Vision and Action Statement

Over the next two years at Ohio State, I plan to complete several of the goals I have for myself. Firstly, I would like to publish my research and graduate with research distinction. To compliment this, I will continue to take EEOB courses with a focus on genetics and maintain a competitive GPA for graduate school. Over the coming summer and autumn semester I will study for and take the GRE. I hope to expand the Evolution and Ecology club to include more students and develop the opportunities for us to make an impact on campus. I would also like to get more involved with service, and hopefully find an organization I can consistently volunteer my time with. I hope to finish my time at OSU having completed these goals, and be prepared to move on to new experiences.

Abstract

This e-porfolio offers a small portion of my experiences while at Ohio State. I place emphasis on how my time in lab has shaped my academic and professional career path. This is a still a work in progress and I hope to continue to develop my interests and G.O.A.L.S. over the coming two years.

Year Two in Review

A lot has happened in my second year here. I changed my major from Biology to Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology and got way more involved in research. Building off of my experience in the summer REU program, I continued my research into hybridization and introgression between two milkweed species. This project made me think seriously about experimental design, co-ordination and time management. I took my first major classes this year and am looking forward to taking more. I also will be spending this summer in Osnabrück, Germany researching at a university there. I look forward to experiencing a foreign country and learning a lot from the lab I will be in there. I am excited to see what opportunities come in the next few years and where my academic career takes me.

Wayne National Forest Bioblitz

I had the opportunity to participate in a bioblitz this past semester in Wayne National Forest. There were all kinds of different organisms to identify and it was an amazing learning experience. A bioblitz is an important ecological tool to asses the biodiversity and prevalence of species in a specific region. With tools like iNaturalist, anyone can partake and add to the scientific community making types of events a great way for citizen scientists to really make a difference.

Summer Wetland Surveys

Above is a photo I submitted to be included in a journal article being published by Dr. Steve Hovick on Reed Canary grass, an invasive plant common in wetlands. Over the last summer, I helped a graduate student survey many wetlands like the one in this picture for her masters thesis. This experience helped me better identify wetlands plants, understand the logistics of planning a wetland survey, and spend a lot of time outdoors.

PSL Scholars Mock Presidential and Vice Presidential Debate

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I attended a mock presidential and vice presidential debate hosted by the PSL Scholars. It was very interesting to see the student representations of the candidates. It was also nice to see Gary Johnson represented in the debate. Regardless of my political opinion, it was nice to see a variety of viewpoints represented.

Year One in Review

This first year at Ohio State has helped me realize the importance of hard work and the rewards that it entails. One of the points that everyone harped on when making the transition from high school to college was how much more work college courses would be. Over the course of the semester, I’ve improved my studying methods, my ability to retain knowledge and just come to appreciate learning a little bit more. Courses that I thought would be boring, such as chemistry, turned out to actually be pretty interesting when taught by a passionate professor and when you put enough work in. Overall, the main difference that I notice while on campus is the environment. Being in a place that is so conducive to learning and contains such vast resources that can utilized has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on my educational career.

G.O.A.L.S.

G – Global Awareness
Over the summer of 2018 I will research abroad in Germany with the DAAD RISE Program. I will have have the opportunity to study with biogeogrpahic researchers studying the shifting climate of the european steppe. Through this program I will be exposed to new techniques and practices used to study speciation, phylogeography and genomics.

O – Original Inquiry
I am currently researching hybridization and introgression between two species of milkweed in Dr. Steve Hovick’s lab. Using Next-Gen sequencing technology and morphometric analysis, we hope to further elucidate the relationship between these two species.

A – Academic Enrichment
I will continue to take rigorous courses that will stimulate my academic growth within the EEOB department. I hope to continue to specialize in genetics, supplementing my research by taking academic courses. Additionally, taking extra chemistry classes could prepare me for more diverse graduate school opportunities.

L – Leadership Development
Currently I am the vice president for the Evolution and Ecology Club here at OSU. We host speakers, go camping and connect EEOB faculty and graduate students to undergraduates. Recently we attended a Bioblitz in Wayne National Forest and helped identify hundreds of species present in the regions we surveyed.

S – Service Engagement
I try to be as active within service as I can but hope to continue to improve this area of my college career. I have spent time volunteering at Bio Sci Scholars events including a local food bank and retirement community. Over my remaining two years I would like to become active with another environmental group, like the one I was a part of freshman year.

Career

My current career plan is to attend graduate school and attain an advanced degrees, first a masters then a doctorate. I hope to remain in the field of evolution and ecology and would like to go on to lead my own research program some day. Over the past two years, being a part of ongoing scientific research has been one of the best parts of my time at Ohio State. The things I’ve learned from the graduate students and professors in the EEOB department have helped me become a more scientific and curious person and I would like to someday help other students the same way.

Current CV: CV_Hofford_12-12-17-18sasxl
Current Linkedin: Nate Hofford Linkedin

Sawmill Wetlands Protection

I am a part of a group of students at OSU who are dedicated to preserving and evaluating the Sawmill Wetlands. The land is currently being fought over in court and is at risk of being developed. The group is very new and does not yet have a name. I am currently working on a website for our community partner, Friends of Sawmill Wetlands, and am experimenting using the same platform our ePortfolios are on.

(Image Credit: Josh Long)