Project Grant 2541874

Federal Grant Award Summary

The Pennsylvania State University received a $1.21 million Project Grant awarded on July 1, 2026, through the National Science Foundation's Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074). This CAREER award funds five years of research (through June 30, 2031) investigating how swimming behavior shapes fin function and skeletal development in juvenile fishes, with the goal of understanding the evolutionary transition from aquatic to terrestrial locomotion in early tetrapods approximately 375 million years ago. The research addresses a significant gap in developmental biology by examining how juvenile behavior and mechanical forces contribute to adult skeletal anatomy, providing critical insights into the origins of tetrapod bone anatomy and the broader mechanisms driving skeletal evolution.

Beyond its scientific contributions, the award supports substantial educational and outreach initiatives. Penn State will develop a first-year research-intensive course that integrates undergraduate students directly into the research process, where they will digitize kinematic videos and develop semi-automated tracking methods using artificial intelligence and machine learning software. The project also includes a partnership with a local science education center to deliver hands-on evolutionary biology programming to thousands of K–5th grade students across central Pennsylvania. These integrated activities aim to expand access to research experiences for undergraduate students and inspire the next generation of scientists while advancing the university's research toolkit through new AI/ML approaches.