Internal Grants
Faculty Development & Research (FDR)—Major Grants James Maroney College of Arts and Sciences | Music Public Lecture-recital of the Opera Arias Composed by George Frideric Handel for the Tenor John Beard during the Composer’s Years at Covent Garden Opera House Amount Awarded: $6,025 Overview: This project will result in a public lecture-recital presentation devoted to the opera arias composed by George Frideric Handel for the tenor John Beard during the composer’s years of residence at Covent Garden Opera House in London (1734-1737). The arias will be sung by James Maroney accompanied by a chamber orchestra of professional musicians, interspersed with lecture and written information that discusses each aria’s musical traits as well as its function within the larger framework of the entire opera. Information will also be provided on the historical background of George Frideric Handel and John Beard, as well as the history and plot synopsis of each opera. Also intended for discussion will be the specific character role assigned to John Beard in each opera and an overall assessment of his vocal and musical capabilities as suggested by George Frideric Handel’s music. The lecturerecital will be presented at East Stroudsburg University in October of 2014.
Terry Master College of Arts and Sciences | Biological Sciences Riparian Birds as Indicators of Climate Change Amount Awarded: $5,565 Overview: Birds are at the forefront of use as bio-indicators of climate change with many species showing range shifts and changes in the time of breeding activities as a result of warming temperatures. The Louisiana Waterthrush has a proven record as a bio-indicator of other human impacts on their environment. Together with the Northern Waterthrush, which has not been investigated for its bioindicator potential, both species cover a wide range of aquatic habitats in Pennsylvania from high elevation bogs to both fast and slow moving headwater streams at all elevations. This project sought to determine the effectiveness of waterthrushes as barometers of climate change by using distribution, foraging and reproductive metrics to investigate responses that may have already occurred due to the climate change. The project also intended to establish baseline relationships between environmental and bird variables for continuing graduate-student-based studies of the effect of warming temperatures on aquatic ecosystems.
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