In the spirit of true interdisciplinary learning, last week
I got to marry together academics and athletics. In one of my classes,
Comparative Physiology, we are conducing independent projects. Each group of 3-4 students designed an
individual experiment based on work we have done in the class. This is part of what makes the Lewis and
Clark Biology Department unique because most lab classes have an aspect of
individual research that gives students leeway to investigate what they find
most interesting. My lab group (Rachel
Levitsky, Kate Garvey, Megan Andre, and myself) chose to look at the variation
of basal metabolism (the amount of energy it takes for you to stay alive) at
different temperatures (60, 80, and 100°F).
To have more reliable results we expanded our research group to include
two other people (a sample size of 6 is better than one of 4) and bribed them
with love and cookies to help us our (the 60°F water is really cold!). To measure metabolism we are using a respirometer which records the amount of oxygen left in the air you exhale and can be used to calculate the amount of oxygen used in the body. Athletics
gets involved because we are using the Whirlpool baths in the training center
to control/change the temperatures. Being
able to use the temperature-controlled baths is really important for our
project because we needed to ensure that a stable temperature that would be
near impossible to do in air. Hopefully we will have all our data collected by the middle of next week and can do the analysis in time for the project due date in early December.
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| This is Megan in the 100 degree bath, its way nicer than the 60 degree water! (Photo Credit: Kate Garvey) |
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| All of our technology (courtesy of the Biology Department) in the athletics training room. (Photo Credit: Kate Garvey) |
Last week we also finished signing up for classes, which was
fairly painless. A mix up with the
registrar and my high school led to an incomplete transfer of credits that
caused some stress. But that should be
resolved soon (fingers crossed!). Also, because of a limited number of seats in
Animal Behavior, an upper division lab class I want to take I had to waitlist
for it in hopes that someone drops the class between now and January. As it
stands, this is my current schedule for next year:
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| Light blue: Calculus I (or maybe II), Green: ENVS core, Darker green: Ecology, Blue: Environmental Physiology |
But hopefully when my credits are resolved and I get into Animal Behavior my schedule will look like this:
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| Light blue: Calculus I (or maybe II), Green: ENVS core, Gray: Animal Behavior, Blue: Environmental Physiology |
And, finally, I close with some pictures of Fall Ball, and annual event held at the Crystal Ballroom. Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the event because I chose to catch up on some studying and paper writing (I was sick last week so I slept A LOT) but that didn't stop me from dressing up with my friends for some pre-Fall Ball pictures:
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| Me and my roommates! (Left to Right: Emily, Rachel, me, and Kate) (Photo Credit: Alexa Morris) |
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Me and my Comparative Physiology lab group! (Left to Right: Megan, Kate, Rachel, me) Note the repeats between roomies and lab group, they like me enough to live with me too!
(Photo Credit: Alexa Morris)
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Most of the L&C women's swim team!
(Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Becca, Genevieve, Libby,
Monica, Gail, Alexa, Alli R, Sofia, me, Rachel,
Heather, Lesley, Hannah, Taylor, Ali B, Kayla)
(Photo Credit: Kate Garvey) |
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The L&C junior women on the swim team being goofy!
(Photo Credit: Alexa Morris) |
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My Student Athlete Mentees, the group of freshmen that I help out as a reference for on-campus activities and resources! (Left to Right: Becca, me, Genevieve, Sofia)
(Photo Credit: Libby Bissen) |
As always, if you are interested in Biology or athletics or class schedules or whatever, feel free to ask me questions at katyyeh@lclark.edu!
