Luke Rose ’24
Fall 2023 SAFE Fund Recipient
Project: "Taxonomic Significance of Lungfish (Sarcopterygii:Dipnoi) Tooth Plates in the Lower Triassic (Olenekian) Burgersdorp Formation of Driefontein, South Africa"
Luke Rose ’24, now an alumnus of the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, received a Fall 2023 Student and Faculty Excellence (SAFE) Fund grant to attend the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP)'s 83rd Annual Meeting in Cincinnati, OH, from October 19-21, 2023.
Rose presented a poster on his research, titled "Taxonomic Significance of Lungfish (Sarcopterygii:Dipnoi) Tooth Plates in the Lower Triassic (Olenekian) Burgersdorp Formation of Driefontein, South Africa." Rose explained, "I presented our group’s findings on fossil lungfish tooth plates recovered from the Lower Triassic Cynognathus Assemblage Zone in Driefontein, South Africa. We report on three distinct morphologies of tooth plates, greatly increasing the geographic range of two genera." The research was conducted as part of Rose's Undergraduate Research Assistantship with Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences professor Dr. Andrew Heckert.
The support provided by the SAFE Fund, as well as the Office of Student Research and the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, helped cover registration, travel and accommodation expenses. "Undergraduates are a minor demographic when it comes to meetings such as these, so it was a great experience getting to mingle within the vertebrate paleontology community once again, this time with more experience from previous conferences," shared Rose, who also received a Fall 2022 SAFE grant to present his research at the 82nd SVP Annual Meeting in Canada. "It helped expand my knowledge on the field of paleontology, and it benefited me as a researcher by allowing me to contribute new discoveries that I had made as an undergraduate."
In his final report, Rose emphasized the importance of professional meetings for establishing connections with researchers across the discipline. "I was able to discuss my methodology and results with multiple other fossil fish researchers, and I had the opportunity to discuss graduate studies with a few potential advisors," wrote Rose, who graduated in May with his bachelor's degree in geology with a concentration in paleontology. He is currently a graduate student at the University of Louisville.
###
About the SAFE Fund
Initially endowed by Hughlene and Bill Frank, the College of Arts and Sciences Student and Faculty Excellence (SAFE) Fund provides resources that can be used to support undergraduate, graduate and faculty experiences. The SAFE Fund provides funding for college priorities and opportunities that arise throughout the year. These unrestricted funds support student and faculty travel, publication support for faculty and student research opportunities. Learn more at cas.appstate.edu/students/student-and-faculty-excellence-safe-fund.
About the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences
Located in Western North Carolina, Appalachian State University provides the perfect setting to study geological and environmental sciences. The Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences provides students with a solid foundation on which to prepare for graduate school or build successful careers as scientists, consultants and secondary education teachers. The department offers six degree options in geology and two degree options in environmental science. Learn more at earth.appstate.edu.
By Lauren Gibbs
November 25, 2024
BOONE, N.C.
Luke Rose graduated from Appalachian in May with his bachelor's degree in geology with a concentration in paleontology. Photo submitted
Luke Rose graduated from Appalachian in May with his bachelor's degree in geology with a concentration in paleontology. Photo submitted