News & Announcements
September Science Café
September Science Café
The OEB Science Café kicks off their Fall series on Monday, September 10th at Esselon Café in Hadley, MA with “How to Build an Organism: a DIY Guide.” Dr. Craig Albertson from UMass will discuss some of his work exploring the design and diversification of the animal body form, proceeding from the genetic blueprint to principles of animal development. The event begins at 5:30pm, with light snacks provided and drinks available for purchase. All Science Café events are free and designed for a public audience. Please help us to spread the word and pass along this information to anyone you think would be interested. For more information, please see oebsciencecafe.org
The Science Café series is organized by graduate students in the Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB) program at UMass. It is supported by the Society for the Study of Evolution, the Massachusetts Academy of Sciences, OEB, and the UMass Natural History Collections. We strive to bring engaging conversations about science to broad audiences by hosting Science Café events throughout the year.
OEB alum Susannah Lerman awarded NSF SEES Fellowship
OEB alum Susannah Lerman awarded NSF SEES Fellowship
2011 OEB alum Susannah Lerman was awarded a 3-year NSF Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability Fellowship for her project: Sustainability begins at home - Understanding linkages between stewardship, urban yards and biodiversity. She will be working with Keith Nislow and Erika Svendsen from the US Forest Service Northern Research Station (Amherst and New York City research stations) and Craig Nicolson from the Department of Environmental Conservation at UMass. Congratulations Susannah!
Ted Stankowich seminar: July 26
Ted Stankowich seminar: July 26
Spikes, Spines, Sprays, Shields and their Signals:
The Evolutionary Ecology of Antipredator Defenses in Mammals
12 noon
Thursday, July 26
222 Morrill II
Ted Stankowich, Darwin Fellow Emeritus, will present a seminar prior to his move to California to begin his new position as Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach. Pizza will be served before the seminar
Kudos to OEB students
Kudos to OEB students
• Congratulations to Chi-Yun Kuo, who received one of only 9 University Fellowships for Continuing Students awarded for 2012/13
• And also to Patrick Green, who was awarded the 2011/2012 OEB TA Award for his outstanding work in the Honors Introductory Biology course (Biology 197).
Recent grad Charney publishes in Evolution
Recent grad Charney publishes in Evolution
Noah Charney has a paper in the May 2012 issue of Evolution, Relating hybrid advantage and genome replacement in unisexual salamanders. Noah, who received his PhD in 2011, was a student of Paige Warren's. Congratulations Noah!
Del Toro awarded Fulbright for research in Australia
Del Toro awarded Fulbright for research in Australia
OEB Doctoral Candidate Israel Del Toro will spend the upcoming year in Australia as a Fulbright Fellow working at the CSIRO Tropical Ecosystems Research Centere with Dr. Allan Andersen. During his Fellowship, Del Toro will investigate how ant communities change across environmental gradients in the tropics and savannahs of the Northern Territory and Queensland. Congratulations!
Rosario shows that mantis shrimp pack one of the strongest punches on Earth
Rosario shows that mantis shrimp pack one of the strongest punches on Earth
Michael Rosario, OEB doctoral student and DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellow, is studying the physics, design and material properties behind the mantis shrimp's powerful punch. Rosario's work is detailed in a DEIXIS article . He and his advisor, Sheila Patek, have recently been featured in Ninja Shrimp on the National Geographic Wild Channel.
Concannon publishes in Molecular Ecology
Concannon publishes in Molecular Ecology
First year OEB MS student Moira Concannon has a first-authored paper in the February issue of Molecular Ecology. The paper, Kin selection may contribute to lek evolution and trait introgression across an avian hybrid zone, features her undergraduate research. Concannon works in the Albertson lab. Congrats Moira!
Spring 2012 TLDG
Spring 2012 TLDG
The theme for this spring's Thursday Lunch Discussion Group (TLDG) is Interesting papers by upcoming seminar speakers. On weeks without a seminar speaker, other topical papers will be chosen for discussion. Papers are posted on the TLDG website.
TLDG meets at 12:30 p.m. in 319 Morrill 2 and lunch is provided. All of the OEB community is invited to participate.
February Science Café: Antibiotics
February Science Café: Antibiotics
Antibiotics: Resistance is FutileMonday, Feb. 27th, 5:30pm Esselon Café, 99 Russell Street (Route 9), Hadley
Antibiotics. ‘Tis the season for…sniffles. Join us at the next Science Café for a conversation on the war we wage on germs. We’ll have a fun hour of discussion, games, music, and a talk by UMass Professor and founder of the MA Academy of Sciences, Dr. Peg Riley. Dr. Riley will discuss her own work on our need for new drugs to combat germs, and how we find them. The event begins at 5:30pm, with light snacks provided and drinks available for purchase.
