Non-Coding Projects
Math
Tree Cover Research
In this graph theory project, I worked with Mount Holyoke College professor Chassidy Bozeman to study minimum tree covers of graphs. Minimum tree covers were only introduced in 2011 and have not yet been thoroughly studied. We found formulas to calculate the number of minimum tree covers of certain families of graphs, and we investigated "forbidden" edges which are never present in a minimum tree cover of a graph.
Microscopy
Freezing and Pollen Coat Morphology
The pollen coat has complex ornamentation that is often species-specific and may aid in identification. Freezing pollen is known to preserve its viability, but whether it preserves surface morphology had not previously been reported. In this project, I investigated whether freezing pollen affected the morphology of the pollen coat. I found that Narcissus pollen coat ornamentation remained unaffected both by freezing and by storage at room temperature for two months.
Miscellaneous Projects
As part of a microscopy class, I did four small projects: laser scanning confocal microscope imaging of pollen coat morphology, fern sporangia, and blue oil fern leaves; and visible-light imaging of mycorrhizal fungal structures in roots. I loved the process of imaging these specimens, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to use these microscopes and observe such amazing detail in plant structures.
Other
Nested Circles Phylogeny
I created this view of a phylogeny to contrast the huge scale of all known taxa with the very limited selection of organisms that would be recognized by the average person. After struggling to find a way to display such a large image, I wrote a custom SVG viewer for this project.
This was a project for my first college biology class.
