This month PICRC researcher Lincoln Rehm, has returned home to expand upon his research, which he began in September 2016. Lincoln, a PhD student at Drexel University in Pennsylvania, USA, has recently finished his course work and will now focus on research for his dissertation.
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In September, Mr. Rehm set up a pilot experiment at PICRC to determine whether he can raise clams in tanks under certain environmental conditions and now, Lincoln is back to start the next phase of his project. Mr. Rehm will begin running experiments on the clams to determine whether specific environmental conditions significantly influence the mantle tissue of the giant clam.
The goal of Mr. Rehm’s research is to identify what conditions are required to produce a specific color of giant clam. This research will be valuable to the aquaculture industry by allowing them to produce clams with colors that match the demand of the public. Lincoln’s research will also be relevant to the research of his advisor, Dr. Alison Sweeney of the University of Pennsylvania, who is working to develop efficient biofuels for the future by examining giant clam’s ability to effectively harness light.
In addition to his PhD research, Mr. Rehm will work as a Teacher’s Assistant for a Sustainable Fisheries Course at Drexel next semester, in which he will help lead discussions on the current status of global fishery industries.
Lincoln is nearly halfway through his PhD and looks forward to returning to PICRC to contribute towards research and natural resource management efforts here in Palau. [/restrict]