{"id":8187,"date":"2015-07-29T10:59:59","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T14:59:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/?p=8187"},"modified":"2015-07-29T10:59:59","modified_gmt":"2015-07-29T14:59:59","slug":"exploring-science-and-self-in-a-surf-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/2015\/07\/29\/exploring-science-and-self-in-a-surf-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring science and self in a SURF experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Salve Regina alum\u00a0finds lasting impact and value in\u00a0Rhode Island NSF\u00a0EPSCoR undergraduate research fellowship\u00a0program<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Friday, July 31, Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR\u2019s 2015 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURFs) will present their summer research findings at the 8th<\/sup> Annual RI SURF Conference<\/a>, hosted by the University of Rhode Island<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The event, co-sponsored with Rhode Island INBRE<\/a>, caps a 10-week research experience<\/a> that gives undergraduates in the Ocean State a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the quest for scientific discovery and build the skills they need in pursuit of their academic and professional journeys.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Jillian
Former SURF Jillian Pegnataro holds a Kemp’s ridley turtle during a Sea Turtle Inc. public release.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Two years ago at this time, Jillian Pegnataro was wrapping up her 10-week Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) with Associate Professor Jameson Chace<\/a> at Salve Regina University<\/a> and preparing to present her research findings at the annual RI SURF Conference.<\/p>\n

Pegnataro, who graduated from Salve the following spring, in 2014, with a B.S. in biology, spent her fellowship with Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR as part of\u00a0a five-year study to observe the effects of climate change on near shore organisms in Newport, RI.<\/p>\n

For so many students, the only research we know is the prepared labs in our science courses. SURF showed me that research has a purpose and that when you find a study that you care about, the work has a new meaning.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Specifically, Pegnataro says, she was investigating how the warming water temperatures affected shell disease of the American lobster and the impact on the population.<\/p>\n

What she learned that summer, along the coast of Newport and out in Narragansett Bay, played a key role in Pegnataro\u2019s journey to where she is today \u2014 working as an intern at the non-profit Sea Turtle Inc.<\/a>, spending her days, and often her nights, rescuing and caring for sea turtles on the Texas barrier island of South Padre Island.<\/p>\n

The SURF experience, both in terms of scientific and self-discovery, was life changing, Pegnataro says:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis internship wasn\u2019t about grades or credits, it was a way to experience what it is like to be a scientist and it gave me a glimpse of what the future as a biology major could be. I loved the work that I did so much that I expanded on my research and wrote my undergraduate thesis on my project. I learned more about scientific writing and, most importantly, how to present the research that I had spent so much time on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Working under Chace\u2019s guidance, she adds, provided an equally compelling opportunity for the small group of interns, who appreciated the individualized attention and the attention to details.<\/p>\n

Three times a week, the crew pulled and set lobster traps, often wrestling errant eels and tossing them out of the boat or avoiding the snaps of angry lobsters. The students also scaled the Cliff Walk to quadrat sections of shoreline to survey populations.<\/p>\n

A summer well spent<\/h3>\n

\u201cAlthough it was challenging, the data that we were collecting was important to me and I was in my element,\u201d recalls Pegnataro. \u201cAnalyzing and presenting our projects was a great learning experience. It was a privilege to work with Dr. Chace, because he is so passionate about research. He challenged us to do our best work and wouldn\u2019t accept anything less.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pegnataro says SURF gave her the opportunity to conduct marine fieldwork and follow her own path. After collecting data in the field, she and the other fellows compiled and analyzed what they had found. There also was a wealth of research from previous intern projects and scientific journals to consider.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a great way to experience research, and how research is used in the real world, instead of experimental projects in a lab,\u201d Pegnataro says. \u201cThis was data that I helped to collect. I was very proud of the work that I accomplished that summer.<\/p>\n

\"JillianSURF prepared her well for the work she does today, says Pegnataro. Sea Turtle Inc., a sea turtle hospital open to the public, focuses on a mission of\u00a0education, rehabilitation and conservation. The work involves cleaning and caring for the turtles, interacting with the public, answering questions, giving educational presentations, and helping run the gift shop.<\/p>\n

\"Sea
Above: An artificial nest in the corral with sea turtle eggs is about a foot in the ground and contains about 100 eggs. Top photo: Jillian Pegnataro and Jeff George, director of Sea Turtle Inc., try to get April out of her tank to go to the zoo for her laser treatments. (Photo by Spencer Selvidge)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When not at the facility, Pegnataro helps patrol the beaches for turtle tracks during 8-hour shifts on an ATV or works in the corral, where nests are safely relocated. The beach is 32 miles long and the patrols seek out tracks in the sand to find where the mother turtles lay their eggs.<\/p>\n

Once workers locate tracks, a responder finds the nest and they relocate it to the corral, or a fenced in area on the beach: \u201cWe dig artificial nests in the corral and mark and date each of the nest. When making an artificial nest, we have to dig a hole about a foot into the sand and it has to be the shape of a flask.\u201d<\/p>\n

The reburied eggs will incubate in the sand for 50 days. During hatching season, the workers watch over the nest during overnight shifts that run from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., looking for nest activity. The\u00a0sand is\u00a0too hot for the turtles\u00a0to make it to the water in the middle of the day.\u00a0Typically,\u00a0a nest hatches in the middle of the night, when\u00a0the temperature of the sand drops \u2014 the cue that the turtles\u00a0are looking for to start emerging. The workers bring the babies back to the facility, take measurements and make sure the hatchlings are ready to be released.<\/p>\n

If released too close to the lights of civilization, the baby turtles will travel in the wrong direction. The crew drives north, up the island, away from artificial lights to allow\u00a0the turtles crawl to the beach where they hatched, so that they will imprint and return when they are mature enough to lay eggs about 12 years later.<\/p>\n

The Sea Turtle Inc. facility houses permanent and non-resident turtles; the permanent resident status means that these turtles will not be released because of their inability to survive in the wild. The non-resident turtles will be rehabilitated and ultimately released. Pegnataro says about 90 percent of the turtles that come into the facility will be released back into the wild.<\/p>\n

\"Bay
Baby Kemp’s ridley turtles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pride, purpose & passion in science<\/h3>\n

\u201cIt is a very intense internship that requires a lot of time and dedication to these little baby turtles,\u201d says Pegnataro. \u201cBut, I have\u00a0never felt more of a purpose than I have here.\u201d<\/p>\n

In retrospect, Pegnataro says SURF allowed her find herself in her research and instilled a sense of pride in her results and contribution to science. The experience also made her a competitive candidate in the job market.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt not only gave me experience in marine biology, but also showed that I am passionate about my work and that I push myself,\u201d she says. \u201cThe level of work that we were doing with Dr. Chace was above and beyond what is expected of undergraduate research.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor so many students, the only research we know is the prepared labs in our science courses. SURF showed me that research has a purpose and that when you find a study that you care about, the work has a new meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Postscript: Pegnataro says her original intention after graduation was to head immediately to graduate school, but traveling abroad to Costa Rica her last semester sparked a love for travel. She still intends to continue her educational path, but is happy now with her conservation and research work, and seeing more of the world.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cI didn\u2019t know what I wanted right after I graduated but I\u2019m glad I took this time to find myself,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s programs like SURF and Sea Turtle, Inc. that can point students in the right direction, even if you aren\u2019t sure where your final destination will be.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Turtle
Jillian Pegnataro’s summer project: A mosaic of a turtle that is made completely out of trash found on the beach, created on a plywood background that is 12-feet long and 6-feet high. Pegnataro says she expects to complete her work in progress by summer’s end.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Story by Amy Dunkle | Courtesy photos, Sea Turtle Inc.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Salve Regina alum\u00a0finds lasting impact and value in\u00a0Rhode Island NSF\u00a0EPSCoR undergraduate research fellowship\u00a0program On Friday, July 31, Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR\u2019s 2015 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURFs) will present their summer research findings at the 8th Annual RI SURF Conference, hosted by the University of Rhode Island. The event, co-sponsored with Rhode Island INBRE, caps […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[21,1,66],"tags":[570,606,615,675,699,735],"class_list":["post-8187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-uncategorized","category-epscor-grads","tag-rhode-island-nsf-epscor","tag-salve-regina-university","tag-science","tag-stem","tag-surfri2015","tag-undergraduate-research"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8187"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8187\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}