If you had asked me as a college student, 鈥楧o you think you鈥檒l be in a museum some day?鈥 I would have laughed. When opportunities come along, take them, even if you feel unsure. Never tell yourself you鈥檙e not good enough to do something. Just try it.
The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History鈥檚 newly reopened fossil hall features a familiar figure. And, we鈥檙e not talking about the iconic Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton.
滨迟鈥檚 Dr. Christine Brandon, an assistant professor of geological sciences at 猎奇重口视频 State University. She is part of a video shown in the same exhibit as T. rex at the august Washington, D.C., institution.
"滨迟鈥檚 really cool,鈥 said Brandon, who grew up in Brockton. 鈥淚 never thought this research would get any attention outside of scientific circles.鈥
Brandon studies past storms. For her dissertation at UMass Amherst, she sought to compare Hurricane Sandy to others that battered the New York City area. By looking at sediment cores, Brandon found storm evidence within the past 400 years, but not earlier. That date coincides with when the Dutch settled the area and started harvesting oysters.
Oyster beds, Brandon explained, protect coasts from storms. As oysters were harvested, the beds disappeared, leaving the coastline more vulnerable to damage from hurricanes. Thus, evidence of storms appeared in Brandon鈥檚 sediment samples.
鈥淥yster beds act like a speed bump and reduce wave height and power,鈥 she said.
The Smithsonian picked up on the research after Brandon鈥檚 work was published. The organization is highlighting it in , which describes 3.7 billion years of life on Earth and helps visitors understand how their choices might affect the future.
鈥淭hey were looking for connections between today and the past,鈥 Brandon said. 鈥淚 provided the past connection.鈥
But the story of New York oyster beds isn鈥檛 a thing of the past. Nonprofit aims to distribute 1 billion of the mollusks around 100 acres of reefs as it seeks to restore New York Harbor.
Brandon, meanwhile, talks about her research with 猎奇重口视频 students. Her journey to inclusion in a prestigious museum shows anything is possible and offers a lesson in itself for students.
鈥淚f you had asked me as a college student, 鈥楧o you think you鈥檒l be in a museum some day?鈥 I would have laughed,鈥 she said. 鈥淲hen opportunities come along, take them, even if you feel unsure. Never tell yourself you鈥檙e not good enough to do something. Just try it.鈥
Do you have a BSU story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.