Research and Science Communication Assistance Program

Researcher Chance Noffinsinger Studying Russula in the Park
Researcher studying Russula mushrooms in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The mushroom genus Russula grows at various elevations, contributing to tree health.

NPS Photo

The mission of the National Park Service's (NPS) Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center (AHSLC) is twofold: (1) increase the volume and effectiveness of research in the Appalachian Highlands Network parks to meet management needs and (2) increase public access to, understanding of, and appreciation for these research activities.

The Research and Science Communication Assistance Program is here to address park science needs and provides desk space, lab areas, Geographic Information System (GIS) software, and lodging for researchers at The Purchase field station.

Priority will be given to projects of high research quality that support the AHSLC’s mission to understand and maintain the integrity of the mountain and plateau ecosystems in the Appalachian Highlands network and especially Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We encourage scientific research, public education, and outreach that leads to enhanced understanding and management of park resources. Research must adhere to NPS rules and regulations, including permits.

Each October, applicants can apply for the Research and Science Research Assistance Program. Selected recipients will be awarded up to $2,000 in assistance. The park cannot pay salary, similar personnel, or indirect cost. To receive an application form or to pose questions, please contact the Research Coordinator, Paul E. Super.








A Glimpse of Past Supported Projects by this Program

2017

  • Short-term Effects of Wildfire on Salamander Populations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.—John Crawford, National Great Rivers Research & Education Center, and others
  • Forest Dynamics Across the Hardwood – Conifer Ecotone in Great Smoky National Parks.—Andrew Evans, Texas A&M University


2018

  • Distribution and Habitat Occupancy of Carolina Northern Flying Squirrels in Great Mountains National Park Using Ultrasonic Acoustics.—Corinne Diggins, Virginia Tech University
  • Evaluation of Post-Fire Fungal Associations With Table Mountain Pine in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.—Alexis Case, University of Tennessee


2019

  • Continuing Long-term Research on the Effects of Wildfire on Salamander Populations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.—John Crawford, National Great Rivers Research & Education Center, and others
  • Assessing Vulnerability to Climate Change: Modeling Thermal and Moisture Regimes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park: 2019 Sensor Deployment.—Jason Fridley and Jordan Stark, Syracuse University



2020

  • Investigating 70 years of Population Change in Insects and Insectivorous Birds in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.—Graham Montgomery and Morgan Tingley, University of California at Los Angeles
  • Diversification of Chanterelles and Allied Mushrooms (Cantharellales).—Rachel Swenie, University of Tennessee



2021

  • Systematic Analysis of Russula in the Spruce-Fir Zone of the Southern Appalachians.—Chance Noffsinger, University of Tennessee
  • Fog Interception in High-elevation Needleleaf Coniferous Forests.—Sarah Praskievicz, University of North Carolina at Greensboro



2022

  • Testing the Potential for Using Soil Charcoal to Document Long-Term Shifts in the Distribution of Fraser Fir in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.—Sally Horn, University of Tennessee
  • Shedding Light on Batesian Mimicry: Investigating Biofluorescence amongst variable Phenotypes of the Southern Appalachian Endemic Salamanders, Desmognathus imitator and Plethodon jordani.—Jonathan Cox, University of Tennessee


Last updated: December 14, 2023