Joseph Ryan - US grants

ABSTRACT Joseph Ryan CTS-9410301 The transport of low-solubility contaminants like radionuclides, metals, and hydrophobic organic compounds is directly linked to the transport of colloids. The diffusion-driven release of Brownian colloids from porous media surfaces is influenced by the chemistry of the colloid and porous media surfaces, the solution chemistry (pH, ionic strength), the flow velocity, and the colloid and grain sizes. In the past, the kinetics of colloid release were modeled as a first-order exchange between attached and detached colloids in a manner analogous to Arrhenius kinetics. Under certain conditions, this approach has failed, owing to peculiarities in the calculation of the intersurface potential energy. Preliminary experimental results have indicated that colloid release is actually a two-step mechanism consisting of (1) detachment from the surface controlled by surface and solution chemistry and (2) diffusion across the boundary layer controlled by the effect of flow velocity diffusion coefficient. The experiments proposed here are designed to proof the two-step mechanism by attempting to isolate and quantify each step. The detachment step will be isolated by conducting experiments in non-moving fluid. The diffusion step will be isolated by removing the energy barrier. The results of the experiments will be analyzed to develop a quantitative kinetic model of colloid release. The project addresses environmental concerns in groundwaters.

9307190 Amy This is an award to provide support for research to develop a comprehensive model that describes the competitive sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water by minerals bound and naturally present organic matter. The investigators plan on relating the transport of hydrophobic organic compounds like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to factors that facilitate or retard them by sorption on materials through which the water flows. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to be studied span the solubility range from naphthalene to benzo(alpha)anthracene. The natural organic matter will include standard reference humic substances as well as that in natural soils. Minerals used will include quartz, goethite, calcite, kaolinite and montmorillonite alone and in various combinations typical of aquifers. The result of this project is expected to be a mathematical model that describes transport characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in groundwater when subjected to contact with naturally present organic matter and aquifer minerals. Its potential use will be in the design and operation of processes and systems for remediation of groundwater and soil that has been contaminated with hydrocarbons.

9418172 Elimelech The transport of radionuclides, metals, and non-polar organic compounds in groundwater is severely restricted by adsorption to immobile aquifer sediments. In the presence of colloids, however, these low-solubility contaminants migrate over distances much greater than those predicted by models that consider only the distribution of the contaminant between the dissolved and the adsorbed, immobile phase. The presence of colloids requires inclusion of an adsorbed, mobile phase of the contaminant in transport models. This requirement has shifted our attention to the mobilization, transport, and deposition colloids in aquifers. Colloid formation may occur by in situ precipitation or mobilization caused by chemical or physical perturbations in the aquifer. When a chemical perturbation increases the repulsive forces between the colloid and grain surfaces, colloids are mobilized and transported with the groundwater. If the transport of the solute causing that perturbation is retarded relative to the groundwater, the mobilized colloid will eventually pass the solute front and encounter sediments that have not yet been affected by the solute, or colloid-mobilizing agent. Under these conditions, we expect that the colloids will be re-deposited on grains and will remain there until the solute "catches up." We hypothesize that the transport of colloids mobilized by a chemical perturbation will never exceed the transport of the colloid-mobilizing agent. To test this hypothesis, we propose to (1) develop a model that will simultaneously account for the transport of the colloids and the colloid-mobilizing agent and (2) conduct a series of small-scale, intermediate-scale, and field experiments simulating and testing colloid mobilization and transport. The model will be developed and rigorously tested by the UCLA researchers. The model will account for colloid deposition and release, microscopic and macroscopic charge heterogeneity of colloid and grain surfaces, the effect of retained colloids on the deposition and release of colloids, solute adsorption and desorption, and "megascopic" heterogeneities (i.e., laying in aquifer sediments). It will be formulated to model colloid and solute transport in one and two dimensions for the laboratory experiments and it will be extended to three dimensions for the field experiment. The small-and intermediate-scale experiments will be conducted at the University of Colorado's Water Resources laboratory. The materials used in the experiments will include hematite and kaolinite colloids, quartz and ferric oxyhydroxide-coated quartz porous media, and phosphate dodecanoic acid (a surfactant), and isolate NOM from the field site as colloid-mobilizing agents. Small-scale column experiments will be conducted to identify parameters for the intermediate-scale and field experiments. The intermediate-scale experiments will be conducted in a two-dimensional tank of 10 m length 2 m height, and 5 cm width filled with homogeneous and heterogeneous (layered) porous media. The tank experiments will directly test the hypothesis relating colloid transport to the transport of the colloid-mobilizing agent. The field experiment will be conducted at the Barouch Forest Science Institute site in Georgetown, S.C. The surficial aquifer at the BFSI site is composed primarily of quartz sand, ferric oxyhydroxides, and layered heterogeneity. A field experiment is proposed that will examine the deposition and mobilization of synthesied kaolinite collids labeled with a stable isotope (deuterium or 18O) or titanium as an isomorphous substitute for silicon. Separate injections will test the effects of dodecanoic acid and NOM-rich water from a nearby pond as the colloid-mobilizing agent in both oxic and suboxic portions of the aquifer.

9807735
Ryan

The interactions of mercury with organic matter play an important role in determining the environmental risk and toxicity of mercury in water and sediments. Most of our understanding of mercury speciation in water and sediments comes from studies of mercury at high concentrations. These studies may be relevant for sites of substantial mercury contamination, but mercury toxicity is a problem even in areas where mercury concentrations are barely above detection limits. The toxic forms of mercury, methylmercury,is formed by the methylation of Hg(II) species and accumulated in higher organisms.
The methylation of Hg(II) may be prevented by complexation of Hg(II) by strong ligands. Increasing evidence suggests that organic matter effectively binds Hg(II), prevents methylation of Hg(II), and controls the transport of Hg(II) in water and sediments. However, our understanding of the interactions of organic matter with mercury is lacking in several crucial areas:

1. Why does organic matter bind mercury so strongly?
2. What is the form of mercury in relatively pristine sediments?
3. How rapidly and by what mechanism is mercury released from mercury solids?

It is the goal of this study to provide answers to these questions by pursuing three major tasks:
(1) isolation and characterization of organic matter fractions responsible for Hg(II) binding,
(2) development of sequential extractions for determination of mercury speciation in relatively pristine sediments, and
(3) examination of the role of organic matter in the release of Hg(II) from mercury solids.

These tasks will accomplished by a research team of Joe Ryan (University of Colorado), an environmental engineer with experience in surface chemistry and sequential extractions, George Aiken (U.S. Geological Survey), an organic geochemist with experience in the isolation and characterization of organic matter, and Kathy Nagy (University of Colorado), an aqueous geochemist with experience in mineral-water interactions.
The first task is the identification of key components of natural organic matter responsible for mercury binding through affinity chromatography. This task, combined with a full arsenal of organic matter characterization methods, will help us test the hypothesis that reduced sulfur functional groups are the key factor in strength of mercury binding by organic matter. George Aiken will lead this effort with the assistance of analytical techniques provided by Murthy Vairavamuthy of Brookhaven National Laboratory.
The second task is the characterization of the speciation of mercury in sediments using refined sequential extraction procedures. This task will examine new possibilities for the sequestration of mercury in sediments and test the hypothesis that organic matter dominates the speciation of mercury in sediments. Joe Ryan of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado, will lead this effort, assisted by a graduate research assistant.
The fourth task is an examination of the rate and mechanism of mercury released by natural organic matter during cinnabar dissolution to assess the mobilization of mercury from sediments. This task will provide basic data on the release of mercury from mercuric sulfide solids and test a novel hypothesis that organic matter is acting both as a strong ligand and an electron acceptor in enhancing the dissolution of mercuric sulfide solids. Kathy Nagy, assisted by a graduate research associate, will direct this effort.

This proposal was submitted to the EGB Program and is being jointly funded by:
Division of CTS (Roger Arndt)

9909553
Ryan

Many of the hazardous contaminants introduced into the natural environment bind strongly to soil surfaces; hence, their mobility is limited by sorption. Clay-and silt-sized particles in soils are primarily responsible for the sorption of sorption of contaminants owing to their high surface areas. In the unsaturated zone, these particles are susceptible to mobilization and transport by infiltrating rainfall. If these particles are mobilized, the migration of the associated contaminants will increase. For transport of contaminants associated with particles to be significant, three prerequisites must be met: (1) there must be a source of particles (mobilization), (2) contaminants must sorb to the remain sorbed to the particles (sorption), and (3) the particles must migrate downward. This research plan focuses on improved understanding of the source, or mobilization, of particles in the unsaturated zone.

We hypothesize that two major factors control the mobilization particles in the unsaturated zone: (1) heterogeneity in soil structure and (2) characteristics of rainfall events. Soil structure heterogeneity leads to preferential flow paths, or routes of high permeability through a matrix of lower permeability. In soil, these preferential flow paths are often referred to as macropores. Macropores are typically formed by soil desiccation, root growth, and burrowing fauna. The flow of infiltrating water is funneled through macropores at velocities much greater than those occurring in the surrounding soil matrix. The greater velocities lead to greater shear on attached particles and greater particle mobilization. For rainfall, the intensity, duration, and frequency are important. The intensity of rainfall will control the velocity of water flow through the soil and, hence, the extent of particle mobilization. The duration of rainfall events will affect the kinetics of particle mobilization, causing a change from a rapid particle release during the initial pulse of infiltrating water to a slower steady-state rate. The frequency of rainfall events will control the regeneration of the particle supply.

The research plan outlines tests of these hypotheses in model systems and real soils. The model systems will consist of particles and media of known size and geometry. The real soil will extracted from sites at which particle-facilitated transport of contaminants may be significant. Measurements focus on the amount, size, and composition of the mobilized particles. Knowledge of these key particle properties will aid in assessment of contaminant sorption and particle transport.

0233183
Ryan
Data will be collected to quantify virus transport in physically and geochemically heterogeneous unconsolidated aquifer materials under carefully controlled laboratory conditions. The results will be incorporated into a stochastic model of virus transport in aquifers. The bacteriophage PRD1 will be radiolabelled and used for this work. Phage will be introduced into glass chromatography columns packed with porous media. Solution chemistry will be altered and fractions collected and analyzed for the phage by plaque assay.

The ecological fate of mercury in aquatic systems depends, in large part, on dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration, the concentrations of inorganic ligands, especially sulfide, and the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria that convert Hg2+ into methylmercury, a highly toxic form of mercury that is readily bioaccumulated. Recent research shows that Hg(II) binds to DOM more strongly (KDOM 1023 L kg-1) than previously thought under environmentally relevant conditions. Strong binding of mercury by DOM, which is controlled by a small fraction of the DOM containing reactive thiol functional groups, is second only to sulfide when compared to other ligands of geochemical significance. In addition to strong binding of Hg(II) by thiol-like moieties associated with DOM, strong DOM-Hg interactions are apparent from studies of the effects of DOM on the dissolution and precipitation of relatively-insoluble cinnabar (HgS). Organic matter enhances HgS dissolution through surface reactions favored by DOM rich in aromatic moieties. Precipitation of metacinnabar (HgS) is inhibited by low concentrations (=3 mg C L-1) of DOM by prevention of the aggregation of nanocolloidal mercuric sulfide. Interactions of HgS with DOM can influence the geochemistry and bioavailability of Hg in aquatic environments by maintaining higher dissolved total Hg concentrations than predicted by current speciation models.
In this proposal, Joe Ryan (University of Colorado at Boulder), Kathryn Nagy (University of Illinois at Chicago), and George Aiken (U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, Colorado) outline a plan to investigate more challenging aspects of Hg-organic matter interactions. Similar interactions with selected metals (from soft to hard) will be studied. Better definition of these interactions is required for the improvement of metal speciation models and increased understanding of the factors controlling metal cycling in aquatic systems. Specific objectives of this research are to (1) quantify the effects of organic matter, metal nature, and sulfide concentration on metal binding by dissolved and solid organic matter at environmentally relevant concentrations, (2) elucidate the contributions to metal binding by sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen functional groups in organic matter, (3) examine the effect of organic matter nature on the inhibition of metal sulfide precipitation, with an emphasis on mercuric sulfide, and (4) probe the mechanism of DOM enhancement of metal-sulfide dissolution. Major products of this research will be the determination of organic matter binding constants for selected toxic metals at environmentally relevant concentrations and the assessment of colloidal stabilization as a process contributing to the occurrence of dissolved metals in aquatic systems.
Broader impacts of the proposed research include dissemination of the research results at national conferences and in peer-reviewed journals in addition to the following special activities. The co-PIs and their research assistants will collaborate with Dr. Edward Tipping, developer of a widely used geochemical equilibrium model (WHAM), to incorporate new DOM-metal binding constants into metal speciation calculations and with Dr. Alain Manceau to characterize competitive binding of metals with organic matter used in bioremediation schemes. The co-PIs will develop a graduate class on the interactions of organic matter with contaminants. The information resulting from this study will be directly applicable to the effective management of aquatic ecosystems, and has important implications for ecosystem restoration programs. Dr. Aiken will continue to participate in U.S. Geological Survey efforts to make science accessible for environmental regulators managing the Florida Everglades and the San Joaquin-Sacramento River delta in California.

To better prioritize and plan remediation of streams affected by acid mine drainage, better understanding of the importance of stream-sediment bed exchange of colloids and colloid-associated metals is needed. Only recently has the hyporheic zone been included in modeling of the transport of colloids and suspended sediments in surface water. To better understand the role of the hyporheic zone, we will examine some of the key processes in colloid and colloid-associated metal transport in an acid mine drainage-affected stream in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The objectives of this research are to (1) characterize the nature, size, surface chemistry, and aggregation kinetics of colloids in acid mine drainage-affected streams, (2) evaluate the importance of hyporheic zone exchange for colloids and colloid-associated metals, (3) examine the mechanisms of colloid removal in hyporheic zone sediments, and (4) advance and adapt the current model for colloid-associated contaminant transport to improve assessment of the fate and transport of metals in acid mine drainage-affected streams. The results of this research will promote better understanding and allow better prediction of the effects of acid mine drainage on water quality in alpine streams. With this knowledge, environmental scientists and engineers and environmental regulators will be better equipped to assess the risks of metal contamination to humans and aquatic life, and to design remediation strategies. To foster use of the products of this research, we will disseminate our results in widely-read journals. We will also continue our service as technical advisors for watershed stakeholder groups and develop this activity into an outreach center to engage undergraduate and graduate students in research and learning in service to communities. We will also integrate the research into regular academic courses taught at our institutions and into a short course for environmental professionals.

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."
CBET- 0854527
Ryan, Joseph
University of Colorado at Boulder

Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds in a Rocky Mountain Stream: Effect of a Major Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade


The multidisciplinary research team assembled for this proposal will apply an integrated chemical, biological, and hydrological approach in field and laboratory studies to investigate the relationships between nutrient loading, endocrine-disrupting compound release, and perturbations in the stream ecosystem and endocrine function of aquatic organisms. Joseph Ryan (University of Colorado), Larry Barber (U.S. Geological Survey), and graduate research assistant Jeffrey Writer will evaluate the fate and transport of a suite of endocrine-disrupting compounds in Boulder Creek. David Norris, Alan Vajda, and a graduate research assistant (University of Colorado) will experimentally evaluate the interaction between nutrient and EDC load on fish reproduction and periphyton communities using an innovative on-site mobile exposure laboratory. The team will collaborate to examine the effects of the changes in endocrine-disrupting compound and nutrient loading using in-stream analyses of aquatic bio-criteria indicative of ecosystem function. These integrated analyses will elucidate the role of engineering upgrades in sustainable watershed management.

The intellectual merit of the proposed research is increased understanding of the role of wastewater treatment in the preservation of human health and ecosystem function. Determination of the processes governing fate and transport of endocrine-disrupting compounds will elucidate and facilitate engineering and watershed management efforts to mitigate detrimental impacts on aquatic ecosystems. This unique and timely opportunity to evaluate the effect of a wastewater treatment plant upgrade on nutrient and endocrine-disrupting compound loading and ecosystem response will help water managers evaluate the efficacy of engineering solutions designed to restore environmental systems and protect water resources.

The broader impacts of the proposed research include dissemination of the results by a variety of means to training of new researchers in an important interdisciplinary area of environmental engineering. The principal investigators have been and will continue to participate in a wide range of community and watershed organizations to provide access to the results of this study, including the Boulder Creek Watershed Initiative, the Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network, the Watershed curriculum, the Colorado Riparian Association, and associated forums and workshops.

Intellectual merit: Mercury mobilized by forest fire is accumulating in aquatic organisms in lakes and reservoirs in the Rocky Mountain region. Recent research has focused on mercury emitted to the atmosphere during forest fires, but fire also releases mercury to streams, lakes, and reservoirs. Soil organic matter effectively sequesters most of the mercury deposited in forested watersheds, and fire results in the destruction or erosion of most of the soil organic matter. Fire also results in the development of anoxic, sulfate-reducing conditions in the lakes and reservoirs receiving runoff from fire-disturbed watersheds, and under these conditions, mercury is biologically converted to methylmercury, the form that readily accumulates in aquatic organisms and concentrates up the food chain. In this proposal, research is outlined to examine the effect of fire on the ability of soil organic matter to strongly bind mercury and prevent methylation and bioaccumulation. The research is driven by three
hypotheses addressing the transformations caused by fire in the oxidation state of sulfur in soil organic matter and the effect of these changes on mercury binding. The hypotheses are (1) that forest fire increases the oxidation state of sulfur in soil organic matter, (2) that forest fire decreases the strong mercury binding capacity of soil organic matter because of the increase in the oxidation state of the sulfur, and (3) that sediment burial restores, or increases, the strong mercury binding capacity of soil organic matter because of incorporation of hydrogen sulfide in the lake and reservoir sediments. Soil and lake/reservoir sediment sampling will be carried out in watersheds affected by wildfire and prescribed burn. Mercury adsorption to and desorption from the soils, sediments, and extracted organic matter, will be examined using furnace heating to reproducibly assess the effect of heat on sulfur oxidation and mercury binding. In addition, the sulfur and mercury in these materials will be characterized with x?]ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended x?]ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy.

Broader Impact: The broader impacts of this proposal involve three unique features: (1) growth of the San Juan Collaboratory, an initiative of the University of Colorado, Fort Lewis College, the Mountain Studies Institute, and federal, regional, and state land management agencies in the San Juan Mountains region, (2) recruitment of under-represented graduate students through well-established and successful programs at the University of Colorado and University of Illinois, and (3) establishment of the Colorado Water Quality Outreach Center (CWQOC) at the University of Colorado. The San Juan Collaboratory was recently formed to enhance and establish research and educational programs for the southwestern Colorado area. The Colorado Water Quality Outreach Center is being established with the support of the University of Colorado Outreach Committee to provide a state-wide avenue for watershed stakeholder groups and municipalities dealing with water quality problems to seek assistance from faculty and students with water quality problems.

A Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Sites award has been made to the University of Florida's Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience in St. Augustine, Florida that will provide research training for 8 students, for 11 weeks during the summers of 2012- 2015. The program focuses on understanding basic mechanisms of biology through studies of marine and other comparative models. The Whitney Laboratory consists of a highly cooperative group of 10 faculty who guide student projects in areas of molecular, cellular, neuro-, and population biology and bioinformatics. Students do full-time lab research, participate in weekly research seminars and weekly workshops focusing on the responsible conduct of research and professional communication skills. An introductory series of lectures exposes students to basic concepts of evolution and biodiversity which underlie the comparative approaches applied at the Whitney Laboratory. Guided field trips into local marine estuaries, to inland fresh water springs and to the Gulf coast of Florida also introduce students to diverse ecosystems. Students meet with graduate coordinators of various departments at the University of Florida to gain insights into the graduate school application process. They also meet with former Whitney REU students to discuss diverse career paths in science and science related fields. Students are recruited nationwide through digital based advertising and direct faculty contacts. Trips are made to several minority-serving institutions and recruitment efforts also aim to attract non-traditional students from among returning veterans and their family members. Students are selected based on their academic record and research potential. Special attention is given to applicants from groups currently underrepresented in the sciences and groups for whom evidence suggests the REU experience has the greatest impact. Students are tracked to determine their continued interest in science, their career paths, and the lasting influences of the research experience. Information about the program will be assessed by various means, including use of an REU common assessment tool. More information is available by visiting: http://www.whitney.ufl.edu/index.php/education/undergraduate. Alternatively, contact the PI (Dr. Barbara Battelle, battelle@whitney.ufl.edu) or Whitney's Education Coordinator (Brenda Cannaliato, Brenda@whitney.ufl.edu).

1240584
Ryan

The current energy system in the United States relies on finite resources that are the major cause of climate change and a key source of global conflict. A sustainable energy system - one that uses renewable, low-carbon, affordable, and local energy sources - may be decades away. Natural gas is seen as the "bridge fuel" to a more sustainable energy system because natural gas combustion emits smaller amounts of greenhouse gases than coal combustion. However, conflicts have arisen between accelerated natural gas development and water and air resources protection. These conflicts are becoming acute in the Rocky Mountain region, which has always played an important role in the energy system of the United States. Most of the recent growth in natural gas production is the result of extracting gas from "unconventional" sources (coal-bed methane, shale gas, tight gas) with the techniques of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing requires large volumes of water that are chemically amended and injected to increase the permeability of the gas-bearing formations. The fracturing fluid left in ground and the fracturing fluid that returns to the surface (flowback), along with produced water, present risks to ground and surface waters. Natural gas extraction results in atmospheric emissions, particularly the release of greenhouse gases, oxides of nitrogen, and volatile organic compounds tied to the generation of ozone. These stresses on local water and air resources must be weighed against the benefits of natural gas production for the nation and the public must be provided with reliable information to make decisions about energy sources and resource protection. This Sustainability Research Network (SRN) addresses the conflict between natural gas extraction and water and air resources protection with the development of a social-ecological system framework with which to assess the conflict and to identify needs for scientific information. Scientific investigations will be conducted to assess and mitigate the problems. Outreach and education efforts will focus on citizen science, public involvement, and awareness of the science and policy issues.
The intellectual merit of this SRN proposal includes (1) examination of the effects of natural gas development on water and air resources by analyzing trade-offs between local, regional, and national costs and benefits in environmental, social, and economic domains (social-ecological systems); (2) review of industry practices for hydraulic fracturing, well drilling and casing, and gas collection infrastructure for best management practices recommendations (natural gas infrastructure); (3) investigation of the hydrologic processes that determine impacts of natural gas extraction on groundwater withdrawal and contaminant transport in drinking water aquifers and surface waters (water quantity); (4) characterization of the potential risks of fracturing fluid migrating to drinking water aquifers, the injection or discharge of flowback and produced water, and the mitigation of these risks by treatment of the flowback and produced waters (water quality); (5) improved spatial and temporal monitoring of air pollutants by a combination of high-resolution mobile sampling and the use of personal air monitors as an example of "citizen science" feeding data to air quality models that assess the local, regional, and national implications of natural gas development (air quality); and (6) quantitative and qualitative assessment of the health risks, both chemical and non-chemical, associated with water and air exposure.
The broader impact of this SRN includes improved public understanding of the effects of natural gas development on water and air resources and better decision-making regarding the local effects and regional and national benefits and costs of natural gas development. The broader impacts will be achieved through extensive education and outreach activities: (1) dissemination of best management practices in collaboration with all stakeholders, (2) diverse communication about scientists and scientific activity that will reach a broad portion of the public, (3) collaboration with Native American tribes and other under-represented groups disproportionately affected by natural gas development, (4) educational efforts aimed at providing appreciation for the science-policy interface at the university and K-12 levels, and (5) engagement of the public through citizen science, workshops, and scenario planning.

Pace University proposes to add four new cohorts of undergraduate and graduate students to their existing CyberCorps(R) Scholarship for Service (SFS) program in cybersecurity with a multiple pathway approach to recruit and guide students through different academic programs based on their background and interests. With support for either two or three years, all Pace scholars will graduate with a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree, a five-year combined degree, or a PhD. All scholars will fulfill core curriculum requirements in both cybersecurity and mathematics, as well as interdisciplinary curriculum requirements in either criminal justice or business management. The scholars will also be expected to complete research projects and professional development activities as outlined through competency-based advisement. With a solid background in computing and flexibility to accommodate different talents, the program will help meeting the diverse demands of government employment in the field of cybersecurity. The scholars will be able to apply not only computing knowledge but also knowledge from a relevant discipline, such as mathematics, criminal justice, or business administration. The graduates will therefore be able to conduct tasks in specialty areas defined in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Workforce Framework such as information assurance compliance, network security administration, or digital forensics.

The objectives of the Pace CyberCorps project are 1) to produce fourteen to seventeen cybersecurity professionals entering the government workforce upon graduation over five years; 2) to prepare cybersecurity professionals with diverse educational backgrounds by using a multiple pathway approach; 3) to support diversity in the field of information technology by providing opportunities for students from underrepresented groups; 4) to mentor non-SFS institutions and their students through academic partnerships; 5) to strengthen collaboration between Pace and its government partners, and 6) to generate interest in becoming cybersecurity professionals among broader student populations both at Pace and at our partner institutions. The broader impacts of Pace CyberCorps include outreach activities to increase the number of students studying in cybersecurity who are from groups underrepresented in information technology; broaden the impact of the program through academic partnerships; and mentor non-SFS institutions and provide scholarship opportunities for their graduates.

The deep sea is more than 90 percent of the inhabitable space on Earth, yet life there is largely a mystery to science. Ctenophores, also known as comb jellies, are marine predators found in all oceans, inhabiting both deep and shallow seas. Although fragile and difficult to study, they are biologically important, in part because they appear to have been the first group of animals to split off from all other organisms during evolution, even before sponges and jellyfish. Over evolutionary time, many marine organisms have transitioned their home ranges to and from the deep sea despite the tremendous differences between these two habitats, including light, temperature, and hydrostatic pressure. Such habitat shifts required dramatic genetic and physiological changes to these animal lineages over time. The relationships between comb jelly species indicate that species from a variety of different families have evolved to live and thrive in the deep sea. This project will compare closely related deep and shallow species at biochemical, physiological and genetic levels to understand how these transitions came about. It will answer questions about the fundamental mechanisms of animal evolution and develop publicly available tools for analyzing genomic data sets. It will result in the training of cutting-edge techniques for two PhD students, a postdoc, two masters students, and numerous undergraduates. Public outreach involving biodiversity in the deep sea and gelatinous animals will help educate and inspire appreciation of marine life.

The main objective of this project is to understand evolution and diversification using cutting edge molecular analyses to investigate the deep-sea habitat as the generating force of novel biological adaptations. Ctenophore specimens will be collected using blue-water SCUBA in surface waters and remotely operated submarines in the deep sea to generate complementary physiological and genomic data across the full phylogenetic and functional diversity of ctenophores. With samples taken across a range of habitats from shallow tropical waters to temperate bathypelagic zone, the team will measure physiological capabilities and sequence transcriptomes and genomes. This project will develop novel algorithms to identify genes involved in depth adaptation and examine the genetic events that underlie physiological tolerances and adaptations to high hydrostatic pressures in the deep sea. To confirm the theory-based predictions of how gene sequence affects the properties of enzymes, proteins will be expressed and characterized in the lab. Collaborations between the students, postdocs and PIs involved in this project will substantially enhance an interdisciplinary workforce trained in both classical and cutting edge skills needed for contemporary biodiversity investigations.

The first international workshop on ctenophore biology will be held at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience in St. Augustine, FL on March 14-15, 2016. This meeting will bring together researchers studying the biology of ctenophores. Ctenophores, also known as comb jellies, are a group of animals found in nearly all marine environments (coastal and oceanic, deep sea as well as surface waters). Most species are planktonic and move by the beating of eight ciliary bands, which is the distinct morphological character uniting the group. Recent biogeographic and evolutionary findings, as well as published genomic resources and access to deep water have brought a great deal of attention to these animals, resulting in a revived research activity. The purpose of this international ctenophore workshop is to bring together the burgeoning community of ctenophore biologists, foster cross-disciplinary collaborations, discuss improvements and expansion of community resources, and share expertise relating to field, experimental, and culture techniques. Furthermore, the workshop has been designed to foster interactions between junior scientists (undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral researchers) and senior researchers to inspire the next generation of ctenophore biologists to identify and take on the big open questions that can only be answered by studying ctenophores. The recent influx of interest in these fascinating and important animals presents an opportunity to explore future directions and address some of the challenges for expansion of ctenophore research. This will be the first meeting completely dedicated to studying ctenophores, and the results will be published in an open-access journal to facilitate the broadest possible distribution of ideas generated during this workshop.

Recent studies suggest that ctenophores are the sister group to all other animals and as such, are a critical group for understanding the biology of the last common ancestor of all animals. These findings have been corroborated by analyses of the complete nuclear genomes of two ctenophores. The availability of these data and the implications of the phylogenetic position (e.g., independent origin or loss of neural cell types within animals) have captured the attention of a wide audience, and research on these animals has grown. Although interest in ctenophores continues to grow, these animals remain relatively poorly studied and often misrepresented. Thus, it is important to identify ways to improve and expand community resources, as well as share expertise relating to culturing and experimental techniques. The workshop will bring together researchers from a variety of fields (e.g., taxonomy, ecology, neurobiology, evodevo, and behavior) to identify ways to improve resources, to foster collaborations, and to promote cross-disciplinary approaches to studying these unique creatures.

This REU Site award to the University of Florida's Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience in St. Augustine, FL will provide research training for 8 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2016-2020. The program provides undergraduates with a realistic research experience that will inspire student interest in science and motivate their consideration of a basic research career. Through individualized interactions with mentors, students perform full-time lab or field research. Increased independence over the course of the program is emphasized. Research projects typically use marine models to enhance student understanding of basic mechanisms in biology in the context of evolution and species biodiversity. Guided field trips to local marine estuaries, inland fresh water springs, and the Gulf coast introduce varied ecosystems. Weekly research seminars and workshops provide training on the responsible conduct of research, professional communication skills, science literacy, and diverse career paths in science related fields. Students meet with graduate coordinators at the University of Florida to learn the graduate school application process. Students are recruited nationwide through digital and flyer-based advertising, at conferences, and trips to institutions. Students are selected based on academic record and research potential. Special attention is given to applicants from groups currently underrepresented in the sciences and groups for whom evidence suggests the REU experience has the greatest impact.

It is anticipated that a total of 40 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences and pursue advanced STEM training.

A web-based assessment tool used by all REU programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Directorate for Biological Sciences) will determine the effectiveness of the training program. Students are tracked after the program to determine their continued interest in science and their career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information is available by visiting http:// http://www.whitney.ufl.edu/academic/undergrad-reu/. Alternatively, contact the PI Dr. Elaine Seaver (seaver@whitney.ufl.edu) or the Whitney Education Coordinator, Brenda Cannaliato (Brenda@whitney.ufl.edu).

Marine environments harbor by far the greatest range of biodiversity on Earth and this diversity of life provides untapped opportunities to understand how organisms "work" and how they interact with their natural environment. Recent developments in molecular technology in including next-generation DNA sequencing and functional genomics provide opportunities to build a new level of understanding of the molecular basis of cellular regulation during development, neurogenesis, cancer, adaptive resiliency, and regenerative biology. Marine animals, particularly invertebrates, are ideal experimental systems for a variety of investigations into fundamental properties of animals. This proposal uses delicate marine organisms, collected and cultured at the Whitney Lab for Marine Bioscience (http://www.whitney.ufl.edu/), to leverage these new technologies for an unprecedented molecular understanding of a variety of cellular behaviors related to the interrogation of gene expression at the resolution of identified cells. This grant provides instrumentation for the isolation of pure populations of identified single cells that can be used for downstream molecular characterization (e.g. the construction of gene regulatory networks involved in the establishment of stem cell or neural identity). This equipment will be housed on site, and can be deployed for a wide array of ongoing research projects of resident and visiting researchers. All research groups at the Whitney Lab remain actively involved in the Lab's 32 year-old NSF REU program, participate in K-12 STEM outreach programs (e.g. Scientist for a Day and Whitney Lab's Traveling Zoo), summer camps for 3rd- 4th graders, and a free public lecture series ("Evenings at Whitney"). Whitney recently opened a Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital that focuses on the surgical removal and cure of debilitating fibropapilloma (FP) disease that affects all species of sea turtle worldwide. Whitney faculty are periodically consulted on social and land-use management issues, and share knowledge and expertise with the local community.

This project builds on previous expertise to utilize cutting edge, single cell omics techniques to understand the molecular regulation of distinct cell types. A cell labeling facility (microinjection rig) that can fluorescently label individual cells via a variety of molecular techniques, and an efficient multiuser friendly small volume fluorescent cell sorter (BD FACSMelody) will be deployed to address a wide array of ongoing research projects of resident and visiting researchers. Fluorescently labeled cells, whether it is a dextran lineage marker, nuclear markers of DNA content, mRNAs for specific genes injected in to living cells, reporter genes driven by endogenous enhancers, or CRSPR/Cas9 reporter gene knock-ins can be dissociated into single cells and sorted using a FACS (Fluorescently Activated Cell Sorter) machine. FACS machines were once large prohibitively expensive instruments needing large numbers of cells (1 x 106-9 ) and only able to sort limited wavelength channels. Newer generation FACS machines have become much more powerful with the development of multiple solid state lasers and small volume sorters (96 or 384 well formats). The capability to isolate single cells goes hand-in-hand with the ability to sequence transcriptomes and genomes of single or small numbers of molecularly identified cells, using Next Gen sequencing technology.

Mercury is responsible for more than 80% of the fish consumption advisories in fresh waters of the United States. Most of this mercury is released by the combustion of coal and is deposited from the atmosphere near and far from the sources. Once deposited, the threat of mercury to food webs depends on the extent to which ionic mercury is converted to (1) methylmercury, the form of mercury that is accumulated from plankton to fish and ultimately to humans, and (2) elemental mercury, the form of mercury that is removed from aquatic systems by volatilization. Mercury is converted to methylmercury mainly by sulfate-reducing bacteria that thrive in aquatic environments deprived of oxygen. The ability of these bacteria to methylate mercury depends on the form of the ionic mercury -- whether or not its availability to sulfate-reducing bacteria is limited by its association with organic matter or its precipitation as mercuric sulfide minerals. Mercury is converted to elemental mercury by reduction by a variety of processes for which the influence of organic matter association and precipitation as mercuric sulfide is not well known. The goal of this research is to assess the role of organic matter and sulfur in influencing the conversion of ionic mercury to methylmercury, the first step in making mercury available to aquatic organisms.

The focus of this proposal is to improve understanding of the interactions between mercury, sulfur, and organic matter. The research is driven by two main hypotheses that investigate the role of sulfur cycling and redox conditions on the reactivity of organic matter to mercury. The first hypothesis examines the abiotic incorporation of sulfide into organic matter as a function of organic matter composition, and the role of metals on the stability of the newly-incorporated organic sulfur to oxidation. The second hypothesis addresses the effects of the composition and redox state of organic matter on the reduction of mercury from Hg(II) to Hg(0), and inhibition of the reduction of Hg(II) by complexation to reduced sulfur groups in organic matter and inorganic sulfide. The hypotheses will be tested by (1) examining sulfide incorporation into organic matter and reduction of Hg(II) to Hg(0) by organic matter using laboratory experiments and field studies at sites in the Florida Everglades and interior Alaska that represent a range of sulfur and organic matter conditions and (2) characterizing sulfur and mercury in these materials by X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. These efforts will be enhanced by the use of electrochemistry to study coupled metal-organic matter redox reactions and high energy-resolution XANES spectroscopy to resolve sulfur functionality. The research goals will be complemented by a high-school teacher training program focusing on the laboratory research and participation in ongoing and new science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education efforts.