{"id":12101,"date":"2019-04-18T11:31:50","date_gmt":"2019-04-18T15:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/?p=12101"},"modified":"2022-04-04T10:49:36","modified_gmt":"2022-04-04T14:49:36","slug":"nsf-graduate-fellowship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/nsf-graduate-fellowship\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Ambassador of Science\u2019 Earns NSF Graduate Fellowship"},"content":{"rendered":"

Each year, up to $100 billion worth of harvested food is lost worldwide to pests and microbes. A Kalamazoo College student\u2019s research could hold part of the solution.<\/p>\n

\"NSF
Marco Ponce ’19 examines insects through a microscope at Dow Science Center. He will attend Kansas State University with an NSF Graduate Fellowship beginning this fall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Marco Ponce \u201919, a biology major<\/a> from San Diego, conducted his Senior Individualized Project (SIP) last summer under Rob Morrison, Ph.D., \u201906, a research entomologist working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s Center for Grain and Animal Health Science in Manhattan, Kansas. Their work targeted alternative methods for managing red flour and lesser grain beetles, which primarily attack stored grains.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrior research has found that these beetles release some pheromones that make them come together in groups, and others that trigger them to spread out,\u201d Ponce said. As a result, \u201cwe wondered how their density affects their behavior when they look for food. We\u2019ve found the beetles responded less to otherwise attractive food cues when they\u2019re grouped in higher densities, so we\u2019re trying to synthesize the signal that turns off their food-finding behavior and use it as a repellent. Our goal is to figure out how to use their biology against them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NSF
Marco Ponce ’19 (third from right) stands with Rob Morrison, Ph.D., ’06, (third from left) outside the Insect Zoo at Kansas State University. Ponce will attend Kansas State through an NSF Graduate Fellowship this fall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ponce learned last week that he earned a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship<\/a> to attend Kansas State University as a graduate student this fall, meaning he and Morrison will conduct more research beginning in July. The two will study how stored-product beetles and microbes interact to ruin harvested grains.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery year after harvest, we lose anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of our food commodities,\u201d Morrison said. In addition to the U.S., \u201cif you look at some developing countries, this means about $100 billion in commodities are lost every year. Marco\u2019s project has global ramifications. If he can find some of the attractants useful for (pest) management, that will go a long way toward ensuring less pest damage and making agriculture more sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ponce is the second Kalamazoo College student in as many years<\/a> to earn a prestigious NSF Graduate Fellowship.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he was selected, he was up against some students who already are in their graduate programs,\u201d said Biology Professor Ann Fraser, Ponce\u2019s academic adviser. \u201cIt\u2019s always gratifying to see students take an interest in science, even if they just make a hobby out of it. But it\u2019s especially rewarding for me to see students go into entomology. There are so many opportunities to get involved in entomology because insects affect our lives in so many ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NSF
Marco Ponce ’19 will attend Kansas State University through an NSF Graduate Fellowship beginning this fall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ponce and Fraser got to know each other when Ponce was reconsidering his pre-med path. His classes helped him realize he could seek other opportunities in science, and he found the best opportunity in Fraser\u2019s entomology lab.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the transition for me,\u201d Ponce said, admitting his first year at K was difficult, especially as English was his second language, having grown up primarily in Tijuana, Mexico. \u201cI considered changing majors until I saw the email from Dr. Fraser inviting me into her lab. I was surprised because I wasn\u2019t the best academically at the time. It\u2019s one of the reasons why I\u2019m still here: I found my passion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ponce first performed research in Fraser\u2019s lab with painted lady butterflies, a species common in all climates throughout the world. His work analyzed how their antennae responded to different odors produced by flowers compared to those produced by potential predators such as ants, and Fraser was thrilled with his work.<\/p>\n

A college track, though, wasn\u2019t always in Ponce\u2019s view. At one point, Ponce expected to join the work force immediately after high school when Pablo Roncoroni, his high school teacher, took him under his wing and helped him navigate the college application process. As a result, not only did Ponce find K, but so did five other students from that high school who since have followed in his footsteps.<\/p>\n

The support of teachers and mentors has led Ponce to a place where his research and passion can benefit others around the world including in his backyard. As co-founder of the College\u2019s Entomology Club, he\u2019ll soon start working with that group to inspire students at Kalamazoo\u2019s El Sol Elementary, with a goal of introducing students to science in a different, more hands-on way.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarco is very creative,\u201d Fraser said. \u201cI invited him into my lab because he is such an original thinker and he has a great science mind. He is a real ambassador of science.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Each year, up to $100 billion worth of harvested food is lost worldwide to pests and microbes. A Kalamazoo College student\u2019s research could hold part of the solution. Marco Ponce \u201919, a biology major from San Diego, conducted his Senior Individualized Project (SIP) last summer under Rob Morrison, Ph.D., \u201906, a research entomologist working for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":147,"featured_media":12104,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[234],"tags":[52,39,161],"post_formats":[],"class_list":["post-12101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-biology","tag-faculty","tag-senior-integrated-project"],"yoast_head":"\r\nNSF Graduate Fellowship: Marco Ponce an 'Ambassador of Science'<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A K student\u2019s research through an NSF Graduate Fellowship could hold part of the solution to $100 billion worth of harvested food lost each year.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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aria-label=\"archive of category Events\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/category\/events\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Events<\/a>","tags_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/tag\/biology\/\" rel=\"tag\">biology<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/tag\/faculty\/\" rel=\"tag\">faculty<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/tag\/senior-integrated-project\/\" rel=\"tag\">Senior Integrated Project<\/a>","social_share_info":"<a data-share=\"facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/nsf-graduate-fellowship\/\" class=\"pl-facebook-share social-share-default pl-social-share\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fab fa-facebook-f\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a><a data-share=\"twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/nsf-graduate-fellowship\/\" class=\"pl-twiiter-share social-share-default pl-social-share\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fab fa-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a><a data-share=\"linkedin\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/nsf-graduate-fellowship\/\" class=\"pl-linkedin-share social-share-default pl-social-share\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fab fa-linkedin-in\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/a>","wordExcerpt_info":"<p>Each year, up to $100 billion worth of harvested food is lost worldwide to pests and microbes. A Kalamazoo College student\u2019s research could hold part of the solution.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12104\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12104\" style=\"width: 584px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-12104\" src=\"\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/files\/2019\/04\/NSF-Graduate-Fellow-uses-a-microscope-at-Dow-Science-Center-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"NSF Graduate Fellow uses a microscope at Dow Science Center\" width=\"584\" height=\"438\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12104\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marco Ponce ’19 examines insects through a microscope at Dow Science Center. He will attend Kansas State University with an NSF Graduate Fellowship beginning this fall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Marco Ponce \u201919, a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/programs\/biology\/\">biology major<\/a> from San Diego, conducted his Senior Individualized Project (SIP) last summer under Rob Morrison, Ph.D., \u201906, a research entomologist working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s Center for Grain and Animal Health Science in Manhattan, Kansas. Their work targeted alternative methods for managing red flour and lesser grain beetles, which primarily attack stored grains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPrior research has found that these beetles release some pheromones that make them come together in groups, and others that trigger them to spread out,\u201d Ponce said. As a result, \u201cwe wondered how their density affects their behavior when they look for food. We\u2019ve found the beetles responded less to otherwise attractive food cues when they\u2019re grouped in higher densities, so we\u2019re trying to synthesize the signal that turns off their food-finding behavior and use it as a repellent. Our goal is to figure out how to use their biology against them.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12105\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12105\" style=\"width: 418px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-12105\" src=\"\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/files\/2019\/04\/NSF-Graduate-Fellow-Marco-Ponce-in-a-group-of-six-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"NSF Graduate Fellow Marco Ponce in a group of six\" width=\"418\" height=\"316\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12105\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marco Ponce ’19 (third from right) stands with Rob Morrison, Ph.D., ’06, (third from left) outside the Insect Zoo at Kansas State University. Ponce will attend Kansas State through an NSF Graduate Fellowship this fall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ponce learned last week that he earned a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsfgrfp.org\/\">National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship<\/a> to attend Kansas State University as a graduate student this fall, meaning he and Morrison will conduct more research beginning in July. The two will study how stored-product beetles and microbes interact to ruin harvested grains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery year after harvest, we lose anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of our food commodities,\u201d Morrison said. In addition to the U.S., \u201cif you look at some developing countries, this means about $100 billion in commodities are lost every year. Marco\u2019s project has global ramifications. If he can find some of the attractants useful for (pest) management, that will go a long way toward ensuring less pest damage and making agriculture more sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ponce is the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/national-science-foundation\/\">second Kalamazoo College student in as many years<\/a> to earn a prestigious NSF Graduate Fellowship.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen he was selected, he was up against some students who already are in their graduate programs,\u201d said Biology Professor Ann Fraser, Ponce\u2019s academic adviser. \u201cIt\u2019s always gratifying to see students take an interest in science, even if they just make a hobby out of it. But it\u2019s especially rewarding for me to see students go into entomology. There are so many opportunities to get involved in entomology because insects affect our lives in so many ways.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12109\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12109\" style=\"width: 371px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-12109\" src=\"\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/files\/2019\/04\/NSF-Graduate-Fellow-Marco-Ponce-standing-with-thumbs-up-in-a-field-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"NSF Graduate Fellow Marco Ponce standing with thumbs up in a field\" width=\"371\" height=\"250\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12109\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marco Ponce ’19 will attend Kansas State University through an NSF Graduate Fellowship beginning this fall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ponce and Fraser got to know each other when Ponce was reconsidering his pre-med path. His classes helped him realize he could seek other opportunities in science, and he found the best opportunity in Fraser\u2019s entomology lab.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was the transition for me,\u201d Ponce said, admitting his first year at K was difficult, especially as English was his second language, having grown up primarily in Tijuana, Mexico. \u201cI considered changing majors until I saw the email from Dr. Fraser inviting me into her lab. I was surprised because I wasn\u2019t the best academically at the time. It\u2019s one of the reasons why I\u2019m still here: I found my passion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ponce first performed research in Fraser\u2019s lab with painted lady butterflies, a species common in all climates throughout the world. His work analyzed how their antennae responded to different odors produced by flowers compared to those produced by potential predators such as ants, and Fraser was thrilled with his work.<\/p>\n<p>A college track, though, wasn\u2019t always in Ponce\u2019s view. At one point, Ponce expected to join the work force immediately after high school when Pablo Roncoroni, his high school teacher, took him under his wing and helped him navigate the college application process. As a result, not only did Ponce find K, but so did five other students from that high school who since have followed in his footsteps.<\/p>\n<p>The support of teachers and mentors has led Ponce to a place where his research and passion can benefit others around the world including in his backyard. As co-founder of the College\u2019s Entomology Club, he\u2019ll soon start working with that group to inspire students at Kalamazoo\u2019s El Sol Elementary, with a goal of introducing students to science in a different, more hands-on way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMarco is very creative,\u201d Fraser said. \u201cI invited him into my lab because he is such an original thinker and he has a great science mind. He is a real ambassador of science.\u201d<\/p>\n","comment_info":"No Comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/147"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12101"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12101\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16471,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12101\/revisions\/16471"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12101"},{"taxonomy":"post_format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kzoo.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_formats?post=12101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}