Finch Fund at Work: Supporting Scientific Innovation
At EEOB, we believe that hands-on research is the foundation for scientific innovation and student success. The Finch Fund provides critical resources that allow students to expand the scope of their projects, access advanced tools, and share their findings with the scientific community. From monitoring ecosystems year-round to uncovering evolutionary patterns in fire-adapted species, these opportunities prepare students to tackle global challenges and lead in their fields.
Read on to see how this year’s Finch Fund awardees used the support to advance their research and make an impact:
Daniel Edwards, EEB PhD, advised by Charlie Loewen
The Finch Funds supported my research on aquatic plant - aquatic insect interactions and how they respond to drought in ponds. This research is still ongoing but the funds allowed us to purchase additional data loggers which allow us to better monitor changes in the ecosystem. The project involves understanding community change year round so we were able to deploy these loggers under the ice to monitor environmental conditions though winter under the ice. The funds were able to expand the scope of this project and allowed us to collect better data on a continuous basis.
Elizabeth McMurchie, EEB PhD, advised by Lynn Clark
The Harry and Audrey Finch Scholarship in Botany was a vital source of funding for my investigation of the systematics of the Guadua paniculata species complex of Neotropical woody bamboos (NWBs). Most bamboos are associated with forests where they rarely experience fire. The G. paniculata complex is unusual in that it is found in savannas where fire is common. With the Finch Scholarship, I investigated the evolution of the G. paniculata complex through targeted capture of nuclear genes and estimated a phylogeny of the genus Guadua and other NWBs, including all other known genera of fire-adapted bamboo. Our results, which already have exciting implications for taxonomy of the NWBs and the G. paniculata complex, will enable us to estimate whether savanna bamboos evolved as savannas became common in the Americas. The Finch Scholarship in Botany also funded an open access description of the new species Guadua lacerata and presentation of my work on functional traits related to adaptation to fire in Guadua at the American Bamboo Society Conference.
Grace Jackson, EEB PhD, advised by Charlie Loewen
Periphyton, a microbial community which includes algae, protists, fungi, and bacteria, plays a central role in energy transfer in aquatic ecosystems. These communities can also have competitive relationships with macrophytes (aquatic plants) in their epiphytic forms. I purchased devices that float microscope slides just below the water's surface and deployed them in 12 wetlands. Over time, these slides became colonized by periphyton, allowing me to study community responses to agricultural runoff. The Finch Fund not only allowed me to study this important process but also supported the research of an undergraduate with whom I had the opportunity to mentor in processing these samples.
Mia Locquegnies, EEB MS, advised by Brian Wilsey
Last year I was able to utilize the Finch Funds for my research over the summer. I was able to travel to the annual ESA conference in Baltimore in August 2025. While I was there, I got to meet researchers that were just starting their careers as well as established professionals. I believe that this experience will benefit my future career through networking, exposure to new areas of ecology, and improve my teaching skills.