Ann Jing Wen Tan
ajtan@ucdavis.edu
2950 Portage Bay
West Davis CA 95616
(408) 775-9934
Education
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Majors in Soil and Water Science (BS) and Evolution, Ecology and Biodiversity
(BS)
UC Davis, Expected Graduation Date December 2010
GPA 3.94
Research Experience
Student Assistant – Department of Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis
May 2008-October 2008
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Involved in the first phase of a three year project that quantified soil spatial variability
and variation in water usage with grape vines planted in two contrasting soil types within
the same vineyard block, throughout the growing season.
Performed detailed vineyard soil surveys, which includes soil sampling, description,
determination of color and texture, soil pH and electrical conductivity measurements.
Helped installed suction lysimeters to obtain soil solution samples and sampled and
prepared grape vine tissue (leaves and petioles) for analysis.
Monitored micro-meteorological instruments that have been installed in the vineyards.
Under the Kearney Foundation Fellowship, I wrote a report and presentation based on
my experience.
Student – Bodega Marine Laboratory, UC Davis
June 2009-July 2009
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Learned basic research techniques like randomization, and familiarized with basic
equipment such as a hemocytometer and tissue grinder
Came up and designed an experiment that tested the effects of acidity on sea anemones
Presented to the lab and published my findings to the laboratory’s library.
Undergraduate Researcher – Scow Soil Microbial Ecology Lab, UC Davis
April 2009-Present
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Learned and wrote standard operating procedures for research techniques dealing with
microorganisms, such as microscopy, culturing and maintaining algae, and
measurements of growth, lipid and selenium content.
Researched effects of different growth conditions on the lipid content and growth rate of
algae.
Wrote a thesis and presented my research for the UC Davis Undergraduate Research
Conference
Work Experience
Student Assistant – Foundation of Plant Services
February 2009-June 2009
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Tended young grapevines by pruning and watering them
Propagated grapes and roses
Labeled and organized plants
YOMA! Tutoring
June 2007-September 2007
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Taught English to students in middle school who has English as a second language
Came up with lesson plans
Graded their writing assignments
Abstracts and Presentations
Soil Related Differences in Plant Vigor and Evapotranspiration in Two Merlot
Vineyards of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA. Jean-Jacques
Lambert, Ann Tan, Alessandro Morello, Robert A. Coates, Chuck Ingels, Paul Verdegaal, James
A. Wolpert, Michael Delwiche and Richard L. Snyder. Submitted to the 16th International
Symposium GiESCO (Groupe d‘Etude des Systèmes de Conduite de la Vigne), held July 12-16,
2009, UC Davis.
Exploration on Anthropogenic Effects on Algal Reponses to Acidification in
Anthopleura xanthogrammica. Ann Tan, Presented at Bodega Marine Laboratory July 30
2009.
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Ocean acidification has been an increasing concern due to its effect on coral reefs. Many
corals are becoming bleached as their obligate algal symbionts are being expelled due to
stress. A closely related cousin to corals, one that also has algal symbionts, is the sea
anemone Anthopleura xanthogrammica. However, the consequences of ocean
acidification and protection of the sea anemone in marine reserves on the symbiotic
relationship have not been explored. In this study, I exposed A. xanthogrammica to the
pH conditions predicted for 2110 and tested the hypothesis that sea anemones from a
protected reserve would retain their algal symbionts better than these from a publicly
accessible state park, particularly when subjected to less trampling. I collected 12
anemones from Bodega Marine Reserve and 12 anemones from Campbell Cove, a state
park, and separated them in half, placing six reserve anemones and six park anemones
into two distinct tanks with a control pH and 2010 pH. To test for trampling effects, I
pushed a rock on half the anemones in each treatment. Results are inconclusive, but
suggestive that anemones initially responded to acidic conditions. After eight days
however, all the anemones had approximately the same algal concentrations in their
tissues. This suggests that A. xanthogrammica is resilient to acidic conditions and
indicates that ongoing climate changes influences different groups of cnidarians (i.e.,
corals verses anemones) in different ways.
Exploring Economically Sensible Solutions in Optimizing Lipid Growth and Lipid
Content. Ann Tan, Presented at the UC Davis Undergraduate Research Conference May 1
2010.
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The depletion of fuel reserves is spurring a search for sustainable sources of alternative
energy. One potential solution is to grow and harvest microalgae lipid for biofuel. I
experimented with the growing conditions of three algal strains: two in the genus
Chlorella, UTEX 2341 and UTEX 2805, and a Chlorophyta isolated from agricultural
wastewater at the Red Rock Ranch in Five Points, California (RRR). The strains were
grown under various conditions to determine which supported the highest biomass.
UTEX 2341 and UTEX 2805 growth were compared in three different growth conditions:
in a growth chamber, in a shaker, and with a stir bar. Then the effect of photoperiod on
UTEX 2341 and RRR was measured. Optical density (OD) and chlorophyll A (ChA) were
measured daily during the experiment and then algae were harvested to analyze for lipid
content. In the first experiment, UTEX 2341 grew better under all growth conditions
than did UTEX 2805, although within each species the results were mixed in terms of
which growth condition was the best. In the photoperiod experiment, both strains grew
best with exposure to constant light, followed by 16 hours, and did most poorly at 12
hours. The OD and the ChA measurements did not correspond to each other. UTEX
2341 had comparable lipid content at 16 and 24 hours, and substantially less with 12
hours of light.
Academic Service
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President, Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability (SEEDS), UC
Davis Chapter
Awards and Grants
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Outstanding Senior Award: Land, Air and Water Resources (2010)
Soil and Water Science Departmental Citation for Outstanding Performance (2010)
Kearney Foundation, Funded $3000 dollars (2008)
Recipient, Regents Scholarship (September 2007- present)
Completed three year of Integrated Studies Honors Program
References
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Randy A. Dahlgren
o Professor of Soil Science and Pedologist
o radahlgren@ucdavis.edu
o Voice: 530-752-2814
o Fax: 530-752-1552
Kate M. Scow
o Professor of Soil Science and Microbial Ecology
o kmscow@ucdavis.edu
o Voice: 530-752-4632
o Fax: 530-752-1552
Brian Gaylord
o Associate Professor of Evolution and Ecology
o bpgaylord@ucdavis.edu
o Voice: 707-875-1940
o Fax: 707-875-2009