Do it with Nemertean Worms, and on the Internet Internship

DESCRIPTION: This project focus on populating the Nemertea Scratchpad, a research and community-based partner of the Encyclopedia of Life. The web site is intended to serve as a relatively comprehensive knowledge-base for specialists, other professionals, and interested students. Internship activities include scanning and/or translating literature on taxonomy and biology of nemerteans, gathering information to populate species pages, researching and compiling information such as geographic locality data. Interns may also participate in describing a new species, make histological preparations of nemerteans, do DNA sequence editing or participate in sequencing lab work with the aim of contributing to study of microscopical anatomy and/or genetic relationships. Nemertean worms are predators; they occupy all marine habitats, as well as some terrestrial and freshwater habitats. They can be ecologically significant and are key players in understanding animal evolution. They are weird and cool and can be beautiful or ugly, but mostly, they are very difficult to study, leading to historical and current paucity of expertise with much remaining to be discovered.

QUALIFICATIONS: Experience with marine invertebrates, worms, histology, molecular phylogenetics, biomechanics, photomicrography, digital imaging, 3-d reconstruction, computer programming, web site development (esp. MySQL, PHP, HTML, Drupal), illustration, bioinformatics, or a mix of these, is helpful. Relevant computer or laboratory experience is advantageous but not necessary.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Interns will learn how to scanning and/or translate literature on taxonomy and biology of nemerteans, gather information to populate species pages, research and compile information such as geographic locality data as well as how to describe a new species, make histological preparations of nemerteans, and do DNA sequence editing.

TIMETABLE: Indefinite

AWARD PACKAGE: None

Project Contact Name: Jon Norenburg

Phone: 202-633-1783

E-mail: norenburgj@si.edu