unanswered. For example, how can this information lead to perhaps more effective and practical means of controlling pathogenic fungi? With more research, some of these answers are sure to emerge. Indeed, with technological advances such as the AFM, I am sure it will be just a matter of a short time.

I found myself feeling incredibly fortunate to be involved in such provocative research. Perhaps more so in that I was also able to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program that was conducted concurrently at Towson University. Between seminars, workshops, and exciting field trips, I was able to bend the ears of not only my mentors, but those of some extremely talented, patient, and kind students involved with that program. The experience was a pleasure and I certainly would recommend it to anyone, anytime.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MOLECULAR TECHNIQUE TO IDENTIFY THE SEX OF TREE SWALLOWS (TACHYCINETA BICOLOR) A MONOMORPHIC SPECIES

This summer, I had the opportunity of working with Dr. Larry Wimmers at Towson University in the Biology Department. My research project developed as a result of the collaboration of Dr. Wimmers and Dr. Scott Johnson. Dr. Johnson needed a way to determine the sex/gender of monomorphic birds in order to further his studies. In monomorphic species, all members have the same appearance, and the gender must be determined using behavioral cues or invasive techniques. Behavioral cues are often unreliable, or unavailable, and invasive techniques are often unacceptable. Dr. Johnson is interested in the how the environment affects the sex/gender of the offspring of these birds. In order to determine this, one first must be able to identify the gender of the birds. Thus, my research involved developing a molecular technique that would accurately identify the gender of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor).

As a way of developing a molecular technique, we isolated DNA from blood samples sent to us by Dr. Johnson. We used protocol for our experiment based upon several scientific journal articles. Next, we attempted to amplify a gene encoding the chromo-helicase-DNA binding protein (CHD), which is known to be a sex-linked gene in birds. Amplification was done by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), followed by agarose gel electrophoresis, to determine product size of DNA in the form of bands. During the last week of research, we were able to successfully identify the gender of ten samples as male and female, thus, developing a molecular technique for gender identification.

Throughout the entirety of my research, math played an important role. Metric conversions were a nightmare for me, but gradually I began to master them. Using a scientific calculator was also a part of my research. I had to master these skills in order to do the DNA extractions and isolation as well as prepare the samples for the PCR and electrophoresis.

I was not only limited to doing just my research, I was also given the opportunity to work with a group of undergraduate students who were also doing research. We had seminars, field trips, science workshops and social events. I had to constantly remind myself that I was not an undergraduate student any more. The extra activities that I was allowed to be a part of introduced me to other aspects of science, science research, and the opportunity to develop future contacts as well as new friendships.

This internship was, by all means, a learning experience for me. I have a degree in Biology and I teach science at the middle school level, but I often had to ask myself, “Just what exactly did I learn in college?” The research experience allowed me to do and see first hand the types of things that I teach my students. I also gained a wealth of knowledge about the many scientific opportunities and facilities in the Baltimore-Washington area. I have a lot of information that I can share with my students - information that comes from a “hands on” experience and not simply from a textbook.

Science is evident in all that we do and I am very appreciative to everyone that was a part of this internship and to the individuals that made this summer program possible.

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory supported the Maryland Educators’ Summer Research Program’s (MESRP) effort to provide teachers and pre-service interns with an opportunity to play an active role in the macro-level scientific community. I was paired with a mentor from the Directed Energy Effects and Mitigation Branch, Joseph Miletta. Together, my supporting mentor and I worked to design a waveguide transition for a high-power microwave antenna.

The focus of the internship was on the design and development of a vehicle stopper device. The vehicle stopper system under design is a directed energy weapon (DEW). DEWs are devices that radiate waves of microscopic particles, causing a negation/destruction of a target. DEWs often use electromagnetic sources such as high power microwaves, lasers, radio frequencies, and particle beams. The electromagnetic source used for the vehicle stopper is high power microwave (HPMs).

An antenna will direct the HPMs through the target vehicles ports-of-entry, mainly body gaps and windows. The directed HPMs will enter the electronic engine control computer causing the computer to produce false signals. This will also result in an alteration of the vehicles fuel injection performance.

Past experiments have indicated that the L-Band region is most effective in the negation of vehicles system electronics. Unfortunately, the cross-section of antennae that radiate L-Band with desirable gain is often large. The reduction in the size of the antenna was a major component of my project. One way of reducing the size involves employing dielectric radiators with dielectric waveguide feeds. Throughout the duration of my internship I was able to use High Frequency Structured Simulator, a finite element computer-aided design program, to generate models of a small transformers. By the end of my internship, I developed a transition stage between the L- Band waveguide to a dielectrically filled S-Band waveguide that allowed energy to move through a dielectric transition in the vehicle stoppers antenna. The transition has a reflection coefficient of about .01, and is able to operate at peak power levels with minimal insertion loss.

At the end of my internship, I reflected on my experience. The more I thought about the internship, the more excited I got about teaching my future students the concepts I learned from my internship. I think this internship has taught me how to relate more to students. I now understand how it feels to be placed in a foreign environment, having your heartbeat race from total confusion, and feeling like “I cant!” But I also know the joy that comes from conquering various scientific obstacles. With the humility and charisma I have gained from this internship, I plan to transform the way my students view science and mathematics. I will not only tell, rather I will show my future students that the exploration of science and mathematics is an adventure. Each new trail blazed provides one with more insight into the field of science, and thus the field of life.

The US Army is seeking to build a smaller microwave antenna that would have useful applications for civilian, border, and military police. This antenna is to be covered with a lightweight material that shows changes in its dielectric properties across its depth. Producing such an antenna cover (dome/lens) may be accomplished by doping a low dielectric constant polymer with a high dielectric constant ceramic and changing the proportions of these two materials across stacked layers of the antenna cover.

The 2-3 foot thick cover of the antenna is designed to serve as an impedance transformer between the dielectric-filled waveguide (a microwave emitter) and a free space (air). Such a design will theoretically allow the maximum amount of microwave energy signal to leave the slotted-array waveguide into the surrounding air. Changing the dielectric constant from 5 (the dielectric constant of the ceramic-filled waveguide) to 1 (the dielectric constant of air) across the depth of the antenna cover is also intended to minimize microwave reflection back to the source and minimize energy loss and overheating of the antenna. A properly designed, variable-dielectric antenna cover should enable smaller antennae to be used in high-power applications, thereby reducing the weight and cost of weapons in the battlefield.

Working as an intern at the US Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, Maryland, I worked on one phase of this project to produce and test small samples of the antenna cover to determine whether its electrical properties would meet the specifications of the high-energy microwave antenna. Samples of the antenna cover were prepared by mixing strontium titanate powder with ingredients for making polyurethane foam. The resulting mixture was poured into an aluminum mold that produced lightweight, cylindrical, rigid samples ready for evaluation of electrical and radiative properties. The various polyurethane samples contained strontium titanate, with concentrations ranging from 0 to 50% SrTiO3 by mass. Layers of these SrTiO3-polyurethane samples stacked in 5% increments of increasing SrTiO3 content were also prepared. A second set of experiments involving the mixing of high dielectric constant (K=5) non-ferroelectric cement with polystyrene beads that have a dielectric constant of 1. Such polystyrene-HiK cement mixtures were prepared having a 50% and 80% polystyrene content by volume. The anticipated dielectric constant of such mixtures would be expected to be between 5 and 1.

The samples were inserted into a precision 7-mm diameter coaxial airline, a hollow cylindrical chamber with a center conductor. The material’s scattering parameters were measured on a Hewlett-Packard network analyzer (HP 8510C) in the range of 1-4 GHz. The data were stored on disc and fed into the equation for calculating the samples’ dielectric constant and loss tangent (Tan, 1996). Corrections for the “through readings” involving the network analyzer cables and connectors was performed for each sample reading on the computer before dielectric constants were calculated. Corrections for the electrical length of the solid sample were also made. Dielectric calculations and graphs were performed by Miletta (August 1999) using MatLab software. Samples of known dielectric constant (K=5 and K=7) were used as standards. Two K=5 standards of different lengths (0.636, 2.6, and 4.7cm) were prepared to determine whether sample length had any bearing on the accuracy of the dielectric measurements. This allowed us to determine whether residual air in the coaxial airline (sample holder) would significantly alter the measurement outcomes.

The results of these tests on the standard samples showed that the K=5 and K=7 samples had dielectric constants 2-3 times lower than expected at 1.3 GHz. (While the manufacturer tested their standards at 8.6 GHz, these results should remain stable down at the 1-2 GHz range.) Dielectric constants for many different kinds of samples have been shown to remain relatively constant over wide frequency ranges (e.g. 3-10 GHz); Moreno, 1963) and well beyond that. The dielectric constants also varied non-uniformly across the 1-4 GHz frequency sweep.

The 0-5% SrTiO3 -polyurethane samples prepared in this study had calculated dielectric constants that ranged from 0.85 to 1.25, with loss tangents of –0.01 to –0.10 (at 1.3 GHz). The SrTiO3 -polyurethane foam samples were designed to give dielectric constants ranging from 1-7 and loss tangents <0.02. Sample length had very little effect on the calculated dielectric constant, which still remained low (1.2 for a K=5 standard). Tan’s (1996) algorithm, which was used to calculate the dielectric constant from the S-parameters of liquids that fill the entire coaxial air line, has yet to be shown valid when working with solid samples that do not fill the entire air line. Suggested directions for future work include (i) a critical examination of Tan’s equations (1996) for calculating dielectric constants and loss tangents from S-parameter measurements as it applies to solid samples that do not fill the entire air line, (ii) designing foam and HiK cement samples that can be physically “stacked” so they would fill the entire air line, (iii) preparing foam and HiK cement samples directly in a spare air line (pre-spraying the inside of the air line and center conductor dry with lubricant spray to facilitate post-measurement sample removal, (iv) replicating Tan’s (1996) work with ethylene glycol and other liquids that do fill the entire air line, (v) calculating dielectric constants from capacitance measurements of K=5 or K=7 HiK cement samples obtained from the manufacturer at MHz frequencies (to confirm the stability of the dielectric constant across a wide MHz and GHz range), (vi) determining whether ferroelectrics require a correction in Tan’s (1996) equations, and (vii) having an independent lab verify the dielectric measurements of the samples at 1.3 GHz using S-parameter measurements.

The value of having science teachers participate in a summer research internship at a facility such as the US Army Research Laboratory allows a participating teacher to see many more applications of science to society than is ever possible if the teacher is continually bound to the classroom environment. It becomes clear that one of the goals of having students learn science is so that one day, they may use this knowledge to help solve important social, and in my case military, problems and to develop new products necessary for and advanced society. Working with a team of experts reflects the type of group problem-solving activities science teachers need to have their students engage in on a regular basis. It reflects a real-world approach to learning and problem solving.

The primary function of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Earth Observing Systems (EOS) is to observe and record earth surface changes through the use of remote sensing. The EOS shares their findings in a variety of ways with all interested parties. For example, a data set could be used by the Arizona Water Sewage Facility to plan and construct an appropriate sewage system that drains water run off more efficiently. Farmers can also use the remote sensing tools to detect where irrigation is needed. The EOS has developed a web site called the Earth Observatory to share data sets that show cause and effect over time. The web site Universal Resource Locator (URL) is www.earthobservatory.com. In addition, they have Case Studies and featured news releases. While we were working with some members of the EOS team, we were charged with a project of developing an interactive model for the Earth Observatory.

Developing an interactive model posed some interesting challenges to us. First, we had to state our purpose for the model, which was a tricky step. Because of the commitment to link the model to National and State Standards and allow for our intended user to reason using scientific inquiry, we were careful not over-state the purpose. Yet, we wanted to excite the user so that they would be fully engaged as they embarked on our Virtual Biome activity. Once we had a solid purpose, we wanted our user to interact with the components of discovering optimum plant growth in a given biome, without initially giving too much background knowledge. We decided that our first task would engage the user to want to continue working on other tasks in the model.

Our goal for the Earth Observatory's Virtual Biome is to have several tasks that relate remote sensing to the earth's systems and use manipulation of gained data sets from orbiting satellites. Because of our unique summer experience and fortunate pairing for practicum placement in the fall, we are confident our experiences will be shared for an educational excitement within our eighth graders at Eastern Middle School.

Towson University was the site of the experiment I conducted during my summer internship. The research was designed to determine which wood the Panaque maccus could most easily digest and which wood they preferred. The reason this and other research is being conducted is because the Panaque maccus is one of few fish, if not the only fish, that can digest wood and gain energy from it.

Dr. Jay A. Nelson has been actively studying the Panaque for some years now. The main objective is to isolate and transfer the enzymes and micro bacteria that can digest wood into cattle so that they may be fed wood, thus reducing landfills by feeding cattle wood pulp. Little is known of the Panaque and other undiscovered species within the Amazon River. With the Amazon Rainforest disappearing, the Panaque and its relatives are in jeopardy of being lost. It is therefore extremely imperative that research be done now before such loss occurs.

The research consisted of seventeen fish tanks, each containing one Panaque maccus, except for one control tank. The Panaque are nocturnal feeders; therefore, light had to be regulated. The windows were covered in black plastic, and the light timer was set on a 12-hour light / 12-hour dark schedule. The temperature at the bottom of the Amazon is approximately 25 degrees Celsius, thus the tanks were regulated to that temperature. Each tank contained eight samples of wood, two each of four different kinds of wood: Black Walnut, White Pine, Red Maple, and Black Birch. The trial period for the experiment was four weeks, with data being collected one each week on the weight of the fish and the weight of the wood. No concrete evidence would be gathered from the experiment, although there was an indication of preference for the softer woods.

I plan to continue my research throughout the school year. I also plan to expand the research to facilitate plans of Dr. Nelson and myself by using a bomb calorimeter to determine just how much energy the Panaque gain from the various types of woods and which is greater.

My experience with this internship was great. Not only did I make many good connections and many good friends, but I was also exposed to experimental design and how to correctly set up an experiment. This program is very helpful in exposing students to laboratory work early and giving them a chance to get their feet wet, letting curiosity run a little wild.

This summer I worked at the US Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, Maryland. In this large facility, I was assigned to the Boundary Layer Meteorology division under my mentor Jon Mercurio. My project was to research the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster of 1986. The goal for my research was to contribute information about the accident to provide for the possibility of predicting the fallout of nuclear particles in future accidents.

Gathering this type of technical information was difficult. I spent many hours on the computer and in the library, making contacts with scientists overseas, and mailing away for meteorological data specifically related to Chernobyl. Probably the most difficult part of my internship was trying to interpret the mathematical models that scientists had used to predict the fallout from the Chernobyl incident. Scientists from all over the globe experimented with mathematical models that were used to explain the amounts of nuclear particles diffused into the atmosphere, and then fall to the earth. Since most countries measured their readings in different units, comparisons between different models were sometimes difficult to achieve. Data collection was also difficult due to the fact that in 1986, scientists were not prepared with the technology necessary for accurate readings. Nothing like this had happened before, and the world was not prepared for Chernobyl’s lasting impact on the atmosphere and the land.

Through my research, I learned that, in as little as two weeks time, the radioactive particles from Chernobyl had diffused through the atmosphere and traveled around the globe. Radioactive particles were detected as far as Japan and West Virginia! Most of the fallout occurred within a 30-mile radius of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. But, the lighter, gaseous particles were the ones that were ejected higher into the atmosphere and diffused around the world. More evident places, like the Ukraine, suffered major casualties and high incidents of child disease because of the release of the radioactive nucleotides. These effects are life-long, and the United States Army is looking for ways to prevent this type of disaster from happening again.

It is my hope that my research on Chernobyl will help the Army understand better how radioactive particles diffuse through the boundary layer of the atmosphere. Research of the Chernobyl incident can also be applied to another aspect of radioactivity—nuclear war. If the Army knows how a certain nucleotide diffuses through the atmosphere at a certain height, temperature, and terrain, they can predict the locations of the fallout of the radioactivity and therefore become more tactical and sparing with their use of nuclear weapons.

This summer I participated in a twelve-week internship at Assateague Island National Seashore. Assateague Island is a 37-mile long barrier island known for the wild horses that inhabit it. The island stretches from Maryland to Virginia. My internship took place on the Maryland portion of the island. Assateague Island National Seashore is a part of the National Park Service. Research is being conducted by the park service on water, plants, and wildlife. Not only is Assateague Island National Seashore a research site, but it is also a public attraction. There are, on average, over 2 million visitors to the island per year. The wide range of jobs at this particular site includes law enforcement, maintenance, life guarding, and interpretation.

My specific job title this summer was Interpretative Intern. I performed a range of duties including giving canoe trips, shellfishing demonstrations, kids' beach discoveries, aquarium talks, dusk walks, and campfire programs. For each program, I had to research what I was teaching and then write an outline of the program. These outlines were submitted to my supervisor, and throughout the summer, my programs were audited. Presenting these programs helped me to learn about the island and prepared me for my main project, which was developing math lesson plans for the fourth through sixth grade Traveling Trunk box.

The Traveling Trunk box is an environmental education resource that is designed to be used by educators to advance the study of barrier islands and Atlantic coast beaches. The trunks contain lessons that integrate a variety of educational disciplines from Language Arts to Sciences. The trunk contains lesson plans as well as videotapes, slides, books, sand, shells, egg cases, thermometers, wind meters, ultraviolet meters, and more. Environmental Education Specialist Rachelle Daigneault created the Traveling Trunk in 1995. She felt that there was a lack of information about the seashore and that this educational resource was being overlooked. She began writing proposals and received a grant from the National Parks Foundation. She started with the development of the first through third grade box, because most traveling trunk boxes she had seen were for the older grades. She felt that children should start out early learning about the seashore. So she began collaborating with others, including Education Technician Liz Davis, to create the existing first through third grade Traveling Trunk. They are currently working to develop the fourth through sixth grade box.

I produced four lessons for the Traveling Trunk box. The first lesson was a learning center counting exercise using clam pieces. It was specifically designed to teach addition skills and will be put in the first through third grade box. I then adapted the learning center idea so it could be done using multiplication and thus be placed in the fourth through sixth grade box. The third lesson I created was another lesson using clam pieces to teach the concept of odd and even numbers and the addition patterns associated with them. The last lesson I created was a lesson on the nesting habits of the piping plover, which is an endangered bird on the island. In addition to creating those lessons, I also proposed the idea of a worksheet that showed the different jobs at the park and how they use math.

I was also given the opportunity to work with the water resource management team once a week doing surf water testing. Every Monday, we gathered samples from three sites in Maryland and two sites in Virginia to test for a harmful type of bacteria known as enterococcus. We gathered sterile samples of the surf water and took the samples to a lab in Dover. We also measured air temperature, water temperature, and the salinity of the water. Salinity was measured in parts per thousand (ppt) using a refractometer.

I believe that each part of this internship was relevant to me as a classroom teacher. Through developing the lesson plans I gained practice in writing lessons and collaborating with others. I also produced lessons that are going to be used by others and that I may be able to use in my future classroom. Giving and writing programs allowed me to gain practice in teaching others, writing and implementing lessons, and taught me the importance of constant revising and improvising. The time I spent with the water resource management team taught me what researchers do, why, and how. Before this internship I knew very little about the seashore and Assateague Island. Now, however, I feel I have a vast amount of knowledge about both. I have also found an ally in the National Park Service and see National Parks as an important educational resource.

This summer, I spent eight weeks at the Science Center of Connecticut, located in West Hartford, CT. I was specifically involved with Summer Science, which is a program for children entering first through sixth grade. The children attended for either a half or a full day and concentrated on a different science theme each week. During the week prior to the start of the program, I assisted the education staff with curriculum development and activity planning for each week. This included researching possible topics to correspond with the weekly theme, gathering lesson ideas, and planning crafts and projects. Throughout the course of the program, I was responsible for teaching a 2 hour science class with a craft or project each day, providing the children with a story relating to the day’s topic, and assisting them while filling out their daily activity journals. When I wasn’t teaching, I was back at my desk researching and preparing for the next day.

The research I conducted this summer at the Science Center will be used as data for the thesis project I am completing as a requirement for the College of Education Honors Program at the University of Maryland. My thesis explores the impact and importance of informal science education and the need for adherence to the National Science Education Standards by informal education sites to further increase scientific literacy among students. My involvement with the Summer Science program provided me with an opportunity to review curriculum development methods as well as assess the effectiveness of their informal science education program.

With the help of my three thesis advisors, my mentor Sue Carroll at the Science Center, and some of the other education staff, I was able to develop assessments to determine each child’s level of scientific literacy as specified by subject area in the National Science Education Standards. Since the children were separated according to age, I developed an assessment for the first and second graders and one for the third through sixth graders. I chose four weekly units that I felt most closely resembled the content specified in the Standards (Reach for the Stars, Science A to Z, Crime Scene-Do Not Cross, Eco-Expeditions). The assessment was given at the beginning of the week and then again at the end and consisted of four content-based questions and four interest-based questions. In addition, I created a chart allowing me to assess the level of scientific inquiry skills exhibited by children at different grade levels.

Using this information, I hope to prove my hypothesis that informal science education following the guidelines set forth in the Standards complements formal science education and may even increase a child’s level of scientific literacy. While the data I collected will be compiled and incorporated into my thesis project, I plan to share my results with the education staff at the Science Center. I hope that they will find my research useful and continue to increase their adherence to the Standards when they are developing future curriculum.

My experience this summer at the Science Center has been incredible! I never realized that informal science education sites had such a great impact on a child’s level of scientific literacy. While I was working alongside the other educators and my mentor, I gained a new perspective on the amount of work that goes into planning and preparing for various lessons. I also learned many new things about science myself. For example, did you know that two thirds of the world’s animal species are found in rainforests, or that the average life span of an Atlantic green turtle is over one hundred years? After spending seven weeks teaching some of the curriculum I helped develop and observing children from each age group, I feel that I have helped a lot of children develop a new interest in and appreciation for science. Looking at the progress many of the children made in only a week, reflected by more complete and thoughtful answers on their post assessments, is extremely encouraging. I feel that each child benefited in some way from the Science Center’s hands-on approach to learning. With an increased level of interest in science, each child will be eager to share what they learned with others, as well increase their knowledge of science. Most importantly, many of the children displayed an understanding of how science is an important part of their daily lives. If a summer program such as Summer Science can provide this much enthusiasm for science learning, informal science education commands the respect of formal educators. As a future teacher, I will never forget my experience at the Science Center of Connecticut. I can’t wait to put some of what I have learned about science to work in my own classroom!

This past summer, we had the unique opportunity of participating in an internship at the Center of Marine Biotechnology (COMB), which is part of the University of Maryland’s Biotechnology Institute and housed at the Columbus Center in downtown Baltimore. Located on Pier 6, adjacent to the National Aquarium, and across from the Living Classrooms facility, it is an ideal site for studying conditions of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Since it opening, COMB has dedicated its research to finding ecologically sound solutions to a variety of perplexing environmental problems. While conducting our research, we worked closely with our mentors, Mr. Adam Frederick, a marine education specialist for Maryland Sea Grant, and Dr. William Jones, a senior scientist at COMB. Bryan Stoll is an inservice teacher with Baltimore County Public Schools, and Tara Hlavinka is a pre-service teacher with the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP) at Towson University.

Our research was a continuation of a project conducted the previous summer, which studied the development of biofilms in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Biofilms are living things that attach and grow on a surface. Examples of common biofilms encountered by most people include the mildew that grows in the shower or plaque on teeth. Recognizable biofilms in the marine environment include barnacles and mussels growing on pilings and hulls of large ships. Typically, biofilms begin with bacteria that lay down a sticky sugar compound known as a polysaccharide layer to which the bacteria attach. Their attachment can be followed by layers of other organisms that either use the bacteria for adhesion or as a food source. When biofilms accumulate on aqueducts or the hulls of ships, they can cause problems with clogging and reduce ship speed. Undesired biofilm accumulation is called biofouling and is one of the areas under study at the Center of Marine Biology. Fully understanding the process and signals involved in biofilm attachment is critical in developing ecologically friendly methods for preventing or slowing biofouling. Using bacteria to inhibit biofouling would provide a natural, environmentally friendly alternative to the toxic paints that are currently used on marine vessels as a method of preventing biofouling.

The goal of this summer’s project was to re-test bacteria that showed interesting results during the previous year’s study - bacteria that formed stable biofilms and either inhibited or enhanced the biodiversity of other organisms, such as mussels and barnacles, attaching to the surface of acrylic disks. In addition, we wanted to make modifications to the equipment and protocols to try and overcome some of the inconsistencies and difficulties encountered in the data collection the previous summer.

All of the bacteria used were isolated from the Patuxent River and frozen in a –80 degree Celsius freezer. The three “bacteria de jour” were cultured with acrylic disks until a confluent layer of bacteria was formed. The disks, along with sterile control disks, were lowered into the Inner Harbor. Each day for a month, one of the racks was collected and sampled. At the same time the disks were collected, we conducted water quality testing for pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and clarity. During the first three days, bacteria samplings were made, as well as invertebrate sampling. In an attempt to standardize the method for invertebrate sampling, our mentor, Mr. Adam Frederick, devised a numbered grid that was transferred to a transparency sheet and could be placed on top of the disks. Five areas on each disk were sample by selecting five grids at random. Then, using a stereoscope, we identified and counted macroinvertebrates that attached to the disks within those areas. The counts were entered into a spreadsheet on the Maryland Sea Grant web page, which in turn calculated the Simpson’s Biodiversity Index, an index that measures the variation and growth percentages of organisms on the disks.

During the course of the experiment, changes in biodiversity on the test disks were graphed and compared to the control disks, as well as other bacterial isolates. Some of the data supports the findings of the previous summer, while other data seems to conflict. While we believe our set-up of the racks, the positioning of the disks, and the methods for data collection allow for more consistent and reproducible results, more testing will be necessary to asses the validity of these preliminary results.

In addition to conducting this research, Tara had the exciting opportunity to teach in the SciTech classroom at COMB this summer. While a little apprehensive at first, Tara did an outstanding job assimilating and disseminating the information to her students, who ranged from late elementary to middle school age. During the time she taught, the topic was biofilms and biodiversity, allowing Tara the opportunity to share with the students what she had learned in her research efforts. This gave the students a real connection between what they were learning and what was happening in the world of research. Both she and her students thoroughly enjoyed the classes.

This was an incredible experience for both of us. We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to interact with each other and share our ideas and thoughts about teaching and working with young people. We are very grateful to Towson University for making this program possible. This fall, we plan to involve Bryan’s students in similar aquatic biodiversity studies and plan to use the educational material we have been developing as a result of the biodiversity study. For further information and marine education curriculum projects, visit the Maryland Sea Grant website at http://mdsg.ud.edu/MDSG/outreach.html

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) is located on the pastoral outskirts of Edgewater, MD. Check out the web site at www.serc.si.edu. It was there that I got my first true glimpse of the “rhizosphere” this summer. The rhizosphere is where more than 90% of all terrestrial plant species associate with fungi in an intense symbiotic relationship. My MESRP internship under Dr. Dennis Whigham, Principal Investigator, brought me into contact with a multinational group of researchers, post docs, and lab techs. They are all involved in the study of these mycorrhizal relationships, with the eventual goal of applying that knowledge to the reestablishment of threatened and endangered plant species. In particular, my group was intent on helping out eight native terrestrial orchid species. In the 3rd year of a 5-year grant, they are closing in on methods to reintroduce these orchids by pairing them up with the friendliest fungi they can find.

Most folks know that a lot of orchids are ectophytes, growing on the outsides of other plants in a parasitic lifestyle. Terrestrial orchids don’t do that. Starting out as tiny, starch-deficient, helpless seeds, they enter that dark subterranean “dog eat dog” world of bacteria, fungi, insects, worms…yuck! If they are invaded by (and befriended by) the right fungus, they eat it and survive long enough to build photosynthetic machinery. If it is the wrong fungus, they starve or succumb to the fungus. Finding the right fungus is an absolute requirement of all orchids and most plants. Orchids are the only known plants that take the fungi into their cells, manage the growth, and harvest the food molecules from them until they can carry out photosynthesis. Frequently, the fungus is absorbing food from a third party plant, in order to feed the orchids… talk about “Romancing the Stone”.

One orchid at SERC never develops chlorophyll, Corallorhiza ssp, so must maintain this mycotrophic relationship forever. Most orchids need certain fungus species as seedlings, but develop different tastes in fungi as they grow into adults. Many need their symbionts every time it snows, so that they can survive the winter. Some orchids seem to be able to share their fungus buddies with other species of orchids; many can’t. Dr. Hanne Rasmussen began an in-depth study of these relationships in the late 1970’s in Denmark. By the early 1990’s, she was working with Dr. Whigham on the orchids and fungi at SERC. Dr. Whigham has worked all over the world on plant ecology projects, and has attracted many foreign nationals to SERC as a direct result of this collaboration. Yet, he always takes the time to answer an eager intern’s burning questions. I had many.

In a series of 4 experiments, I investigated how Goodyera orchid seeds reacted to being “inoculated” with fungi that had been extracted from adult Goodyera plants vs. fungi from Goodyera seedlings. I raised Goodyera seedlings (protocorms) with all manner of fungi isolated from the other orchid species of SERC. I looked at some aspects of orchid and fungus nutrition. All this had to be done in the artificial laboratory environment by making it as close to their natural habitat as possible. We even provided some fungi with their favorite food – freshly ground tulip poplar. Some of these experiments I started will be ongoing after I have returned to my classroom. Hopefully, I will bring some of these research experiences back to my biology students at Annapolis High School.

One afternoon in late July, I was looking at some pictures I had taken with a digital camera mounted on a stereoscope. They portrayed the eternal struggle of the orchid seeds, striving to encounter the right fungi, avoiding the killers and scavengers, becoming a part of that planet-wide dark zone. They enter the rhizosphere that begins just beneath our feet and goes everywhere. They interact with every other seed, root, microbe, and invertebrate in the earth. We only notice them when they have earned their time in the sunshine; when they are all green and shiny. There aren’t many of them who do survive. Every day there are fewer. This is a lesson in ecology that I need to take back to my students.

I printed out one of those pictures. In a rich and vibrant jungle of this underworld, two seeds had hooked up with the right partners. In the background you can see a fine, black, complex competitor – snaking its way into another less fortunate seed. Further back along its winding tendrils lie the strangled promises of other unborn seeds. Now I know one reason why orchids are so rare. Now I want to know more.

When I am asked about my internship experience at the Paul Sarbanes Cooperative Laboratories, I am tempted to tell people that I was paid to go fishing all summer! While this is technically true, the work that I did was much more involved than that. My work for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, located at the Oxford Laboratory, provided many exciting, learning opportunities. The lab employs both Federal and Maryland State scientists who worked cooperatively to conduct research on a multitude of subjects, from giant whales to microscopic organisms.

The fish-kills associated with Pfiesteria Piscicida have caused much concern over the general state of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The mass mortalities of the forage fish, in particular Atlantic Menhaden, have contributed to an already dwindling population of the species. Menhaden are particularly susceptible to the ravages of the toxic dinoflagellate. A healthy population of these fish is essential to the Bay. A single fish can filter up to a million gallons of water every 180 days, consuming up to 25% of the Bay's nitrogen! The decline in their numbers has also led to a drastic reduction in the size of the striped bass, as menhaden are the primary food source for growing "stripers".

My role at the DNR was to sample the population of the fish in the Choptank River. I was to count, measure, and assess the health of the fish. Atlantic menhaden were inspected for anomalies such as lesions, hemorrhages, etc. If any lesioned fish were found, they were taken back to the lab for further investigation. Such factors as water temperature, weather conditions, and tidal state were noted at each site. Through the use of an AMAZING hydro-lab, we were able to obtain vital data such as the dissolved oxygen levels, salinity, pH, and conductivity for each location, with just the touch of a button. I want this piece of equipment for my classroom! It was portable, durable, accurate, and, I'm sure...quite expensive!

Obviously, in order to count the fish, we first had to catch the fish. We did this by using seine nets and cast nets. A seine net is a finely meshed net, one hundred feet long and three feet high, with floats along the top hem and lead weights along the bottom. This design allows the net to 'stand' vertically in the water. With this method, one person takes a pole that is affixed to the end of the net and wades into the water off-shore. Another person holds pole at the other end and stays on-shore. The two ends of the net are brought together, thereby encircling the fish to be hauled in, inspected, and then returned. Large schools of fish can be caught in one seine-haul. On my first day out, we netted 9,854 menhaden. I know this, because I counted them myself! The second method, cast-netting, is used to catch fish in deeper waters. The working of this net can best be compared with that of an umbrella. The 'caster' draws the net up at its center, lifts a bit of the dangling hem, and casts the net out from a bridge or a pier. It is then drawn-up by cords which run from the center to the hem. Pulling in the hem effectively captures the fish, much like a draw-string bag. Quite ingenious actually!

When I wasn't fishing, I was reviewing and entering our information into the computer data-base. Boring, but necessary. This program would allow me, and others, to retrieve specific information as needed. While the relevance of this data may not be used for years, it will, eventually serve a purpose in determining the abundance and health of the forage fish. A nearly identical study has been in progress on the Pocomoke River for two years. The new data from the Choptank would not only broaden the population sampling, but would provide comparison between the two rivers.

Through these experiences, I have gained a multitude of knowledge. I think I have come away with a new sense of the workings of a scientist. The image of a man in a white lab coat, peering into a microscope, in a sterile laboratory has vanished! I realize now that there is so much more hands-on work that must be done. I also came to the realization that science does not happen in a hurry! It takes a great deal of patience and persistence to achieve valid results. I have also been inspired by the endless list of ways to incorporate my experiences into a classroom. I never realized the incredible variety of the creatures that populate the Bay. I have lived in Maryland all my life and had never heard of many of them, let alone hold them in my hands! The exploration of these animals by my students would lead to a study of their habitats. This could then lead into the workings of an eco-system and the inter-dependence of species in the food chain. The ecological and social implications of man's impact on the environment would certainly be an appropriate topic to pursue as well. Obviously, this list could go on, and on. However, this just serves to illustrate the incredible value of an experience such as this for a teacher. If I can bring just a few of the adventures I have had to life for my students, then I am certain to entice them into wanting to learn more about the world around them. I want my students to always be asking the question, "Why?" If not this, then I want them to be searching for the answers to that very question!

Our research internship this summer was conducted at the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) under the mentorship of Stephen Heishman, Ph.D., a research psychologist in the Clinical Pharmacological and Therapeutics Branch. We also worked closely with Kenzie Preston, Ph.D., and Cathy Wetzler, patient counselor at the Archway methadone research program. NIDA, part of the National Institutes of Health, is located on the Johns Hopkins Bayview campus in Baltimore and is celebrating its 25th year of existence. The Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutic Branch of NIDA-IRP conducts clinical research to investigate basic mechanisms of drug dependence and potential pharmacological and behavioral treatment interventions.

We were involved in three different studies throughout the summer. The first one was a questionnaire on tobacco craving that was given to people that had smoked within the past thirty days. The second one focused on the people that were going through the preliminary steps to be admitted into the methadone program. Most of our efforts were in the study that focused on the cravings of five drugs - heroin, cocaine, tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana - of methadone-maintained patients. Previous studies looked at the craving of these five drugs with people who were not seeking treatment drug addiction. We were interested in finding what the craving was like with the group that was seeking help in our methadone program. This would hopefully reveal any relationship between the craving of an active user and a person wanting to quit.

To obtain the data, we administered a questionnaire for each one of the five drugs to qualifying patients in the methadone program in the maintenance or withdrawal phase. To qualify, patients needed to have used the targeted drug within the past year. Patients who were completing more than three questionnaires had to come back several times to provide for more accurate results. Often patients became tired after completing these lengthy questionnaires and would answer without taking the time to understand the question. We entered the data from completed questionnaires into computer spreadsheets. We had spreadsheets set up for each group of patients, with separate spreadsheets for each drug.

After weeks of collecting data and putting it into spreadsheets, we calculated some means and correlations with our findings of heroin and cocaine. We discovered that when a person has used the drug recently, they had a stronger craving for that drug. We also discovered that when a person has a strong craving, they have a low confidence in their ability to quit that drug. There was no correlation between several demographic variables and craving for the drug. We only had nineteen subjects, therefore, our results are preliminary and when this study continues, there may be other significant findings. This study of cravings may indicate how craving influences drug addiction and lead to a way to manipulate the craving so there will be less drug addiction. After completing the correlations, we presented our findings in a poster at the Bayview campus and at the NIH campus in Bethesda.

The experience at NIDA has impacted our lives by causing us to examine our preconceived notions of drug addicts. After administering the questionnaire and speaking with patients, we realized that the reality of the addicting nature of drugs is very severe, and that there is no control over their life. We have all read things on how drugs can control your life but reality really sets in when you see it first hand. Their life style consists of not being able to work thus having to resort to any means to make money, which leads many of them into the criminal system. To come face to face with murderers and felons made us realize that they are people and not statistics. They have feelings and problems like the rest of us. We will bring this realization into the classroom so that we will give our students the understanding and compassion that they deserve no matter what label they have been given. Before this experience telling kids about what drugs would do to their lives was just words that had no real meaning. Now, after going through this experience, we will be able to put strong feelings behind those words.

In the fall of 1989, two major events occurred that changed the way Dr. Russell G. Wright taught middle school math. Those two events were Hurricane Hugo and an earthquake in California that occurred during game three of the World Series. These two events enabled Dr. Wright to develop science activities that kept his students totally engaged in their work. Based upon his students’ enthusiastic responses, Dr. Wright stumbled upon a concept that had the potential to change the way that science would be taught. A former science teacher with Montgomery County Public Schools, Dr. Wright tapped into the idea of using actual, real life events to make science fun—thus Event- Based Science (EBS) was born.

By 1992, Dr. Wright had received a grant from the National Science Foundation that enabled him to develop modules for the EBS project. Today, there exist 18 modules. This summer, I was fortunate enough to have worked on four new modules soon to be released. Initially, I was responsible for collecting the background data on the given topics and assisting in areas whenever need. As time progressed, I was granted the opportunity to work more directly on two of the modules. In addition to assisting in the development of the task for the module entitled Death Zone!, I also wrote some of the math activities.

This experience may seem cut and dry to some; however, there is a great deal more to it than to “just do it”. EBS is different from most of the sites because it is geared towards curriculum development. It is similar in the sense that accurate and reliable information is necessary. Dr. Wright stressed accuracy and reliability in the information that is presented to the students, just as one would demand in any other research. It is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure all information is reliable. This is the most valuable lesson that I have learned this summer.

MESRP Research 1999