News

October 2012

We are coming off a great summer where we completed some excellent research with the help of our NSF REU interns. Danielle Dunn completed an isotopic analysis of several historic North American sample sets in our continuing efforts to establish an isotopic database for human provenancing. Charlotte Doney developed a method using Raman spectroscopy to determine the diagenetic state of bone collagen prior to isotopic analysis. Raquel Fleskes participated in a project to date bone collagen using proteomic techniques, a process which will provide rapid and less-expensive ages for bones compared to traditional C-14 dating. Several aspects of these projects are currently in review and we hope to have them published soon.


Once again we will be offereing an interdisciplinary post-doc fellowship focussing in stable isotope mass spectrometry. See the announcement below for details:


The Office of Fellowships is offering an Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Fellowship in the area of stable isotope sciences. Research proposals must integrate the use of stable isotopes (2H/1H, 13C/12C, 15N/14N, and 18O/16O) into their specific research questions. Stable isotope analysis must comprise a significant portion of the research. The successful applicant will conduct analyses at one of the two Pan-Institutional isotope facilities (OUSS/MCI Stable Isotope Mass Spectrometry Facility in Suitland, MD or at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama). Applicants interested in this fellowship are strongly encouraged to contact potential advisors/hosts at any of the Smithsonian's various Museums and Research Units prior to proposal preparation and submission. Prior Isotope Fellows are not eligible. Please consult the research staff listed for the Museum, Research Units, and Offices at the links to Smithsonian Opportunities for Research and Study below.

Applicants must propose to conduct research in-residence for a period of 12 months, at least 4 months of which will be spent on-site at the MCI or STRI laboratory. Applicants must have completed or be near completion of the Ph.D. Recipients who have not completed the Ph.D. at the time of application must provide proof of completion of the degree before the fellowship begins. Please go to http://www.si.edu/research+study for details on the SI fellowship program. Applications must be submitted by Jan 15, 2013. Access to the online application system and information regarding the necessary materials can be found at http://www.si.edu/ofg/Applications/SIFELL/SIFELLapp.htm

For additional information on the OUSS/MCI Stable Isotope Mass Spectrometry Facility in Suitland, MD (http://si.edu/mci/irms/index.htm) please contact Christine France (francec@si.edu). For additional information on the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Mass Spectrometry Facility in Panama City, contact Ben Turner (turnerbl@si.edu.u ).