GCC faculty affiliate Dr. Jen Moss has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to support a research and education project examining how amphibians respond to environmental change. The project, Investigating the ecological drivers and consequences of reproductive mode in thermal plasticity in plethodontid salamanders, will advance understanding of how organisms adapt to shifting temperatures — a question central to predicting biological responses to climate change.

The CAREER award, one of NSF’s most prestigious honors for early‑career faculty, supports research that integrates discovery, education, and broader impacts. Moss’s project focuses on identifying the ecological conditions under which thermal plasticity — an organism’s ability to adjust its physiology and behavior in response to temperature — is most likely to emerge and influence population persistence.

Education and outreach are central components of the award. Undergraduate students will be engaged throughout the project, gaining hands‑on research experience at the intersection of ecology, data science, and climate biology. Moss also plans to expand her lab’s outreach efforts through partnerships with local community organizations, offering scientist‑led activities, interactive museum exhibits, and take‑home resources designed to foster early connections to nature and encourage outdoor play.

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Salamander Community Outreach