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Albany
Flint Riverquarium – Curriculum Development
Will develop units of study for specific grade levels involving one or more of the following:
1. A water or watershed project involving water quality with a possible recreational aspect (ie. canoeing, etc…)
2. A program involving fauna (i.e. reptiles, amphibians and/or fish) of Georgia focusing on ecosystems, classification, life cycles, dependence of organisms on one another, etc.
3. A program involving plants focusing on classification, adaptations, survival techniques, etc.
4. A program on fossils.

All programs listed above correlate to the Georgia Performance Standards
Other projects could include 1. Self-guided tour project through the RiverQuarium, 2. Pre and Post visit activity packets for teachers focusing on the Imagination Theater presentations or programs listed above.   top

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Byron (Peach County) USDA Facility
“Method Development for HPLC Detection of Amino Acids in Pecans”
This study involves investigating the enhanced utilization of Nitrogen in pecan tissue during growth and development as stimulated by the application of Nickel, a micro nutrient required by specific enzymes to function properly. I am developing a method to extract and purify amino acids and other amines from treated pecan tissue and identify and quantitate changes as compared to untreated controls. High Preformance Liquid Chromotography will be used to separate the amino acids and amines and an Evaporative Light Scattering Detector method developed to detect the compounds. Developing the method will expose the teacher to instruments that may be useful in explaining principals taught in class.   top

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Fort Valley (Peach County) – Fort Valley State University
“Axolotl Research”
Ambyostoma mexicanum commonly called Axolotl or Mexican Walking Fish is classified as an amphibian, one of three branches of the Class Amphibia. It is a close cousin to the frogs and toads. A native of Mexican waters, the Axolotl is currently on the CITES endangered species list, however it is unlikely that the species is in danger of extinction due to its usages and popularity within research laboratories in the area of limb regeneration. Axolotl are capable of complete and functional limb re-growth or regeneration as opposed to only developing scar tissue. The Axolotl also produces large hardy embryos which adjust well to laboratory conditions. Due to the robustness of the Axolotl embryo, it can be spliced and combined with other embryos with a great measure of success. (www.axolotl.org)
For these reasons, it is considered a viable avenue of research to be undertaken within the Department of Veterinary Science, here at Fort Valley State University. The GIFT teacher would be responsible for the gathering of information on the following areas: Axolotl topic research, research as to housing, setting up/development of initial colony, as well as maintenance of the husbandry of these animals. This would be a data gathering internship, the information which would be used at a later date. It is hoped that their participation and labors would be the foundation for the later development of a research colony for future research usage in the field of limb regeneration utilizing the Axolotl. top

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Tifton – University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station
A. “Geographic Information Systems (GIS)”
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software and applications are rapidly emerging tools for data intense resource inventory, management and research, and also as educational technologies to engage students in scientific inquiry. With these tools students may explore their communities and regions, answering questions such as: What is water quality like in different streams in our county? What watershed do we live in? What are the major land uses in our region? How has our county grown over the past 15 years? Where do most automobile accidents occur in our county? Where are hazardous waste sites located? Where and when have tornados occurred in our region?
GIS are advanced computer applications designed to store, manipulate, and interpret large amounts of data. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) provide additional data for use in GIS by using satellite input to accurately locate and map earth features such as schools, stream monitoring sites, wastewater treatment facilities. In this internship, teachers will design a project around a classroom objective. To address the project teachers will learn how to use ArcView GIS and the ArcPad GPS application to review existing and capture additional local data, search the Internet and import other relevant data, analyze these datasets, create maps, and prepare a PowerPoint presentation of their study.
Beyond the internship, sustained contact with mentor may occur throughout the year. As teachers use GIS/GPS applications in the classroom, mentor may provide classroom demonstrations and/or on-going technical support for class projects.

B. “Interactions Between Aphids, Ants and Aphipdophaga in Pecan Orchards”
Aphids are controlled naturally in Georgia pecan orchards if the predatory insects are encouraged with various cultural methods. We have plots set out to measure the effect of orchard floor management techniques on ladybeetle biology. The objective of the research is to enhance beneficial insects in the pecan orchard by manipulating the ants, providing alternate prey aphids on intercrops and reducing pesticide use. The experiments will lead to new control methods for pecan growers. Interns will learn: to identify many new species; how to set out controlled field experiments; lab bioassays to studied predator-prey relationships; and data analysis methods.

C. “Insect Behavior and Management in Selected Georgia Cropping Systems”
The participating teacher will receive some basic training and exposure in each of these program areas. The teacher will spend the most time in the area(s) they are most interested in: 1) Thrips monitoring in the farmscape (daily collections of sticky trap catches on selected farms), 2) Ecology of beneficial and pest insects in vegetable plantings adjacent to various wildflower species, 3) Field collect tobacco budworms and bollworms from several farm locations to use in the department’s insecticide resistance monitoring program, 4) Insect sampling using sweep net and ground cloth to monitor pests in cotton, soybeans, vegetables and tobacco being grown under differing insect management practices (such practices as different planting dates, row spacings, varieties,cropping patterns)

D. “Can Diets Formulated For Low Heat Increment Reduce Body Heat Production and Heat Stress in Dairy Cows? “
We will be analyzing the effects of certain feeds on the increase in metabolic heat production in the dairy cow using a sample size of thirty cows in three treatments. The study will occur over the summer and the hypothesis is that there will be a negative effect on heat stress with the study diet. Physiological parameters of the cow, and dietary effects will be analyzed. Work will range from data collection from the cows in the barn and in the parlor to sample analysis in the lab and then data summaries on computer programs for a final determination of the results of the study.

E. “Macro-photography to develop teaching materials in Entomology”
Conduct field scouting to encounter insect pest and beneficial arthropod species in field and vegetable crops, collect specimens for photography in the lab, and take digital and standard 35 mm photographs of insects in the field. Photographs will be designed to illustrate various aspects of each species identified. Taxonomic and biological information will be added to each photograph and put into digital format for the specific purpose of teaching. Insect photographic information will be cataloged and Power Point presentations made of the work done over the summer. The program will begin with basic instruction in macro-photography, test and calibration of photography techniques, digital photographic methods, and computer skills for image modification and archiving. The middle part of the program will involve assigned field collections of insect specimens at various locations and on various crops, especially vegetables. The final part of the program will involve developing Power Point presentations on insect pests and beneficial arthropods with biological information summarized for each photograph.

F. “Bio-Fuels Curriculum for Georgia Schools”
This proposal is to develop a program that develops a biofuels curriculum for Georgia High School and Middle School students. The curriculum will be used to teach Georgia school age children the relationships between chemistry, physics, mathematics and vocational automotive programs to the practical use and development of biofuels. It will also illustrate the social and economic benefits of having a domestic energy source for our country.
The Center for Emerging Crops and Technologies working with the GIFT Program will advocate and promote the use of bio-fuels as a source for an alternative energy program in Georgia. Two teachers will be hired for developing curriculum for alternative fuels programs in Georgia schools. The teachers will develop high and middle school curriculum and labs pertaining to the processes, uses and benefits of an alternative fuels program for Georgia. The lesson plans will correspond to companion plans for Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Applied Physics, Automotive Technology,, Physical Science (9th Grade), Earth Science (8th Grade), and Physical Science (6th Grade). Specific plans will include Georgia commodities as a source for bio-fuel production. The curriculum will be used to teach students about the economics, environmental benefits and energy opportunities with bio-fuels. Both classroom and practical laboratory instruction will be included as a part of this curriculum. Laboratory studies will include oil from peanut, soybean, canola, and other crops as a source for domestic energy production.

G. “Genetics Workshop”
This 6 weeks job experience will pair classroom teachers with research scientists to explore materials and lessons used in the study of genetics from middle school through high school. Teachers will share materials they currently use, explore other available materials, become involved in a biotechnology and genomics laboratory, and develop plans and materials for incorporation into their classrooms. We expect to form a core resource group that would later communicate with other science teachers about their experience in the format of a regional workshop. Experimental activities that will be conducted include growth of bacterial cultures, isolation of large-insert plasmid (BAC) DNA, shearing and restriction digestion of DNA, size-selection using gel electrophoresis, DNA quantitation, DNA ligation, bacterial transformation, polymerase chain reaction amplification of DNA, DNA sequencing, sequence processing, and sequence similarity searches.
After 4 weeks of laboratory work, teachers will design a 3 day biotechnology workshop for middle school students and will instruct students the last week.

H. “Understanding & Explaining the Relationships Between Dissolved Oxygen, Water Quality, and the Natural Stream Ecosystems in the Coastal Plain of Georgia?”
The primary research involved in this project is to determine the causes and effects of low dissolved oxygen in the rivers, streams, & wetlands of the Georgia coastal plain. Teachers will enhance their understanding of dissolved oxygen and related water quality issues and the process and research methods scientists apply to investigate these issues. Teacher activities will involve both field and lab work; reviewing and summarizing existing state and national water-related programs; and cataloguing learning opportunities available to students around the state centered on water issues.

I. “Mindstorms Robotics Invention System”
This robotics system is the basis for an undergraduate class at the Univ. of Georgia. We used the Mind-storms robotic system to develop a lab project for students in the Sensors and Transducers class. We hope to develop programs for further development of a sensors class project as well as for creating student projects at the high school level.

J. “Biocontrol of bacterial plant pathogens with bacteriophages.”
This project would entail the collection of soils and plant material containing bacterial plant pathogens from commercial fields or orchards. The infected plant material will be used to create an enrichment broth from which bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) will be isolated using vacuum filtration techniques through membranes with a pore size of 0.22 – 0.45 um in diameter. The phages will be purified and stored in 15% glycerol at –80 oC. Host ranges of phages will be determined on the University of Georgia's phytopathogenic bacteria collection. Screening for spontaneous resistant mutants from the parent bacterial strain will also be conducted and if any found, H-mutant phages will be developed.
Teacher Background: Any science background, but preferably biology.

K. “Effects the lognormal distribution of phytopathogenic bacteria in seed may have on incubation periods and seed assay efficiencies”
Bacterial suspensions will be standardized by photometric means to 50% transmittance at 600 nm, which equals ~1 x 108 colony-forming-units (CFU)/ml. Different bacterial population levels will be prepared by diluting 50% t suspension by several orders of magnitude. The different dilutions will be vacuum-infiltrated into different varieties of vegetable seeds. The seeds will be planted in greenhouse flats and used for seed health assays. The effects of inoculum density on incubation periods, thresholds required to initiate epidemics and seed assay efficiencies will be determined. These values will be used in probability equations to calculate the required sample size to obtain a minimum of 95% confidence for rejecting contaminated seedlots.
Teacher Background: Either a science/biology background with an understanding of statistics/math or a math background.

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 Valdosta – Valdosta State University
“Reduction of Cyclic and Bicyclic Ketones on Dry Silica Surfaces”
This project will involve a lot of chemistry and how to do computations to visualize the reactions and predict predominant products. The Fellow will carry out the reductions of a number of cyclic and bicyclic ketones adsorbed on silica surfaces. The reducing agent will be sodium borohydride adsorbed on silica surfaces. The reactions will be carried out in the absence of solvents. The reducing agent reacts with both faces of the carbonyl carbon. The relative yields of the two alcohols obtained will be determined using NMR spectroscopy. The experimental results will be compared with theoretical results obtained using molecular modeling. They will further be compared with results obtained in solution to determine whether silica affects the direction of attack of the ketone by the reducing agent.  top