Shout out to Entomology Ph.D. student Megan Ma (Shultz Lab & Wood Lab at Smithsonian NMNH) for receiving the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship, which recognizes outstanding graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Megan's research focuses on the evolution and functional morphology of spider chelicerae (“jaws”), specifically how interplay between form and function influences the utility and versatility of multipurpose structures. Last fall, at the Dept. of Entomology retreat, we got a peek into some of their exciting experiments that include measuring the speed and force of spider cheliceral movements using a high-speed camera. Winning an award in recognition of this work is well-deserved and speaks to the energy and excitement around Megan's contributions to STEM.
"Megan's co-advisor, Dr. Hannah Wood (NMNH), and I are proud of Megan for being awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, and we are looking forward to the results of their research on spider chelicerae.” says Dr. Jeff Shultz. “Spiders are arguably the most important terrestrial predators, particularly in terms of their impact on insect populations, but we know remarkably little about how their mouth parts actually work. So far, it appears that the mechanical principles underlying cheliceral movement are very different from those of insects. Megan's research will be important for understanding spiders and will likely make a significant contribution to biomechanics more broadly." Please join us in congratulating Megan on this achievement. & while you're at it ask about some of their research activities, like their recent spider collecting trip to Chile. Pictured below - Megan in Chile litter sifting for spiders, a Phrixotrichus sp. tarantula and Megan sitting under an Alerce tree. Comments are closed.
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