1. Using guppies to bring ecology and evolution to low-income communities
Sarah Westrick
PhD Pre-Candidate in Biopsychology
UM Library Student Mini-Grant
Library Engagement Symposium 2017

2. Overall Project Objectives
To bring science to underserved communities in an engaging manner
To use guppies to increase the accessibility of ecological, evolutionary, and neurobiological concepts
To encourage a positive attitude about science and scientists
To provide a future opportunity for graduate students to develop outreach skills

3. Partnerships
Mentoring Youth and Early Leaders in Neuroscience (MYELIN)
A student-led organization
which serves a local community
of K-12 students
Community Action Network (CAN)
A non-profit organization dedicated to serving under-resourced Washtenaw County neighborhoods
Bryant and Hikone Community Centers

4. Trinidadian guppies as a tool
Behavior
Ecology
Evolution
Neurobiology

5. Teaching Modules Exploring different levels of biological organization1 2 4 3

6. Teaching Modules 1) Guppies
Talk about the fish, introduce the ecosystem
Draw guppies for 3D printing back at UM
Low Predation, Low Food
High Predation, High Food

7. Teaching Modules 1) Guppies 2) Ecology
Talk about the fish, introduce the ecosystem
Draw guppies for 3D printing back at UM
2) Ecology
Predator-prey relationships
Draw predators for 3D printing to add to the ecosystem
Rivulus hartii
Pike cichlid

8. Teaching Modules 1) Guppies 2) Ecology 3) Behavior
Talk about the fish, introduce the ecosystem
Draw guppies for 3D printing back at UM
2) Ecology
Predator-prey relationships
Draw predators for 3D printing to add to the ecosystem
3) Behavior
How do guppies interact and eat? Draw unique guppy behaviors to add to the ecosystem
Social & Feeding Behaviors
Illustration by Emily Kane

9. Teaching Modules 1) Guppies 2) Ecology 3) Behavior 4) Neurobiology
Talk about the fish, introduce the ecosystem
Draw guppies for 3D printing back at UM
2) Ecology
Predator-prey relationships
Draw predators for 3D printing to add to the ecosystem
3) Behavior
How do guppies interact and eat? Draw unique guppy behaviors to add to the ecosystem
4) Neurobiology
Explore the guppy brain
Go through the ecosystem they created!

10. Challenges Animal Care Approval
Rigorous process to ensure animal welfare
Developing cohesive modules appropriate for a variety of ages

11. Real-Life Impact
Strengthen UM relationships with the local Ann Arbor community centers
Increase low-income, underserved students’ exposure to scientific concepts
Provide a safe, affirming, and educational space in which students can learn and have fun after school
Encourage underrepresented groups of students to become engaged in science
Promote the development of outreach skills in graduate students in our program

12. What I Learned
Increased appreciation for the complexities of lesson plans
Stretched my creativity in how to engage the students
Developed skills in creating an animal care protocol

13. Library Partnership Lesson plan assistance
Resources for future surveys to assess success of outreach efforts
3-D printing resources
Karen Downing
Education Librarian
Justin Schell
Learning Design Specialist
Angie Oehrli
Learning Librarian

14. What’s next? Animal Care Approval! Set-up fish tanks
receive fish from Colorado State University
Pilot activities with MYELIN over summer
Conduct modules with students in fall
Set-up webcam of fish tanks in the lab
Long-term colony for future projects!

15. A huge thanks to… Jonte Jones Community Action Network Dr. Ben Dantzer
President of MYELIN
Community Action Network
Dr. Ben Dantzer
Kim Dolphin and Dr. Laura Stein, for collecting wild guppies!