If Not You, then Who?

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Hello all!

Been a while since my last post, and I suppose one could argue I have been extremely busy. I started on this road back in 2008 (arguably, 2006, but who’s counting?), and it was been a long and exciting ride. And stressful, but that comes with anything really; part of the job, one might say. From more-than-humble beginnings my research exploded into the broad campaign it is today. And I couldn’t be more proud of it.

My research has been integrative, novel, and interdisciplinary, and I hope to inspire others to adopt my design and outlook on field research in general. Perhaps one of the most successful components of any project is participation from field assistants, and my project is no exception. However, I have started a fire here at Ohio University, one that I hope spreads and grows throughout the entire research community. Namely, student mentorship.

My student mentorship program began in 2010 quite humbly when one of my field assistants became interested in male agonism in tarantulas during the breeding season. And although that particular project did not pan out (lots of great spider escape stories however!), since then my program has expanded and propagated to other labs. The idea is simple: research assistants (typically undergraduates or recent grads) apply for jobs because they are interested in gaining experience. Often their end-game is graduate school, for which experience would be GREATLY beneficial. While assistants can gain experience on the main project, it is never really “their” work. Every student has some potential, as well as their own interests. The mentorship program I developed caters to that potential and encourages those interests. Basically, students who assist (paid or volunteer) are offered the opportunity to develop their own independent projects under my supervision.

The limitation to extent of these projects is of course contingent on permits/IACUC/etc, but this has not proved an issue thus far. During the mentorship process, I basically use the scientific method to get students to develop research projects that relate to my research questions. Students conduct literature reviews, design projects, propose them to me, and then together we work out details and execution. After completion, we then work together to turn the project into a presentable and publishable unit. Thus students not only gain the research experience critical for their academic/career goals, they also have the opportunity to contribute to a published work!! This program contributes to my project as well by allowing me to explore ancillary or alternative hypotheses that I would not normally be able to on my own.

This program has been immensely successful thus far, with a total of 8 projects that will be presented at local and national conferences throughout the upcoming years. Some have been even presented at international (World Congress of Herpetology 2012) or state-wide (OU-JCU Symposium) meetings! Most (if not all!) of these studies will also be written up for publication as well. You can read brief summaries of some of these amazing projects on my research page of this site. More importantly, the program has spread to others both in my lab (Vincent Farallo) and in other labs (Chris Howey). I plan to continue this program wherever I end up job-wise, and hope to encourage other researchers to adopt it as well. The program is easy, fun, and above all builds stronger connections between researchers, their assistants, and the research they are conducting. Stronger connections are essential for fostering an interest in science and research in young minds.

My dissertation itself looks like it will be 4-5 chapters in total. Shouldn’t I know by now? Well, four are completed. The fifth is the wildcard… if I can, I’ll work it in. But there are at least 10-12 additional papers that will derive from my work, including those associated with undergraduate co-authors (mentorship students). This has been one hell of an adventure, and I am both sad to see it end but also glad to start a new adventure elsewhere.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, I’m going to keep monitoring my dissertation sites as side project(s). Who says new adventures mean giving up your old work?

 

More to come as the journey comes to a close.

America(!), monsoons, & the ever-present lack of rain

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Greetings.

Past week or so has been quite eventful. The weather forecasts have jumped from the standard 0-20% chance of rain to 70% on a daily basis. We have even gotten to see the storms form above our heads (more on that later!). Lizard-wise we are rocking the desert; We have matched last year’s efforts at the ranch already and are doing quite well in the recently-added Huachuca Mtns sites.

Began independent project time again too this year. For those unaware.. I was once an undergraduate student. Yes yes, many eons ago I too struggled to pull “all-nighters” and “pass finals” and the like. Like many undergrads today, I know what it’s like out there when you are job hunting in our field. Everyone wants experience, and most students have zero to little when they are trying to get their bachelors degree. It is very hard to be 1) considered for better-paying (or, paid at all) jobs as well as 2) graduate programs if you have no prior experience. So the whole grades/classes/tests in school is effectively bottom-of-the-barrel as far as what people consider when they hire you. SO, I’ve made it part of my program to advertise my research and promote undergraduate involvement whenever I can.

This program has been immensely successful over the years. Since 2009 I have had over a dozen students help out at one point or another; and most summers I’ve had at least 2-3 assistants with me at all times. They are not all paid; many volunteer for the long journey out west. Same with at Ohio when we do all the lab-based work. You can view a semi-updated list of my undergraduate help here, and if you are one of the names listed, thanks a ton!!!

Anyways, they are super great AND they get lots of experience. Anyone familiar with my project will know that there are multiple components to it that involve knowledge of behavior, ecology, botany, and a wee bit of organic chemistry (isotopes!). Also… and actually my point to this part of the rant, the independent projects.

Last year (listed at: treelizard.net, click ‘research’) some of the succesful projects are going to result in presentations at this years World Congress of Herpetology in Vancouver, BC. Congratulations to K. Jaworski and K. Metro for their hard work about to be paid off! AND we are working on manuscripts for those projects as well… keep an eye out. Ultimately, my goals are to 1) educate the students in the scientific method, specifically project design, execution, analysis, & writeup 2) provide guidance as a mentor as well as a collaborator 3) provide additional guidance post-fieldwork in the preparation of work for presentation at a national conference and 4) write-up of the project for a publication. At worst we make it worth a presentation, at best, presentation & manuscript.

SO many of the students that come in have zero experience and end up with a stronger resume, solid research to discuss (in an area of their interest!), and potentially a publication to boot. These projects are also related to my project in ways that allow us to ask similar questions. Ultimately, it’s been a great experience.

This year we have three projects thus far. K. Jaworski is continuing her project from last year (see the ‘research’ link for details). M. Beal is conducting an interesting study similar to the work of M Angilletta that will examine how performance capacity and thermal preferences in S. jarrovii (Yarrow’s spiny lizard) are related, with some cool field based data to compare to. There’s more.. but you’ll have to wait and see. Additionally, J. Cronin is working on a project examining the interactions between invasive fire ants (Solenopsis sp.) and the tree & spiny lizards of this region. We know the lizards here eat ants (and sometimes the fire ants!), but do these tiny (but possibly deadly to a small lizard) ants have a big impact on the lizards’ choice of habitat? We’ll find out!

As you can see, very excited about these projects. Two more assistants arrive later this season and will likely extend upon these projects themselves. For now, we are in the house after a monsoon formed above our heads. Never a good thing with lots of lightning nearby. Excited about tomorrow though for the 4th. They are planning to have a huge fireworks show.

Tomorrow: 4th of July @ Sierra Vista.
Forecast: 70% chance of rain.
My Forecast: 88% chance of sunburn & fireworks.

Happy 100 Arizona,
-M
Matt

Ornate & Spiny with a Whiptail

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Greetings all!

This is just an introductory post. It is 23 June and we have captured approximately 104 tree lizards & 30 spiny lizards thus far! Not too shabby for this early in the season. Rains have started to waddle our way; though like last year the few thus far have skirted west of us. Rain is in the forecast for the next few days, which is good & possibly bad. Frankly, we need it (well, the ecosystem needs it). But if it is a strong enough storm it could preclude study (a lot of areas nearby are damaged by recent fires & landslides are common).

I currently have three main study regions here at the ranch which vary in burn history. Recently we scouted out some new sites in the Huachuca Mtns near Sierra Vista, AZ. Planning to survey those sites on Monday, weather permitted (see above). They vary in elevation (5000-7500 ft), and as such will allow me to compare how populations of lizards at each elevation vary phenotypically. This comparison is a proxy to my sites at the ranch: changes in elevation at the habitat composition level mirror those as generated by variation in prescribed burn histories. More burn = more grassland. For the mountain sites, these are areas closer to 5000′ (effectively an Oak savanna). Less burn = more shrubs/trees. These are the higher elevation sites. It’s not a perfect match; but it will allow me to delineate how variation at the base resource level manifests into variation at the consumer (lizard) level. Neat stuff, right? I think so!

Hopefully all will go well. I’ll post some photos soon to this blog, and actually provide some research updates as well in the near future. Until then, check out my main website page (treelizard.net) for basic updates. And keep an eye out for issue 3 of Copeia this year… my Masters work is going to be published in it. Hooray =)

Buenas noches.