University Programs faculty member Dr. Jeffrey Krause is again teaming up with Discovery Hall Programs to provide a scholarship for their Marine Science Course for high school students. The R. Quackenbush Marine Science Scholarship bears the name of Dr. Krause's influential mentor, and made possible with funding from the National Science Foundation.
The scholarship covers all tuition and fees for the four-week residential course at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and in addition, provides for an opportunity to work closely with Dr. Krause on a project relevant to his research.
Huntsville High School student Sarah Kelso was the 2017 R. Quackenbush Marine Science Scholarship recipient. Her interest in marine science stems from summer trips to the Jersey shore, but it was a thrift store find, a book titled Microbial Ecology of the Oceans, that galvanized her interest in research and in the small things that make the ocean work. A book that Dr. Krause also includes in his library.
Kelso worked with Dr. Krause on a research project as part of the DHP course, and continued her work on the project in Dr. Krause’s lab when the course was over.
Kelso presented her research at the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science (GOMOSES) conference in mid-February.
“This is an amazing feat for a high school student,” Dr. Tina Miller-Way, DHP Chair said. “GoMOSES is primarily attended by research faculty and agency personnel.”
"I loved attending GoMOSES, because it was such a professional conference and I was able to attend several research presentations," Kelso said. "During my presentation I talked to lots of people that cared about the research that I did, which was wonderful."
Kelso's research, with the leadership of Dr. Krause, looked at the abundance of large siliceous particles on the Mississippi-Alabama shelf during the Spring. Dr. Krause collected samples during a CONCORDE (a consortium of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative) cruise.
"There are a lot of ways to do outreach," Dr. Krause said. "This is a more intensive process with a chance for the student to learn lab skills and go beyond a science project.”
"I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor," Kelso said. "Dr. Krause is so enthusiastic about his work that it is a lot of fun to work with him. He and Dr. Tina Miller-Way have been so supportive throughout this whole process, which means a lot to me."
Kelso is only a junior in high school, but this experience has her planning ahead.
“Short term, I am currently looking for research opportunities for this coming summer,” Kelso shared. “Long term, I am planning on earning a PhD in marine science and hopefully running my own lab.
If you are interested in applying for the Marine Science Course for high school students and/or applying for the R. Quackenbush scholarship, click here or call Discovery Hall Programs at 251-861-2141, ext. 7515.