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The Auburn NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program is delighted to highlight a compelling example of co-production and interdisciplinary collaboration among our trainees. Antrelle Clark, a doctoral candidate in Biological Sciences, and Andrew Balder, a master's graduate in Forestry and Wildlife, have formed a productive research partnership despite their distinct disciplines and lab groups.

Their collaboration is evident in their shared fieldwork experiences. Antrelle's research necessitates seasonal sampling of killifish from the Gulf, and Andrew has consistently served as her boat captain, facilitating these crucial data collection efforts. Reciprocally, Antrelle has attended Andrew's lab group meetings and plans to help in coastland ecology collection fieldwork. She has already gained valuable knowledge about plant diversity in wetlands and wetland functions through Andrew and his research team.

This partnership has fostered a significant exchange of skills and perspectives. For instance, this past winter, Antrelle demonstrated fish dissection techniques to Andrew, while he, in turn, taught her how to set fish traps. Both trainees have benefited from learning about each other's distinct ecological viewpoints.

We attribute this successful co-production to a couple of key factors. Firstly, the pre-existing collaborative relationship between their respective advisors: Moisés Antonio Bernal de Leon and Christopher Anderson, who rely on each other for research support, likely encouraged a similar dynamic between their graduate students. Secondly, their involvement in the NRT program played a crucial role. The program provided a platform for Antrelle and Andrew to learn about each other's individual research projects and skill sets, making it easier for them to identify areas for mutual assistance and initiate collaboration.

Encouragingly, Antrelle and Andrew plan to continue their joint research activities into the next year, extending their collaboration beyond the official end date of the NRT program, concluding summer 2025. This sustained partnership underscores the lasting impact of the AU NRT program in fostering meaningful, interdisciplinary research connections. Work based on NSF Grant #1922687.