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Smith College / Smithsonian Institution Internship Program
Research Project Proposal
Name of Supervisor(s): Michael Power and Mike Maslanka
Department or Office: CEC (MP) and Nutritional Sciences (MM)
Phone Number: 202 633 4207 (MP)
202 633 1109 (MM)
Museum/Unit: NZP
Email Address: powerm@si.edu
maslankam@si.edu
1. Please provide information on your research and/or the work of your office:
The Nutrition Laboratory at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park focuses on three areas of basic and applied research:
clinical nutrition, milk composition, and nutritional ecology. We are one of the few zoos in the world with a comprehensive
on-site nutrition lab. Michael. Power conducts and oversees research in all areas; but is especially interested in issues of
nutrition related to the costs and consequences of female mammal reproduction. Mike Maslanka focuses on clinical nutrition,
including the nutritional assessment of animals and their feeds, and developing appropriate diets.
2. Describe the project (include duties, nature and scope of the work), and indicate any particular
academic background or specific courses needed as preparation:
Nutrition Lab interns typically perform tasks both individually and as a team. There are always multiple projects being
undertaken, and which ones an intern assists with is determined by Dr. Power with regard for the intern’s interests and skill
set. An intern will always be involved with more than one project. Projects range from basic science questions to practical
application of lab work in assessing foods to be fed the zoo animals. The current projects planned for this summer include:
1) longitudinal changes in milk composition in mammals and their relation to infant growth
2) evaluation of diets and diet testing for quality control for selected species within the zoo’s collection.
3) Assaying plant materials for nutrient composition to support projects investigating the nutritional ecology of wild
animals in situ
Interns will largely perform laboratory assays on biological samples (e.g. milk, insects, plant materials). Interns will be
responsible for recording all data into a lab book, entering the data into spreadsheets, and preparing summaries of the results.
Interns are expected to be present Monday to Friday, 8am – 4pm; however, the occasional weekend project may arise, in
which case other days off will be taken in exchange. Interns will have a rotation to the zoo’s commissary to experience diet
preparation and activities necessary to maintaining a centralized diet management system for zoo animals.
Learning objectives:
Interns will be trained to become proficient in a number of laboratory analytical techniques. Interns will be trained in the
basics of animal body condition scoring. Interns will be trained how to collect, organize, and perform preliminary analysis of
nutritional research data. Interns will attend 3 - 4 lectures on research topics in biology. Interns will read 3 – 4 journal articles
relevant to the research studies in which they are involved. Interns are encouraged to take advantage of scheduled zoo
activities, such as Pathology Rounds and NZP Lectures/Seminars as part of their internship time. Interns will prepare a final
report on their activities, listing techniques learned, assays completed, brief summary of data produced, and on how this
internship has influenced their thinking regarding their future career and educational goals.
3. Please describe possible research products an intern might develop, either from the project or the
work of your office, to fulfill the academic requirement of the Smith College Program:
Interns perform tasks for more than one project and receive training in many areas related to clinical nutrition and nutritional
research. Two of the main projects for this coming fall will be: Gombe chimpanzee nutritional ecology, assaying plant foods
collected in Gombe Tanzania; and milk composition of a variety of species including gorillas and orangutans. In both projects
there will be opportunities for interns to produce a summary of analytical findings, informed by the lectures and specific
instruction provided by the supervisors and post doctoral fellow in the lab.