Assistant professor Jan Dawe and SNRE graduate student Mark
Melham will receive $7,500 URSA Mentoring Awards for the 2017 academic year.
Melham will receive $7,500 URSA Mentoring Awards for the 2017 academic year.
Both were notified late last week. The mentoring awards are
given to UAF faculty members, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students to
provide undergraduate research learning opportunities.
given to UAF faculty members, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students to
provide undergraduate research learning opportunities.
 |
| Nicole Dunham pours birch sap during the collection season this spring. Some students hired with URSA funds will work on birch processing methods. UAF photo by Todd Paris |
Dawe, a research assistant professor, will recruit three to
five students who will work on a variety of projects. This include comparing birch sap processing methods and looking at product quality, taste testing
and the efficiencies of different evaporators. The students will also work on
citizen science protocols for tracking phenology, growth and productivity in
the T-field birch plot on North Campus and development of the STEAM Studio as
an informal science center. The T-Field is part of the Fairbanks Experiment
Farm.
Melham’s grant will support his project, “Dall Sheep
Research in Gates of the Arctic.” Melham, who is working on a master’s degree in natural
resources management, said the primary purpose of his research with Professor
Dave Verbyla is to validate Landsat and NGA high-resolution satellite imagery
in order to understand where shrubs are and how they’re expanding throughout
the entire Dall sheep range. The Gates of the Arctic study is designed to
ensure that remotely sensed data corresponds correctly to the physical location
and percentage of tall shrub coverage.
Research in Gates of the Arctic.” Melham, who is working on a master’s degree in natural
resources management, said the primary purpose of his research with Professor
Dave Verbyla is to validate Landsat and NGA high-resolution satellite imagery
in order to understand where shrubs are and how they’re expanding throughout
the entire Dall sheep range. The Gates of the Arctic study is designed to
ensure that remotely sensed data corresponds correctly to the physical location
and percentage of tall shrub coverage.
One goal of the project is to obtain high-resolution field
data on vegetative growth and quality in critical Dall sheep habitat along the
John River. The URSA funds will support two undergraduates who will spend their
summer floating the John River on repeated transects, visiting randomized
points to perform vegetation composition surveys and collecting Dall sheep
fecal samples. To prepare for the field season, the students will work with Melham
during the spring and (hopefully) present the initial findings from the remote
sensing portion of the project at the URSA Research Day.
data on vegetative growth and quality in critical Dall sheep habitat along the
John River. The URSA funds will support two undergraduates who will spend their
summer floating the John River on repeated transects, visiting randomized
points to perform vegetation composition surveys and collecting Dall sheep
fecal samples. To prepare for the field season, the students will work with Melham
during the spring and (hopefully) present the initial findings from the remote
sensing portion of the project at the URSA Research Day.
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