Grants

NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

PROJECT SUMMARY ADP-ribosylation is a modification used across domains of life to mediate biological conflicts. The covalent attachment of ADP-ribose to diverse substrates ranging from proteins and small molecules to nucleic acids can render the target inaccessible or inactive. DNA targeting ADP-ribosylation has received less attention than the modification of other substrates, but is increasingly thought to be a widespread strategy in both interbacterial conflicts and in anti-phage defense mechanisms. DNA ADP-ribosylation was discovered in bacteria less than ten years ago, and therefore despite the prevalence of this modification, little is known about its biological function. My postdoctoral research provided a major advance for the field by revealing that a widely distributed bacterial DNA targeting ADP-ribosyltransferase (ART) toxin is the effector of a family of phage defense systems, thus ascribing a clear biological function to these enzymes. DNA targeted ADP-ribosylation blocks DNA replication and is accordingly highly toxic in bacterial cells but also potently anti-viral. These bacterial DNA targeting ARTs, a family termed DarT, are normally kept inactive by a cognate, neutralizing antitoxin, DarG, which is a DNA targeting ADP-ribosylglycohydrolase (ARG). Many fundamental questions remain about the biology of DarTG systems, including how the DarT toxin becomes active after phage infection. Phages, a co-evolving biological entity, are also a rich source of anti-DNA ART mechanisms. We recently discovered that some phages have co-opted DarG-like proteins and related DNA ARGs on multiple occasions, and that these “orphan antitoxins” protect these phages from DarTG-mediated defense. Thus, as with DarT, we were able to ascribe a biological function to a widespread family of previously mysterious phage enzymes. The distribution of DNA ARGs across the tree of life further suggests that DNA ADP-ribosylation is almost certainly more widespread than currently appreciated. The major goals of this study are both to investigate the underlying biology of DarTG systems in their biologically relevant context of phage infection, as well as to develop and apply cutting edge bioinformatic approaches to identify novel DNA ART and ARG families. To this end, we will pursue the following aims: 1) elucidate the molecular mechanism by which phage infection activates DarTG1 using genome-wide, single-cell, and in vitro approaches; 2) investigate the specificity and diversity of phage- encoded DNA ARGs and other phage anti-DNA ART counter-defenses, and 3) mechanistically dissect a third, unstudied DarTG family and develop methods for discovery of additional DarT- and non-DarT-related DNA ARTs. The discoveries we make in this bacterial-phage system, with its powerful experimental and genetic tools, will reveal fundamental facets of DNA ART and ARG biology relevant to the bacterial immune system and lay the groundwork for future studies of anti-viral DNA ADP-ribosylation in eukaryotes.

NIDDK - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Project Summary Several genome editing strategies have been developed for the treatment of genetic diseases that affect the hematopoietic system, such as sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. Although there has been extensive research on detecting off-target effects of genome editors, there is limited information on the genotoxicities of on-target effects. The understanding of how hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) resolve errors of mitosis following DNA damage to prevent persistent chromosomal abnormalities is incomplete. For safer clinical genome editing applications, understanding the frequency of such events is vital. We have shown in HSPCs that Cas9-induced double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) resulting from genome editing of therapeutic loci can cause chromosome segregation errors during cell division, leading to micronucleus formation and copy number abnormalities of the telomeric chromosomal segment. Micronuclei (MN) can contribute to chromothripsis, a genomic rearrangement phenomenon observed in cancer and other diseases. This proposal explores the potential for persistent aneuploidies, including chromothripsis, in HSPCs resulting from genome editing and the mechanisms of DNA repair in response to genotoxicities. Preliminary data generated from K01-supported research demonstrates that genome editing of HSPCs at specific targets allows for the enrichment of edited cells using pharmacologic and flow cytometric methods. Aim 1 will extend this observation both in vitro and in vivo by performing genome editing of therapeutically relevant genes centromeric of the selectable gene. Isolated cells will be subject to whole genome sequencing to reveal the nature of chromosomal rearrangements. This analysis will reveal the capacity of aneuploid HSPCs to survive and the heritability of rearrangements during the process of hematopoiesis. Secondly, our preliminary data show the inhibition of p53-mediated responses to DNA damage or caspase inhibition reduces the frequency of MN. Aim 2 will study how p53 and caspases may contribute to genome instability as a means of preventing persistent errors of DNA repair, allowing for the elimination of HSPCs with somatic mutations. Together, the proposed studies will provide a deeper understanding of on-target adverse events related to genome editing to better inform future genetic therapies. Data generated through this R03 award will provide preliminary data for future R01 applications on mechanisms of DNA repair in human HSPCs while supporting my transition from K01 recipient to independent investigator.

NSF

With the support of the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry, Valerie Pierre of the University of Minnesota will be developing a new class of three-dimensional precision polymers. The unique wireframe topology of these hollow polymers opens up new possibilities for a number of applications including their potential use as solubilizing agents, as molecular and imaging probes, and as encapsulating and delivery agents. Broader impacts of the project include the development and evaluation of new hands-on activities to engage grade six students in science with the goal of improving their attitude and increasing their interest toward science early in their education. In this project, Dr. Valerie Pierre and her team will engage in a focused study directed ad the development of a class of three-dimensional wireframe polymers. A unique aspect of the wireframe polymers is their templated synthesis. The approach employs predictive supramolecular strategies to template the position of each monomer on a DNA nanostructure. Subsequent coupling of the monomers yields the final desired macromolecule in one pot. The modularity of the templated approach will facilitate tuning of the polymer’s size, topology, and functional groups to match the needs of the intended applications. Orthogonal conjugation chemistry will enable functionalization of a large yet precise number of groups on the wireframe polymer. The modularity of the supramolecular approach will enable the facile introduction of a set number of a second and distinct monomers at precise and predetermined locations on the macromolecules. The ability to pinpoint and efficiently incorporate single monomer polymorphism opens the door to precise bifunctional polymers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NCI - National Cancer Institute

The 2025 Epigenetics Society Conference, "DNA, RNA, and Chromatin Epigenetics: Disease and Development," will take place October 15-17, 2025, at Northwestern University’s Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Complex (SQBRC). The meeting will advance understanding of epigenetic mechanisms and their roles in health and disease, addressing key questions at the interface of basic and translational research. Approximately 200 attendees, including leading scientists, early-career researchers, and trainees, will present and discuss cutting-edge findings and methodologies. The program features research presentations, interactive poster sessions, and discussions of technologies including single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and machine learning. Topic areas include therapeutic targeting of epigenetic mechanisms, RNA modifications, and environmental influences on epigenetic regulation. The conference will also strengthen mentorship, professional development, and collaboration to accelerate scientific progress. New initiatives, including a Visionary Network mentoring forum, will focus on career planning, grantsmanship, publishing strategies, research rigor and reproducibility, responsible conduct of research, project/lab management, conflict resolution, and effective scientific communication. Travel awards and registration waivers will be provided based on scientific merit and programmatic relevance, and abstract quality. Plenary and themed sessions will highlight seminal advances and emerging tools across the field. Aligned with the NIH mission, this conference will drive biomedical research progress, inform therapeutic strategies, and strengthen translational applications in epigenetics, shaping future research directions and improving health outcomes for individuals affected by epigenetically influenced diseases.

The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations

Dnc Coll:(8 Vid Taped/4 Oral Hist)Doc;Preserv;Acquistion-Dnc

The Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company, Inc.

Dncrs' Sals/Adm.Exp:3-wk Residency@Kaatsbaan/2 perfs

Community Art Center, Inc.

Do It Your Damn Self National Youth Film Festival

Community Art Center

Do It Your Damn Self! National Youth Film Festival

Community Art Center

Do It Your Damn Self! National Youth/Video Film Fe

NSF

This doctoral dissertation project investigates interregional interaction between prehistoric complex society sites. Archaeological ceramics are well-suited to answer questions about interregional interaction because of the wealth of social and geospatial information they provide through their decoration, form, production, and composition. This project enhances a growing body of literature on ceramic imitation in the archaeological record. The primary data and eventual dissertation generated from this research will be accessible to audiences through open access online publications and databases. Ceramics will be installed in a museum exhibit to further public education. Students participate in laboratory research and gain valuable archaeological experience. The project evaluates three competing models of long-distance interaction: (a) colonization/migration; (b) emulation; and (c) trade/exchange. Archaeological excavations took place at two Classic period sites which are distant from each other, and which contain similar types of ceramics. These are sorted into two categories of material culture: (1) low-visibility, which includes rote manufacturing techniques that are not readily apparent to the naked eye and indicate colonization or migration and (2) high-visibility, which includes visible attributes that attract attention and indicate emulation. An analysis of decoration, form, and production technology is conducted to distinguish between low and high-visibility materials. An analysis of ceramic chemical compositions determines whether ceramics were made locally or traded between groups. By testing all three models of interaction, this study will broaden current understandings of interregional relationships of how develop over long periods of time. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

This project develops and tests a new tool that measures how much a person thinks about what they should do based on what they expect other people to do. This is an important topic to study because people may behave differently depending on expectations and such thinking can affect important outcomes like pricing. For example, when buying a house Person A may think a price should be based on its current value, but Person B might expect that other buyers will be optimistic about future growth. Thus, Person B may pay more now, thinking they can sell at a higher price later. When many people think like Person B, this can drive up home values beyond their actual worth creating a housing bubble. Another example is salary expectations. When starting a new job Person A might just ask for what they think is a fair salary, but Person B may expect their employer to give a low counter offer after a salary request, and thus ask for more up front, ending up better off. These different strategies can lead to unfair differences in pay. Many economists have shown this to be the case but there is a lack of research on understanding characteristics of people who engage in greater thinking about others’ behaviors. This project develops a tool to measure strategic anticipation assessing how much strategy a person uses in how they anticipate, or expect, other people to do in response to their own behavior. If scientists can measure people's strategic anticipation, they can design experiments to test how much it matters in many different settings, such as buying houses and negotiating with other people to get the best salaries. A better understanding of these processes can help people to make better decisions and get fairer outcomes. This project develops and validates a novel measure of strategic anticipation - the ability to engage in recursive thinking about others' mental states and potential actions. Drawing from economic theories of level-k reasoning and psychological research on theory of mind, the Strategic Anticipation Measure (SAM) provides researchers with a standardized tool to assess individual differences in strategic iterative thinking. The research involves replicating and validating the SAM in a nationally representative sample, ensuring psychometric rigor through measures of discriminant validity and test-retest reliability. Additionally, the project applies the SAM across various social contexts—including voluntary disclosure in test-optional college admissions, self-sacrifice in close relationships, strategic decision-making in resource competition, and responses to shared knowledge in bystander intervention. By establishing the SAM as a reliable measure, the project aims to open new avenues for theoretical and empirical research, advancing our understanding of strategic anticipation in multiple domains of human behavior. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

Many companies now use algorithms or AI tools to make decisions about work—such as assigning tasks, setting pay, or rating performance. These decisions affect millions of workers nationwide. While these systems are fast and efficient, they also raise serious concerns about distribution. These concerns are especially amplified in gig work, where workers often face unstable pay, limited job security, and little ability to speak up. On platforms like Uber or DoorDash, workers often do not know how the app makes decisions about them. They also lack opportunity to question those decisions and must rely on whatever limited information the app provides to judge whether the system is fair and transparent. Understanding how workers make these judgments and how they affect key attitudinal and behavioral outcomes is important—not just for improving gig work but also for designing ethical AI and shaping public policy. Through two studies, this research project investigates how gig workers understand distribution and transparency in algorithmic decision making, and how those views influence their attitudes and behavior. Study 1 uses interviews and observations to explore workers’ perceptions and experience of algorithmic decisions. The study examines what workers can or cannot see and how that shapes their perceptions. Study 2 builds on these findings to create and test a new survey tool that measures algorithmic decisions. The second study also looks at how perceptions relate to outcomes like workers’ trust in the app and long-term work intentions, for this sizable sector of the economy. By centering workers’ perspectives, the project offers insights into building more transparent and fair algorithmic systems. The findings also inform ethical AI design and can guide policy initiatives such as the U.S. Algorithmic Accountability Act. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

Orienting oneself in physical space is a basic function of human language. All people use language to orient objects, give directions, and identify features in the physical world around them. Some languages place an emphasis on using landscape features such as the sea, land, and elevation to orient speakers, while others prefer to use features oriented in relation to the speaker’s body such as “left” and “right.” The choice of whether to use one strategy or another has been shown to have observable effects on human cognition and is one of the few aspects of the mind-language connection that can be directly quantified in research. For example, the way space is encoded in a language can affect how a visual scene is committed to memory. This doctoral dissertation project advances a scientific understanding of the nature of this mind-language connection through linguistic documentation of spatial orientation systems. Other benefits to society include workforce development and educational opportunities for research assistants who receive training in aspects of language sciences research. This doctoral dissertation project collects video and audio recordings of speakers, using targeted elicitation tools, to examine the use of spatial vocabulary. These recordings are analyzed with modern digital tools to gain insights into how these speakers use spatial language and how their choice of spatial language compares to other languages. Recordings are made in collaboration with the language community and are transcribed, translated, and annotated for relevant spatial language. All materials are deposited into an archival repository. The resulting publicly accessible digital corpus is used by the broader public as well as researchers in a variety of scientific disciplines. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

The doctoral dissertation project explores how healthcare providers and patients are navigating biotechnological advances and economic changes within the fertility healthcare industry. In addition to training a graduate student in anthropological science, broader impacts could lead to a better understanding of how lower cost IVF may be expanded. Data and findings will be widely disseminated to improve the public's understanding of IVF biotechnological innovation. The researcher asks what variables drive the promotion and adoption of new fertility technologies. The researcher will conduct interviews with physicians, embryologists, nurses, genetic counselors, and patients across three separate clinical sites, extended behavioral/participant observation within these settings, and a content analysis of materials produced across the clinical settings. The project makes clear contributions to scientific work on dimensions of assisted reproductive technologies, and their access, use, and transformation. The data gathered from the project could also lead to a better understanding of how lower cost IVF may be expanded, in line with the February 18, 2025, Executive Order, "Expanding Access to In Vitro Fertilization." This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

This doctoral dissertation research studies the ways that different communities participate in government-led land management initiatives. Using a comparative research design between two groups, the investigators specifically test for the social, historical, and spatial variables that impact how different communities approach land management and in turn how this affects their participation in and collaboration with broader land management initiatives. In addition to providing scientific training for a graduate student in anthropology, broader impacts of the project involve collaborative creation of an archive to document land management efforts. This collaborative design contributes to enhancing the impacts of community engagement and knowledge co-production in STEM. Research findings will also provide scientifically tested insights into how communities can be integrated into broader land management initiatives by national governments. To understand the variability of participation in land management efforts, the investigators utilize a comparative research design that traces differences between multiple sub-groups. They use historical/archival and qualitative research methods that include semi-structured interviews and behavioral and participant observation. The research expands the science of land management. It contributes to the knowledge base in anthropology and cultural and human geography and provides science-based insights into collaborative land management efforts. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

This doctoral dissertation research project studies the professional networks that impact global wildlife conservation efforts. The research contributes to the scientific understanding of how global scientific organizations function and how their impact can be enhanced to achieve the goals of global conservation communities. In addition to providing scientific training for a graduate student in anthropology and interdisciplinary conservation science, research findings will be disseminated via workshops, podcasts, and career development programs for graduate and undergraduate students, global stakeholders in conservation science, and the public. The investigators specifically test for the effectiveness of collaborative conservation efforts across several international institutions working towards tackling the challenges of global wildlife conservation. To expand understandings of the relationships between professional organizational networks and collaborative conservation science, the research utilizes a multi-sited, grounded theory approach to data collection. Data will be collected through qualitative techniques including semi-structured interviews, behavioral observations, and archival research. The research contributes to environmental anthropology, conservation science, and the science of scientific expertise and transnational scientific networks. This research is supported by the Cultural Anthropology and Science of Science: Discovery, Communication and Impact programs. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

This doctoral dissertation research examines the factors that drive the efficacy of irrigation system management in addressing water scarcity and soil salinity. By expanding our understanding of the interaction between humans and water and soil resources, the data will provide novel insights into resource management and resilient agricultural production. Investigators specifically look at the connections between social network structures and local irrigation management, and test for the variables that explain differences among individuals within the social network. In addition to training a student in anthropological science and expanding the scientific workforce in understanding the relationship between advanced irrigation system management and the bioeconomy, broader impacts include widespread dissemination of water management best practices to stakeholders. Additionally, this award supports investigators in an EPSCoR jurisdiction. Research findings make important contributions to social network analysis and the scientific understanding of human adaptation to resource use. The focus on advanced irrigation management techniques and expands our knowledge in advanced manufacturing with the capacity to improve the efficiency and productivity of food production. In addition to improving scientific understanding of the relationship between irrigation management and the bioeconomy, results have the capacity to translate the findings into practice to improve civic water engineering. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

This project explores human-environmental adaptation on a barrier island with a well-documented longitudinal settlement history, a long history of archaeological research, and easily accessible curated archaeological materials as well as opportunities for collecting and analyzing environmental data. This research aids understanding of the nature of human-environment interaction, and presents a novel combination of archaeological, ecological, and statistical methods for addressing questions within this sphere of research. In addition to training a graduate student, the project serves as an instructional guide for training students and researchers at all academic levels in specialized techniques for environmental analysis. This doctoral dissertation research project asks how human settlement of barrier islands have changed over the course of its occupation. Specifically, how did human action change the barrier island landscape and its vegetational communities? The researchers utilize a cross-disciplinary methodology that combines traditional archaeological techniques with paleoenvironmental modeling and Bayesian statistical analysis. Charcoal quantification is used to examine fire prevalence over a 3000-year span of time, denoting both changes in natural fire regimes because of change in the environment, as well as human intervention in the utilization of fire for a broad array of cultural purposes. Pollen analysis is performed for the same span of time to observe changes in the local vegetation patterns, which will further reflect changes to environmental conditions as the local ecology responds to long-term fluctuations caused by both natural and cultural processes. This suite of techniques provides a novel framework through which archaeologists can posit and test hypotheses to better understand the dynamics of human-environment interaction. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

This project examines land management strategies in the context of tradeoffs between mitigating wildfire risks and maintaining the infrastructural security of water systems. Insights are needed because different strategies entail heterogeneous impacts on community members. In this project, the researchers use ethnographic methods to examine how management decisions are made and the extent to which perceptions of these strategies are shared among urban and rural residents. The results are informative for management authorities and municipalities, and the researchers disseminate key findings to stakeholders. The project also contributes to the education and training of a graduate student. The project advances agency priorities in translational science by collecting data that provide paths to improve civic water engineering. This study contributes to an interdisciplinary literature on environmental governance by implementing a multifaceted research design to examine management decisions in arid regions that are prone to wildfires. To examine this question, the researchers use interviews, household surveys, stakeholder analysis, land use and systematic mapping. Perceptions of impacted residents are investigated geographically, and the holistic multi-sited design considers both urban and rural residents while contributing to geography. Results and recommendation are shared with state and county officials, community organizations, and managers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

This research studies how accountability-measuring algorithms are informing decision-making efforts in the integration of standards and measurements. It explores how the production of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) measurements, using AI- and machine-learning (AI/ML) technologies, re-configures constructions of societal accountability. Through ethnographic research with companies that produce ESG data and the decision-makers and investors who use them, this project highlights the limits of computing systems that seek to operationalize ethics and accountability and identifies criteria that would enable more meaningful engagement with accountability in financial markets. Along with the training of a graduate student, this project also contributes to public conversations about AI/ML ethics. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

Human beings constantly change the way they speak. Discovering how and why people change their speech is key to understanding knowledge of language. Previous research has shown that people quickly change their way of speaking when they talk to one another, in a phenomenon known as phonetic accommodation. People may also quickly change the way they speak and listen to their first language (L1) when they learn a second language (L2), in a process called phonetic drift. While these two processes of speech change may be connected, they have not yet been studied in tandem. This doctoral dissertation project investigates both how bilingual speakers adjust their L2 when exposed to a person who speaks a different variety of the L2, and how this experience affects the bilingual speaker’s L1. Because previous research has largely focused on native speakers or on nonnative speakers who learned their L2 later in life, this project instead examines nonnative speakers who learned their L2 early in life – early bilinguals. Early bilinguals are of scientific interest because they show similarities to native speakers but also to nonnative speakers. This project gathers experimental data on speech production and perception in early bilinguals during interactions with another speaker. The findings contribute to a scientific understanding of how sound changes occur in bilingual individuals and have implications for research on the bilingual brain. This project also benefits society by providing educational opportunities and workforce development skills for students. Bilingual people who learn a second language (L2) early and use it regularly in daily life raise key questions about what shapes bilingual speech. Some early bilingual speakers, despite their similarities to native speakers, show differences in how their first language (L1) influences their L2. This doctoral dissertation project tests theories of L2 production and perception by examining within-speaker language and dialect change across two bilingual populations, each with a distinct L1 background, living in different language environments. The project advances three aims: (1) to analyze how bilingual speakers modify their L2 speech production when exposed to a foreign variety of that language (i.e., L2 phonetic accommodation), (2) to identify short-term changes in L1 speech production following L2 phonetic accommodation (i.e., L1 production drift), and (3) to investigate short-term changes in L1 speech perception following L2 phonetic accommodation (i.e., L1 perceptual drift) along with the relationship between perception and production changes. By comparing groups with different L1 backgrounds and language environments, the project provides insight into the roles of linguistic background and ambient language context in L2 phonetic accommodation and L1 phonetic drift. Participants are early bilingual speakers in two distinct environments. Demographic data comes from a background questionnaire, and acoustic and perceptual data from a series of production and perception tasks (e.g., picture naming, shadowing, forced-choice identification). The results contribute to a broader understanding of bilingual phonetics, the dynamics of cross-linguistic influence, and the factors shaping language change in bilingual populations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

Linguists often take for granted that language is organized into discrete syntactic units called sentences or clauses- either as main clauses or subordinate clauses, as in "Nathaniel suggests (that) Theodore eat the cookies," where ‘Nathaniel suggests (it)’ is the main clause, and ‘(that) Theodore eat the cookies’ is the subordinate clause. All languages seem to have these two categories, yet what distinguishes them remains nebulous. Further complicating the picture are instances of so-called "insubordination" in which a normally subordinate clause gains main-clause status; for example, when Theodore's mother exclaims: "(that) Theodore eat the cookies?! Absolutely not!" The existence of insubordination complicates the generalization that clauses can be categorized in a binary of main or subordinate. This doctoral dissertation project seeks to understand clause types and the main vs. subordinate dichotomy, using data from a language that exhibits a previously unstudied form of insubordination. The data gathered advances linguists' understanding of clausal syntax and semantics and is invaluable for language documentation and pedagogical purposes. In linguistic science, the characteristics of a main clause are often referred to as evidencing "finiteness," while the characteristics of a subordinate one evidence "nonfiniteness." This dissertation project investigates what syntactic or semantic realities underlie these characteristics. Previous work on these questions has focused almost entirely on well-known languages and has seldom taken into account the phenomenon of insubordination. This project remedies these gaps by creating and analyzing new data from an understudied language through elicitation sessions with native speakers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

Appetite regulation (AR) drives food intake, which is especially critical during childhood when sufficient food must be ingested to ensure growth and development. Childhood AR is particularly relevant because it is associated with adult appetite and food intake, as well as metabolic disease risk (e.g., obesity). Throughout life, AR is affected by leptin, a hormone secreted by adipose tissue, which informs the brain about energy levels in the body. However, studies have revealed that leptin levels vary in ways that are not associated with adiposity, but with energetic stress and possibly other environmental and physiological conditions. While humans have lived in food-scarce environments for most of our history, current knowledge of AR and leptin levels are mostly based on populations that live in food-abundant places. To assess how childhood AR is shaped by the environment, this doctoral dissertation project studies food intake and leptin levels among children that live in subsistence-based groups. The study integrates evolutionary, biocultural, and adaptive models, reframing leptin as an evolved endocrine signal for managing children's energy needs. Results are shared with participant children’s families and are used to promote science education. Hands-on STEM research experiences are provided for undergraduate students. This study investigates homeostatic (leptin/adiposity) and non-homeostatic (appetite traits/eating behavior) aspects of AR among school-age children (n = 100, age 4-12 years). The study’s objectives are to: (1) define the relationship between children’s leptin and adiposity, (2) identify key ecological drivers of variation in children’s leptin and appetite regulation, and (3) assess how children’s appetite traits are associated with leptin and adiposity. Two validated questionnaires are applied to: (1) assess appetite and eating habits in each participant child, and (2) characterize lifestyle and household conditions. Anthropometric measures of height, weight, and BMI are collected and standardized to age- and sex-specific z-scores. Leptin levels are measured from dried blood spots. The study's methodological approach advances NSF priorities for investments in biotechnological innovation. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

Primates, including humans, have long lives and long times between generations, potentially limiting their ability to adapt to selective pressures that emerge quickly. Interactions between genetics and the environment that allow behavioral and physiological flexibility may therefore be particularly important in primates. This doctoral dissertation project characterizes individual behavioral and hormonal responses to acute environmental changes in a non-human primate species to examine how gene-environment interactions mediate health and reproductive fitness. The project advances fundamental understanding of adaptive processes and supports student training in biotechnological methods and public science engagement. Research linking individual variation in behavioral and hormonal responsivity to fitness-relevant measures requires rich, longitudinal datasets to support robust exploration. This study builds on an existing longitudinal (40 years) database, collecting new data on behavioral and ecological variables. Fecal samples will be collected to analyze glucocorticoids (stress hormones). Individual variability in stress response will be examined in relation to fitness (muscle mass and reproductive outcomes). GIS/remote sensing is used to assess ranging/resource use, and Bayesian linear mixed models are used to assess if variation in behavioral and hormonal responsivity is associated with individual characteristics—including age, sex, reproductive status, dominance, and early life experience—and longitudinal fitness-relevant markers of performance (i.e., relative muscle mass via urinary creatinine, lifetime reproductive success, reproductive output, female interbirth intervals). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.