Bethany Bespoyasny, RaMP Participant

Working with Dr. Britt Heidinger

What are you working on right now?

I am currently working on a literature review and taking photos of feathers under a microscope to determine barb and barbule density. I'm excited to see how feather structure has changed in the last 50 years in response to climate change, and also how it varies across a latitudinal gradient. 

What is your favorite part of this experience?

My favorite part of my experience in the CHANGE RaMP project so far was learning field techniques and collecting data for the sparrow project. I had a lot of fun over the summer getting to measure / weigh / take microbiome samples etc. of the house sparrow nestlings. Although the field season is over, I'm really looking forward to what I'll find when working on my feather structure project!

What do you enjoy most about Fargo?

I think my favorite thing so far in Fargo is the farmer's market on Saturdays. It's also fun to visit the various parks to go birding, and I also enjoy biking around the nearby neighborhood and campus.