Tiffany Atkinson, a senior honor’s student majoring in Environmental Science in the School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) is soaking up all she can as an undergraduate researcher in the school.
Atkinson, who is specializing in water science, spent four weeks in Uganda this past summer conducting research at the Lake Nabugabo Research Station where she studied piscivorous birds (specifically multiple species of African Kingfishers) and whether they tend to hunt for fish in more clear or turbid (i.e. muddy) waters.
A Pied Kingfisher. Photo by Ann Riley (OSU Alum).
“There is very little that can be found in the literature about this topic. I thought it would complement the work that I am doing here in Ohio for my honors thesis.”
At different sites, some with very clear water and some with very turbid water, Atkinson would watch for kingfishers to strike the water in an attempt to catch fish and take a water sample at the strike site to track the amount of turbidity in the water.
SENR Honors student Tiffany Atkinson taking a water sample at a Pied
Kingfisher strike site in Uganda.
Atkinson was accompanied by her faculty advisor, Dr. Suzanne Gray, an assistant professor in the School of Environment and Natural Resources, and Richard Oldham, a Master’s student in SENR studying behavioral responses of fish to environmental stressors, who is also advised by Dr. Gray. The trio worked in collaboration with researchers from McGill University (Canada) investigating fish diversity in the Lake Victoria basin.
and Ann Riley (OSU Alum).
SENR Honors student Tiffany Atkinson, Richard Oldham (Master's student), and Jenna Odegard (Master's student) taking
environmental measurements in the Scioto River.
- SEEDS: Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) Research Enhancement Grant
- OSU Honors Summer Research Scholarship Program
- Undergraduate Student Government Academic Enrichment Grant
- Rhonda and Paul Sipp Student Research Award
- The Ohio Environmental Science and Engineering Scholarship, Ohio EPA’s Environmental Education Fund
- The Barnebey Family Scholarship Fund