Appalachian Lab Monthly Newsletter
June 2025
At the end of May, we were thrilled to welcome our next cohort of undergraduate interns to the Appalachian Lab. We have asked them to share a little bit more about themselves below. Here’s a summary of their projects along with who they’ll be working with:
- Jason Haley is working with Sarah Garvey to develop an immersive virtual reality (VR) science communication tool that simulates a farm with a green ammonia installation. The VR experience will include interactive information bubbles to provide users with content about the system’s components, sustainable nitrogen management, and environmental impacts.
- Sarah Heckman is working with Sarah Bomar to conduct both computational and field research on how altered fire regimes affect wildfire risk and understory plant communities in Eastern mid-Atlantic forests. In the office, Sarah will process images, identify plants, and conduct remote sensing data analysis. In the field, she’ll be conducting vegetation and fire fuel load surveys.
- Maria Hite is working with Rhonda Schwinabart to develop a video content library for use on social media and on other communications platforms to help communicate our research to various audiences. The work will involve storyboarding, cataloguing and editing existing content, and filming new content.
- Ty Kashporenko and Nathaniel Poulin are both working with Nicole Ibrahim to help better understand the movement and connectivity of bird populations in understudied regions like Central Asia. They are contributing to research investigating several bird species’ migratory patterns and population origins using stable isotope analysis. Working primarily in the lab, they are helping to prepare and analyze feather samples collected from Kazakhstan. They will then perform statistical and geospatial analyses of the resulting data.
New Faces
Jason Haley
My name is Jason Haley and I am a rising Senior at Frostburg State University. My majors are Geography with a Mapping & Geospatial Science concentration along with Spanish. This summer, I am collaborating with the NICCEE organization to develop a VR (virtual reality) application that simulates a farm with a green ammonia installation. My mentor is Dr. Sarah Garvey. In my spare time, I play collegiate tennis for FSU and play tournaments throughout the year. I like traveling, language learning, trying new foods, and exploring the outdoors.
Sarah Heckman
My name is Sarah Heckman and I have an Associate degree in Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology from Garrett College, and will be transferring to Frostburg in the fall for a Bachelor degree in Wildlife and Fisheries. This summer I’m working under Sarah Bomar on her fire ecology project, and I’m really excited to learn more about how fire affects our local ecosystems and how land can be managed with fire, as well as expanding my data entry/analysis skills and more. In my free time, I can be found spending time with friends, camping, hiking, looking for wildlife, foraging, cooking, making playlists, going to concerts, and video games. I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can and meeting everyone!
Maria Hite
My name is Maria, and I will complete the Emerging Media program at Frostburg State University this coming fall. I will be working at the Appalachian Laboratory this summer to help develop a video content library featuring current projects, events, and intern activities over the summer. I am looking forward to applying my video production skill set in a field that is new to me, which means learning a lot about science and our environment over the course of this project. Outside of freelance video production, I enjoy spending time camping, kayaking, swimming, and spending time with my friends and family.
Ty Kashporenko
My name is Ty Kashporenko and I attend Frostburg State University. My major is biochemistry and molecular biology. This summer, I am working on a project with PhD student, Nicole Ibrahim, studying the migration of birds from Kazakhstan using stable isotopes. I am excited to be working at AL this summer and am looking forward to learning about isotopes and equipment in the CASIF lab. In my spare time, I do a multitude of things like study fun things about science (mostly chemistry related) and the bible.Nathaniel Poulin
My name is Nathaniel Poulin and I attend college at FSU where I major in General Biology and Minor in Chemistry. This summer, I am working with PhD student Nicole Ibrahim and I am most looking forward to working with new machines and technology and learning lots from those more experienced than me. In my spare time I enjoy playing tabletop roleplaying games, weightlifting, and going out with friends. Recent Achievements/Activities/Successes
MEES Commencement
#100forUMCES
Pollinator Gardens
In early June, with the help of the Allegany County’s University of Maryland extension office, we began the process of removing non-native landscaping shrubs from the front of the building and replacing them with pollinator-friendly plantings. Many thanks to everyone who helped with the planting!
Outreach Updates
Michael “Mick” Burkett, science teacher and STEM coordinator at Bishop Walsh School, was honored with the AL Inspiration Award in May. Pictured below is Mick, Bishop Walsh principal Mrs. Jennifer Flinn, along with some of his students, who spoke very eloquently on his behalf at the presentation:
DEI Updates
The DEI group has been celebrating Pride this month. We held our own Pride event here at AL at the June 6th TGIF. We also hosted a table at the Garrett County Pride event on June 14th. We’ll be wrapping up our celebrations at the Allegany County Pride event at Canal Place on June 29th from noon until 4 pm and welcome additional volunteers to help with that event. Thanks to everyone who has supported and contributed their time, enthusiasm, and ideas to these events.
Our next meeting will be on Thursday, June 26th, from 2-3pm in the Blue Room – as always, all are welcome! As always, folks can reach out to Joely or Brian with any questions, as well.
If anyone wants to view/add photos from any of the celebrations, you can do so in the folders here (https://drive.google.
Spotlight on Safety - Avoiding Heat-Related Illness
Working outdoors in the summer can be rewarding—but it also comes with risks. When temperatures rise, so does your chance of heat-related illness. In this following safety video that Liv Childs developed last summer as part of her internship, we cover three simple tips to help you stay cool when the temperatures rise while working in the field. Let’s dive in to help keep your field season safe:
In addition to staying hydrated, resting, and making use of shade, here are some other tips to help you avoid heat-related illness while conducting field research in the summer months:
- Shift Your Shifts – Schedule your most physically demanding tasks for cooler times of the day, like early morning or late evening.
- Use a Buddy System – Work in pairs so you can keep an eye on each other. Heat-related illness can sneak up quickly, and it helps to have someone looking out for you.
- Know the Warning Signs – Watch for early symptoms like dizziness, headache, muscle cramps, heavy sweating, and nausea – and act quickly if they appear.
- Acclimate Gradually – Ease into hot weather work over several days. Your body needs time to adjust to strenuous tasks in hot weather.
- Use Sunscreen – Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and reapply every two hours. Sunburn makes it more difficult for your body to cool down.
- Dress for the Weather – Wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing. A wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses can also help.
Staying safe in the summer heat isn’t just about common sense—it’s about planning ahead and knowing your limits. Keep these tips in mind, listen to your body, and you’ll be ready to tackle the field without literally burning out.
Admin Updates & Reminders
Recycling Reminders – What is Wish-Cycling?
Wish-cycling is the practice of recycling items that cannot be recycled. It stems from the best intentions. People wish or hope that something they have bought or use regularly can be recycled. Instead, their good intentions end up costing recycling companies more time and money. Worse, it can negatively impact recycling at a later processing point.
We recently experienced this situation here at AL when someone brought in pet food cans from home and tried to recycle them with the aluminum beverage cans. This ended up ruining an entire batch of cans making it unable to be recycled and it all ended up in the landfill.
We ask everyone to pay close attention to the signs recently posted near our recycling stations that should help identify what we can and cannot recycle here. If you’re in doubt on whether something can be recycled, ask someone from the business office before you place it in one of our labeled collection containers. Please remember to only recycle items that you have used here at the lab. Bringing in items from home is not permitted because it will skew our recycling statistics. Visit Allegany County’s website for more information about recycling your household waste materials.
Please also keep in mind that most laboratory glassware is not recyclable at all. It is made from borosilicate glass, which melts at a higher temperature than the glass we use in our homes. Including lab glassware with consumer-grade glass will also ruin that batch for recycling.
Mark Your Calendars
- August 28th – Richard Johnson Environmental Education Award Ceremony
- October 24-25th – MEES Colloquium
Quick Links
Do you have something you’d like to share with the AL community? Please submit any announcements and updates to Katie Kline or Heather Johnson.
