The Final War: Winner of Top 5 Questions
Today we wrapped up our journey through the "War of 18 Questions," led by our amazing MCs Katie and Mamta! Each group had taken their question of interest and transformed it into a feasible proposal. After the presentation, we proceeded to a round of voting involving level of interest and feedback discussion. Then, the final ballot poll ran and we chose the final project to conduct for 18 people. We discussed the method logic of the final project including tools, missions, field site, and agenda for next week.
Here is the schedule of our meeting:
Preparing for presentation
In the first half of an hour of class, each group worked together to wrap up information for their presentations.
Presentation time
Each group presented their interested question as a proposal with fancy slides! Unexpected points emerged from their studies, including species and research fields. Each presentation focused on different convincing points, such as feasible timelines, the curiosity factor, relevance, and the novelty of the study. Every group did a great job discussing their project, and they all deserve a win! However, there can only be one "winner." :(
Group 1: How do squirrel Feeding Patterns Vary Across Semi-urban and Rural Areas of Davis?
Group 2: How do wolf spiders recognize their own egg sac? How does personality vary among wolf spiders? What can you manipulate to affect the cannibalism of eggs?
Group 3: How do squirrels behave when exposed to anthropogenic noise and human interaction at different levels?
Group 4: How do red-winged blackbirds modify their calls and behavior in response to the presence of humans?
Round One of Voting
Round one voting involves assessing the level of interest in each presentation question and discussing the concerns and feedback provided by the class. All feedback and comments are anonymous and respectful. Addressing these concerns and discussing feedback helps improve the validity and quality of our presentations, as well as addressing potential limitations that may not have been initially apparent. Consequently, we receive numerous suggestions and improvements that contribute to a better understanding of our projects.
Final vote!
We voted through
Ranked-choice voting requires a candidate to reach 50% support
The first step is to count all first-choice votes
If no candidate reaches 50% of 1st choice votes, the lowest candidate is eliminated, and those votes shift to 2nd or later choices
This continues round-by-round until a candidate reaches 50% and wins.
The final winner is...
✨Soapberry Bugs✨
Preparation for the next meeting
We discussed the methodology for collecting soapberry bugs, including whom to contact for assistance with bug dissection and DNA sequencing, the necessary tools for our next meeting, and the sampling location. We decided on roles, with some of us focusing on practicing bug dissection while others concentrated on bug collection.
Homework
- Here is the sign-up sheet for the role next Wednesday, either dissecting or collecting samples.
- Add some ideas to our project if come up with ideas, as well as potential study site
- Catch up on reading if you are behind
- Enjoy your weekend!
Next class(4/24)
The schedule is pretty flexible next week, depending on our process.
By Jolyn Zhong
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