This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2004. The goal of the fellowship is to increase the participation of minority scientists at the postdoctoral level and to prepare them for positions of scientific leadership in academia and industry. To attain this goal, the fellowship provides opportunities for postdoctoral training and research of the highest quality to recent doctoral recipients. It is expected that Fellows supported through these fellowships will play important roles in training of the future workforce.
The research and training plan is entitled "Early stages of chromosome evolution in Drosophila." Theory on the evolution of sex chromosomes has focused on XY systems, neglecting ZW ones that are known to be important in nature. This research uses D. melanogaster females, normally XX, that have been converted to ZW and measures the resulting sex-specific fitness changes. It also compares maternal effects of gene location in ZW chicken with XY genomes.
This research will increase understanding of chromosomal evolution and the training will further the Fellow's knowledge in molecular systematics. Her career plan is to combine teaching and research in higher education.
