iUTAH Undergraduate iFellows

 

Week 1 Recap

May 19-23, 2014

 

Allison Albert

During the first week of the iFellows program I became introduced the main project that I will be working on, the Green Meadows project. This project is being conducted to look at how plants can treat storm-water through up-taking metals by adding citric acid. This week has been centered around getting the project site up and running. We acquired necessary materials and tested different edging materials. It was determined that making our own edging from sheet metal and spray-paint was necessary to maintain separation between soil samples. The metal was cut and spray-painted, and we started installing the edging at the site on Friday May 23, 2014. 

 

 

Tim Beach

I've gotten off to a good start in the first week as an iFellow. I got to meet the other iFellows and leaders at the orientation meeting. I have started my project (creating a set of hydrologic maps of Utah) with the planning of my maps and collecting GIS data. I have been downloading raw data from online as well as collaborating with some professors at Utah State. 

 

 

Toby Brotherton

It has been an exciting first week. My group has mainly been working on getting our first project underway, which is to design and place two different kinds of bug traps on green roofs in SLC, in order to study arthropod biodiversity on these green roofs. We will also be placing traps in landscaped areas and natural locations near to them. We have a research plan and materials list finalized, and we will purchase these materials next week.

 

 

Andrew Butterfield

My first week with the program has consisted of only orientation and beginning my transition up to Logan for the summer, as my mentor Michelle Baker is out of town. Orientation was a great experience, getting to know some of the different individuals involved in the program and gaining a better sense of how the program operates and its more detailed goals. It's fascinating to see the full scope of the program and the diversity of backgrounds involved. As it turns out, Logan is gorgeous this time of year, and I can't wait to spend my summer in such a beautiful place. 

 

 

Kenyon Gentry

I met with my Graduate student mentor, Youcan Feng, and learned about his green roof project. iFellow Toby and I worked out a budget to create several pitfall traps and combi-traps to collect the various arthropods that are present on green roof & ground level landscaping.

 

 

Adam Henrie

This week, I drew housing information from an online database in preparation to send our survey to asses Salt Lake City residents' perceptions of various landscapes. I've also been heavily involved in reviewing pertinent literature concerning environmental worldviews and various ways to measure them.

 

 

Katy Hicks

During the first week I helped assemble the water survey packets that are currently going around Logan. Friday morning I tagged along with the team passing out the surveys to get a feel for what is going on. I started coding newspaper articles that have any relevance with water in Utah within the past year. I will soon begin to develop a focus area for my research topic.

 

 

Alexis Holzwarth

Up to this point we have encountered technical difficulties in accessing the database necessary for productivity. My first week consisted of online research of urban water use and native shrub species. I have learned so much already. I am so excited to move forward and get involved in the software we will be using this summer and see the results!

 

 

Jeffery D. Josephson

First, fun is not the right word to describe my experience so far. My iFellowship, just like last year’s iUTAH Summer Institute, is a dream come true.  In my academic career I have often wanted to be involved in a setting where real scientists do real science.  And here I am!  I have already met with Dr. Buchert--Martin, he is quick to correct me--about dove-tailing my work here with my senior project at Weber State.  We are devising ways in which my work with ground water here can be applicable to my interest and study of extractive technology in geology at WSU. In addition, my studies in GIS are paying off nicely with all the mapping and geo-processing of data we are going to do.  I am also thrilled at the prospect of getting to read academic papers and have my reviews become a part of the important work done by everyone here at iUTAH, not to mention just playing a small part in our critical work in water management.  I consider myself very fortunate to again be selected to be a part of iUTAH.

 

Claire O'Donnell 

This week started out with an introduction to what to expect this summer from iFellows. My mentor, Dr. Meghan Avolio, then introduced the social science research we are doing this summer, which examines the relationship between the age of a resident's house, the value of the house, and what plants are present in their yard. I also took advantage of an opportunity to head out to the field for some preliminary data collecting with La'Shaye Ervin. While in the field, we discovered a couple hiccups and realized the importance of a preliminary field day. 

 

 

Samuel Stout 

I was able to go survey a neighborhood in Logan with some Utah State students about water usage. I was also able to learn about Water Conservation Reports that will be used during the summer.

 

 

Anne Thomas 

This week, of course, began with our orientation meeting, which gave me a sense for the group and the program; afterward we paid a visit to the sites where grad student Mike Bunnell is working with trees and where I'll be doing some measurements also. Back in the lab I've been reading background literature and familiarizing myself with the Li-Cor equipment I'll be using. I also have had some good conversations with Dr. Gill about photosynthesis and the theory behind what I'll be researching.

 

 

Michelle-Kei Williams 

This week I spent most of my time reading up on relevant documents & information related to the research I will be helping two graduate students with, Megan Walsh & Pratibha Sapkota; to gain a background on their research & to familiarize myself with the geologic aspects of each project that I will be assisting with.  I assisted Pratibha at the “storm site” where research is being conducted on the bioretention abilities of different types of plants in regards to polluted storm water. Additionally, I joined Pratibha in a chemistry lab to test the levels of nitrate & ammonia in the samples that were taken earlier in the week. Samples were first taken straight out of the nine “polluted” water barrels (influent samples) as they were emptying into the cells with different types of plants in them. Controls were also included that had no plants. And another set of samples was taken after the water from the barrels had filtered through the cells, filled with layers of gravel & soil.