Environmental Internship Program - 2023 Booklet

Maddie Machado ’25
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
Certificate: Environmental Studies
PROJECT TITLE
Plant Pathogens in a
High-altitude System
ORGANIZATION(S)
Metcalf Lab,
Department of Ecology
and Evolutionary Biology,
Princeton University
LOCATION(S)
Rocky Mountain
Biological Laboratory,
Gothic, Colorado
I worked as part of a team studying “flax rust,” a
fungal infection that affects the flax wildflower
in the Gunnison Valley in Colorado. Working in
sites across low, middle and high elevations, we
conducted repeat surveys in areas between 50
and 200 square meters of plant height, degree of
disease infection as determined by the surface
area covered by fungal pustules, soil moisture,
wind direction, wind speed and several other
climatic variables. Ultimately, we hope these data
will help predict the dynamics between the flax
plant and flax rust, as climate change contributes
to hotter and drier conditions in the Gunnison
Valley. I enjoyed my time in Gothic at the Rocky
Mountain Biological Laboratory because I
was exposed to many other research studies
happening nearby and was able to collaborate
with and learn from other ecologists.
CLIMATE AND
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
MENTOR(S)
C. Jessica E. Metcalf,
Associate Professor of
Ecology and Evolutionary
Biology and Public Affairs,
Princeton University;
Keenan Duggal, Research
Associate, High Meadows
Environmental Institute,
Princeton University;
Juliana Jiranek, Ph.D.
candidate, Biology,
University of Virginia
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