EVOLUTIONS Internships 2018

The procedures that we do in the lab are mostly to record and document that we have the actual fossils. The procedures that we learned were taking stack photos, 3D scanning, labeling fossils, cataloging fossils, rehousing them, and putting them away. Stack photos seem complicated when you first try it, but it is not as hard as it seems. First you take a picture with a color key and scale by themselves to show which lighting and scales you used. Then you place the object you want to photograph along with the scale. Zoom in with the camera to get the object in frame. You then have to find the highest point on the fossil, which you do by just looking at them and finding the topmost piece. You select that point and focus the camera so the highest point is clearly in focus. Set that as the start point and focus the camera until it is slightly out of focus. Set that at the end point and run the scan. You will get a bunch of pictures saved in your files. Drag them all into a peogram (I do no

Our lab is very confusing to do a project on due to it being a collection. There isn’t a set question that we are looking to answer, we are mostly just documenting and taking care of fossils. We haven’t quite decided what the project will be about, but we may create a question related to the collection, such as, “Why are there so many mosasaur fossils in the Western Interior Seaway collection compared to other species?”. We learned many things about rocks. We learned about the different types of faults and categorizing diffirent unconformities within rocks. We also learned that the Western Interior Seaway was actually an ocean that was surrounded by land when the tide lowered. There is also much more, but there isn’t enough space to write it all.

The research I am doing this summer is not what I expected. I expected the research to be monotonous and repetetive, which is what paleontology and lab work is often shown to be. It is actually very interesting to me, and is much more involved than I thought. Our supervisors (I think that’s the best term) are also much cooler than I thought they would be. I find the geology aspect of the research very interesting. I didn’t realize that paleontology and geology were so closely related, and that they relied on each other so much. I also did not know that there were so many ways to classify rocks and learn about the Earth through them. It is surprising how rocks can show us just how small we really are.

This is the third day of training. I learned a lot about my internship today. Our project is about the collections, ecology, and food webs in the Western Interior Seaway (WIS). This includes many organisms, including ancient "sea monsters", microorganisms, invertebrates, and echinoderms. This displays a large portion of the ecosystem at the time, and shows the diversity in the ecosystem. This also ties in with invertebrate paleontology, the main focus of the internship, because it displays how they interacted with other organisms and their lifestyle. I am looking forward to seeing fossils and understanding how organisms survived and lived with the amount of diversity in the WIS. I am nervous about the amount of research we have to do because of the amount of organisms and diversity in the WIS.

I spend most of my time in the lab observing the different projects going on and taking pictures on the different microscopes. I've gotten better at imaging cellulose fibers and nanotubes, although taking measurements and collecting data seems to be the most difficult part. There is a lot of data analysis involved in the projects here at CRISP. For my project, high surface and low surface nanotubes must be prepared for inspection under the microscope and two different concentrations of the nanotubes will be used. First is the threshold concentration (21mM), this is the concentration where you can begin to observe the formation of nanotubes; the second concentration (270 mM) is the medicinal concentration. In order to form the nanotubes, a powder must be combined with water (specific measurements coming soon). The solution must be stored overnight and then it will be placed on a grid for inspection under transmission electron microscope (TEM). Most of the process involves the prep

      While participating in the CRISP (Center for Research on Interface Structures and Phenomena) and using the IMP-MS to characterize element composition, find the number of particles, find the size of nano-particles, distribute size of nano-particles and analyze single nano-particles I have learned a collection of procedures and processes for handling the instrument. For instance, when diluting a solution to a lower concentration, it could be easily analyzed in the ICP-MS. The method for diluting a solution involves: "20,000ppb" 1) Use micro-pipette to take  0.1mL of stock solution (Iron Sucrose) and place it in a 100ml volumetric flask. 2) Use micro-pipette to take 99.9mL of deionized water and mix it with the 0.1mL of stock solution in the volumetric flask. 3) Pour the 99.9mL of deionized water and 0.1mL of stock solution mix into a vile 4) label the vile "20,000ppb". 5) Place "20,000ppb" in sonicator until grabbing it to be ready for th

The processes, tasks, and procedures that I do for my internship is first to digitize not only vertebrae but also invertebrate fossils. The reason on why we digitize fossils is so that it could go on a website (idigpaleo) where paleontologist all over the world could be able to access the types of fossils that are inside the Peabody rather than them having to come all the way over here. How we digitize the fossils is placing them on a black screen where we kind play around on how we want the fossils to look like when we take the picture. Once we are satisfied with how we placed the fossils then we would start taking pictures from a device that takes it for us using a program on a computer. The camera doesn't just one picture but takes multiple. Once the pictures are taken we render all the photos into one photo that would soon go onto the website (idigpaleo).  Another task that I do is cataloging. Now cataloging is so that all of the fossils are inside of a system where it would

     My overall task for this internship is to create a catalog of the outflows of various young stars. This catalog consists of four different types of images: one that shows the outflow at blue (or low) velocities and red (or high) velocities, one that shows it in the near-infrared, one in the optical wavelength (what we would see if we looked at it with our eyes), and finally one from the Spitzer Space Telescope which takes images in the infrared. In order to begin this catalog, I need to first identify the outflows. To do this, I open a program called DS9 where I am able to open this file that resembles a video. It contains many images (going from low velocity to high velocity) that I can play through in order to find outflows. In order to make this easier, I can load a region file right onto the images which shows me where different stars are. These names are color coded according to where the star is in its process of formation, with red meaning that it is in its early stages an

What project are you working on this summer? (describe, in your own words, in one or two paragraphs) What are some of the new things you have learned so far? The project I am working on is just about exploring the collections and food webs of the Western Interior Seaway. The Seaway has ancient sea monsters such as the mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, and giant fish, but also tiny microorganism specifical invertebrates like ammonoids, giant clams, and arthropods. Even though the collection of WIS is well known, there are still so much more that isn't documented for people to see. So our job is to digitize identifying specimens, georeferencing, cataloging, and imaging specimens so it could be finalized for people to see. Some new things that I have learned so far were the types of animals that lived in the WIS. Personally I didn't know anything about the WIS until now and I had no idea that a concept of "seas monster" was actually real, the fact that I actually saw images and

In my lab, the project that I am currently working on involves collecting atmospheric data and creating a correlation  between weather patterns and ozone and NOx levels. Amir and I are in the process of collecting weather data using a weather station that we assembled and placed within the field. The weather station collects variables such as wind direction, wind speed, humidity, and temperature. After using equipment to collect different bodies of data, we input it all into a spreadsheet from a datalogger. Having the data recorded, we are then able to show it graphically. Going through this process, we are able to compare levels of ozone to weather patterns and further our understanding about how weather manipulates levels of certain compounds in the atmosphere.

What are your first impressions of your summer research experience? Is it what you expected? Why are why not? What was most interesting or surprising? My first impressions of my summer research experience is harder than I thought it would be. For me, my internship is about paleontology which is pretty much fossils, and in my head, I thought the stuff that I would be working on would be easy because your pretty limited on what to work with since it just fossils. But instead what I am working on it's more complicated than it looks like. There are IP and VP which is invertebrae/ vertebrae paleontology and what I do for both is just taking pictures of either fossil with vertebrae and without and going through a process where I save a picture and make it into this final picture where it would go straight into a website called idigpaleo. But what caught off guard was cataloging fossils. The process of cataloging fossils is so tedious. And the process is so long and since there are m

      My internship with Dr. Arcé this summer involves learning about star formation, specifically about the outflows producted by young protostars. The basic point of the project is to catalog these outflows in the Orion Nebula by looking at different types of images of this outflow in different wavelengths such as the optical and near infared. If we suspect that some interesting feature looks like it could be an outflow from the protostar, we can then go to this file called a cube which consists of images slices which form to create a sort of video. Then, we identify the protostar again and move through the slices to see if there is any sort of movement similar to the shape of the outflow we saw. If there is, we can then use that to create a blue and red filter image showing this outflow at its different peak velocities. This image gives us a somewhat more clear view of what exactly the shape of the outflow that the protostar emits looks like.      So far, I have learned many thin

After completing the first week of CRISP ( Center for Research on Interface Structures and Phenomena), I had the opportunity to participate in research and experimentation based on expounded presentations, tutorials and individual lessons with faculty. The project that I am working on this summer involves the use of the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), an analytical mass technique instrument, used to analyze nanoparticles of specific elements. This week we will be using the ICP-MS to analyze dilutions of Iron Sucrose in aqueous form; testing our hypothesis if the ICP-MS instrument would detect Iron or Ferric Hydroxide. In addition to  using the ICP-MS we will be looking at the composition  size of Siver (Ag) nanoparticles; using methodology to study the concentration of Silver . The detection of elements or compounds is essential because Ferric Hydroxide ( Fe(OH)₃) is the interior of Iron Sucrose; when placed into the ICP-MS the molecules are vaporized, dried,

The project I am currently working on involves analyzing the differences between two different types of nanotubes. The nanotubes are small synthetic cyclic (closed curved) peptides (a compound composed of two are more amino acids) that are structurally and functionally similar to somatostatin. Somatostatin is a polypeptide hormone that inhibits the activity of hormones such as pancreatic and gastrointestinal hormones. Somatostatin is naturally produced in our bodies, but once it is produced it breaks down within minutes. The synthetic nanotubes have the same effects as the somatostatin and are extremely valuable because of their longer half-life which provides prolonged effects. The synthetic nanotubes are currently being used to treat acromegaly tumors. Here at the CRISP lab, their primary focus is to identify any differences between two different samples of the synthetic nanotubes, and this will be done by measuring the length and width of the nanotubes. So far, length has been the m

Going into my first day, we immediately got into a car and went out into the field. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew I would enjoy my experience. The whole day that followed, my partner and I were setting up equipment and aiding in the construction of of a field site that will be used for years. I knew going into it that my experience at the lab would be hands on, but I didn’t expect to be outside on the field so much. My experience in the lab has been very interactive, and has heavily revolved around the technical side of things. I have had so much fun working under Dr. Gentner and his students, and Amir and I continue to contribute to projects that will be used for years to come. As our time through our internship continues, we will eventually get the opportunity to collect some of our first pieces of data.

     The first week of my summer internship revolved around learning the basics of star formation. Dr. Arce taught us how to work three different types of computer software that help us to identify various protostars and their outflows. During this internship, we are working on cataloging these protostars and creating intensity maps of their outflows. So far, it has pretty much been what I expected since I had the opportunity to work with astronomy last summer. I expected it to revolve mainly around coding and working at the computer and that is what we have been doing for the most part.      For me, the most interesting and exciting part was not only learning from Dr. Arce, but also attending his research group meeting and learning from all its members. Everyone in the group has been extremely helpful and patient with us as we learn as much as we can. In short, the internship so far has been a very rewarding experience in that I have learned so much in such a short period of time.

My first impressions of my first summer research experience was how helpful and welcoming everyone was. When I came in the first day I was still learning how things worked around the building but everyone definitely made it easier to adjust and be able to complete certain tasks. Since it was my first research I ever experienced so far I didn’t know what to expect but I did think that I would have to do and learn everything on my own in order to complete certain tasks. What was most interesting to me was coding and trying to find different outflows of protostars. To begin with I did not even know what that was and so learning how to catalog all the outflows was challenging for me but it definitely opened my mind on future career paths.

During the first week of the CRISP (Center for Research on Interface Structures and Phenomena) at Southern Connecticut State University, my overall perception of the internship has progressively changed. On July 3, 2018, at 8:40 am I didn't know what to expect when entering into the Science Building Doors. I arrived astoundingly earlier than anyone due to my readiness for the internship. Attaining feelings of anxiousness, fear and a diluted structure of euphoria. Time agilely passed as I was instructed and informed through research, lab training, data analysis, lab equipment training, preparation for study and individual studying. Furthermore, I noticed that the Center for Research on Interface Structures and Phenomena internship compelled me to focus on extensive research and learn subjects that aren't available at my school; it allows the opportunity for me to leave my comfort zone and challenge myself to work harder and grow from mistakes and lessons I've attained thro

This week I began my research at the CRISP lab at SCSU. I was extremely impressed with the technology used in the labs, there are a variety of microscopes to examine different material. For example there is the Scanning Electron Microscope, the Transmission Electron Microscope, and the Atomic Force Microscope. We were given a tour around the labs and had a basic introduction to the equipment used in various projects. Here at CRISP there are a variety of ongoing projects, some people are working with steel, nanotubes, and other independent projects. I have been reading and researching the materials that my PI has been investigating,  I have also seen the images of the nanotubes I will be researching taken with the TEM. The students here at Southern work on a variety of research investigations, some companies sponsor different projects for the students to work on. This was not what I expected because there are many things going on in this building, I originally thought the CRISP program