[Pollinator] new to list, a bit about me, asking for feedback on potential doctoral study

[Nancy Kastning]

Dear All,

 

I am new to this list and would like to introduce myself.  Also, if you have
any feedback on the doctoral study I'm proposing I would appreciate it.  See
below:

 

I am a floristic botanist/plant ecologist and an adjunct professor
affiliated with SIPI (the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute), a
two-year national tribal college in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I am currently
establishing an herbarium at SIPI that is dedicated for the use of the
tribes and pueblos of the American Southwest as well as SIPI students.  I
received my master's degree under Dr. Ron Hartman, Rocky Mountain Herbarium,
at University of Wyoming in 1990. 

 

I would like to pursue a comparative doctoral study on the reproductive
ecology (pollination, breeding systems, fruit-seed yield and seed dispersal)
of a traditionally used plant group growing on Native American gather areas
in the American Southwest. This must include comparative studies of
populations in heavily degraded vs. undisturbed or regenerated areas. I have
contacts within the tribes, pueblos, tribal colleges, Bureau of Indian
Affairs, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Park Service who would help
facilitate this type of research. I have been working on various short-term
contracts with these agencies for the last 12 years.  

 

Research areas for my doctorate could be sited on Navajo, Zuni, Acoma, and
White Mountain Apache lands. This could also include adjacent U.S. Forest
Service lands and U. S. National Monuments (Gila Wilderness area, El
Malpais, El Morro, and the Gila Cliff Dwellings). These properties are all
located in south-central to southwestern New Mexico and adjacent Arizona and
are within the geographic area covered by the new SIPI herbarium (founded in
February of 2006). National park and forest service wilderness lands (El
Morro, the Gila Cliff Dwellings and Gila Wilderness) offers 571,525 acres
for prospective research sites with an additional 14,000 acres on El Malpais
National Monument. Reservation sites that could be used for degraded, or
regenerated or undisturbed sites comprise approximately 2,506,357 acres.

 

The plant groups that I would be interested in studying are as follows.
Further research needs to be completed to narrow the list and make a final
decision.

 

Polygonaceae (Eriogonum, Polygonum and Rumex)

Apiaceae (Lomatium, Cymopterus, Ligusticum)

Nyctaginaceae (Mirabilis, Tripterocalyx, maybe others)

Liliaceae s.l. (Allium, Calochortus, others?)

Malvaceae (Sphaeralcea, Malva)

Rosaceae (Cercocarpus, Cowania, Fallugia, Purshia)

Anacardiaceae (Rhus glabra, R. microphylla, R. trilobata)

Solanaceae (Lycium, Physalis, Solanum)

Lamiaceae (haven't narrowed down species)

Agavaceae (excluding Yucca)

 

Dr. Bernhardt of SLU in Saint Louis, Missouri and I have been discussing the
possibility of pursuing this research in his laboratory. However, SLU is
currently unable to offer financial support in the form of a TA or RA. I am
looking for other professors at the Missouri Botanical Garden and its'
sister institutions, at Northern Arizona University or Rancho Santa Ana
Botanic Garden and its' sister institutions, who would be interested in
sponsoring and advising me during the completion of this doctorate. If you
or anyone you know would be interested please contact me (e-mail:
nkastning at sipi.bia.edu, njkastning at aol.com).

 

The herbarium at SIPI is much needed. Currently, there are no botanical
research institutions that are easily accessible and dedicated to supporting
the natural resource or environmental programs of the tribes and pueblos of
the American Southwest. SIPI Natural Resource Program students have not had
a botanical teaching collection for their courses.

 

The SIPI herbarium collects ethnobotanical and ethnoecological information
in addition to the standard ecological and geographical information found in
herbarium databases and on labels. SIPI herbarium interns can help with the
doctoral research I am proposing, giving botanical and ethnoecological
research experience to Native American students within the tribal college
system. If you are interested in supporting this project in any way, please
let me know, and I can send along our draft Herbarium Mission Statement for
your perusal.

 

Sincerely,

Nancy Kastning

Adjunct Professor, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic College

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.sonic.net/pipermail/pollinator/attachments/20070517/6575b03e/attachment.html