Field Research Studies (BIOL380/680)
The course
Every summer, we spend 3 weeks in upstate New York to support research and provide training opportunities for Queens College CUNY students. We limit enrollment to 12-15 students at the Undergraduate or Master’s level. Students are expected to have taken either BIOL105/106 (or equivalent courses) and be comfortable working both in a laboratory setting and in the field. This class will have an assigned reading list at the beginning of the session to introduce students to the model system and lecture to introduce students to basic research and the purpose of the research to be undertaken. This counts as a 3-credit course towards undergraduate/master’s degree requirements. If you are unsure or have questions, please reach out to the course coordinator to participate using the form below.
The research
Our work is invested in how seasonal patterns can shape animal coloration and behavior in natural environments. This has allowed us to study the beautiful pigmentation patterns of sunfish variants (bluegill, pumpkinseed, red-ear) and their “dramatic” social lives. Sunfish males possess alternative reproductive tactics that take the form of territorial males and sneaker males that have discrete differences in color and strategies to fertilize eggs. Whereas territorial males form middens to guard their fertilized eggs until they are free swimming fry, sneaker males will show up for a fraction of a second during courtship to fertilize clutches of newly dropped eggs. These eggs are also subject to raids from other fish of the same and different species (See video below). We aim to resolve these behavioral differences within neural substrates and the molecular changes within those neural substrates. The ultimate goal is to situate and link these changes within the context of a dynamic sociophysical environment.
The expectation
Students are expected to arrive on time for early mornings for two solid weeks and one week of on-site prep for a rooftop aquaculture facility on the roof of the science building. Your grade will be tied directly to your ability to follow instructions in the field and be accountable for the duties you are assigned. This course will also enlist the help of high school seniors within NYC’s Public School system through CUNY’s College Now program to act as field assistants. In other words, you will support and be supported by a large team.