Graduate Student Wins $78,000 Scholarship for Research Aiding Conservation Efforts in Yellowstone National Park

Fayetteville, Ark. - Research by a University of Arkansas graduate student is helping the National Park Service to conserve one of the nation's most treasured and visited national parks. Barbara Pickup has used aerial photographs dating back to 1954 and geographic information systems to measure changes in the shoreline of Yellowstone Lake, in order to understand the physical processes at work that are reshaping the shoreline.

Her research in Yellowstone, one of the nation's first national parks, has won her a $78,000 scholarship from Canon U.S.A. Inc., the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Park Service. Pickup was one of eight Ph.D. students in the U.S., Canada and Argentina to be named a Canon National Parks Science Scholar for 2004.

By providing support to Ph.D. students, the Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program is helping to cultivate the next generation of scientists working in conservation, environmental science and national park management.

Pickup, a doctoral student in the Environmental Dynamics Program in Fulbright College, will use her award to continue measuring and recording changes in the shoreline.

Yellowstone Lake, the largest lake at its altitude in the world, formed in an enormous crater following an extraordinarily violent series of volcanic eruptions. To date, Pickup has shown that the lake's shoreline alternately advanced and receded in complex ways during the last 50 years, a process that scientists don't fully understand yet. Gaining that understanding is the focus of her dissertation at the U of A.

"Changes in the shoreline also offer insight into active geological processes at Yellowstone," said Stephen Boss, director of the environmental dynamics program. "Yellowstone is an icon of the National Park Service, one of the most heavily visited national parks in the world. Managing park resources to maintain the quality of visitor experiences is among the significant challenges for NPS personnel, and they rely increasingly on results of research in the parks to inform long-term management plans."

Pickup relies on the most current technologies to conduct her research. Using geographic information systems as well as an integrated suite of high-tech equipment known as HARLS-CS, Pickup has been able to measure changes in the position of the shoreline, as it either advanced toward the lake or receded toward the land.

"I plan to examine other areas of the lakeshore, using the same set of aerial photographs to compare results. My plan is to measure modern rates of change along selected shoreline segments over the next several years using surveying and mapping equipment available through our Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies," said Pickup.

Pickup, from Tulsa, Okla., is also a Distinguished Doctoral Fellow at the U of A.

A panel of international scientists from the American Association for the Advancement of Science chose her and the other winners after reviewing proposals from applicants in the U.S., Mexico, Central and South America and the countries of the Caribbean.

"The Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program recognized the novel nature of Barbara's proposed research and her application of advanced survey technologies available at the University of Arkansas to address lakeshore changes. This is a very prestigious award for Barb, the Environmental Dynamics Program and the University of Arkansas. It's exciting to receive this international recognition for her dissertation research, and we are very thankful to Canon for their support," said Boss.