Development of a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) Using the Bess Beetle

Author

Sreya MaddaliFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-11-2024

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Ryan Garrick

Second Advisor

Michel Ohmer

Third Advisor

John Samonds

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

Participating in scientific research has increasingly been important in helping students develop necessary science learning skills, like critical thinking. One way of introducing students to these experiences is a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). CUREs enable students to improve in similar ways to internships and are more accessible to students from diverse backgrounds. The goal was to create a CURE centered around ecological genetics, using the Bess Beetle (Odontotaenius disjunctus) as the focal organism of a 16-week course. This species was selected because of its wide geographic range and divergent genetic lineages based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene sequences, which co-occur (i.e., they are sympatric). This led to the central question of the CURE, which addressed whether phenotypic differences among individuals could be attributed to mitochondrial lineage (genetic factors) or the area of origin (environmental factors). To create the CURE, we developed a main experimental protocol to test the cold tolerance phenotype of Bess Beetles sourced from two locations: the North Carolina Piedmont region, and Holly Springs National Forest in northern Mississippi. This protocol involved exposing individuals to cold temperatures and then timing their ability to traverse a standardized distance within an experimental arena. In addition to the main protocol, I developed a module to better illustrate important concepts within the CURE. I focused on a genetic technique that students enrolled in the CURE would need to understand to determine the genetic lineage membership of Bess Beetles. A NEBCutter module was developed to familiarize students with the software, understand the role of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and identify the importance of selecting the correct restriction enzyme to be able to distinguish between the two mitochondrial lineages. The CURE was deployed this Spring semester and is still ongoing, so a complete evaluation and student feedback are not yet available. However, appropriate CURE evaluation tools already exist and can be used to provide information to guide adjustments to the course. Future research should involve expansion of the CURE to other student populations, like freshmen and non-majors, and other scientific disciplines, should the CURE be effective.

Recommended Citation

Maddali, Sreya, "Development of a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) Using the Bess Beetle" (2024). Honors Theses. 3087.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3087

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.