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Fall 2017 Seminar Series

Date Seminar (All seminars are in 303 Shoemaker at 2:00pm unless specified)
Aug. 25 No Seminar
Sept. 1 No Seminar
Sept. 8 Dr. Marcella Kelly, Associate Professor, Virginia Tech, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, “Non-invasive sampling reveals insights into carnivore co-existence in forested ecosystems” (Hosted by: Dr. Richard Buchholz)
Sept. 8,     3:30pm Victoria Monette, M.S. student thesis prospectus, “Ecological Factors Associated with Habitat Use of Baird’s Tapirs (Tapirus bairdii)” (Dr. Richard Buchholz)
Sept. 15 Dr. Leslie Rissler, NSF Program Officer, “Broader Impacts: Speaking Evolution and Gender Issues in Science ” (Hosted by: Dr. Ryan Garrick)
Sept. 18,   Monday, 3pm Sarah Russell, M.S. student thesis prospectus, “Patterns in the Dragonfly Microbiome through Life Stages and Its Ability to Harbor Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria” (Dr. Colin Jackson)
Sept. 22 Dr. Ben Sikes, Assistant Professor, University of Kansas, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, “The potential for feedbacks between fire and soil biota in pyrogenic ecosystems” (Hosted by: Dr. Stephen Brewer)
Sept. 29 Dr. Maheshi Dassanayake, Assistant Professor, Louisiana State University, Dept. of Biological Sciences, “Niche Adaptations of Plants: Insights from Extremophyte Genomics” (Hosted by: Dr. Sarah Liljegren)
Oct. 6 Dr. David Hillis, Professor, University of Texas at Austin, Dept. of Integrative Biology, “Applications of the Tree of Life” (Hosted by: BISC 160 team)
Oct. 13 Dr. Andy Alverson, Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas, Dept. of Biological Sciences, “Illuminating diatom dark matter: Evolution and diversification of a hyperdiverse eukaryotic lineage” (Hosted by: Drs. Ryan Garrick & Beckie Symula)
Oct. 20 Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean, Biologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of STD Prevention, Natl Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, “Applications of genomic and phylogenomic methods to combat antibiotic resistant gonorrhea” (Hosted by: Drs. Ryan Garrick & Beckie Symula)
Oct. 27  Dr. James Stewart, Associate Professor, University of Mississippi, School of Pharmacy, “Rap1a Intersects AGE/RAGE Signaling in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus” (Hosted by: Dr. Ryan Garrick)
Oct. 30, Monday, 3pm Matt Pintar, Ph.D. student dissertation defense, “Risk, reward, and the role of habitat selection on community dynamics in temporary ponds”, (Dr. William Resetarits)
Nov. 3 Dr. Hal Halvorson, Postdoc, University of Southern Mississippi, Dept. of Biological Sciences, “Blurry boundaries between green and brown: directions, magnitudes, and mechanisms of algal priming of litter decomposition ” (Hosted by: Dr. Colin Jackson)
Nov. 10 Dr. Kim Terrell, Director of Research and Conservation, Memphis Zoo, “Sperm, Germs, and Pachyderms: Conservation Eco-Physiology at Memphis Zoo” (Hosted by: Dr. Richard Buchholz)
Nov. 13,    Monday, 3:30pm Maria Pena, M.S. student thesis prospectus, “The Role of Gi/o in Learning and Memory in Drosophila melanogaster” (Dr. Gregg Roman)
Nov. 15,    Wednesday, 2pm Lauren Fuller, Ph.D. student dissertation prospectus, “Description and Alleviation of the Stress Response in Sharks” (Dr. Glenn Parsons)
Nov. 17 Dr. John Thompson, Professor, University of California at Santa Cruz, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, “What have we learned in recent years about the process of coevolution?” (Hosted by: Drs. Jason Hoeksema and Erik Hom)
Nov. 24 Thanksgiving – No Seminar
Nov. 30, Thursday, 9am Gemma Lionheart, M.S. student thesis defense, “The impact of simulated microgravity on the growth of the model legume plant Medicago truncatula” (Hosted by: Dr. Jason Hoeksema) *Room 213 Shoemaker
Nov. 30, Thursday, 3:30pm Chase Caldwell, M.S. student thesis defense, “title TBA” (Hosted by: Dr. Marjorie Holland) *Room 213 Shoemaker
Dec. 1 Dr. Seth Bordenstein, Associate Professor, Vanderbilt University, Depts. of Biological Science and Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, “The Microbial Basis of Animal Speciation” (Hosted by: Dr. Erik Hom)