For most, the Stone Lab experience does not end when summer classes do. This is certainly true for Aloah Pope. Aloah graduated from Ohio State in March with a degree in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology. Last summer, she took a course in Ichthyology while participating in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program, a scholarship program that allows students to participate in research projects on the days they are not in class.
“It is really inspiring when you’re working on research,” explains Pope. Her time on Gibraltar Island was spent inside the classroom as well as in the field, working with researcher and Friends of Stone Laboratory (FOSL) President, Chris Winslow.
Her field research followed the round goby, an invasive species. Her efforts, however, were not just any run-of-the mill experience. Her work on the round goby led to information that could be published in a paper. “Until Aloah’s work, researchers and agency people had no idea when goby activity was elevated,” says Winslow.
Her research sought to discover the activity level of the round goby. It required her to scuba dive at night and search for the invasive fish. “Gobies are very curious. You can find them in caverns at night,” she says. After catching them at various times throughout the day, Pope checked each goby’s stomach for its contents, which allowed her to tell when the gobies were feeding. What she found was that gobies don’t feed as much at night—a good thing for the smallmouth bass, which is threatened by the round goby.
Since the gobies don’t feed as much at night, the juvenile smallmouth bass aren’t as threatened as they could be. Which is a good thing.
“Since the gobies don’t feed as much at night, the juvenile smallmouth bass aren’t as threatened as they could be,” she says. “Which is a good thing.” Pope’s fortitude and determination did not end with her research at Stone Lab. After leaving the island, she became co-founder and, up until her graduation, president of Buckeye FOSL, an organization created to reunite former Stone Lab students who have not yet joined the larger FOSL organization.
“I wanted to make a group so that I could bring everyone back together,” expresses Pope. Her efforts to create Buckeye FOSL were in part due to the financial difficulties faced by students, who may not be able to afford to donate to Stone Lab. “Part of our goal was to reach out to students who might not know about Stone Lab or how to go there,” adds Pope.
Financial obstacles hinder more than just potential FOSL members; Pope states that without the REU Program scholarship, she would not have been able to experience Stone Lab. “Definitely without the scholarship, I never would have be able to take this opportunity,” states Pope.
Everyone is living together on the island, so you really get to know your instructors. That was great because I was able to spend quality time interacting with people who I aspire to be.
Aloah chooses three words to describe her class at Stone Lab: interactive, challenging, and, most importantly, rewarding. Part of her enjoyment came from the atmosphere created on Gibraltar Island and her time with her instructors. “Everyone is living together on the island, so you really get to know your instructors. That was great because I was able to spend quality time interacting with people who I aspire to be,” explains Pope.
She believes Stone Lab prepared her for continuing her education past college, and she hopes that other students will follow her lead and go to Stone Lab. “I have not met anyone who has gone and didn’t like it,” she confesses.
Winslow points out potential students will certainly have large footprints to follow, explaining, “Aloah and the work she has completed set the bar for future REU students extremely high!”
A celebratory note: Aloah Pope was one of only four graduating students chosen to be highlighted by OSU President Gorden Gee during his winter 2008 commencement speech. Congrats, Aloah!
