News & Announcements
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Honors Margery Coombs
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Honors Margery Coombs
At the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology’s (SVP) 75th annual meeting in October in Dallas, professor emeritus Margery Coombs, Biology and OEB, was awarded honorary membership, one of the three major academic career awards given by the society, to recognize her long career of “distinguished contribution to vertebrate paleontology.” The society is the premier international body for the interdisciplinary field of vertebrate paleontology. Coombs is internationally known for her research on fossil perissodactyls. News Release
Gilman and colleagues investigate springy mechanics of gecko toe pad adhesion
Gilman and colleagues investigate springy mechanics of gecko toe pad adhesion
Geckos employ dry adhesion, using a combination of microscopic hairs on their toe pads, as well as other aspects of internal anatomy, to climb vertical walls and run across ceilings, a skill that has long fascinated scientists. In particular, it’s a mystery how some species as much as 100 times heavier than others can use adhesion so effectively. Casey Gilman, OEB doctoral candidate, and colleagues have found that geckos have a spring-like mechanism in their bodies to enhance adhesion as they become larger. Gilman is first author on Geckos as Springs: Mechanics Explain Across-Species Scaling of Adhesion in PLOS One. In 2012, four of the authors, including Gilman's advisor Duncan Irschick, invented the flexible adhesive Geckskin. It mimics a gecko’s ability to strongly yet easily attach and detach their feet to walk on walls and ceilings.
Stengle Leading Nine-State Study of Fungus Deadly to Snakes
Stengle Leading Nine-State Study of Fungus Deadly to Snakes
OEB Ph.D. candidate Anne Stengle, is overseeing a federal grant in nine states that studies a mysterious fungus killing snakes in the Northeast. In less than a decade, the fungus has been identified in at least nine Eastern states, and although it affects a number of species, it's especially threatening to rattlesnakes that live in small, isolated populations with little genetic diversity, such as those found in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York. According to Stengle, the fungus has been found in all five rattlesnake populations in Massachusetts, but it doesn't appear to have had the high mortality rate reported elsewhere. Stengle's dissertation research is on habitat selection, connectivity and viability of the timber rattlesnake metapopulation in southwestern Massachusetts.
Evan Palmer-Young Awarded DDIG
Evan Palmer-Young Awarded DDIG
Evan Palmer-Young, OEB doctoral candidate in Lynn Adler's lab, has been awarded a $20,735 Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant from NSF's DEB for his project "Inter-strain variation and evolution of resistance to phytochemicals in the bumblebee trypanosome parasite, Crithidia bombi." Congratulations to Evan and Lynn!
Curtis recieves NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship
Curtis recieves NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship
OEB Ph.D. Candidate Caroline Curtis has been awarded a NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship for her proposal Using Time Series of Remotely Sensed Imagery to Understand Invasive Pine Dispersal. The $30,000 fellowship, renewable for up to three years, allows Curtis to study the temporal patterns of pine invasion in South America. Congratulations to Caroline and her advisor, Bethany Bradley.
Andrew Smith awarded DDIG
Andrew Smith awarded DDIG
Andy Smith, OEB doctoral candidate in Betsy Dumont's lab, has been awarded a $20,131 Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant from NSF's DEB for his project "The role of integration in driving the morphological diversity of mammalian jaws." Congratulations to Andy and Betsy!
TLDG Schedule and Readings
TLDG Schedule and Readings
The theme for this spring's Thursday Lunch Discussion Group (TLDG) is Interesting papers by upcoming seminar speakers. The schedule and readings are posted here. TLDG meets every Thursday from 12 noon - 1 p.m. in the OEB Seminar Room (319 MOR 2) and, as always, lunch is provided. The full OEB community is invited to join in discussions.
Spring 2015 Science Café
Spring 2015 Science Café
OEB Science Cafe's are back with our Spring Series! Science Cafe's have moved to Amherst Brewing Company and are now on Tuesday nights. The events are free, open to the public, and start at 6 p.m.
February 3
Neighborhood watch: Social eavesdropping in birds, with Sarah Goodwin
March 3
Deja vu: Repeated forms in evolution, with Dr. Daniel Moen
April 7
Developing diversity: The role of nature and nurture in evolution, with Dr. Kara Powder
May 5
Nature knows best: Biologically inspired technology, with Drs. Duncan Irschick and Al Crosby
Schneider's work on ant's farming armored scale insects featured in BBC Earth
Schneider's work on ant's farming armored scale insects featured in BBC Earth
Scott Schneider, joint OEB/Entomology PhD Candidate, studies the interactions between the Afrotropical ant genus Melissotarsus and the armoured scale insects from the family Diaspididae. His work on ant farmers is featured in Amazing animal farmers that grow their own food. For more information, check out Casey Gilman's story on Schneider's interesting discovery.
Search for Darwin Fellow underway
Search for Darwin Fellow underway
Our current Darwin Postdoctoral Fellow, Dan Moen, has accepted a position at Oklahoma State University and will be leaving at the end of his first year. A search for a new Darwin Fellow is now underway. Details can be found HERE. Applications are due by January 26, 2015.