Powers publishes science paper

    PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Christopher Power, a recently graduated UMPI student and current Presque Isle High School science teacher, has published a paper in the Proceeding of the Ocean Drilling Program Volume 207, a peer-reviewed journal. Power is listed as first author, with co-authorship credit given to Dr. Kevin McCartney. The paper is part of continuing research at the Micropaleontology Undergraduate Research Laboratory at UMPI.
    The paper is titled Silicoflagellates Recovered From Ocean Program Leg 207 Sites 1257 and 1258 and presents research results from a study of ocean sediments that were obtained by drilling off the coast of Brazil in 2003. Power and McCartney found fossil silicoflagellates in the samples that spanned several geologic periods. A unique silicoflagellate was noticed by Power and McCartney, Dictocha bachmanni, which is rarely seen and has very unique characteristics that separate it from the rest of the silicoflagellates.
The Micropaleontology Undergraduate Research Laboratory was established at the University of Maine at Presque Isle in 1992, using a grant from the National Science Foundation. The lab conducts research on silicoflagellates found in ocean sediments that are recovered by drilling by the research oceanographic ship JOIDES Resolution. McCartney encourages motivated students to assist in this research and, if their work is of high quality, he seeks to publish the results. So far, nine students have co-authored scientific papers with McCartney as part of this program.
Power is a 2003 graduate and is now a science teacher at Presque Isle High School. The research was completed about two years ago.
“The editing and peer-review process always take a long time,” said McCartney.
For Power, this was a great opportunity to experience science firsthand and will enable him to bring that experience of doing science research into the classroom.
“I enjoyed doing the work, and even though at some points it seemed long, it was great to see the final product,” said Power.
The paper is available to the public online at www-dp.tamu.edu/publications/207_SR/111/111.htm.