June 2009 Archives

Each summer is crazy in its own way. President Obama’s stimulus package is adding to how hectic things are this year. The National Science Foundation (NSF), which is one of our bigger funders, received substantial funds in the stimulus package. Two of their stimulus programs could fund significant projects here. One program would potentially fund an extension of our existing weather station grant. We are considering developing mini-weather stations that can be used to track the annual cycles of plants and animals, as well as measure the weather. If funded, we’d deploy 75-100 throughout the Gunnison Basin.

The other proposal that we are working on would be to upgrade our Laboratory facilities. We are working on a proposal that would replace Murray Lab (built in 1962) and move much of our research activity from Willey Laboratory to Murray Laboratory. We’d use Willey for offices and some of the administrative functions, like the mailroom. Willey, which seems like a relatively new building that is only 25 years old, was largely built before the advent of computers and internet.

The Weese Building would either be removed, or possibly converted to seminar space. Given how old our research facilities are, this would be a significant improvement in our ability to support modern science. We would have better facilities for scientists working with animals and insects, improved facilities for managing chemicals, and we’d be able to manage the electrical load incurred by all the wonderful computers and sensors that were not envisioned when Willey was built.

All in all, these are some wonderful opportunities, but with grant proposals due in August, it’s a mad scramble!

There is a saying that field station director’s are the last to see the exciting animals that roam their field stations. When I visited the Tiputini Field Station in the Ecuadorian Amazon with my wife Jennie, we were treated to a great view of a giant sloth, much to the dismay of Tiputini’s Director who had had little luck in observing the sloth. So after 22 years I’m quite happy to say I’ve seen a mink at the RMBL. Minks are large weasals that live in rivers. I have heard they are around, but of course I’ve never seen one. Sunday morning I was out walking with my two sons, Cormac and Giles. We were coming back from Vera Falls and were looking at the river below the Dining Hall. I saw what I originally thought was a very thin marmot that apparently loved to swim. It took me a second to realize I was seeing a mink for the first time. Cormac, 4, and Giles, 2, don’t realize how fortunate in not having to wait 22 years to see one. Lynx and mountain lions are next on my list of animals to see. In the last week, there have been numerous sitings of mountain lion scat and tracks, so they are around (though I would settle to see one of the big cats from a distance rather than get a close look).

Gothic is filling up! We welcomed a new crop of students through the Ecological Society of America’s SEEDS program. They will be here a week. The program is designed to diversify and advance the profession of ecology through opportunities that stimulate and nurture the interest of underrepresented students. We have about 20 students from all over the US. They arrived Sunday amidst driving snow storms and tornados in Denver. It seems like whenever we have a group of students coming with only limited experience in the mountains, we get real mountain weather. It’s always an eye opener.

The students are a blast. I love meeting the vans when the students arrive and carrying luggage to cabins. It allows me to see the Lab through the eyes of people experiencing it for the first time. I had my own similar “first look”, but it was 22 years ago. The new students help me remember just how special Gothic is. And another nice thing is how much they love the old, renovated buildings. Nine years ago when I’d take students to their cabins, it was a bit embarrassing . They were dirty and dingy. Now they’ve been renovated. They are still full of character and living in the cabins is stretch for many of the students (no heat, no running water, etc.). But it is a good stretch. Thanks to everybody that has helped in big ways and small to improve our housing while keeping what makes it special! I hope you can share in the joy I see when new students arrive.

The road opened almost a month earlier this year- the fourth of May instead of early June. Being able to get into the Lab early makes it much easier to open. We’ve got quite a few returning staff, and when you throw in less snow damage than in 2008, things are running more smoothly than last year. We always lose one or two staff members at the beginning of the summer; no matter how well we try to describe Gothic to people who have never been here before, there is someone who decides it isn’t for them. Last year we had a cook who lasted two days; she never got out of her pajamas and called for family to pick her up ASAP. This year we hired an extra staff person on the assumption we’d lose someone. We’ll see.

We are scrambling to determine whether to go after some of the federal stimulus money. The National Science Foundation received quite a bit of money and there are two programs (instrumentation and buildings) that we might pursue. Both proposal deadlines are Aug. 24. We are considering renovating Willey or the Dining Hall.

We are also exploring possibilities for an instrumentation proposal. We were excited about the possibility of getting equipment that would allow scientists to tag and follow critters. Unfortunately it appears that the technology is not quite ready. So we’re thinking about an automated radio telemetry system that could track larger animals. We’re also thinking about ways to track phenology—the annual cycles of plants and animals. Both proposals would be large- $500,000 to $ 2 million; putting them together in three months would be a challenge!