This Project Grant award, valued at $338,988, was provided by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Geosciences Program (CFDA 47.050) to Sam Houston State University (SHSU). The funding will support research examining the lifespan and growth rates of fossil bivalves to understand the evolutionary and environmental controls on longevity. The project aims to: 1) determine if lifespan is a heritable trait in bivalves, 2) explain body size trends through changes in life history strategy, and 3) investigate how latitudinal life history gradients shift under different climate conditions. The educational component will integrate this research into an undergraduate course, provide workshops for high school teachers and science education students, create paid research assistant positions for undergraduates, and increase community access to SHSU's natural history collections. This award reflects NSF's mission to expand fundamental knowledge and understanding of Earth systems through basic research in atmospheric, earth, and ocean sciences. No sub-awards are planned for this grant.
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