The Research

Mandy Carver	Towson Biology / Baltimore Zoo Turtles, Teachers, and Technology
Christian P. Clermont	US Army Research Laboratory - Adelphi Testing Variable Dielectric Materials…
Tiffany Dale	Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Possible Mechanisms of Zinc Sequestration…
Betsy Evans	Appalachian Laboratory The Study of Invertebrates Comprising…
Nikki Friedland	PS Cooperative Oxford Laboratory Mapping the Bottom of the Chesapeake
Nina Hoffman	US Department of Energy – Argonne Nat’l Lab Collider Detector at Fermilab
Yovonda Ingram	NOAA / NESDIS Studying Earth with GOES/POES
Neal Irving	Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory Making Space Science Accessible …
Jennifer Jarosinski	American Red Cross Holland Lab The Regulation of Gene Expression…
Paul Marcantonio	US Department of Energy – Argonne Nat’l Lab Supplementary Computer Assisted Guides…
Teresita Metzbower	NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Not Just Space Science, but Earth Science…
Diane Musick	NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Not Just Space Science, but Earth Science…
Trisha Nyland	US Army Research Laboratory – Aberdeen PG Materials Compatibility
James O’Leary	Alliance, Inc. Expanding Horizons
Carole S. Ryan	Appalachian Laboratory The Study of Invertebrates Comprising…
Angeli Shah	Center of Marine Biotechnology The Impact of Phosphate Impulses…
Melissa Stuckey	National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics…
Teisha Taylor	NOAA / NESDIS Studying Earth with GOES/POES
Lois K. Tiffany	Towson Biology / Baltimore Zoo Teachers, Turtles, and Technology
Jon William VanDeventer	Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Applying Economic Principles …
Kevin Voritskul	American Red Cross Holland Lab DNA Cloning of Genes Associated with…

This summer I worked at the Baltimore Zoo located in Baltimore City. The program that I worked with was a grant project encompassing quite a few different programs at the Zoo in collaboration with Dr. Forester from Towson University. Dr. Forester began this research last summer to find out if turtles introduced to an area had the ability to survive and adapt in their new surroundings. In order to answer this question, we compared turtles that were native to the zoo to introduced turtles. There were several different things that we looked at for points of comparison.

Twenty turtles were released in different parts of the Zoo, and groups containing one teacher and three to four children were each responsible for approximately four to five turtles. The turtles were equipped with radio transmitters that were taped to their shells, and each day the turtles were found by the use of a receiver. When a turtle was located, the group had to measure the distance in meters that the turtle had traveled and use a compass to find the angle of movement. At the end of each week, in addition to measuring the distance and angle, the turtles were also weighed and measured. The measurements that were taken were of the length and width of the carapace and plastron, and the turtle’s girth.

The research experience I had this summer can be applied in several different aspects of my daily life. I have learned the necessity of encouraging people to not keep box turtles as pets, and not to displace them from the location in which they were found. I have on-site field research experience that I can share with the sixth grade students that I teach. I can use this “real life” science research to improve my labs and classroom activities, making lessons more enjoyable and relevant to students. I also had the pleasure of working somewhere and being a part of a place that I have always loved, the Baltimore Zoo. I was able to get a taste of what it is like to have a different career and all that it entails, especially the hardship of conducting a research study.

U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi Md. - This project involved the testing of various materials that could be used to construct a variable dielectric transformer and lens for a high power microwave antenna. The long-range goals were to reduce the cost and size of weapon systems. In order to achieve these goals, this project had two important objectives. The first objective was to develop an accurate method for measuring the dielectric constants (K) of various mixtures of ceramic and thermoplastic-foam particulates. The second objective was to build the transformer and lens to a specific mathematical expression.

During my first MESRP internship at the ARL in the summer of 1999, my research project showed that the highly sophisticated approach of using a network analyzer for obtaining the scattering parameters of ceramic-foam composites was not well suited for obtaining the dielectric constants and loss tangents of solid materials. The analyzer was found to be better suited for liquids that readily fill the coaxial airline, i.e., the sample holder. The alternative approach taken this summer (2000) involved the use of a large (6”x 6”) parallel plate capacitor, placing the samples between the plates, and then taking Pico farad measurements with a Hewlett-Packard capacitance meter. The sample holder was designed so that it had a contact area greater than the L-band end of the transformer horn. The capacitance measurements were translated into dielectric constant values using well-established formulas.[1] In the absence of precision standards, the accuracy was gauged by measuring 8 common materials for which values were available in the literature, e.g., glass, Neoprene, Bakelite, etc.

In order to get accurate dielectric constant values for a particular material using the parallel plates, the stray capacitance due to the sample holder mass, air, and edge fringe effects must all be subtracted out. A quick correction formula found in the literature for fringe effects alone was initially applied (Harper² and Miletta³). Later on empirically determined corrections for the entire sample holder were measure and applied. This produced more stable results over a wider range of sample thickness than the mathematical method of correcting for fringing capacitance alone.

The transformer and antenna lens were to be constructed by stacking materials with dielectric constants ranging between 1< K < 5. Joe Miletta of ARL and Nsombi Davis, a former MESRP summer intern, derived the mathematical expression for the desired K variation. And a literature survey showed the majority of the specified variation could be achieved using different volume ratio mixtures of Zirconium Silicate and Polystyrene foam beads 2mm in diameter. The original intent was to mix one-micron sized ceramic powders in polyurethane foam or to tumble coat polystyrene foam beads with ceramic powders. It was quickly found that in the powder form, even the very high dielectric ceramics (K = 50 - 16,800 when measured as fired thin films) did not retain an ability to hold a charge. The high percentage of air (40-70%) in the powders created a complex web of ceramic and air capacitors in parallel and series whose overall capacitance values were dominated by air, the lower of the two. Various samples of larger diameter EccoStock sands had similar results. Values published for thin films ranged between K = 2.5 to 5.0, but powder measurements yielded values that were about 30% lower.

The presence of air and polystyrene beads between Zirconium Silicate beads attached to an adhesive tape proved advantageous in controlling the dielectric constant of the composite to the nearest tenth of a dielectric constant unit. The antenna transformer could thus be constructed in segments whose dielectric constant values ranged from 1.0 –3.6 and generated 13 of the 16 segments of the transformer. The last segment (K= 5 solid EccoStock bar) actually measured K = 4.7, leaving only two segments that would require a change of materials to complete the transformer according to the Miletta-Nsombi Model. These two remaining segments could be filled with Barium Titinate Zirconate powder having K=3.9. Previous tests with an EccoStock “sand” transformer produced promising results, and suggests that our new transformer composed of varying concentrations of Zirconium Silicate beads should yield even more satisfactory results in the field of directed energy research.

I have found that my second MESRP summer internship at the Army Research Lab was as rewarding as my previous experience. Such back-to-back internship arrangements have the advantage of seeing a challenging project come to fulfillment with meaningful results that are not always attainable in a “one summer” experience in the lab. I would highly recommend a second summer internship to any teacher who has developed a good rapport with their mentor and can bring their prior experience to bear in solving a researchable problem that is valued by others. In my case, it even allowed me to be included on a new technology patent.

2 Harper, C. Handbook of Components for Electronics, McGraw Hill, NY, p. 8-3, (1983).

Zinc is concentrated in membrane bound vesicles, probably lysosomes, in oyster hemocytes. In higher animals zinc transporters have been shown to play a role in the defense response of macrophages. This stored zinc may play a role in the defense response of phagocytic oyster hemocytes against pathogens. The location of zinc in the oyster hemocytes was determined by incubating the hemocytes in 10mM Zinquin, a zinc specific fluorescent probe. After incubation with Zinquin granules, probably lysosomes, were seen clearly fluorescing in the hemocytes. Incubation with both Zinquin and the yeast particle Zymosan to stimulate phagocytosis did not yield any noticeable changes in sequestration or mobilization.

The Study of Invertebrates Comprising the Detrital Food Web in Forest Leaf Litter

This summer, we had the pleasure of participating as MESRP interns at the Appalachian Laboratory with Dr. Steven Seagle as our mentor scientist. The Appalachian Laboratory (AL) is located in Allegany County and is situated between two physiographic provinces. To the west lies the Appalachian Plateau, and to the east lies the Ridge-and-Valley. The orientation of these mountains creates a rainshadow effect, which produces a variety of habitats. The ongoing research of Dr. Seagle involves developing landscape scale ecological indicators for multiple resources in this area. These indicators could be used to gauge the health of resources such as water quality and forest interior bird habitat quality. Higher surface water quality occurs in water tables with more unfragmented forests and extensive riparian buffer zones. Forest interior birds, which migrate to the area for breeding, need large tracts of unfragmented forests for reproductive success. Dr. Seagle’s research hypothesizes that greater reproductive success of forest interior birds occurs on wetter, lower slope areas. These wetter forest areas provide more available food for these birds, thereby supporting more successful reproduction by a larger number of birds. Invertebrates found in leaf litter serve as the primary source of food for several forest interior bird species. The number and diversity of these invertebrate species distinguish the habitat of the forest leaf litter and directly affect the reproductive success of these “ground-foraging” birds.

Twenty study sites were established in the western part of Maryland. Ten sites were located in the wetter Savage River State Forest of the Appalachian Plateau, and ten sites were located in the drier Green Ridge State Forest of the Ridge-and-Valley. Within each forest, the ten sites were equally distributed between upper, drier slopes and lower, wetter slopes. A moisture continuum ranging from wet to dry was established from west to east, with extremes occurring between the wettest site at Savage River and the driest site at Green Ridge. Our research involved analyzing invertebrate population of the detrital food web at eight of these sites. Four sites were studied in each forest and were evenly divided between wet and dry. Each site was subdivided into five plots. At each plot, ten leaf litter samples were sifted and the invertebrates collected and sorted. A total of four-hundred samples were examined. Our purpose was to determine if topography and moisture affects the number and diversity of invertebrates in the detrital food web.

Results of our research indicate that topography and moisture affect invertebrate populations in the forest. Analysis of the invertebrate population through the moisture continuum evident in Western Maryland indicated extreme differences in the numbers of the two types of invertebrates. The wetter Appalachian Plateau of the Savage River State Forest supported a larger number of millipedes than did Green Ridge State Forest, while the drier Ridge-and-Valley (Green Ridge State Forest) supported a larger number of spiders. The difference in spider numbers is particularly significant because of their role as top predator within the detrital food web. Dr. Seagle’s continuing research focuses on structural differences in leaf litter composition that may account for the numbers and varieties of all invertebrates present in the detrital food web, and avian reproductive success and the impact of birds on detrital food web structure.

This summer I had the pleasure of moving myself down to live in St. Michaels, Maryland, a small town on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. I was to be an intern for a research team at the Sarbanes Cooperative Oxford Laboratory (SCOL). The lab is a partnership between Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Service and the National Ocean Service and operates under the terms of a cooperative agreement between the state and federal agencies. There are research studies here that range from the National Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Network, who investigate strandings of these threatened and endangered animals in Maryland, to scientists who investigate health problems of fish, shellfish, and wildlife in Maryland and maintain worldwide collaborations to improve understandings of aquatic animal health and to prevent and mitigate diseases. I was involved in a research project at the lab that was referred to as the Mapping and Analysis Project.

Unfortunately, only one percent of Chesapeake Bay oysters remain of what used to be just over a century ago. In order to assist with the Maryland's oyster restoration efforts, the Oxford Laboratory has developed new remote sensing techniques for classifying and mapping critical oyster reef habitats. The Mapping and Analysis Team uses these technologies, Acoustic Seabed Classifications Systems (ASCS), linked to Geographical Information Systems (GIS), to create charts that reveal the bottom type of different locations and oysters reefs in the bay. These systems allow for precise and accurate oyster habitat assessment at a level never before achievable.

In order to develop accurate charts, two main processes are involved: ASCS and ground-truthing. The ASCS work takes place on a 30' houseboat and requires the use of computers, transducers, depth sounders, GPS, and the software and hardware from a company known as the Quester Tangent Corporation. Together, these technologies create a chart revealing the different bottom types of the bay, where each different bottom type is denoted by a different color. Because all that is known by looking at the charts are the areas of similar bottom type and their GPS coordinates, it is now necessary to ground-truth the area and determine what bottom type each color represents. This involves underwater video that is connected to GPS as well as scuba diver verification, both of which took place from a 55' research vessel. The GPS coordinates of the underwater video are compared to those of the charts, and what once was just a map of different colors is now a map showing which different bottom types exist in what region of a particular survey area. These charts will help determine the location of current oyster bars in the bay, the condition of these bars, and the locations of areas that will be potentially useful for the planting of new oyster cultch.

My particular contributions to this ongoing research ranged from gathering important video, to being deck hands, to painting tables. This research project involved a great deal of multi-task work and teamwork. While there is so much that can be taken from this experience and put into the classroom dealing with the conservation of our resources and other environmental issues, the aspect of this internship that I found to be the most important when thinking of children and science is the need for teamwork in an area that indeed involves a lot of multi-task responsibilities. I believe that students need to understand that science is a team effort, and this teamwork requires practice, cooperation, and patience. After leaving this internship I have realized the wide range of tasks that some scientists need to complete in order to take part in a research project or an experiment, whether it be preparation, research, presentations, or even just searching for grants to keep their project going. A child's vision of science and scientists may be as inaccurate as to think that science is an individual act that takes place in an enclosed lab room doing repetitive, mindless tasks. I feel strongly that students need to understand the range of science that exists and know that there are many different types of researchers and a wide range of careers in the science field.

This internship has indeed been an experience that cannot be matched by any other I've had. When I found out that I would have to move away from family and friends for the summer in order to participate in this particular project, I was concerned. While there were a few lonely times, the job itself was never anything but exciting and engaging. I feel I have gained knowledge and skills that will be extremely useful in the classroom, and while I wish that I had an inservice teacher to have shared this experience with, the team I worked with at the lab was very helpful, supportive and kind. I feel very strongly that in order to be a well-rounded teacher, internships and experiences like the one I've had are not only helpful, but necessary. If I were given the chance to participate in another research internship, I would surely jump at the chance.

In 1977, researchers began to build a collider detector at Fermilab. The purpose of the experiment is to discover particles, and their properties, that created the universe. The Tevatron accelerates the protons and anti-protons to speeds reaching the speed of light inside a ring that is approximately four miles in circumference. The protons and antiparticles then collide inside the detector where other particles are created from the collision. These new particles are thought to be the particles that were around when the world was first created.

Run I of the Collider Detector Facility, or CDF, used six bunches of protons and antiprotons accelerating around the ring. The time to integrate the charge for this run is 1500ns. In Run II, scheduled for March 2001, there will be 36 bunches of protons and antiprotons to start with only 396 ns to integrate the charge. Eventually, in Run II, there will be be 108 bunches of particles accelerating around the ring with 132 ns to integrate the charge. Due to this decrease in time, all of the electronics on the detector must be replaced.

During my internship, I worked primarily on the Front-End Electronic upgrade of the CDF. I assembled and tested preamplifiers, cabled, and updated the Shower-Maximum webpage. Assembly of the components required soldering extremely small components onto the preamplifier board using a microscope and cleaning board at the end. After the preamplifier boards were assembled, they were tested. If they did not pass the test, they were repaired and re-tested. Eventually, these boards will be used in the test run September 2000.

The cabling work that I did was attaching, stripping, cutting, testing, and soldering cables. I also had to update the Shower-Maximum webpage. Since I did not know html language, I first had to teach myself this language. As I was learning html, I created my own webpage and was then able to use html to update the webpage.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), located in Camp Springs, Maryland, was created to describe and predict changes in the Earth's environment and conserve and wisely manage the Nation's coastal and Marine resources. The National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) manages the U.S. civil operational Earth-observing satellite systems and global data for meteorology, oceanography, solid-earth geophysics, and solar-terrestrial sciences. From these sources, it develops and provides environmental data and information products and services critical to the provision of weather warnings and forecasts, protection of life and property, national economy, energy development and distribution, global food supplies, and development and management of natural resources.

As an intern at NOAA/NESDIS, I worked along with the site representative, Carmella Davis Watkins, and other scientists on site to develop innovative ways to incorporate real-world science into the classroom. The research endeavor incorporated the physical concepts associated with Office of Research and Application (ORA) at NOAA, and their relationship to satellites. We developed three modules, which included skills, applicable national standards, objectives, procedures and activities for the following questions:

Each question included a discussion of the types of satellites, instruments, images and their interpretation, digital data conversion, and appropriate web sites for reference. Real examples were obtained with the aid of the respective NOAA scientists. Approximately two weeks were spent on each module.

While working at NOAA, I gained experience that will be shared with students and teachers in my school system. The three lesson modules that were written will be used as apart of my classroom instruction and I will present the lessons to other teachers during staff development days. I made valuable contacts with scientists as well as the valuable experience I had working along with Teisha Taylor (the preservice intern). I will communicate with the scientists throughout the year and I plan to visit NOAA's site to pick up new images from GOES and POES satellite. I also plan to communicate with Teisha Taylor throughout the year and I plan to invite her to my class so that we can team teach one of the classroom modules.

I am grateful for having had this wonderful opportunity to work as a summer intern. I really enjoyed the summer experience and it was great observing other "Scientists at Work". As a result of the summer experience, I will use more recent science data in my teachings and I will make sure that students are making the connection between school science and real-word science.

Throughout it’s fifty-eight year history, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, MD has designed, tested and constructed numerous scientific instruments and spacecraft for space research, defense systems, communications and other advanced technologies. While many of these projects have gone unnoticed, some of the APL’s work has included the first guided-missile systems to defend the U.S. Navy, Strategic Defense Initiative experiments, and pioneering global positioning system research and construction. The APL is also an educational division of the Johns Hopkins University, conducting classes for college students, and programs for secondary and college students as well.

The research component of my internship was based on observed solar occurrences, and how they impact the Earth. This is the year of Solar Maximum in the current solar cycle, so we are more aware of sunspots, solar prominences and solar radiation, and related effects on the Earth’s magnetic field. Recognizing my role as a pre-service educator, the Space Department recommended I conduct basic research that could be duplicated in the classroom setting, so students in the grade 6-8 range could learn how scientific data is used to understand observed natural phenomena.

I collected, via Internet web sites, daily data on solar occurrences from 1980 through the present. Using Excel, I then constructed tables and graphs illustrating the cyclical nature of these occurrences, and the direct correlation between them and disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field. In the classroom, conducting this research would follow lessons on the nature of sunspots and solar flux, and the magnetic field. Students could then mirror my research, although simplified and pared down to enable completion within two or three sessions. Conducting the research would allow them to learn and practice using technology, both in research and creative areas. The lessons would also allow them to study the connection between the sun and the Earth, which is one of NASA’s current initiatives.

Another component of my internship consisted of working with the Education and Public Outreach division of the APL’s Space Department. Although the APL’s origins were defense related, the Space Department now comprises a major component of the APL’s research and development. Until recently, however, the space projects and research conducted by the APL were directed at an audience restricted to those knowledgeable in complex and arcane space science. The Space Department, through its Education and Public Outreach division, is currently revamping itself in an effort to address the needs of the K-12 education and general community for new information that may be of vital interest.

I was asked to help redesign a fact sheet produced for the TIMED mission. The current fact sheet is quite technical, and does not serve to convey the basic importance of the TIMED mission. In redesigning it, the E/PO division hopes to reach more people, essentially to make the mission understandable and relevant to an 8^th-grade level student. I was also asked to help create a “Careers in Space” page on the TIMED web site. Also geared toward 8^th-grade students, the page’s goal is to spark their interest in space as an accessible, viable career option. In order to reach this diverse group of students, we attempted to present a diverse group of representatives of the TIMED project team. We stressed certain age-appropriate themes such as teamwork and effective communication, which present themselves in the workplace as well as the middle-school classroom. The main focus of the page is the personal aspect of each team member’s careers, presented as a short biography of each in a “baseball-card” format.

My experience at the APL allowed me to appreciate the varied, everyday realities of scientific research and development. In interviewing the TIMED members, I learned that space science is accessible through many doors of opportunity. Just as in education, a multi-disciplinary approach ensures success for the greatest number of people, and enables the inclusion of all.

This summer, I conducted research at The American Red Cross (ARC) Department of Immunology in Rockville, Maryland. The American Red Cross has many sites across the United States and is known nationally for the management and transportation of blood and blood-related products. However, ARC is also a research facility whose studies and accomplishments in fields of study including immunology, pathology, and genetics have contributed greatly to advancements in science and medicine.

The current research of my mentor scientist, Dr. Lisa Spain, is focused on the gene expression of T-Cell lymphocytes throughout their stages of development. T-Cells are immune system cells that attack and penetrate specific infected or cancerous cells; thus, they are an important part of our body's defense mechanism. T-cells, as well as B-Cells, Natural Killer (NK) Cells, and blood cells, originate from hematopoetic stem cells in bone marrow. Our main research question was to determine what makes these stem cells, which can become many different types of cells, commit to becoming T-Cells. By studying the expressed genes of a T-Cell at its earliest stages of development until the time when it reaches full maturity, we can determine what genetic changes occur and the role that these genes play in T-Cell development. In Dr. Spain's previous research, mRNA from uncommitted and committed T-Cells was converted into cDNA by reverse transcription, and the cDNA's that were uniquely expressed between the two populations were chosen as the target DNA clones to be studied. Under the supervision of Dr. Spain, two post-docs, and a lab technician, Kevin Voritskul and I worked in the lab to extend the DNA clone and, hopefully, obtain a complete sequence of a specific gene vital to T-Cell development.

Our research activities included obtaining the particular target clones to be studied and performing a series of reactions to determine their role in the cell's development. We extended the DNA chain, used gel electrophoresis to determine its size, and then excised bands of DNA to be purified. We then performed a process called ligation, where our DNA was put into a bacterial plasmid. The bacteria were then spread on agar plates containing E.Coli, which rapidly produced bacterial colonies containing copies of the plasmid carrying our DNA. After picking colonies and allowing them to grow, a series of buffers and enzymes were added to separate the plasmid from the bacteria and then digest the plasmid. This left us with many copies of our extended DNA. The DNA was run on a gel, allowing us to pick various sizes of the DNA from the different clones. These DNA chains were prepared for sequencing. During sequencing, a computer read the nucleotide base pairs from each strand of DNA and entered these sequences into the lab database. Using computer sequencing software and alignment tools, we determined the overlap of any of our samples and whether they matched up with any other sequences in the database.

DNA sequencing is an integral step in understanding human genes and their specific functions. New DNA sequences can be compared to other sequences whose function has already been determined or studied across different species to determine their level of significance and role in human development. In Dr. Spain's lab, our research was focused on genes vital to T-Cell development. In the future, this information can be used as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in medicine and will open the door to gene therapy. It will also make it possible to initiate T-Cell production in stem cells for people lacking healthy immune systems or suffering from autoimmune diseases.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at The American Red Cross. I had the benefit of being able to work with scientists who were very knowledgeable and eager to share their knowledge with me. They answered any questions that I had throughout the summer and took the time to help Kevin and I until we were able to perform experiments on our own. I found the material interesting and I learned a great deal through talking with other members of the lab, seminars, and most importantly, through the hands-on experience. This internship exposed me to the world of scientific research, which I found to be both fascinating and, at times, frustrating. I learned to be meticulous about details when performing experiments and patient in looking for tangible results. It also helped me to recognize the importance of sparking curiosity in my students through incorporating many hands-on experiences into my future classroom.

The RESRAD computer code was developed in 1987 by the Environmental Assessment Division at Argonne Laboratory and has undergone numerous revisions since. The code is used to predict the migration of radionuclides in contaminated soil to establish clean-up criteria and assess cancer risk rates for exposed individuals.

The RESRAD code looks at nine different exposure pathways that can be activated or suppressed to suit your site-specific criteria. The incredible complexity of the code calls for the need of quality supplementary guides to learning the application. The Environmental Assessment Division has developed a large manual and offers a 2-day workshop to aide in the learning of the code. However, their resources lack real life examples, and merely just telling the user what to do and not showing them.

The beginning of the creation process for supplementary guides began with two computer assisted guides, both with unique advantages and disadvantages. Much of the design of each of the guides was taken from an archive of past RESRAD user comments. Each guide was created with a different program. The first guide was created with the Leelou program and the second with the Viewlet2 program. The completed guides are both Windows based programs and are accessible on the World Wide Web.

However, all of the work could not be completed in 10 weeks, therefore, the future of these resources is further expansion and development. The two guides are meant to be a springboard to future guides. The incorporation of user-interaction interface into the resources is also an important goal.

The research described above was conducted at Argonne National Laboratory in the Environmental Assessment Division located in Argonne, Ill.

This summer I interned with Diane Musick at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center with the Earth Observatory group led by David Herring. In December 1999, NASA launched the Terra satellite, which monitors the Earth from space. Its mission is to observe all of Earth's systems in a comprehensive way over the next six years so scientists can understand how the Earth's systems interact. Since the launch of the Terra satellite, Terra's information and images are shared with the world through the Earth Observatory website found at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov One section of the site is called Experiments. It is in this area that several interns and I were called upon to add to existing lessons and activities.

Our first project was to finish a land biome model started by last year's summer interns, which we renamed Mission: Biomes. Our main goal is to provide a website that would lead the user into an exploration of biomes in an exciting, interactive way. While the site can be used in elementary through high school classrooms, it is most appropriate for grades 3 through 8. We created biome pages that could serve as a stand alone reference and/or in conjunction with several games on the site called missions. In the Great Graph Match mission, the user interprets temperature and precipitation graphs and matches them to a biome that would typically have those ranges. The Build a World mission provides the user an opportunity to set the temperature, precipitation and growing season parameters for all the biomes of the world, then the computer generates a world map according to the user's specifications. The last mission combines knowledge of biomes with specific plant specimen characteristics. In To Plant or Not to Plant? users determine the best possible biome in which to plant each specimen. An important component of Mission: Biomes is the teacher resource, which is designed to guide educators through the site, outline standards, and provide extension ideas and related literature/media.

Another project we undertook was to make the Data and Images section in the EO site more accessible and useful to the user. In that section, there are compilations of satellite imagery products that can be viewed in different ways such as movable globes, still frames or ongoing movie animations. The computer generates an animation of data based on the user's specifications. For example, a user can compare vegetation to precipitation over several years in an ongoing animation, or compare ozone levels in 1979 to those in 2000. We created specific data set comparisons along with questions and explanations to help educators and users apply the wealth of satellite information available. These models are designed to enable the user to create animations, compare the data sets and most importantly, analyze the data.

I am very excited about using this website in my 3rd grade classroom this year. It provides students with the opportunity to view satellite images, make sense of real time data, and observe the use of technological advances in the science field. Also, Mission: Biomes requires the user to apply their knowledge and problem solve which is such an important skill.

This summer I interned with Teresita Metzbower at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center with the Earth Observatory group led by David Herring. In December 1999, NASA launched the Terra satellite, which monitors the Earth from space. Terra's mission is to observe all of Earth's systems in a comprehensive way over the next fifteen years so scientists can understand how Earth's systems interact. Since the launch of the Terra satellite, Terra's information images are shared with the world through the Earth Observatory website, found at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov One section of the website is called Experiments. It is in this area that we were called upon to add to existing lessons and activities.

Our first project was to finish a land biome model started by last year's interns, which we renamed Mission: Biomes. Our main goal is to provide a website that will lead the user into an exploration of biomes in an exciting, interactive way. While the site can be used in elementary through high school classrooms, it is most appropriate for grades 3-8. We created biome pages that can be used as a stand-alone reference and/or in conjunction with several games on the site called missions. In the Great Graph Match mission, the user interprets temperature and precipitation graphs and matches them to a biome that would typically have those ranges. The Build a World mission provides the user an opportunity to set the temperature, precipitation and growing season parameters for all the biomes of the world; then the computer generates a world map according to the user's specifications. The last mission combines knowledge of biomes with specific plant specimen characteristics. In To Plant or Not to Plant?, users determine the best possible biome in which to plant each plant specimen. An important component of Mission: Biomes is the teacher resource, which is designed to guide educators through the site, outline standards, and provide extension ideas and related literature/media.

Another project we undertook was to make the Data and Images section of the website more accessible and useful to the user. In that section, there are compilations of satellite imagery products that can be viewed in different way - as movable globes, still frames, or ongoing movie animations. The computer generates an animation of data based on the user's specifications. For example, a user can compare vegetation to precipitation over several years in an ongoing animation, or compare ozone levels in 1979 to those in 2000. We created specific data set comparisons, along with questions and explanations to help educators and users apply the wealth of satellite information available. These models are designed to enable the user to create animations, compare the data sets, and most importantly, analyze the data.

I found my "summer job" to be more exciting and interesting than I originally thought it would be. Our project and the EOS website will be helpful in supplementing my teaching of fourth grade science. Mission: Biomes is a project I will use in collaboration with my teammates, who teach regions of the world. I plan to use my increased computer knowledge this year with my students and with peers.

The Study of Invertebrates Comprising the Detrital Food Web in Forest Leaf Litter

This summer, we had the pleasure of participating as MESRP interns at the Appalachian Laboratory with Dr. Steven Seagle as our mentor scientist. The Appalachian Laboratory (AL) is located in Allegany County and is situated between two physiographic provinces. To the west lies the Appalachian Plateau, and to the east lies the Ridge-and-Valley. The orientation of these mountains creates a rainshadow effect, which produces a variety of habitats. The ongoing research of Dr. Seagle involves developing landscape scale ecological indicators for multiple resources in this area. These indicators could be used to gauge the health of resources such as water quality and forest interior bird habitat quality. Higher surface water quality occurs in water tables with more unfragmented forests and extensive riparian buffer zones. Forest interior birds, which migrate to the area for breeding, need large tracts of unfragmented forests for reproductive success. Dr. Seagle’s research hypothesizes that greater reproductive success of forest interior birds occurs on wetter, lower slope areas. These wetter forest areas provide more available food for these birds, thereby supporting more successful reproduction b larger number of birds. Invertebrates found in leaf litter serve as the primary source of food for several forest interior bird species. The number and diversity of these invertebrate species distinguish the habitat of the forest leaf litter and directly affect the reproductive success of these “ground-foraging” birds.

Twenty study sites were established in the western part of Maryland. Ten sites were located in the wetter Savage River State Forest of the Appalachian Plateau, and ten sites were located in the drier Green Ridge State Forest of the Ridge-and-Valley. Within each forest, the ten sits were equally distributed between upper, drier slopes and lower, wetter slopes. A moisture continuum ranging from wet to dry was established from west to east, with extremes occurring between the wettest site at Savage River and the driest site at Green Ridge. Our research involved analyzing invertebrate population of the detrital food web at eight of these sites. Four sites were studied in each forest and were evenly divided between wet and dry. Each site was subdivided into five plots. At each plot, ten leaf litter samples were sifted and the invertebrates collected and sorted. A total of four-hundred samples were examined. Our purpose was to determine if topography and moisture affects the number and diversity of invertebrates in the detrital food web.

During the summer of 2000, I participated in an internship at the Center of Marine Biotechnology. This research facility is a division of the University of Maryland’s Biotechnology Institute. The Center of Marine Biotechnology is located at the Columbus Center in downtown Baltimore on Pier Six. Because of its proximity to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, this research site is ideal for studying environmental problems that affect marine ecosystems. Besides supporting scientific research, this organization also supports outreach programs for educators, as well as students. While conducting scientific research at the Center of Marine Biotechnology, I looked to Dan Terlizzi, William Jones, and Adam Frederick for advice and guidance. Dan Terlizzi is a Sea Grant Water Quality Specialist; William Jones is a Senior Scientist and Head of Educational Programs; and Adam Frederick is Head of the Maryland Sea Grant Extension Program. I am currently a preservice teacher with the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation at the University of Maryland at College Park.

My experimentation and research conducted this past summer served to continue previous biofilm research and to complement current biofilm research. A biofilm consists of an organic slime produced by bacteria. This substance allows bacteria and other microorganisms to attach to a surface. In addition, this organic slime protects bacteria and other microorganisms from its surroundings. Biofilms are found on any underwater surface, especially in flowing water with nutrients. For example, biofilms grow on stones in streams, teeth, contact lenses, drainage pipes, and the bottoms of ships. Biofilms are both good and bad. Biofilms absorb pollutants, which reduces their build up in the environment. Also, biofilms protect humans from disease-producing organisms by occupying their intestinal tract. However, biofilms foster corrosion in water pipes and slow ships down. The formation of a biofilm begins with the deposition of decaying plant and animal matter on an underwater surface. Next, bacteria attach, grow, reproduce, and secrete organic slime on the underwater surface. Finally, alga spores and larval forms of sessile organisms attach the underwater surface to create a biofilm community. Human activities, weather, rapid succession, and abiotic factors collectively influence the biodiversity within a biofilm community.

The goal of my research project was to determine the effect of phosphate pulses on the biodiversity within a biofilm community. Also, my experiment was designed to determine the effect of these phosphate pulses on the rate of phosphate uptake by a biofilm community. This experiment was also designed to verify that only photosynthetic organisms absorb phosphate.

A biofilm rack that included sixteen Plexiglas disks was suspended in the Baltimore Inner Harbor. Biofilm communities grew on these Plexiglas disks. Each day for six weeks, the biofilm rack was removed from the harbor and exposed to water that contained 10-PPM phosphate. Four biofilm disks were exposed to phosphate for four hours. Another group of four disks was exposed to phosphate for two hours. Another group of four disks was exposed to phosphate for one hour. The remaining four disks were not exposed to phosphate. Water quality testing for pH, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and phosphate was conducted each day during this exposure period. Also, daily air temperature and rainfall was monitored during the exposure period. After this exposure period, the biofilm disks were exposed to a high concentration of phosphate in separate containers according to their exposure group. The phosphate concentration of each container of water was tested approximately every ten minutes. This data was graphed and the rate of phosphate uptake was determined for each exposure group. This same procedure was followed the next day, except the disks were exposed to a photosynthetic inhibitor.

The behavior exhibited by these biofilm communities throughout my research mimic the behavior of large-scale marine ecosystems. More importantly, this research has documented the behavior of photosynthetic microorganisms in response to changing nutrient pulses. The environmental conditions simulated in my laboratory purposefully mimicked the environmental conditions associated with harmful alga blooms. Therefore, the outcomes of my research may eventually be used in designing plans to prevent harmful alga blooms or to reduce the intensity of harmful alga blooms. Apart from scientific applications, this research also can be applied in my future classroom. Not only will I transfer the experimental and research techniques that I learned this past summer to my students, but I also hope to share this knowledge with other educators.

Particular challenges I faced this summer included having to work alone through much of my internship, which is contrary to the teaching principles endorsed by both the Center of Marine Biotechnology and the Maryland Educators’ Summer Research Program. Also, my research was often delayed because of the complexities of resource availability, which held up the delivery of supplies necessary for the completion of my experiment

I am grateful to both the Maryland Educators’ Summer Research Program and the Center of Marine Biotechnology for providing me with this opportunity to grow professionally. The expected outcomes of my research experience are rather innovative. In addition, I admire their positive outlook on the future of science education. Once I become a teacher, I also hope to embody excitement and enthusiasm for science education just as mentors have shown me during this past summer.

Research into the Compatibility of Energetic and Non-energetic Materials Within a Large Ammunition Round Currently Under Development

Rodman Materials Research Laboratory, a facility of Army Research Labs, is located in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Maryland. Most of the research conducted at RMRL falls under the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate. Focused on research areas such as, advanced weapons systems technology, survivability and lethality systems analysis, RMRL is dedicated to providing the United States Army with the technology necessary to insure supremacy in warfare.

My research was conducted within the Ignition and Combustion Branch, a division of Ballistics and Weapons Concepts Division under the main Research Directorate. Within the Ignition and Combustion Branch, advanced ignition systems for large combat vehicles are studied as well as advanced solid propellant formulations and energetic materials research. My work involved energetic material compatibility within a tank round.

The project that I worked on with Dr. Rose Pesce-Rodriguez came into being after the energetic materials (solid propellants), in a newly designed tank round failed to pass a vacuum stability test. This test, undertaken by its designers, measures the ability of the propellant to co-exist in a stable manner with other materials that make up the round. It became our job, in the Ignition and Combustion Branch, to chemically analyze the materials and determine exactly which chemicals were causing the instability noted in the vacuum test.

Instruments used for analysis included Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Infrared Microscopy (IRM), and Desorbtion/Pyrolysis-Gas Chromotography-Mass Spectrometry (D/P-GC-MS). After creating a variety of samples from the materials proposed as ingredients in the round, these instruments were used to identify decomposition temperatures and to single out chemical species and functional groups that were generated during the reactions of these materials through experimentation. Results using these interments, along with literary research, revealed that degeneration of the energetic materials was being caused as a result of migratory contact with the adhesive to be used in the casing. Our tests concluded that the degeneration products of this reaction included nitric acid, whose incompatibility with energetic materials when introduced into a propellant bed include spontaneous combustion.

My experience with this project resulted in a better understanding for the time scale of real-life experimentation and research. Thorough research can take years to undertake, and my experience at Aberdeen was only one small step taken toward an end result, albeit a very crucial one. I also learned that perseverance and independent thinking are just as important as collaboration when doing real-life science experimentation.

For my summer internship I was placed at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) located in Baltimore, MD on the Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus. I worked in the Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research section of the institution. This branch researches treatment drugs for cocaine and opiate dependence through clinical trials in the on-campus methadone clinic. The research project I worked on concerned a study aimed at testing a drug, cyclazocine, for possible treatment for drug dependence. The scientists at NIDA wanted to test this drug because of the results of recent animal studies showing that cyclazocine may inhibit dopamine release in the brain in patterns opposite to cocaine. Scientists hypothesized that cyclazocine would discourage cocaine-dependent persons from using the drug.

My job at NIDA was to take the data that was collected for this study and organize it so results could be found. After the data was properly organized and any missing data was corrected, I was required to make calculations of the means and standard deviations of the information. Once this was complete, graphs were to be made of the means so the results could be viewed and analyzed. While I was at NIDA I also had the opportunity to work in the methadone clinic. Here I was able to give volunteer study participants breathalyzer tests and collect information concerning their drug use. These volunteers came into the clinic each day for methadone treatment, but I only worked there for a couple of days each week.

I feel that my time at NIDA was very valuable and a great learning experience. I was able to work in a setting that was quite different from my past experiences. Through this placement I saw how the research process works and the time that it takes for just one study to be done. People work together to try to draw conclusions, and many studies and their results affect future plans. The conclusions that are made from one study may be the basis for the next. I found that I enjoyed working in the clinic and interacting with the counselors and study participants. I like working with others in a relaxed setting that allows for conversation to occur. This made me feel as if I was appreciated and helped play an important role at the institution. Overall, I definitely believe that my experience at NIDA was worthwhile and important for my future career as a teacher.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), located in Camp Springs, Maryland was created to describe and predict changes in the Earth's environment and conserve and wisely manage the Nation's coastal and Marine resources. The National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) manages the U.S. civil operational Earth-observing satellite systems and global data for meteorology, oceanography, solid-earth geophysics, and solar-terrestrial sciences. From these sources, it develops and provides environmental data and information products and services critical to the provision of weather warnings and forecasts, protection of life and property, national economy, energy development and distribution, global food supplies, and development and management of natural resources.

As an intern at NOAA/NESDIS, I worked along with the site representative, Carmella Davis Watkins, and other scientists on-site to develop innovative ways to incorporate real-world science into the classroom. The research endeavor incorporated the physical concepts associated with Office of Research and Application (ORA) at NOAA, and their relationship to satellites. Yovonda and I developed three modules, which included skills, applicable national standards, objectives, procedures and activities for the following questions:

Each question included a discussion of the types of satellites, instruments, images and their interpretation, digital data conversion, and appropriate web sites for reference. Real examples were obtained with the aid of the respective NOAA scientist. Approximately two weeks were spent on each module.

Our modules will be placed on a NOAA website for other teachers and students to see. I plan to use these modules throughout my future years of teaching. These modules are to be used as enrichment instructional task with embedded assessments. It is my conviction that many teachers would find these modules a useful addition to their teaching.

Working at NOAA/NESDIS has been both an educational and interesting experience for me. I was able to meet and work alongside many scientists as well as work with an excellent in-service teacher, Yovonda Ingram. I am forever grateful for the opportunity given to me to work at such a renowned site such as NOAA/NESDIS. This was an experience that I will never forget, and I plan to share it with many others.

The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) is indigenous to Maryland and was once an abundant species in this area. The decline of this species has long been an area of research and debate. While many attribute this decline to the overpopulation of the area by humans and other predatory animals, recent studies have shown that the repatriation of this species has had a devastating long range effect on the survival of the species. Eastern Box Turtles are known to display a home range behavior. Home range is defined as the area where an animal seeks shelter, food and water that is not actively defended. Studies (Belzer, 1989) have found that displaced turtles are more likely to starve, freeze, develop illness, and are less likely to reproduce.

In this study, 20 Eastern Box Turtles were mounted with radio tags and release within the wildlands of the Baltimore Zoo. The population consisted of a heterogeneous group of native and introduced turtles. The turtles were tracked daily for a period of 2 weeks. Information was recorded regarding turtle behavior, distance and angle of movement, herbaceous cover, and various weather data. Data analysis will provide insight to the impact of repatriation on this species and help to design legislature regarding the laws governing repatriation of Eastern Box Turtles.

The opportunity to teach students real research was rewarding. The students that participated in the study had the chance to use technologically advanced equipment. The insight and skill that they displayed was amazing. While most adults fear new technology, these children crave it. Using this study as a pilot for implementing technology-based projects in the classroom, I am confident that I will be successful at originating technology-driven lessons.

My internship experience with the Maryland Educator’s Summer Research Program took place at Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomon’s Island, Maryland. My participation in this program was motivated by a desire to learn more about the ecological and economic significance of Chesapeake Bay. As a biology teacher located less than five miles from the Bay, I felt an obligation to learn about the Bay and integrate this information into ecology lessons in a manner consistent with Maryland’s Core Learning Goals for science.

During my initial conversations with my mentor scientist, Dr. Dennis King, I was intrigued by the idea of analyzing ecological restoration projects from an economics viewpoint. This seemed to be an ideal opportunity to both learn about the ecology of the Bay and gain a detailed understanding of the Bay’s functions on Maryland’s economy. Prior to the internship, I had expected to be entering data (related to expenses and outcomes of previously conducted restoration projects) into a computer model and analyzing the output generated by the software. Dr. King and I established that the ultimate goal of this analysis should be to provide those involved with ecological restoration projects a means of deciding how to invest the available resources, so as to optimize the desired outcomes of the project.

In an effort to learn more about the ecology of Chesapeake Bay, I was involved with an eleven day course, Historical Ecology of the Chesapeake Bay: The Chesapeake Watershed. At the end of this course, I invested most of my time learning the terminology associated with the economics of restoration ecology by reading articles written by Dr. King and others in the field. As my understanding of the field developed, I began utilizing software developed by the Army Corps of Engineers - Institutes for Water Resources. This software was designed to provide “incremental cost analysis” to assist project planners with resource allocation decisions. As I became more familiar with the software and attempted to utilize its functions, it became clear that the data necessary as “input” was not available for most restoration projects. Ultimately, the decision was made to redirect my energies for the remainder of the internship. The later portion of my internship was focused on developing a decision tree that could be utilized when analyzing restoration projects and creating a presentation that would provide an overview of restoration ecology. Due to the decision to redirect the focus of my internship, I am continuing my efforts to complete these last two projects.

This experience has provided me with an exposure to the decision making and policy making processes involved with restoration projects, as well as an understanding of the issues of managing our natural resources. By understanding these issues, I will be able to share with my students the significance each species has in an ecosystem. In addition, students will be more aware of the role each species plays in the health and function of an ecosystem. At this point, I feel that it is my responsibility to investigate other topics that will help my students gain an appreciation for how classroom topics can be applied to our environment and society.

The research I conducted this summer took place at The American Red Cross in Rockville, MD. This branch of The Red Cross was dubbed "The Holland Lab" after Jerome Holland. The site was very organized and well-kept. The instruments used in the experiments were easy to find.

The research came to be through the mind of Dr. Lisa Spain. She wanted to know what made an uncommitted stem cell that is commit to becoming a T-cell? Dr. Spain found that, by comparing the expressed genes of an uncommitted and committed cell, the genes that are turned on or off as the cell becomes committed can be determined. If the researchers could find out how a T-cell becomes committed, it can later be used as a positive tool in medicine.

The research activities conducted on-site involved many complex steps that made up one whole experiment. First, we had to obtain a target clone and use certain primers to extend the DNA strands on both ends. Second, we used gel electrophoresis to determine how much the DNA strands were extended. From there, we purified the bands of DNA by spinning and digesting the gel, which ultimately purified the DNA in water. Next, we conducted a step called ligation in which a machine was used to prepare the DNA clone to be able to placed into a specific location (called a plasmid). The transformation of the plasmids was the next step in the experiment. This basically allowed the DNA to reproduce itself in colonies after being spread on an agar plate. After this, the DNA is prepped and then placed into a sequencing machine, which ultimately helps us understand better how the T-cells are developed and chosen to be made.

This has much relevance to the real world because the data collected and evaluated will help humankind to better itself when facing disease and sickness, and will help us to better understand the immune system. For the future, the only outlook is continuous extensive research until conclusive results are consistently attained.

I had a really great learning experience here at the Red Cross. Going into the internship, I did not expect to learn this much or find DNA so interesting. Although the steps in the experiments may have been redundant at times, I found my overall experience to be very rewarding. While learning how to conduct precise steps in an experiment, I also learned how to work with research scientists. I think it was very important for me to actually work with these people because I had never done this before. By experiencing this type of work environment, I

understand better how different people think. This internship has really helped me with my patience, perseverance, and understanding in science.

MESRP Research 2000

Abstract Summaries – 2000