A great way to learn about organismal diversity is to work with a collection. The Gustavus Biology Department has several opportunities to work with plant and animal collections! In order to share our insect, plant and vertebrate collections with a larger community we are in the process of organizing and displaying information, including images, about the specimens in our collections on a newly-designed website. This site will serve as a resource for classes at Gustavus, the St. Peter community and scientists.
Collections are a vital component of scientific study and education with uses including:
- cataloguing diversity within a taxon,
- recording species found within a particular geographic range, and
- understanding evolutionary change within and between populations.
This award is an opportunity for you to contribute to the departmentâs educational objectives & learn about a particular taxon.
To Apply
- Contact and meet with one of the faculty members listed below
- * Plants: Pamela Kittelson (pkittels@gustavus.edu)
- * Vertebrates: Jon Grinnell (grinnell@gustavus.edu) or Eric Elias (eelias@gustavus.edu)
- * Insects: Margaret Bloch Qazi (mqazi@gustavus.edu)
- With your faculty collaborator, develop a short proposal in which you:
- # Clearly state what informational content and how much of the collection will be posted online by the end of the award period
- # Describe what archival work needs to be done to support #1 (above) and what you intend to accomplish in one semester.
- # Submit an itemized budget of no more than $160 to support your work. Money can be used to: travel to see collections at other institutions, purchase supplies to present or archive specimens, and acquire texts related to the collection subject.
- Three copies of the proposal are due to Eric Elias (NHS 2141) by 5pm, September 19, 2021.