Visiting Scholars: STEM

Animals of the Deep – Sea Mice, Killer Snails, and Giant Sea Spiders...

Marine biologist Robert Prezant offers students a hands-on overview of marine animals, from sponges to sharks. Students will be able to safely handle preserved organisms (gloves will be supplied), some of which they've never seen before (such as giant deep sea pill bugs or cowfish). Students will gain a deeper appreciation of the diversity of the animals that swim through the waters and crawl through the muds of our world ocean. 

Functional Morphology of Marine Animals (From Sponge to Shark)

Marine biologist Robert Prezant will use animals of the ocean to have students gain a deeper understanding of the link between form and function. From giant deep sea spiders to shallow water sharks, students will learn (and see first hand) how modified structures changed over time as organisms evolutionally adapted new life styles reflecting changes in their environments

Gain From Loss: Telling the Story of Pelvic Spine Reduction in Alaskan Stickleback Fish Through a Virtual Lab

In this investigation of evolutionary adaptation, with Dr. Peter Park, we will explore the story of why threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) have lost their pelvic (hip) spines, a paired fin present in most fishes. As told by one of the co-developers of the widely-used Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Stickleback Evolution Virtual Lab, participants learn the association between patterns of evolutionary change and known genetic mechanisms underlying pelvic reduction in living and fossil sticklebacks. Real preserved specimens and fossils along with virtual experiences (e.g., staining fish, prepping fossils) will be shared during this presentation.

Surf and Turf Community Science: How Urban Fish Surveys and Clay Caterpillars Bring Science to Life for All

Fish surveys involve identifying and counting fish species, which can be done using various methods ranging from seining, trapping, and/or angling. Since 2019, fish biodiversity data has been collected in NYC like never before through a new network of NYC fish enthusiasts and community scientists, and these practices carry on today. In the terrestrial realm, clay model caterpillars have been used by ecologists for years to document biodiversity on caterpillar predators such as birds and insects. At Farmingdale State College, Dr. Peter Park along with educators, biologists, and students have joined together to conduct biodiversity research using this approach to begin learning more about biodiversity on their college campus through student-focused, practical, experiential science.