Project Background

Student Role

The student recruited for this project will work alongside other Aparecido lab members, mostly graduate students. Most of the current projects within our lab focus on plant thermal ecology to a certain extent and we expect the student to assist with field, lab, and data processing of the collected plant physiological samples and measurements. This project will thus provide an exciting opportunity for the student to combine fun outdoor experiences with research and lab community building. The student will be assisting with plant ecophysiological measurements such as leaf stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, critical temperatures (Tcrit), thermal safety margins (TSMs); and leaf temperatures. All of these measurements use state-of-the-art equipment to measure plant physiological parameters in the field, which we believe will be very rewarding for the student's experience. That said, no prior experience is required as the student will be trained by current members of the lab; but we do expect the student to be excited about working outside during the summer, possibly even camping for a couple of days. Students who are comfortable and able to drive will be a plus. Field sites include: the University of Utah (campus and Cottam's grove), Red Butte Canyon, Salt Lake City urban parks, and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. We acknowledge that these are many sites and that weather conditions might not be ideal during the summer, therefore we want to reassure you that we are committed to allocating only the appropriate amount of work hours and work conditions to the student's workload that guarantees and prioritizes student well-being and happiness.

Student Learning Outcomes and Benefits

The student will learn theoretical and experimental knowledge of plant biology and ecology (specifically, plant ecophysiology). This project will also introduce or refine the student's knowledge of science technical skills, such as data analysis and interpretation, presenting your findings (at lab meetings and/or symposiums), and scientific writing. The student will also learn how to work as a team while collecting data, and also independent work when handling and processing samples in the lab. We hold biweekly lab group meetings and biweekly one-on-one meetings with the PI. The students will also have one-on-one meetings with the lab members who are leading their specific research projects, where they will discuss the logistics of the data campaigns and directions of the research project. Lab members will also train the recruited student, which may come from other undergraduate interns from the lab. In summary, the student will be fully integrated into our lab's collegial workspace which will yield scientific knowledge but also interpersonal growth when working with other early-career scientists. We believe that all these experiences will be valuable for the student's career within or outside of academia. Finally, we hope that the recruited student assimilates and disseminates the importance of plant structure and functions in shaping ecosystems that are vulnerable to climate change through this project.

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