The Scots Science Scholars

Written by Laurel Woodward, Scots Science Scholar 2016

A free Saturday afternoon at Maryville College calls for a spontaneous trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We went to the park to search for salamanders and the GSMNP has the highest population of these amphibians in the world.

According to our peer mentor, Thomas Moore, the trip from MC to the park would only be a forty-minute drive. An hour and ten minutes later, we finally made it to our destination. We now call his ETA “Thomas Time.” Jokingly and all in good fun, we know we wouldn’t have been there without him.

Tyler showing Thomas the salamander he found

Once we parked, we met up with everyone else at the Chimney Tops picnic area, we started hiking up the Cove Hardwood Nature Trail. After we found the first place that looked like a place where salamanders would like to live we started searching. Within thirty seconds, Tyler Lee found the first one of the day and then I found the second one. Every time someone found a salamander, we would carefully carry it over to Thomas for him to identify. While on this trail we found five different species of salamanders (Black-Belly, Seal, Dusky, Imitator, and Jordan or Red-Cheeked Salamanders). About mid-hike on the trail, our group came across a fallen tree with a hole underneath it. Of course, me being me I went over there searching for a salamander, but I ended up getting more than I bargained for. Before I knew it, I had gotten stung three times by yellow-jackets. It was in the name of science, of course, so it was worth it.

The group takes a break before heading to the next salamander spot

After finishing the Nature trail, we drove about 4 miles to Alum Cave Trailhead to find more salamanders. This time, we adventured over to Walker Camp Prong which flows West of the Little Pigeon River. The water was ice cold, but refreshing considering the temperature was reaching over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Many of us found salamanders in the rocky creek bed, but considering the terrain, the salamanders had the home field advantage. Unfortunately, we were unable to capture the powerful swimmers with our hands, but we were able to identify three species that we saw (Black-Belly, Seal, and Dusky Salamanders). Dusky Salamanders are the most common and diverse in color, their camouflage proving useful for hiding against and under rocks. After spending about an hour at Walker Camp Prong, we decided to pack up and go back to Maryville College.

I enjoyed this experience very much because I’ve never done anything like this before, and I got to spend valuable time with my new and hopefully lifelong friends. I value this fun and educational experience to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where we had the privilege of coming into contact with some of God’s greatest creations.

Laurel Woodward (the author), Rachel Strickland, Lexi Douglas (an expert photobomber), and Raven Keylon smile for the camera

Written by Rachel Strickland, Scots Science Scholars 2016

Waking up at 5:15 on Wednesday morning was honestly brutal, but it didn’t hinder the fact that I was incredibly excited to go kayaking. As we arrived and the kayaks were laid out, I felt like a kid in a candy shop. One of the kayaks was orange and white, and I just knew I had to have it. I threw my paddle on, secured my GoPro, and carried the kayak down a bank to the water. As Bruce, from Mountain Challenge, helped others into their kayaks, many of us paddled in circles and practically played bumper cars.

The Scots Science Scholars line up for a group picture

Afterwards, we all lined up and held each others’ boats as we posed for pictures and talked with Bruce on kayaking basics. Dr. Gibson then proceeded to explain what we were measuring from the river. At two different locations, we measured the pH levels, temperature, the amount of light hitting the surface of the water, and the clarity of the water using a Secchi disk. Managing the equipment was a little tricky, but we were able to get consistent measurements.

Lunch was next on the schedule, so we had a picnic and loaded the boats up. We then headed over to TVA, Tennessee Valley Authority, to learn about the history of the company and dams. We learned that the Ocoee River has three dams, all primarily used for power generation. We were kayaking on Ocoee #1. We then learned how the dams actually work. They will open a set of gates that allow water to flow into a penstock. From there it will flow into the water wheel, and it will be spun around and around as it then will travel into a shaft. From that shaft, it will then move into a generator where it will be turned into electricity, and transferred onto the grid. Next, we learned about the 1996 Summer Olympics at Ocoee #3, and how TVA has and uses the nation’s longest wooden flume. The flume is four miles long and has the illusion of running uphill, even though it is running downhill.

All in all, it was a great day with great friends! We learned so much and had a blast on the river. This has been my favorite part of the program so far, and I can’t wait for more fun to come!

Rachel Strickland (the author) stops for a snapshot