Research & Projects
Research & Projects
Embedded Files
Project 1
Project 1
USGS NWHC Graduate Internship
USGS NWHC Graduate Internship
More information coming soon...
Sponsorship
Sponsorship
My participation in this internship was made possible through support from NSF 2308044 (Mosher, Miller, DiRenzo, Grear), NIH 1T32GM156692-01, and the US Geological Survey.
Project 2
Project 2
Optimizing Species-Specific Assays for use with eDNA.
Optimizing Species-Specific Assays for use with eDNA.
My undergraduate honors thesis focused on developing non-invasive detection methods for the Ambystoma species complex, a group of special concern New York salamanders. I evaluated assay suitability through in-silico and in-vitro validation. I selected and optimized species-specific qPCR assays for blue-spotted and Jefferson salamanders. I also designed a genus-specific Ambystoma PCR assay for sequencing, and Sanger sequenced four Ambystoma species.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship
A heartfelt thank you to New York State for their support of my undergraduate research journey. This project was sponsored by NYSDEC, P3/CSTEP, TRIO programs, and the US Department of Education. Additional thanks to the Cornell CALS Dextra Undergraduate Research Endowment Fund.
Study Overview
Study Overview
While I can't share the full results until publishing, here is a sneak peek.
final_mcnair_billboard_2023_48x36.pptxProject 3
Project 3
Sacha Waysa: Indigenous Industry in the Ecuadorian Amazon
Sacha Waysa: Indigenous Industry in the Ecuadorian Amazon
I traveled to the Amazon and joined the Indigenous community of Sacha Waysa to collaborate with local partners and the Yakum Foundation. I conducted Spanish-language interviews in La Communidad Nueve de Junio and evaluated barriers to ecotourism and reforestation efforts. I followed the creation of a service-based economy and learned more about how Indigenous groups were leveraging ecotourism to empower historically underserved communities.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship
Sincere thanks to the Cornell University Einhorn Center for Community Engagement and the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program for funding and coordinating this amazing opportunity.
Results
Results
Read the full creative essay below.
Project 4
Project 4
Determining population characteristics of the Invasive Green Crab (Carcinus maenas) in Atlantic Patagonia
Determining population characteristics of the Invasive Green Crab (Carcinus maenas) in Atlantic Patagonia
European Green Crab in the field
The European Green Crab is a highly adaptive invertabrate that is generally considered one of the worst marine invasives. It likes to eat other crabs. It outcompetes local species, and it aggressively feeds on clams and bivalves. The species was first reported in Patagonia in the early 2000s, making it a relatively recent invader. Because of this, there is little available information regarding the green crabs' regional adaptations to Patagonia. In an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), like that of Bahia Bustamante, this information could be crucial to understanding future population and food dynamics. I set out to evaluate the unique population characteristics of the invasive European Green Crab in the intertidal zone of Patagonia.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship
Special thanks to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for making this research experience possible. Additional thanks to the American Indian Program Scott Excellence Fund for their support in my journey to Argentina.
Methods & Results
Methods & Results
Read about how I pursued these questions and what I found in the full report below.
Project 5
Project 5
Optimizing Mussel Culture at the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT)
Optimizing Mussel Culture at the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT)
Freshwater mussels are both culturally and ecologically significant in the Saint Lawrence River watershed. In fact, the purple dye used in Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) wampum belts is traditionally extracted from crushed shells. Native freshwater mussels also play critical roles in ecosystem services by serving as bioindicators, filtering water, and creating habitat for other species. However, the introduction of invasive mussels and poor habitat conditions have put these natives at risk. Juveniles can be readily produced via propagation and culture, but lab-reared mussels experience high mortality and slow growth. Outdoor pond grow-out in "cages" has been proposed as an alternative to lab rearing. My project focused on evaluating suitable natural grow-out systems by conducting pilot tests in three distinct ponds.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship
This research was made possible by the collaborative efforts of the ASET REU (NSF 2050848 Christian, Baki, White-Cree), SRMT Environment Division Remediation and Restoration Office, US EPA GLRI (GL-00E02266; GL-00E02902), US FWS Genoa National Fish Hatchery, and NYSDEC.
Methods & Results
Methods & Results
Learn more about our findings in the linked poster below.
raps-poster_48x36.pptxPage updated
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