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Undergraduate Research from the Mentor's Perspective

Undergraduate Research from the Mentor's Perspective Session I #2

Subevent of Undergraduate Research from the Mentor's Perspective Session I

Couch 335

Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Starts at: 2025-02-28 02:20PM

Ends at: 2025-02-28 02:35PM

Modeling Bromeliads: An Ongoing Interdisciplinary Collaboration with Multiple Undergraduate Research Projects

Erin Bodine ⟨bodinee@rhodes.edu⟩

Abstract:

Team Bromeliad is an ongoing seven-year interdisciplinary collaboration Dr.~Erin N.~Bodine (biomathematician) and Drs.~Rachel Jabaily, Brad Oberle, and Brian Sidoti (botanists) to study the growth, reproduction, and population dynamics of bromeliads (a plant family of rosette-structured flowering plants that includes the pineapple and Spanish moss) using greenhouse and field experiments in conjunction with mathematical modeling. The long lifespan of many bromeliads (up to 100 years in some species) can make it difficult to study individual rosettes \textit{in situ} over their lifetime. However, this provides fertile ground for developing mathematical and computational models that can simulate and predict growth, reproduction, and population dynamics over many decades. These models have the additional benefit of allowing for simulations that consider the impact of changing environmental conditions, such as climate change or the introduction of invasive species. In this talk, we will tour a selection of mathematical models of bromeliad growth, reproduction, and population dynamics that have been developed and analyzed in collaboration with undergraduate students from a variety of institutions. From simple single equation continuous functions and discrete difference equations to more intricate models of systems of differential equations and agents-based models, each model provides a different lens from which to view and understand bromeliad growth and reproduction. Additionally, this talk will reflect on the elements of this collaboration that have enabled it to persist and evolve over time, and to provide research opportunities for over 20 undergraduate students.

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