3D measurements made with digital tools are increasingly useful for studying morphology, but methods that capture sub-millimetric detail are rarely portable, inexpensive, or usable on live animals. These issues are especially troublesome when studying bird bills, which are often small, complex, and delicate to handle. I strove to develop a method that could cheaply, accurately, and quickly generate models of live hummingbird bills in the field. Using photogrammetry, I scanned Burke Museum specimens of several hummingbird species modifying aspects such as light, number of cameras, and number of photographs, to determine the ideal conditions for generating bill models. After developing a methodology, I scanned Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy) specimens from the Burke to establish the efficacy of the system in determining sexual dimorphisms in bill curvature and bill surface area. I then applied the methodology developed in the museum at a replicated setup in the San Juan Islands to study live Rufous Hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus). This system is capable of quickly capturing and posterior rendering high-resolution 3D models, is field-amenable, allows color analyses, is adaptable to subjects of a variety of sizes, and is easy to update. In hummingbirds, fine-scale details like sharpness, curvature, and minute variations in bill-tip shape can have large behavioral implications. They can tell us more about how bills are used for feeding, fighting, and preening. However, bill tips are delicate, and fine details are difficult to preserve and easily lost in museum specimens due to wear and tear. A complete picture of bill morphology requires individuals that cover a wider range of life history than those commonly available in a museum collection. The 3D imaging of these traits in the field represents a powerful new way to learn about bird bills and other fine-scale features in live animals.

Nectar feeding is an impressive ecological niche for a species to fill as it provides a high energy resource for the species, however, obtaining nectar efficiently and without damaging the flower, which will refill the reward, often requires unique specialized mechanisms that can vary among species. Both Anna’s hummingbirds (Calypte anna), from the United States, and White-naped honeyeaters (Melithreptus lunatus), from Australia, are species of birds that are considered primarily nectivorous and have developed morphology that is apt for nectivorous feeding mechanisms independently of each other. One common morphological feature between both species is their long tongue which has a bristled tip that has important nuanced similarities and differences between them. This research looks to analyze the morphological differences between these independently evolved mechanisms through comparing and contrasting the internal and external morphological features present in the tongues of Calypte anna and Melithreptus lunatus. These morphological comparisons are made from two methods; 1) comparing and contrasting external features through 3D models of the specimens tongues from CT scans compiled by using the program 3D slicer and 2) through using paraffin wax histology with hematoxylin and eosin staining to analyze internal cross sectional differences of tongue morphology between species. Understanding comparative differences like location of structures and which structures are present between these species, belonging to unrelated clades, provides insights into how this nectarivorous niche and associated feeding methods can be addressed in different species of birds that are in turn the main pollinators of coevolved plant species. Understanding these comparisons can add to the larger picture of how nectivorous species feed and what features are important enough for allocating energy towards development, as well as understanding plant-pollinator coevolution among continents.

In my research, I aim to analyze the impact certain tax global policies have on economic development depending on the countries' initial industrialization level. Using the development indicators published by the World Bank, among other sources, I will assess both a countries industrialization level and the impact of the tax policies. My research methods will combine theoretical economic frameworks with global, macroeconomic, and survey data. My unique approach will consist of statistical and historical data, looking into a variety of expert fields like health and education to assess the country. Thus, this paper will take an interdisciplinary approach to assessing economic conditions and policy impacts. Participating in this research will contribute to my transformative education by analyzing real world data and deriving policy recommendations. My work aims to advance our understanding of how tax policies impact both local and global development, with the ultimate goal of contributing to the design of more effective targeted tax policy. In this research, I expect one of two findings. Global tax policies that work well in industrialized nations work similarly or equally well in developing countries. Global tax policies that work well in industrialized nations fail to achieve the same results in developing nations. This concludes that tax policy recommendations have to be adjusted according to the industrialization level of the country.