Long-finned Squid (Doryteuthis pealeii) Bill Kier Lab
News
Gidi Shemer Receives Faculty Academic Advising Award
Congratulations to Biology Lecturer/Advisor Gidi Shemer, who has been named Winner of the Outstanding New Advising Award – Faculty Academic Advising, given by the National Academic Advising Association. “The NACADA Annual Awards Program for Academic Advising honors individuals and institutions making significant contributions to the improvement of academic advising. NACADA is a representative and advocate of academic advising and those providing that service to higher education.” READ MORE ABOUT NACADA >>
Jeremy Greeter Receives a 2012 NDSEG Fellowship
Congratulations to Jeremy Greeter (Ty Hedrick lab), who has been selected to receive a prestigious 2012 National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship, administered by the American Society for Engineering Education. The NDSEG Fellowships demonstrate the Department of Defense’s commitment to increase the quality and quantity of scientists and engineers in our country. READ MORE >>
Megan Rúa Receives NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Congratulations to Megan Rúa (Charles Mitchell lab), who was awarded a three-year NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship. Megan’s postdoctoral research project will begin in August and will be conducted in Dr. Jason Hoeksema’s laboratory at the University of Mississippi.
Kyle Palmquist Receives ASB Award Honorable Mention
Congratulations to Kyle Palmquist (Bob Peet lab) who received an Honorable Mention for the Eugene P. Odum Award for her talk entitled “Dramatic declines in small-scale species richness in longleaf pine savannas” at the Association for Southeastern Biologists annual meeting in Athens, GA. The Eugene P. Odum award is given by the Southeastern Chapter of the Ecological Society of America for the best oral presentation on ecological research given by a student at the annual ASB meeting.
BLAIRE STEINWAND RECEIVES SUTASA TEACHING ASSISTANT AWARD
Congratulations to Blaire Steinwand (Joe Kieber lab) who was awarded a 2011-2012 undergraduate teaching assistant award from the Student Undergraduate Teaching and Staff Awards (SUTASA) Committee at the Chancellor’s Award Ceremony. SUTASA Teaching award recipients are chosen on the basis of demonstrated teaching excellence, success in positively affecting a broad spectrum of students both in and outside of the classroom, and creation of a dynamic learning environment. READ MORE > >
Andrea Anton Receives University research day poster award
Congratulations to graduate student Andrea Anton (Ecology, John Bruno lab), who was honored at the 2012 University Research Day. Andrea’s poster won third place in the Biological Sciences Division. READ MORE >>
Kyle Palmquist and Nate Geraldi receive 2012 Impact Awards
Congratulations to graduate students Kyle Palmquist (Ecology, Bob Peet lab) and Nate Geraldi (Marine Sciences, Charles Peterson lab) who received 2012 Impact Awards from the UNC-CH Graduate Education Advancement Board. “The Impact Awards recognize outstanding graduate students whose research covers a variety of areas: education, the environment, economic development, health, public administration and more.” READ MORE >>
Abel Valdivia Receives Benthic Ecology Meeting Award
Congratulations to EEOB graduate student Abel Valdivia (John Bruno lab), who was awarded third place in the best student oral presentation category (out of 250 student talks) at the Annual Benthic Ecology Meeting. Abel’s talk was titled “Caribbean reef fish assemblage and tropic structure along a fishing pressure gradient”. READ MORE >>
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships
Congratulations to these UNC-CH students conducting research in Biology faculty laboratories for being named recipients of prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships: Graduate Students-Becky Bigler (Bill Marzluff lab), Diana Chong (Vicki Bautch lab), Fletcher Halliday (Charles Mitchell lab), Sophie Tintori (Bob Goldstein lab) and Honorable Mention-Megan Brady (Shaun Ahmed lab). Undergraduate Students-Susan Clark (Bob Goldstein lab). READ MORE >>
Bob Peet “Species Richness” Research Published
Congratulations to Professor Bob Peet, whose recent Journal of Vegetation Science research paper, “Plant species richness: the world records”, has attracted the attention of National Geographic, Science, and ScienceShot (AAAS), as well as other publications and newspapers. READ THE RESEARCH PAPER >> READ THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STORY >> READ THE SCIENCE STORY >> READ THE SCIENCESHOT (AAAS) STORY >>
Jean DeSaix Receives Mentoring Award
Congratulations to Biology Department Senior Lecturer Jean DeSaix, who received the “Faculty-to Student” Mentoring Award given by the Carolina Women’s Leadership Council. “The mentoring award recognizes an outstanding faculty member who makes an extra effort to guide, mentor and lead students as they make career decisions, embark on research challenges and enrich their lives through public service, teaching and educational opportunities.” READ MORE >>
Patricia Pukkila Heads New Functional Genomics Initiative
Congratulations to Biology Professor Patricia Pukkila, who heads a new international functional genomics initiative, funded by the Department of Energy through the Joint Genome Institute Community Sequencing Program. Professor Pukkila and her colleagues from around the world will characterize gene expression, chromatin dynamics and genome stability in the model mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea with the goal of expanding the range and efficiency of fungi that can be harnessed for industrial applications in alternative fuels, global carbon cycling, and biogeochemistry. READ MORE >>
Allen Hurlbert Publishes Research Article in PLoS
Congratulations to Assistant Professor Allen Hurlbert and former lab associate Zhongfei Liang, whose research article about the effects of climate change on bird migration patterns, “Spatiotemporal Variation in Avian Migration Phenology: Citizen Science Reveals Effects of Climate Change”, recently appeared in PLoS ONE. READ THE ARTICLE >> Dr. Hurlbert was also interviewed on WUNC (public radio) about this study. LISTEN >> Dr. Hurlbert’s research story was featured in the UNC-CH newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel. READ MORE >>
Bob Goldstein laboratory colleagues publish article in Science
Congratulations to Minna Roh-Johnson, Gidi Shemer and Chris Higgins, current and former members of Bob Goldstein’s lab, for an upcoming publication in Science on how cells change shape! SEE NEWS IN “THE SCIENTIST”>> READ PREPRINT OF ARTICLE IN SCIENCE >>
Courtney Endres Receives the 2012 Boyd Lyon Award
Congratulations to UNC biology graduate student Courney Endres, who was named the 2012 Boyd Lyon Award recipient. This is a new award that was given for the best talk at the Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Symposium, which is the premier meeting for sea turtle research and conservation in the United States. READ MORE >>
Professor Kerry Bloom Elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
Congratulations to Thad L. Beyle Distinguished Professor Kerry Bloom, who has been elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. The Academy is an honorific leadership group within the American Academy of Microbiology that “recognizes excellence, originality, and creativity in the microbiological sciences”. READ MORE >>
Senior Lecturer Jean DeSaix Receives a University Mentor Award
Congratulations to Senior Lecturer Jean DeSaix, who received a University Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement. The Mentor Award was created in 1997 and “acknowledges a lifetime of contributions to a broad range of teaching and learning, particularly beyond the classroom”. READ MORE >> SEE AWARDS RECIPIENTS >>
Professor Mark Peifer receives Sitterson Freshman Teaching Award
Congratulations to Hooker Distinguished Professor Mark Peifer, who received a J. Carlyle Sitterson Freshman Teaching Award. The Sitterson Award was created in 1998 to “recognize excellence in freshman teaching by a tenured or tenure-track faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences”. READ MORE >> SEE AWARDS RECIPIENTS >>
Biology Department Holiday Food Drive
And the winner of this year’s Biology food drive is… The needy people of Orange County! The food that was collected by the UNC Biology Department and delivered to the Inter-faith Council for Social Service (IFC) for distribution completely filled a Suburban van and a Honda Accord! While the analysis of which building had the most food donations is still under discussion, the outcome of these donations is that hundreds of meals will be served to needy Orange County families for weeks to come. Thanks to Blaire Steinwand for organizing this effort, Mark Peifer for leading the charge in Fordham Hall, John Craig for helping deliver the food to the IFC, and to all who so generously contributed!
Senior Lecturer Kelly Hogan Receives a Spirit of Inquiry Award
Congratulations to Senior Lecturer Kelly Hogan, who received a Spirit of Inquiry Award from the John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy. The Spirit of Inquiry program increases attention to quality teaching by recognizing faculty at North Carolina colleges and universities who teach difficult courses while emphasizing open intellectual inquiry. READ MORE >>
UNC Biology Students Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa
Congratulations to these UNC-CH students, enrolled as Biology majors or minors, for their induction into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest academic honor society: Ranjan Banerjee, Daniel Louis Bernstein, Ivy Pauline Brisbin, Kit Randall Broome, Nicolette Raquel Chahin, Scott Ryan Ellis, Roger Fan, Samuel Harrison Farber, John Michael French, Jessica Lauren Glatz, Matthew Steven Krantz, Jacqueline Christine Lee, Lei Lei, Zachary Ryan McCaw, Timothy Ryan Palpant, Madison Elizabeth Phillips, Brienne Rae Poole, Kavya Sekar, Eva Janet Stein, Kiri Elyse Sunde, Emily Barrows Welker, and Kelly Alicia Wolfe. READ MORE >>
Assistant Professor Lauren Buckley’s Research on Climate Change Published
Congratulations to Assistant Professor Lauren Buckley and UNC student Madison Foushee, whose research article “Footprints of Climate Change in U.S. National Park Visitation” was published in the International Journal of Biometeorology, and has also been picked up by numerous news organizations. In this study, Buckley and Foushee observe that some human weather-related behavior is being affected by global warming, notably the shifting of peak visitor attendance at U.S. national parks in response to a change in mean spring temperatures. READ THE ARTICLE >>
Professor Alan Feduccia’s new book has been published
Congratulations to S. K. Heninger Distinguished Professor Emeritus Alan Feduccia, whose new book, “Riddle of the Feathered Dragons: Hidden Birds of China” has just been published by the Yale University Press. “In this book, evolutionary biologist Alan Feduccia provides the most comprehensive discussion yet of the avian and associated evidence found in China, then exposes the massive, unfounded speculation that has accompanied these discoveries and been published in the pages of prestigious scientific publications.” -Yale University Press READ MORE ABOUT RIDDLE OF THE FEATHERED DRAGONS >>
Professor Jeff Sekelsky elected as a Fellow of the AAAS
Congratulations to Biology Professor Jeff Sekelsky, who has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The AAAS is an international organization that advances science around the world. Election as a Fellow of AAAS is an honor bestowed upon members by their peers, and recognizes distinguished efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications. The induction ceremony is scheduled for February 2012, and will be held in Vancouver, BC. READ MORE ABOUT THE AAAS >>
Professor Alan M. Jones Named A 2012-2013 Fulbright Scholar
Congratulations to George and Alice Welsh Distinguished Professor Alan M. Jones, who has been named a 2012-2013 Fulbright Scholar. The Fulbright Scholar Program sends U.S. faculty and professionals abroad to lecture and conduct research in a wide variety of academic and professional programs. Professor Jones will participate in scholarly exchange at the University of Queensland, located in Brisbane, Australia. READ MORE ABOUT THE FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR PROGRAM >>
Professor Jeff Dangl Heads New Genome Sequencing Initiative
Congratulations to Biology Professor Jeff Dangl, who heads a new genome sequencing initiative, funded by the Department of Energy. Professor Dangl and his colleagues will study the rhizosphere microbiomes of various plant species in order to better understand the plant genetics involved in determining the microbial communities associated with them, and how this information can be applied towards the fields of bioenergy and carbon cycling. READ MORE >>
New Biology Website Launches
Welcome to our new and improved Biology Department website. We hope you’ll explore the improved navigation structure and updated content, and enjoy the slideshow of images as you navigate from page to page. Special thanks to the UNC Digital Commons project for making it easy to adopt the Carolina website theme, and to all of the faculty and staff who worked hard to make the new website possible. LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK »
Faculty Job Opportunities
The Department of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill invites applications for two tenure-track faculty positions — an Assistant Professor in Metagenomics and an Assistant Professor in Quantitative Cellular Imaging. READ MORE »
Biology Faculty named Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation
Congratulations to Ken Lohmann, who was recently named a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN). The RIN was founded in 1947 with the goals of uniting professionals and amateurs interested in navigation, furthering the development of navigation, and increasing public awareness of the art and science of navigation. READ MORE ABOUT THE RIN »
Biology major Giffin Daughtridge wins Fullbright Award
Giffin Daughtridge was one of seventeen UNC students and recent graduates to receive 2011-2012 Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards to study, teach or conduct research in other countries. Giffin’s project, “The Epidemiology of the Hepatitis B Virus After 20 years of Vaccination,” will be conducted in Colombia. READ MORE »