Research Presentation Information

Click on image to make larger

UMass Boston’s School for the Environment
Nantucket Semester: LivingLabs
Learn about the on-island science research conducted by the undergraduates during their semester here!

Student Research Poster Session: One-on-one discussions of 16 independent research projects through visual displays
Wednesday, 17 April from 3:00 – 5:00 PM

Student Research Presentation: Five Capstone research presentations ranging across human and natural systems
Thursday, 18 April from 5:00 – 8:00 PM

All free and open to the public at the Great Hall, Atheneum – – JOIN US !

Contact Sarah Oktay for further information – sarah.oktay@umb.edu

New week, New Class

Posted on 1/21/13 by sophiabasswerner001

We finished our 2^nd class of the semester, Hydrology, with Professor Ellen Douglas, where we learned about the movement of water in the atmosphere, along with some helpful excel techniques and equations. This week we are starting our next class, Marine and Coastal Ecological Research, with Professor Beth Boyle. We will be researching the adaptations and interactions of organisms of the beaches, salt marshes, sand dunes and embayments of Nantucket. I am very much excited to spend most of our time on the field, learning about the marine ecosystems Nantucket has to offer, and to use this information in the development of my capstone and independent project. I want to personally thank all the guest speakers that came to our Hydrology class, as well as to our Professor Ellen Douglas.

Look up!

Posted on 1/21/13 by jeremyraynor001

Today during the Hydrology Field Trip to various USGS piezometers on the Island, I noticed some exquisite Hawks flying above. At first we encountered several Red-Tailed Hawks. Later on over a marshy area, I saw a bird with a defined white rump hovering on an updraft. Later on I identified it as a female Northern Harrier Hawk also known as the Marsh Hawk.

Just wanted to post a picture of each Hawk and suggest that while walking around Nantucket: keep binoculars near, and look up!

Sunday, the Week in the Rearview

Posted on 1/21/13 by richardcorrado001

Here we sit, late Sunday night, yet again at the tail end of a storm. Apparently we angered Aeolus and have brought unfavorable winds and weather with us. But this has not hindered our learning. This week was the start of hydrology for us, which was appropriately set back a day by last week’s storm. Friday afternoon we actually got a tour of the island from Mark Willett of the Wannacomet Water Company. He showed us water towers, and explained how they work, in addition to showing us Miacomet Pond. Army Engineers used to open up Miacomet into the ocean in an effort to “filter out” the pond when it got too dirty. The pond is no longer opened into the ocean though. Coincidentally, the ocean temperature at that location was around 41F. This was a really interesting look at the island because it was from a vantage point we haven’t really gotten before. Mark showed us how to look at the island’s water supply and think about how to use it without impacting it on an irreparable level. The shellfish team and I also had a meeting regarding the branding of the NBS this week which has been a big leap in my project. I have my work cut out for me, but it’s going to be a fun and educational challenge.

Hydrology Study Session

Posted on 1/21/13 by ameliaatwood001

Today was very productive. We all got together and worked on our hydrology homework. Those unit conversions are tough, but we all worked together as a team and helped each other out as needed. Now it’s time to reward ourselves with taco night!