Minority Postdoctoral Fellowship for FY 2001

Uriarte, Maria, Millbrook NY

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY2001. The goal of the fellowship is to prepare minority scientists for positions of scientific leadership in academia and industry. To attain this goal, the fellowship provides opportunities for postdoctoral training of the highest quality to recent doctoral recipients. This program is an effort by the NSF to increase the number of research scientists from underrepresented minority groups, thereby contributing to the future vitality of the Nation's scientific enterprise. It is expected that Fellows trained through these fellowships will play important roles in training of the future workforce. The research and training plan for this fellowship is entitled "Evolution of herbivore defense strategies in an invasive plant." The invasive weed Hypericum perforatum, L. (St. John's wort) is being used in this study of the evolution of defense strategies against insect herbivory. The genetic basis of resistance and tolerance are being determined by developing a genetic map of resistance and tolerance traits, investigating tradeoffs between traits conferring resistance versus tolerance, and examining whether tradeoffs vary between native and introduced populations with differing histories of biological control.