Principal Investigator: Karen McBee, Department of Zoology and OSU Collection of Vertebrates (LSW 305, 405-744-9680)
Project Description
OSU Collection of Vertebrates has approximately 500 tanned hides of mammalian specimens from North and South America and Africa, especially Ethiopia. Some of these specimens are between 50 and 80 years old and range from small cats such as servals to zebras, elk, and wildebeest. We are exploring innovative ways to stabilize and store these specimens so that they may continue to be used in teaching and research activities at OSU. We are seeking undergraduates who have an interest in natural history museums and methods for curation and conservation of rare and fragile specimens.
Funding available for qualified students: No
Find out more and apply here: http://okstateu.com/ugrnetwork/as/ongoing/#006
We are investigating how exposure to stressors during development affects adult physiology and behavior using the zebra finch as a model system. Undergraduates participating in this project will have the opportunity to design and execute their own research using zebra finches after learning and mastering techniques utilized in the lab: animal husbandry, behavioral analysis, blood sampling, immune response assays, and database management.
Two projects are underway:
The Floras of North America Project involves the patterns of plant diversity in our continent. It is an intensive bibliographic undertaking, and includes a lot of library work, a lot of gathering data from references, and some work involving mapping and geographic interpolation. On occasion, there may be opportunities for fieldwork for interested students, as well as writing and analysis.
The gas-liquid two phase flow is used in the nuclear, refrigeration, chemical and the oil and petroleum industries. It is very important to have correct understanding of the two phase flow phenomenon for designing and optimizing the industrial equipments used in two phase flow applications. Our research in two phase flow aims at detailed investigation of two phase phenomenon involving air-water as fluid combination flowing through a 0.5” inside diameter pipe. The experimental setup in our Two Phase Flow Lab is capable of doing flow visualization and measurements of void fraction, pressure drop and heat transfer.
What are the effects of nutrient pollution on the livelihood of organisms—those we depend on (e.g., for fresh drinking water)? Data on a small crustacean from lakes in Minnesota that filters lake water revealed some important answers. We “resurrected” ancient resting eggs laid in the 18th century and compared their DNA, physiology, morphology, and ecological function with those living currently. These ancient critters are alive and kicking in our lab. There are several exciting questions that can be answered using these organisms—ideal projects for undergraduate research. Tasks are designed to allow for a thorough experience in doing science, and will include: reading the primary literature, designing experiments, collecting data, interpreting data, and routine lab maintenance. Our lab encourages and assists undergraduates to compete for scholarships—a great way to bolster your curriculum vitae in preparation for any profession after graduation.