Real-World Skills and Experience for the Jobs of T
Hockaday at RMBL
Hockaday students and faculty traveled to the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Crested Butte for a week-long immersion program this summer.
Students explored nature, worked with local scientists in a variety of fields, and conducted experiments to better understand the world around them.
Hockaday students spent their first day in the field learning how to make observations and sample stream macroinvertebrates. These aquatic inhabitants can be good indicators of a stream's overall health. We were also lucky enough to cross paths with Jesse Vanston, a Hockaday alumna who participated in the RMBL undergraduate research program this summer. She shared her experiences conducting research about pollinators!
For the remainder of the week, students worked with scientists one-on-one to explore a research question on a variety of topics like... using drones to understand plant phenology and biomass, how fungal pathogens impact plant reproduction, how the presence of yeasts in flowers impact pollinator behavior, how sunlight impacts aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity, how marmot group cohesiveness impacts stress levels, and how the presence of burying beetles impact plant growth.
Within the private school community, The Hockaday School is an independent college-preparatory day school for girls from grades PK–12 located in Dallas, Texas. Students realize their limitless potential through challenging academic curricula, arts, athletics, and extracurricular programs so that they are inspired to lead lives of purpose and impact.