The second month of the Science Corps fellowship was focused on the continued processing of their data. I led the morphometrics group, so we focused on identifying collected molluscs and using ImageJ to measure each one. The reason I wanted to lead this group was because I used morphometric analysis during my PhD research, so I was really excited to guide my students through this exciting project.
During my Ph.D., I assessed whether differences in the temperature experienced by females during gametogenesis impacted the size and biochemical content of eggs. I was really excited to see the potential size differences in Jagna molluscs from three ecologically different sites: mangrove, reef flat, and sea grass. Every class period, CVIF students were working really hard to identify the molluscs correctly. Once they were done, I guided them on how to properly measure organisms using a software called ImageJ.
Data processing took up the majority of February, so there was a lot of flipping through textbooks and troubleshooting ImageJ. I really enjoyed being able to use my previous skills and techniques used in graduate school to assist my morphometrics students in their sampling.
The month of February had a few events such as Sports Fest and Foundation Day where students did not have classes. During this time, I traveled to the nearby island Camiguin to explore more of the Philippines. It was a really beautiful island and I was able to explore historical and natural sites such as the sunken cemetery, Tuasan Falls, Hibok-Hibok Volcano, and the old church ruins. It was a wonderful trip and I was able to meet some really wonderful people and have many new experiences. I will definitely make my way back someday!
— Adriane McDonald, Science Corps Fellow at CVIF, Jagna, Philippines