Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation

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George �鶹��Ƶ scientists partner to create genetic markers for endangered species

Katarina Benson — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 15:37:16 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ scientists partner to create genetic markers for endangered species Katarina Benson Wed, 01/29/2025 - 10:37

Scientists have long recognized that both wild and captive populations of endangered species are at a high risk for loss of genetic diversity due to their rarity. With small or isolated populations, genetic diversity can be lost through stochastic or random genetic drift, or through breeding between close relatives. Therefore, proper management of captive populations is critical to ensure long-term sustainability.

Haw Chuan Lim. Photo provided

The struggle, however, is how to efficiently and economically collect and analyze high-resolution genetic data that can fill the knowledge information gaps in effective breeding practices.

Haw Chuan Lim, associate professor in �鶹��Ƶ’s Department of Biology, saw an opportunity to combine the experience and knowledge of other experts in the field to develop a novel genomic tool to address this issue.

Lim’s proposal, “Development of a novel genotyping panel for powerful and cost-effective evaluations of population structure and kinship in the critically endangered mountain bongo,” was approved for funding by the 4-VA @ �鶹��Ƶ Advisory Board.

Lim and his PhD student Karen Holm assembled their team — Aakrosh Ratan, assistant professor, University of Virginia; Klaus-Peter Koepfli, senior research scientist, Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation; and Budhan Pukazhenthi, research physiologist, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. 4VA funding was used to purchase the necessary supplies, reagents, and equipment, including DNA tests and probe sets.

The team reasoned that a study conducted on one animal could provide a platform for application to other endangered species. The Eastern mountain bongo, or antelope, a critically endangered native to Kenya, was chosen as a test species. Although fewer than 140 bongos remain in the wild, there are approximately 160 bongos in U.S. zoos and several hundred more on private ranches. As such, breeding and transfer strategies that increase genetic diversity and reduce inbreeding of captive animals are critical for the survival of the species.

Eastern mountain bongo. Photo courtesy of the Lim Lab

The researchers created and validated the application of a novel genetic probe-set that was used to generate data from different types of genetic markers, such as ease of genotyping, presence throughout the genome, and high information content.

Researchers collected four types of samples—whole blood, fecal swabs, tissues, and extracted DNA—from 39 North American conservation centers and zoos to begin the project. This resulted in a total of 207 samples from both current and historical ex situ populations (populations outside of the native ranges).

Lim and his team evaluated the effectiveness of the probe-set in generating high-quality genetic data from different sample types and for different genetic marker types. The data obtained are now being accessed for their ability to produce accurate information on animal kinship, genetic diversity, and population structure, which will ultimately be used to guide precise captive breeding programs.

Some preliminary data, as well as a chromosome-level genome assembly, have already been published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information and online at DNA Zoo, a conservation consortium website.

A high-quality genome serves as an invaluable resource for species conservation because it can be used for many types of research such as those focused on detecting deleterious mutations. The results from this study will contribute to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan for the species.

“The 4-VA@�鶹��Ƶ funding got us started, and now we have obtained external funding to move the research even further,” said Lim.

Learn more about Smithsonian �鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation

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Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI)

Research

4-VA at �鶹��Ƶ

A fond, feathery farewell: Students help track wetland birds heading south for the winter

Lauren Reuscher — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:55:03 +0000

A fond, feathery farewell: Students help track wetland birds heading south for the winter Lauren Reuscher Wed, 11/06/2024 - 14:55

On a recent field trip to Patuxent River Park in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, undergraduate students from �鶹��Ƶ’s Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation got to view secretive marsh birds up close, including Virginia and sora rail birds.

The Wildlife Ecology and Conservation students learned about a long-term bird banding and radio-tracking study on sora rails and other varieties of birds. Patuxent River Park is part of the Jug Bay Natural Area and Wetlands Sanctuary.

Student Noah Beck holds a sora rail bird, the type of bird tracked for the research study at Patuxent River Park. Photo by Lauren Hughes

The students learned about the annual migratory journey of these beautiful and elusive birds and the efforts to protect them. Soras live in marshes and wetlands throughout North America, and they migrate more than 500 miles to Central and South America for the winter.

Monitoring the movement of species, particularly during migrations, is an essential part of wildlife conservation. During a thorough demonstration from Greg Kearns, senior park naturalist at Patuxent River Park, the students had a chance to watch the important skill of bird banding up close.

Greg Kearns, senior park naturalist at Patuxent River Park, holds and examines a Virginia rail bird. Photo by Lauren Hughes

In bird banding, expert scientists humanely trap the birds, record information about their characteristics, and place a unique aluminum band on each bird’s leg before releasing it. If the birds are recaptured in the future, scientists can gather important information about their migratory habits and lifespan. The sora rails are tagged with a tiny radio transmitter, and their movements are recorded by the Motus wildlife tracking system, giving detailed insight into their long journey south.

Photo by Lauren Hughes

Students receive hands-on training in innovative technologies to monitor species and habitats in the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. The institute recently set up a new bird banding station, giving students the opportunity to observe bird banding in action. The station is administered by scientists from the Smithsonian’s Migratory Bird Center, part of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

Learn more about bird banding from the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

Student Elle Farina holds a Virginia rail. Photo by Lauren Hughes

More about the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation

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Picture This

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI)

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Jimmy Hazel, steadfast George �鶹��Ƶ alum and friend, looks to the future with a foundational gift

Colleen Rich — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 15:05:24 +0000

Jimmy Hazel, steadfast George �鶹��Ƶ alum and friend, looks to the future with a foundational gift Colleen Rich Mon, 10/07/2024 - 11:05

James W. “Jimmy” Hazel, JD ’84, has led a life of service to the Commonwealth of Virginia—and to �鶹��Ƶ. In July 2024, as his term on the university’s Board of Visitors concluded, Hazel added to his considerable legacy with a gift of $1 million for the Smithsonian–�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation (SMSC).

James Hazel speaking at the university's 50th anniversary event. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

The gift, reflecting Hazel’s wishes to advance the important work of the school, creates two funds. The first will provide support for graduate or undergraduate students enrolled at SMSC, and the second will support the operations of the school’s programs.

“This gift represents my personal passion for conservation and my hope is that it will allow George �鶹��Ƶ to draw in a diverse group of new PhD students to the program,” Hazel said.

Hazel is a cochair on the Advisory Board for SMSC, a research and academic facility in Front Royal, Virginia, that operates under a partnership between the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and George �鶹��Ƶ. The facility covers more than 3,000 acres of forest, grassland, and pasture, and houses a range of endangered mammals, birds, and amphibians.

SMSC conducts research and offers proactive methodologies of conservation biology education and training, providing hands-on interdisciplinary programs to undergraduates, graduate students, professionals, and high school students. It draws from the educational innovation of George �鶹��Ƶ faculty and the established work of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute to create a transdisciplinary approach to conservation leadership that is research-based, forward-looking, and ethical.

Students conducting field work at the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Cody Edwards, SMSC executive director and interim dean, College of Science, understands the immediate impact of Hazel’s generosity.

“With this gift, he opens doors for students passionate about conservation and sustainability,” Edwards said. “Jimmy’s continued support helps ensure SMSC can continue to bring together internationally renowned experts who can offer those students an educational experience that will enhance their futures and ultimately, help preserve the world’s biodiversity.”

SMSC’s graduate programs include practical training in the tools necessary to conduct and report research, and allow students to work directly with experts and practitioners from all over the world. Students become part of a community of conservation scientists and leaders, developing relationships with these mentors and with each other, forming networks to help them launch into a wide variety of careers.

“My family has, and will always have, deep ties to George �鶹��Ƶ and the Fairfax Campus,” Hazel said, “but I think one of the best university programs sits in Front Royal at the Smithsonian �鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation. With the groundbreaking research being conducted at the facility, we have the potential to put this initiative on the map in a big way. I would like to think that this gift will help increase that momentum.”

“Jimmy’s impact on SMSC and its students goes well beyond this single thoughtful gift,” added Edwards. “His continued support has helped transform this program and placed it on a trajectory not envisioned when it was originally conceived.”

Hazel has been a dedicated, engaged member of the George �鶹��Ƶ community. He served twice on the Board of Visitors: from 1994 to 2002, and his most recent appointment, from 2016 to 2024, included chairmanship of the Development Committee, a term as vice rector, and service as rector from 2020-22. He is a past president of the �鶹��Ƶ Alumni Association and the Law Alumni Association, and he served for 18 years on the �鶹��Ƶ Foundation Board of Trustees.

Hazel chaired George �鶹��Ƶ’s successful Faster Farther Campaign, which closed at nearly $700 million—$200 million more than its original goal. He cochaired the presidential search committee that brought George �鶹��Ƶ’s president Gregory Washington to campus in 2020. In recognition of his more than three decades of service to the university, Hazel was awarded the George �鶹��Ƶ Medal in 2017.

Hazel, a lifelong outdoorsman who has served on the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (chairing the agency for three years), and on the boards of the Wildlife Foundation of Virginia and George �鶹��Ƶ’s Potomac Science Center, is determined to make a lasting difference through SMSC.

Power the Possible

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Campus News

philanthropy

Picture This: Salamander Safety 101

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 13:23:28 +0000

Picture This: Salamander Safety 101 Lauren Reuscher Thu, 06/06/2024 - 09:23

Three in hats. Two in t-shirts, two in rain jackets. Two wearing glasses. But what's one thing that all of these �鶹��Ƶ students are wearing? Well-fitted, sterile, hypoallergenic, slightly moistened gloves.

Photo by Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation

Some creatures like salamanders absorb oxygen through their skin. Even small amounts of oils on our bare hands, as well as chemicals present in soaps, lotions, hand sanitizers, and first-aid supplies, can harm the delicate salamander.

Photo by Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation

These students participated in the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation’s two-week course CONS 440/540 Field Skills in Ecology course in Front Royal, Virginia, where they practiced ecological research techniques like habitat evaluation, sampling, and identifying wildlife populations.

Photo by Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation

Another must-do for salamander safety: If you must pick one up, put it back exactly where you found it!

Photo by Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation

Learn more about the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation

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Picture This

Campus News

Conservation

Around �鶹��Ƶ: Summer Camps Takeover

Sarah Holland — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 13:43:20 +0000

Around �鶹��Ƶ: Summer Camps Takeover Sarah Holland Wed, 08/09/2023 - 09:43

Summer goes by fast—whether you’re a kid, or a kid at heart. The K-12 students who attended camps and youth programs at �鶹��Ƶ this year filled those fleeting summer days with memories. With many camp options—including music, arts, recreation, sports, science, and space, just to name a few—these kids got to experience life in the �鶹��Ƶ Nation at an early age. And we couldn’t be happier to host them. Here are some snapshots from their summer to remember.

CONS 100: Introduction to Field Conservation, Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation

Photo by Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation

The Introduction to Field Conservation Ecology program at the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation (SMSC) offers high schoolers hands-on experience in research field methods, with an emphasis on developing observational skills. Participants also earn college credit.

Many decades ago, the land that now makes up the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute functioned as a U.S. Army remount—a space used to provide exercise to horses. Racetrack Hill now serves as the site for many SMSC field activities, as well as recreation. During the first night of the program, high school students got to take in fantastic views, knowing that they would be returning many times in the coming days for hands-on conservation activities. See more photos.

Interstellar Dreams Space Center, College of Science

Photo provided

At the Interstellar Dreams Space Center at �鶹��Ƶ's Fairfax Campus, middle schoolers took on roles as "mission specialists" to plan a lunar space station. The mission specialists made their own websites, learned to program a micro-controller to control electronics hardware and blink morse code with a light, learned about space, physics, astronomy, and more.

Campers also checked out various telescopes at the �鶹��Ƶ Observatory—including the second largest on-campus optical telescope on the East Coast. The week culminated with a "press conference" attended by VIPs and families, where campers presented their lunar space station design.

Conflict Resolution Youth Summit, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Photo by Ayman Rashid/Office of University Branding

The Conflict Resolution Youth Summit, hosted by the Carter School, explores some of today's toughest problems through the lens of peace and conflict resolution. Through simulations, workshops and facilitated discussions, high schoolers delved into important conflicts and practiced the processes of promoting peace. Participants came away with new knowledge about global conflicts, social justice, peacebuilding, and collaborative leadership.

�鶹��Ƶ Summer Band Camp, �鶹��Ƶ Community Arts Academy

Photo provided

This summer, �鶹��Ƶ Community Arts Academy (MCAA) kicked off the first-ever �鶹��Ƶ Summer Band Camp. More than 100 students participated in the program led by faculty from the Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music and the Green Machine.

Gold Star Volleyball Camp

Photo provided

George �鶹��Ƶ Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Megan Shifflett Bachmann and other �鶹��Ƶ volleyball staff hosted Gold Star Volleyball Camp on the Fairfax Campus. The camp emphasized the development of players of all levels to become more skilled and competitive athletes.

WGMU Podcasting and Radio Camp, WGMU

Photo provided

WGMU’S Summer Podcast and Radio Camp provided campers with training in a professional radio environment. Students had a chance to produce podcasts and be deejays, playing music over the WGMU radio station. Campers also learned from broadcast professionals how to write, edit, and produce podcasts, live DJ shows, commercials, promos, and public service announcements.

Tony Skinn Basketball Camps

Photo provided

�鶹��Ƶ Men’s Basketball Head Coach Tony Skinn hosted two weeks of basketball camps at the Fairfax Campus. Boys and girls ages 7–14 learned about the game from Skinn, who was a two-time all-conference guard with the Patriots from 2003-06 and competed in the Final Four with the Patriots in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program, College of Science

Photo by ASSIP Intern Team

The nationally known Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) provides transformative research opportunities for high school and undergraduate students. Selected participants work one-on-one with faculty researchers at �鶹��Ƶ and collaborating institutions using state-of-the-art technology across many disciplines. This summer’s ASSIP program welcomed a record 266 students, including 195 who participated in person. The program is open to high school students and �鶹��Ƶ undergraduates.

Washington Journalism and Media Conference

Photo by Rafael Suanes/Washington Journalism and Media Conference

The Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) is an interactive, youth leadership program hosted on Fairfax Campus that provides highly engaged, high-performing high school students with a unique experience exploring careers in the areas of journalism, media, and related fields. Students experience an integrated and forward-thinking approach to journalism and media while acquiring valuable “in-the-trenches” knowledge through hands-on learning with industry leaders, award-winning journalists, international media outlets, and Washington insiders.

Learn more about Summer Camps at �鶹��Ƶ

Topics

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

�鶹��Ƶ Community Arts Academy

WGMU

Washington Journalism and Media Conference

Faculty and Staff News

Vicki Kirsch, PhD, MSW, MA

Around �鶹��Ƶ: Favorite Photos of the Year

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:27:50 +0000

Around �鶹��Ƶ: Favorite Photos of the Year Lauren Reuscher Thu, 07/27/2023 - 10:27

Check out the �鶹��Ƶ photo library

In This Story

All year long, photographers in �鶹��Ƶ’s Office of University Branding capture the moments that make �鶹��Ƶ All Together Different. We asked our photographers to share their favorite photos from the 2022-23 school year.

As we prepare for a new academic year, let’s look back at these recent memories—skillfully frozen in time for the �鶹��Ƶ vault.

Ron Aira, senior photographer, Creative Services

Weather can disrupt even the best laid plans. But according to Ron Aira, it can also create unexpected opportunities. In Aira’s favorite photos, forces of nature created powerful results. “Without the challenges of the wind and the rain, these shots would never have happened,” Aira said.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Gabriella Grabovska, a first-year student in the Schar School, came to �鶹��Ƶ from war-torn Ukraine. Aira captured her portraits in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

“It was very windy—her hair and the flag were flying all over the place,” Aira said. “I decided to go with the wind. I told her to face the wind, think about her country, and let the flag fly, thinking about what it represents to her.” Read more about Grabovska.

Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

�鶹��Ƶ Day is a day of celebration and fun, but �鶹��Ƶ Day 2023 was also a day of torrential rain. Aira and his equipment were getting soaked. But he watched as �鶹��Ƶ students still enjoyed the day, not letting the rain ruin their experience.

“In the downpour, I saw a moment of peace between this couple under the umbrella,” Aira said. “It was a beautiful moment of quiet serenity, in the middle of the concert and the rain coming in sideways.”

Evan Cantwell, senior photographer, Creative Services

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“Sometimes as a photographer, I get to witness students’ ‘aha’ moments, and it was amazing to see how social work students connected with each other and horses from Project Horse Empowerment Center,” Cantwell said.

Each semester, Associate Professor Vicki Kirsch brings students from her advanced Trauma and Recovery course to the center to learn about the emerging field of equine assisted psychotherapy. Read more about their experiences.

Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

“We were finishing up our lifestyle photo session with students and the Office of International Programs and Services, and this robot beeped by,” Cantwell said. “This photo is also a great representation of how students from so many different countries all went to classes at �鶹��Ƶ’s Fairfax Campus.”

Pumpkinbot, part of the Starship Robot fleet, appears on campus around Halloween. Because he’s somewhat elusive, those who spot him consider themselves lucky. “I’ve heard that if you take a selfie with Pumpkinbot, all your dining wishes come true,” Cantwell said.

Cristian Torres, videographer, Strategic Communications

Photo by Cristian Torres/Office of University Branding

In September 2022, students from the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation‘s Wildlife Ecology and Conservation program tagged monarch butterflies on their journey south to help researchers better understand their grand migration.

“This was a fun day,” Torres said. “We documented one of the different opportunities that students have in the field, capturing monarch butterflies to identify and tag them.” Watch the video.

Photo by Cristian Torres/Office of University Branding

Torres took photos at the Homecoming Tip Off Party in February 2023. “This was my first Homecoming at �鶹��Ƶ,” Torres said. “I found the energy of the students celebrating together exciting. The event was full of happy faces, with everyone rooting for each other in the Lip Sync Battle.” See more photos from Homecoming events.

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Faculty and Staff News

Campus News

�鶹��Ƶ Day

Homecoming

Starship Robots

Schar School

Social Work

College of Public Health

Around �鶹��Ƶ: Bugs, insects, and invertebrates of the �鶹��Ƶ Nation

Lauren Reuscher — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 13:12:41 +0000

Around �鶹��Ƶ: Bugs, insects, and invertebrates of the �鶹��Ƶ Nation Lauren Reuscher Thu, 07/13/2023 - 09:12

The Marvel universe isn't the only place where insects and other invertebrates have superpowers. �鶹��Ƶ faculty, staff, and students are studying and explaining the many roles these creatures play on our planet, learning more about a bug's life—and the big world surrounding them—every step of the way. Here's a recap of some of those stories.

SMSC student Spencer Harman (left) holds a monarch butterfly for tagging with guidance from Professor Joshua Davis. Photo by Mariam Aburdeineh/Strategic Communications

Monarch butterflies teach us how to protect them through their grand migration

Many creatures migrate to warmer habitats for the winter, but no insect does so quite as uniquely and spectacularly as the monarch butterfly, an endangered species. Undergraduates from the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation‘s Wildlife Ecology and Conservation program tagged monarch butterflies on their journey south to help researchers better understand their grand migration. Read more.

�鶹��Ƶ's honeybee apiary. Photo by Sierra Guard/Creative Services

Honeybees and their honey could help solve crimes

An unlikely collaboration between �鶹��Ƶ’s Honey Bee Initiative and the new outdoor Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory could yield critical advances in forensic science. Read more.

The image on the left shows approximate human perception of flower color, and the image on the right depicts the bee-perceived color. Photo provided by Anna Siegle.

Bees can see ultraviolet (UV) colors, which are invisible to the human eye

When a bee sees a flower, it knows where to land thanks to its ability to see UV color patterns on the petals. A team at the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation helps reveal what pollinators see, and why it matters for the future of conservation. Read more.

Ren Guerriero (left) and �鶹��Ƶ student Matthew Perez study fruit flies in a neuroscience lab. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

Fruit fly behavior may reveal the impact of genes and disease on sleep

Assistant Professor of Neuroscience Ren Guerriero's teaching lab in the College of Science is using fruit flies to learn about the impact of genes and disease on sleep. Undergraduate researchers are investigating novel sleep-related genes by manipulating them genetically to see how they affect sleep and activity behavior. Researchers are also increasing and decreasing sleep in Alzheimer's disease model flies to determine how this impacts their Alzheimer's symptoms.

Worms are soil magicians

Worm bin composting in �鶹��Ƶ's Greenhouse and Gardens turns biodegradable waste into healthy soil. Watch the video tutorial featuring Doni Nolan, Greenhouse and Gardens program manager.

What's the Patriot's favorite dance move? The worm.

Photo credit:

Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

Support �鶹��Ƶ

Learn more about Research at �鶹��Ƶ

Topics

Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory

Honey Bee Initiative

Forensic Science Program

Greenhouse and Gardens Program

Sustainability

Biology Research

Environmental Research

Graduate can’t deny an animal attraction

Colleen Rich — Mon, 08 May 2023 18:40:52 +0000

Graduate can’t deny an animal attraction Colleen Rich Mon, 05/08/2023 - 14:40

Gwendolyne Fields will have many career options once she graduates from �鶹��Ƶ.

During the summer of 2022, Gwendolyne Fields interned at the Cheetah Conservation Fund outside the town of Otjiwarongo in Namibia. Photo provided

Should she go for her master’s degree and PhD? Should she go to veterinary school and work with endangered species? Should she work with wildlife at a zoo?

“I don’t know, I’m still figuring it out,” said Fields, a senior biology major and member of �鶹��Ƶ’s Honors College who is set to graduate this month. “But I do know I want to work with animals, and specifically conservation.”

Fields has a great head start, having just finished an internship at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., where she did behavioral analysis of two Asian elephants. She has also lined up a summer internship at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom as a conservation education presenter.

But closest to Fields’ heart was her internship during the summer of 2022 at the Cheetah Conservation Fund outside the town of Otjiwarongo in Namibia. That’s where she worked with the animal that has been her favorite since age 5, comparing the growth rates of Namibian and Somaliland cheetah cubs.

Fields recently presented her data from that internship at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. It was the cap to a �鶹��Ƶ experience that not only fed her interests but gave her the hands-on experiences she needs to take her next steps.

�鶹��Ƶ was there with funding for her internships through the Office of Student Scholarship, Creative Activities, and Research. Fields also attended the Endangered Species Conservation program at the Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation in Front Royal, Virginia.

“I’m so grateful I came here,” Fields said of �鶹��Ƶ. “I learned so much and made so many connections with people; great friends and memories.”

“She’s motivated, she’s self-reliant, she is naturally curious, and interested in exploring the world around her, in every sense of it,” said David Luther, assistant professor in �鶹��Ƶ’s Biology Department and Fields’ mentor. “And she actually knows when to ask the right questions. That’s important for not stopping progress in whatever she is trying to achieve.”

Fields is from Arlington, Virginia, but with her dad constantly on the move at the State Department, the family also lived in Ethiopia, Argentina, Nepal, Luxembourg, and Germany. Fields speaks fluent French, is conversational in German, and can speak some Spanish.

Her love of cheetahs began when a wildlife veterinarian with whom her father worked in Ethiopia showed her some rescued animals. Fields called the Cheetah Conservation Fund herself to set up her internship. Though her research focused on monitoring and analyzing the growth rate of cubs up to 6 months old, Fields also worked with cheetahs throughout the facility, feeding them, cleaning their enclosures, and giving talks to tourists.

The baseline result that Namibian cheetah cubs had better growth rates than Somaliland cubs is important, Fields said, because “some cubs don’t have their mothers or the skills to survive in the world. So it’s important for zoos and other places that have cheetahs to really take care of them as best as possible. How much food should we give them at a certain age or weight? And if they are at a certain weight, we can estimate their age.”

Fields said she worked with about 30 cheetahs and learned they have personalities much like people.

“Some might seem a little grumpy,” she said. “Others are all lovey-dovey and want to come up to you to get your attention. Every day I was reminded how beautiful and majestic they are. I’d love to go back eventually and finish the research.”

Count it as another of her career options.

Topics

Students

Graduation

Honors College

Office of Student Scholarship Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR)

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Learn about the Biology program

SMSC students tour Smithsonian whale archives

Colleen Rich — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 16:24:40 +0000

SMSC students tour Smithsonian whale archives Colleen Rich Tue, 04/04/2023 - 12:24

Learn more about SMSC

George �鶹��Ƶ grad explores environmental management strategies
June 13, 2025
George �鶹��Ƶ scientists partner to create genetic markers for endangered species
January 29, 2025
A fond, feathery farewell: Students help track wetland birds heading south for the winter
November 8, 2024
Jimmy Hazel, steadfast George �鶹��Ƶ alum and friend, looks to the future with a foundational gift
October 7, 2024
Picture This: Salamander Safety 101
June 7, 2024

Smithsonian’s cetacean specialist John Ososky gave SMSC students a tour of the National Museum of Natural History’s Museum Support Center. Photo by Kathleen Hunt/SMSC

Last week undergraduates in �鶹��Ƶ’s Smithsonian-�鶹��Ƶ School of Conservation (SMSC) semester-away program had the opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Museum of Natural History’s Museum Support Center in Suitland, Maryland.

The students were introduced to the archive of rare whale specimens in the Museum Support Center by the Smithsonian’s long-time cetacean specialist John Ososky.

Ososky showed the group the very first Rice’s whale ever described, a critically endangered species of whale identified for the first time in 2020, as well as specimens of bowhead whales, killer whales, narwhal tusks, North Atlantic right whales, and rare deep-diving beaked whales, among others.

Also accompanying the students on the tour was �鶹��Ƶ wildlife endocrinologist Kathleen Hunt who described her current whale research, including how hormone analysis of museum specimens can help researchers understand the problems affecting modern-day populations, and what can done about it.

Ososky also spoke to the students about how valuable their archived specimen collections can be in identifying new species, species that have gone unrecognized until recently, and in determining causes of mortality in endangered species.

Students in SMSC’s Endangered Species Conservation semester-away program spend 16 weeks living on site at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. During this time, the undergraduates have the opportunity to practice conservation firsthand with experts from the Smithsonian Institution, �鶹��Ƶ, and wildlife protection agencies around the world.

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Students