life and death at chek jawa for fos open house

LIFE AND DEATH LIFE AND DEATH AT CHEK JAWAAT CHEK JAWA

A UROPS RESEARCH EXPERIENCEA UROPS RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Key points of this sessionKey points of this session

►What is UROPs?What is UROPs?►Why I decided to do UROPs?Why I decided to do UROPs?►How did I do it?How did I do it?

Brief introduction of Chek JawaBrief introduction of Chek Jawa Different phases of my projectDifferent phases of my project

►What have I learnt or benefited?What have I learnt or benefited?

What isWhat is

U R O P sU R O P s

Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in ScienceOpportunities Programme in Science

►doing an independent research project doing an independent research project ►work with Faculty staffwork with Faculty staff► foster mentoring relationshipsfoster mentoring relationships

Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in ScienceOpportunities Programme in Science

►work and gain knowledge in a specific work and gain knowledge in a specific field of study field of study

►experience creative thinkingexperience creative thinking►acquire special communication and acquire special communication and

presentation skillspresentation skills

Key points of this sessionKey points of this session

►What is UROPs?►Why I decided to do UROPs?►How did I do it?

Brief introduction of Chek Jawa Different phases of my project

►What have I learnt or benefited?

What motivated me to do What motivated me to do UROPsUROPs??

►CuriosityCuriosity►Answer questionsAnswer questions►gain experiencegain experience►more free play to pursue topicsmore free play to pursue topics

Key points of this sessionKey points of this session

►What is UROPs?What is UROPs?►Why I decided to do UROPs?Why I decided to do UROPs?►How did I do it?How did I do it?

Brief introduction of Chek JawaBrief introduction of Chek Jawa Different phases of my projectDifferent phases of my project

►What have I learnt or benefited?What have I learnt or benefited?

Have you been to Have you been to Chek JawaChek Jawa before? before?

Where isWhere is Chek JawaChek Jawa

Chek Jawa

Chek Jawa is lauded for its high Chek Jawa is lauded for its high biodiversitybiodiversity

Figure from

Ria Tan

Six distinct ecosystems

exist at Chek Jawa

and it is abundant

with locally rare fauna and flora

LifeLife at Chek Jawa at Chek Jawa

Key points of this sessionKey points of this session

►What is UROPs?What is UROPs?►Why I decided to do UROPs?Why I decided to do UROPs?►How did I do it?How did I do it?

Brief introduction of Chek JawaBrief introduction of Chek Jawa Different phases of my projectDifferent phases of my project

►What have I learnt or benefited?What have I learnt or benefited?

Research begins with Research begins with observations, giving rise to observations, giving rise to

a research questiona research question..

After a period of exceptional heavy rain After a period of exceptional heavy rain in Jan 2007, a field trip to Chek Jawa in Jan 2007, a field trip to Chek Jawa

revealed…revealed…

DyingDying Carpet Anemones Carpet Anemones

DyingDying Sponges Sponges

DyingDying sea stars and sea cucumbers sea stars and sea cucumbers

Most soft bodied marine animals were Most soft bodied marine animals were affectedaffected

Mass Mass DeathDeath occurredoccurred

on January 2007on January 2007

Asking Asking questionsquestions►What happened at Chek Jawa?What happened at Chek Jawa?►What caused the mass death?What caused the mass death?►Why were some animals more Why were some animals more

affected as compared to others?affected as compared to others?►Is this mass death a tragic event?Is this mass death a tragic event?►Will Chek Jawa recover? Will Chek Jawa recover? ►If yes, how?If yes, how?

Answering Answering questionsquestions through.. through..

UROPSUROPS

Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors

Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors

Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors1. Mr. N. Sivasothi 1. Mr. N. Sivasothi (Department of Biological Science, NUS)(Department of Biological Science, NUS)

2. Dr. Peter Todd 2. Dr. Peter Todd (Department of Biological Science, NUS)(Department of Biological Science, NUS) 3. Dr. Dan Rittschof 3. Dr. Dan Rittschof (Duke University)(Duke University)

Photo: Ria Tan

At the beginning…At the beginning…

►reading up various literatures reading up various literatures ►compilation of data and past observationscompilation of data and past observations►Discussions with my supervisors and expertsDiscussions with my supervisors and experts►Yet also left alone Yet also left alone Independence! Independence!

Resources from NUS LibrariesResources from NUS Libraries

Literature read upLiterature read up

At the beginning…At the beginning…

►reading up various literaturesreading up various literatures ►compilation of data and past observationscompilation of data and past observations►Discussions with my supervisors and expertsDiscussions with my supervisors and experts►Yet also left alone Yet also left alone Independence! Independence!

Some supervisors Some supervisors may have may have

funnyfunny requests requests

Blogging…Blogging…http://cjproject.blogspot.comhttp://cjproject.blogspot.com

Embracing internet tools… Embracing internet tools… use of Google Document for preliminary draftsuse of Google Document for preliminary drafts

Embracing internet tools… Embracing internet tools… use of Google Group to keep everyone in the loopuse of Google Group to keep everyone in the loop

Conducting of field surveysConducting of field surveys

2.2. Transects surveys (once in 3 months)Transects surveys (once in 3 months)3.3. Monitoring of different groups of marine Monitoring of different groups of marine

animals (once in 2 months)animals (once in 2 months)

Sometimes we set off early…Sometimes we set off early…

…sometimes we go back late

Six transect linesSix transect linesT1

T2

T3

T4

T5

T6

T1

T5

T4

T3

T2

T6

Transect surveyingTransect surveying

Sometimes disasters do happen…Sometimes disasters do happen…

……af t e r a day’ s har d wor kaf t e r a day’ s har d wor k

Not all things work!Not all things work!

Carpet AnemonesCarpet Anemones((Stichodactyla haddoniStichodactyla haddoni))

Photos: Ria Tan

•30 located and marked

•Shortest and longest diameter axis measured

•Tentacles counted

Sea anemone morphology is variable Sea anemone morphology is variable

NOTNOT easy to study easy to study

What I’ve learnt from field What I’ve learnt from field applications from Dr Daphne Fautin?applications from Dr Daphne Fautin?

► anemones from tide pools anemones from tide pools contract when exposed to contract when exposed to airair

► can detach and movecan detach and move► difficult to determine sizedifficult to determine size► density differs density differs ► incorrect to correlated size incorrect to correlated size

with agewith age

Seeking Seeking helphelp as a UROPS student as a UROPS student

►Easier as a NUS student doing researchEasier as a NUS student doing research►Experts and agencies sometimes flooded Experts and agencies sometimes flooded

with emailswith emails►Advantage of UROPS- taken seriouslyAdvantage of UROPS- taken seriously►Supervisor’s emails/phone calls also usefulSupervisor’s emails/phone calls also useful

Nearing Nearing submissionsubmission of report… of report…

►Data compilation for analysisData compilation for analysis►Start writing!Start writing!►Long and detail conversationsLong and detail conversations►Oral presentation drillOral presentation drill►Oral presentation exam with two lecturer Oral presentation exam with two lecturer

examinersexaminers

Corrections on my report draftsCorrections on my report drafts

Email discussions with various Email discussions with various supervisors/experts etcsupervisors/experts etc

Nearing Nearing submissionsubmission of report… of report…

►Data compilation for analysisData compilation for analysis►Start writing!Start writing!►Long and detail conversationsLong and detail conversations►Oral presentation drillOral presentation drill►Oral presentation Oral presentation examexam with two lecturer with two lecturer

examinersexaminers

ChallengesChallenges and frustrations and frustrations

►especially at the beginningespecially at the beginning►There are also not-so-helpful peopleThere are also not-so-helpful people►Have to learn how to accept failuresHave to learn how to accept failures►Some of best learning is by making mistakesSome of best learning is by making mistakes►Reflect on themReflect on them

Key points of this sessionKey points of this session

►What is UROPs?What is UROPs?►Why I decided to do UROPs?Why I decided to do UROPs?►How did I do it?How did I do it?

Brief introduction of Chek JawaBrief introduction of Chek Jawa Different phases of my projectDifferent phases of my project

►What have I learnt or benefited?What have I learnt or benefited?

How UROPs has enhanced my How UROPs has enhanced my undergraduate experienceundergraduate experience??

►Understand the meaning of Understand the meaning of researchresearch►Start questioning, analysing and exploringStart questioning, analysing and exploring►More questions than answersMore questions than answers►Walk out of comfort zone Walk out of comfort zone ►Wholesome student and learnerWholesome student and learner

What are my What are my future plansfuture plans after after UROPs?UROPs?

►Preparing to publish my findingsPreparing to publish my findings►Working on sea stars behaviour and ecologyWorking on sea stars behaviour and ecology► teaching after I graduate from NUSteaching after I graduate from NUS►Sharing experiences with my students Sharing experiences with my students

Some interesting Some interesting experiencesexperiences

Celebrating Celebrating ChristmasChristmas at at Chek JawaChek Jawa

My firstMy first filmingfilming experienceexperience

Featured at The Straits TimesFeatured at The Straits Times

Featured at NUS Advertorial, Featured at NUS Advertorial, The Straits TimesThe Straits Times

Friend who is inspired to do work at Friend who is inspired to do work at Chek Jawa too Chek Jawa too

Many more Many more experiencesexperiences recorded here recorded here

cjproject.blogspot.comcjproject.blogspot.com

Look out for public talks notices!

Thank you Thank you & best wishes& best wishes