In collaboration with universities nationwide, RCAP offers student interns hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture. Based at the University of Maryland, interns engage in research projects exploring plant diversity, crop perenniality, and economic circularity. Led by Dr. Bill Lamp, the internship focuses on beneficial arthropod biodiversity within agricultural settings. Apply by March 29, 2024, for this exciting opportunity! See below for more information.
Exciting Internship Opportunity: Join Resilience CAP (RCAP) for Sustainable Agriculture Research!3/4/2024
Funded by the University of Maryland Sustainability Fund, Helen’s team (Felicia Schectman, Yasmine Helbling, Fiona Torok, and Jenna Kraemer) produced insect collections organizes by ecosystem services, as well as posters explaining the value of insects in their performance of ecosystem services like pollination, pest control, and decomposition. These materials are now on display at three locations on campus, including (the STEM library, 4th floor of McKeldin Library, and 1st floor of the Plant Sciences building). We are pleased that students, staff, and faculty can visit these displays and learn about the importance and value of insects. More about this project can be accessed here. Fiona Torok, Helen Craig, and Yasmine Helbling (left to right) and the insect biodiversity display in the STEM library at UMD. The insect biodiversity display (above) on the first floor of the Plant Sciences Building. The insect biodiversity display (above) on the fourth floor of McKeldin Library at UMD.
We are pleased that Ali passed his defense with flying colors. He is still editing his thesis, entitled "Enhancing biological control by ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) through agricultural drainage ditch management practices," and expects to complete graduation requirements in January for Spring graduation. Congratulations, Ali!
Ali Shokoohi got third place for the poster session on "Advancing Agricultural Production Systems hosted by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland. The poster was based on his thesis work on conservation biological control by ground beetles through management of agricultural drainage ditches. The work was supported by a USDA SARE grant to our lab. Congratulations, Ali!
Out of the 48 student blogs written this semester, Olivia's blog entitled, "Life moves pretty fast: Beneath the surface of rushing water," was selected as the top of the class. Based on her trip to Fishing Creek, north of Frederick in the Catoctin Mountains, she photographed and described the rapid movement of water and its consequences on the abundant insect life in the stream. Check out her blog here.
The Lamp Lab went to the Entomological Society of America's annual meeting at the National Harbor in November 2023. See below for awesome pictures and the titles of each members presentation or poster!
We welcome Michelle Campano to the Lamp Lab! She is a senior General Biology major and Science, Technology, Ethics, and Policy minor. She is currently in Dr. Lamp's BSCI 467: Freshwater Biology course and has experience working with bees at a summer internship at Montana State University! She will be working with our graduate student Amanda Brucchieri in a literature review for the "Science and Technology Based Approach (STBA) to Minimize Climate Vulnerability and Achieve Sustainable and Resilient Food Production Systems (SRFP) in Maryland" grant. They hope to determine how climate change will affect insect pest management in the future in Maryland agriculture through this literature review. We are excited to have Michelle!
The 2023 RCAP Summer Internship Program is part of our Resilience CAP grant, and includes students from four universities this summer. The program hosts various meetings and workshops, while students perform independent research in their host lab. The Lamp Lab is pleased to host three enthusiastic students for the program, including Fiona Rioux, Shannon Hu, and Felicia Shectman. Fiona is working with Robert Salerno on our SARE agricultural ditch project, Shannon is working with Amanda Brucchieri on her farm pond/Odonata project, and Felicia is working with Jenna Kraemer on the Farm Insect Biodiversity project. We enjoy their activity and help in both the field and the lab this summer.
We are excited to have Jenna join our lab as our next Lab Manager for 2023-24. Jenna received her B.S. degree at Maryland in Microbiology, spending part of her time working in Karen Rane's Plant Diagnostic Lab. She brings new expertise on molecular methods to the lab. She plans to continue her training as a graduate student in microbiology in the future. We look forward to working with her.
Although we miss Helen as our Lab Manager for 2022-23, we are pleased to have her transition within the Lamp Lab as a Master's graduate student starting fall, 2023. Helen received her B.S. degree in Ecology and Evolution, with a minor in Sustainability, from the University of Maryland in May, 2022. She has broad interests in entomology and sustainability, and is considering a project involving reducing methane production in dairy cows by including insects as feed. We look forward to her start as the lab's last graduate student.
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