Image: Sarah at Spray

Caption: The goal of our Red Layer Microbial Observatory (also an RUI) is to characterize novel red Green Nonsulfur bacteria throughout Yellowstone National Park. The grant currently supports 2 undergraduate research stipends each summer (including fieldwork in Yellowstone), and research-driven curricula for Molecular Biology, Computational Biology, and Microbiology course. Common activities include: DNA isolation, PCR, DNA sequence analysis, and phylogenetic. We have partnered with Saturday Academy, Upward Bound, and the Junior Science Academy to facilitate outreach to local middle and high school students. I am currently developing more workshops for pre-college students and regular workshops for secondary science teachers. Our renewed program will increase summer experiences to 6 students/year, enhance equipment for all research-driven courses, and double to triple the numbers of outreach activities and workshops we are able to offer.

Source: Sarah Boomer

A large portion of this work was supported by an NSF Microbial Observatories/Research at Undergraduate Institute Grant (NSF-MO/RUI 0074452). The Li-Cor DNA sequencer was acquired via an NSF Improved Laboratory Instrumentation Grant (NSF-ILI DUE-9851322). All research trips to Yellowstone were supported by annual Western Oregon University Foundation Grants.