Hyperspectral Imaging for California Plant Ecology
Awardee: Nikita Burger, undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Computational and Systems Biology at UCLA.
Projects
Scrub-Jays: an emerging model system for studying evolution and understanding conservation priorities in California.
La Kretz Center postdoctoral researcher Dr. Devon DeRaad plans to use genomic approaches to characterize the genetic diversity and relatedness of scrub-jays throughout the state of California. This includes a…
A restoration and monitoring plan for Sage Hill
Student Team: Bec Chenowith, Kolby Emison, Jacqueline Gonzalez Hurtado, Isaac Law, Angela Sarunchartinonth, Sarah Schmitt, and Emma Strassner Client: UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability Advisor: Dr. Andy Kleinhesselink Our full Restoration…
Assessing breeding owl species distribution in Los Angeles
Raptors, birds of prey that include hawks, owls, and falcons, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates. As top predators, raptors exert top-down control over…
Determining the drivers of collective behavior in Veromessor harvester ants at the UC Sedgwick natural reserve
Awardee: Sean O'Fallon, Ph.D. student in the Pinter-Wollman lab at UCLA. Sean's research focuses on the collective behavior of ant colonies, focusing on the factors that determine behavioral variation within populations and the relationship between ant nest architecture and collective behavior.
Effects of artificial lighting at night on bats in Los Angeles County
Awardee: Lily Rivas, undergraduate student at UCLA under the IoES program pursuing an Environmental Science B.S. and a minor in Conservation Biology.
Effects of interspecific competition on Stephens’ kangaroo rat habitat selection
Awardee: Janine Fischer, Ph.D. candidate co-advised by Dr. Grether and Dr. Shier at UCLA, who is interested in how aggressive interference between species influences their coexistence and habitat use.
Hydraulic function and carbon metabolism of three southern California oak species
Awardee: Anna Ongjoco, Ph.D student co-advised by Dr. Elsa Ordway at UCLA and Dr. Leander Anderegg at UCSB.
Informing the future of the Santa Monica Airport
The City of Santa Monica Airport is uniquely situated in the midst of dense residential neighborhoods of Santa Monica and neighboring west Los Angeles. The airport opened in 1917 as…
Integrating Environmental DNA and Epigenetics as a Novel Approach for Age Classification of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a Model Organism.
Awardee: Madeleine Pacheco, first year PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department under the supervision of Dr. Paul Barber at UCLA.
Investigating blue carbon alternatives as possible offsets at the Aquarium of the Pacific
As one of the largest aquariums in the United States, the Aquarium of the Pacific wants to raise industry sustainability standards by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Since decarbonization…
Is Prey Availability a Factor in the Decline of a Bat Species in Southern California that is Synanthropic in the Rest of its Range?
Awardee: Jill Carpenter, Ph.D. candidate interested in the roosting and foraging ecology of bats, especially with regard to how various species navigate and utilize the human-altered landscapes of Southern California as well as what traits allow some species to persist while others decline.