The summer education program is coming to a close at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory.

We’ve had the pleasure to work with several excellent students this summer. Gavin Belfry (University of Tennessee) has been leading an independent project on seedbank dynamics in alpine plant communities. Deidra Johnson, our regular-year student, (Arizona State University) has been working with external mentors on a project on the impacts of road dust on plant performance. Thomas Jenkins (University of Oxford) is helping with several community ecology projects. And Marco Castaneda (University of Redlands) is back for his third summer, helping with aspen ecology work. Courtenay Ray, lab PhD student, has been doing a great job co-mentoring everyone.

A few days ago the students gave presentations to the lab community sharing their research findings. I was very impressed by all the hard work and dedication they have put into their science.

It is always a pleasure seeing people develop confidence and mastery of a topic through their hard work. Congratulations to all our students.

With just a few days left in the program, we’ve been celebrating successes and pushing ahead with other lab fieldwork – and enjoying the rivers and monsoon season weather!