News and Information
NASA Michigan Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship Researcher - Francesca Golus
October 22, 2019
Francesca Golus, a second-year Master of Science in Biology student, is involved in research that is funded through the NASA Michigan Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship. She is studying the genetic structure and diversity of three Midwestern populations of captive chimpanzees using a reduced-representative sampling method. Francesca has received research approval from the Chimpanzees Species Survival Plan Committee and has been obtaining samples from the Detroit Zoological Society. Her goal is to provide additional details about the chimpanzee species to other zoological partners and offer suggestions for the future management and sustainability of each population.
Multiple faculty members including Dr. Jodee Hunt, Dr. Charlyn Patridge, and Dr. Cynthia Thompson have been vital mentors for Francesca. Her past undergraduate research experiences have made this opportunity smooth and enticing for her. Francesca is enjoying her eye-opening study and feels this is where she is meant to be right now. She is excited to learn about the genetic structure and diversity of the different chimpanzee species. Through her research, she hopes to enhance the knowledge that local zoos currently contain to help them care for and manage captive populations to the absolute best of their abilities.