Confocal Imaging of the Drosophila Central Nervous System (Steve Crews Lab)
News
New Sea Turtle book co-edited by Ken Lohmann
Congratulations to Charles P. Postelle, Jr. Distinguished Professor Ken Lohmann, on the publication of a new book he co-edited with Jeanette Wyneken and John Musick. The Biology of Sea Turtles, Volume III provides a thorough summary of recent scientific advances in understanding the physiology, behavior, and ecology of sea turtles. READ MORE >>
BBSP “ART OF SCIENCE” COMPETITION WINNERS
Congratulations to the Biological & Biomedical Sciences Program “Art of Science” competition’s Third Place winner Jes Coyle (Allen Hurlbert lab), with her entry: “Symbiotic Continent” and Honorable Mention winner Jeff Sekelsky and lab, with their sculpture entry: “Polypropylenetenes”. This first-ever BBSP “Art of Science” competition was a great success, with over 50 entries created in various media including photography and digital images, paintings, videos and sculpture. View all the “Art of Science” entries >> (This page may not display correctly in some browsers.)
Conlon and Bautch labs publish in “Developmental Cell”
Congratulations to the Frank Conlon, Vicki Bautch and Joan Taylor research laboratories (collaborating at the UNC McAllister Heart Institute) for their April 29th Developmental Cell cover image and paper: “CASZ1 Promotes Vascular Assembly and Morphogenesis through the Direct Regulation of an EGFL7/RhoA-Mediated Pathway”. “These researchers have discovered that disrupting a gene that acts as a regulatory switch to turn on other genes can keep blood vessels from forming and developing properly.” READ MORE >>
KERRY BLOOM ELECTED TO AAAS MEMBERSHIP
Congratulations to Thad L. Beyle Distinguished Professor Kerry Bloom, who was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, “an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems”. The newly elected members join a prestigious membership list ranging from George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams to Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill. READ MORE >>
TY HEDRICK RECEIVES NSF CAREER AWARD
Congratulations to Biology Assistant Professor Ty Hedrick, who is the recipient of an NSF CAREER Award, one of the most prestigious NSF awards “supporting junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations”. READ MORE ABOUT NSF CAREER AWARDS >>
KYLE PALMQUIST RECEIVES “EUGENE P. ODUM AWARD”
Congratulations to Kyle Palmquist (Bob Peet’s lab) who received the 2013 Eugene P. Odum Award from the Southeastern Chapter of the Ecological Society of America for the best student paper presented on an ecological topic at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists. Kyle’s paper was titled “Species frequency patterns in the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystem: Characterizing the identity and dynamics of infrequent plant species.” READ MORE ABOUT ESA AWARDS >>
Genome Sciences Building Achieves LEED Gold certification
The Genome Sciences Building has achieved LEED Gold certification! This is an amazing accomplishment for a science building, especially one that includes a number of chemistry labs. LEED certification is a recognized standard that measures building sustainability, and demonstrates that a building is “green”. The Genome Sciences building features “a green roof, high-performance glazing, and the use of special concrete for high thermal efficiency”. The GSB’s LEED “gold” plaque will be displayed in the building’s lobby. Congratulations to Masaya Konishi, lead UNC Facilities Planner on the design team, and to the “Skidmore, Owings & Merrill” team of architects who worked so hard on this building.
Daisuke Urano receives “Eric E. Conn Young Investigator Award”
Congratulations to Daisuke Urano (Alan Jones lab), winner of the “Eric E. Conn Young Investigator Award” given by the American Society of Plant Biologists. “The award recognizes not only outstanding research but also demonstrated excellence in outreach, public service, mentoring, or teaching by plant scientists at the beginning of their careers.” MORE ABOUT THE CONN AWARD >>
UNC BIOLOGY STUDENTS INDUCTED INTO PHI BETA KAPPA
Congratulations to these UNC-CH students, enrolled as Biology majors or minors, for their Spring 2013 induction into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest academic honor society: Yash Neeraj Agrawal, Aiden Joy Berry, Chelsea Elizabeth Earley, Michael A. Gonzalez, Kai Kang, Rachel Lynn Kaplan, Molly Anne Laux, Nicole Lawing, Maheer Muhammad Masood, Jennifer Elizabeth Neal, Chelsea Elizabeth Steele, Michelle Marie Thompson, and Georgia Catherine Titcomb. READ MORE >>
Pat Pukkila Featured In Carolina Arts & Sciences Magazine
“Two-thirds of undergraduates will gain experience in research by the time they leave Carolina, thanks to Pat Pukkila’s leadership. During 14 years as the founding director of the Office for Undergraduate Research, she made the OUR program a national model. She retires in June after 34 years at UNC as a teacher, scholar and leader.” READ MORE >>
Jean DeSaix Featured In University Gazette Article
Congratulations to Biology Master Lecturer Jean DeSaix and fellow campus lecturers, who were featured in a recent “University Gazette” article on the dedication, value, and lengthy service records of campus fixed-term faculty. READ MORE >>
Lauren Buckley Selected as 2013 Frontiers of Science Fellow
Congratulations to Lauren Buckley, who was selected as a 2013 Frontiers of Science Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences and the Kavli Foundation and invited to participate as a speaker in the Kavli Foundation’s Frontiers of Science symposium. “The Academy’s Kavli Frontiers of Science symposia bring together outstanding young scientists to discuss exciting advances and opportunities in a broad range of disciplines.” READ MORE > >
Roger Brothers Receives Sea Turtle Symposium “Archie Carr Award”
Congratulations to Roger Brothers (Ken Lohmann lab), who received the “Archie Carr Award” for the Best Student Presentation at the 2013 International Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology & Conservation, hosted by the International Sea Turtle Society and held in Baltimore, Maryland. This honor provides each winner with a cash award, and recognizes excellence in graduate student research. The title of Roger’s oral presentation was “A Mathematical Model of Geomagnetic Imprinting in Sea Turtles.” READ MORE >>
Kenneth Lohmann paper published in Current Biology
Congratulations to Charles P. Postelle, Jr. Distinguished Biology Professor Kenneth Lohmann, for his recent paper published in Current Biology: “Evidence for Geomagnetic Imprinting as a Homing Mechanism in Pacific Salmon”. In this article, Lohmann and former UNC grad student Nathan Putman “provide the first empirical evidence of geomagnetic imprinting in any species and imply that forecasting salmon movements is possible using geomagnetic models”. READ MORE >> PAPER SUMMARY >>
Kathryn Kohl Wins the “Harold M. Weintraub Award”
Congratulations to Kathryn Kohl (Jeff Sekelsky lab) for winning the Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement during graduate studies in the biological sciences. Recipients of this prestigious national award receive a certificate, travel expenses and an honorarium, and participate in a scientific symposium to be held this spring at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. READ MORE >>
Jennifer Coble and Corey Johnson Receive 2013 Tanner Awards
Congratulations to Biology Lecturers Jennifer Coble and Corey Johnson, each of whom were honored with a 2013 UNC-CH Tanner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. According to UNC, the awards were created with a bequest by the Tanner family in 1952 to recognize excellence in inspirational teaching of undergraduate students, particularly first-year and second-year students. Each of the five 2013 winners received a one-time stipend of $ 7,500 and a framed citation. READ MORE >>
Publication of the “Flora of Virginia”
Congratulations to UNC Herbarium Director, Curator, and Research Assistant Professor Alan Weakley (along with J. Christopher Ludwig, John F. Townsend and Bland Crowder, Editor) on the landmark publication of the “Flora of Virginia”. This new publication, a collaborative effort with the Foundation of the Flora of Virginia Project Inc. and the Botanical Research of Texas Press, represents a continuation of the long tradition of UNC’s regional leadership in systematic and floristic biology. This publication describes approximately 3,200 plant taxa in 200 families, and features 1,400 captioned, scaled, and botanically accurate illustrations, along with 1,552 pages of text. READ MORE >> “A New Flora for the Old Dominion“ READ MORE >> The Flora of Virginia Project
Biology Co-Authors Publish Paper In Science
Congratulations to William Rand Kenan Professor Bill Marzluff and Research Professor Zbigniew Dominski, who are co-authors on a paper published in SCIENCE Magazine: “Structure of Histone mRNA Stem-Loop, Human Stem-Loop Binding Protein, and 3′hExo Ternary Complex”. This paper describes the structure of the complex that processes the 3′ ends of some of our cells most important mRNAs, the histones. This publication is a major milestone in Bill’s decades-long investigation of these critical cellular components. READ MORE >>
Clifford Parks receives ICS President’s Medal
Congratulations to Biology Professor Emeritus Clifford Parks, who received the President’s Medal from the International Camellia Society (ICS). The ICS President’s Medal, created to recognize people who make extraordinary contributions to the world of camellias, was presented to Dr. Parks in recognition of his valuable breeding work to create cold hardy camellias in the United States. READ MORE >>
Stephanie Nowotarski Video wins “Celldance” First Place Award
Congratulations to Biology Department Graduate Student Stephanie Nowotarski (Mark Peifer lab) whose video entitled “Drosophila Dorsal Closure” won the First Place award in “Celldance”, the cell biology video contest at the American Society for Cell Biology’s 2012 Annual Meeting. READ MORE >> WATCH THE WINNING VIDEOS >>
NEW PLANT SPECIES NAMED BY UNC RESEARCHERS
Alan S. Weakley, Herbarium director and Biology faculty member, and biology graduate student Derick B. Poindexter, have named a new rare plant species, Marshallia legrandii. Their taxonomic treatment was published in the journal Phytoneuron. READ MORE >>
BIOLOGY CO-AUTHORS PUBLISH ARTICLE IN CELL
Christopher Higgins, John Poulton, Bob Goldstein and Mark Peifer are co-authors on an article in the December 7 issue of Cell entitled “Noninvasive Imaging beyond the Diffraction Limit of 3D Dynamics in Thickly Fluorescent Specimens”. The article describes how to apply new microscopy technology (developed by the Betzig lab at HHMI’s Janelia Farm) to larger biological specimens, like whole worm or fly embryos. READ MORE >>
Kathryn Kohl, Corbin Jones and Jeff Sekelsky publish in Science
Congratulations to Kathryn Kohl, Corbin Jones and Jeff Sekelsky for the recent publication of their paper in Science entitled “Evolution of an MCM Complex in Flies That Promotes Meiotic Crossovers by Blocking BLM Helicase”. READ MORE >>
Bob Peet named a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America
Congratulations to Bob Peet who has just been named a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America (ESA). The Society designates as Fellows of the Society certain members who have made outstanding contributions to the wide range of fields served by the ESA. SEE THE FELLOWS LIST >> READ MORE >>
Three Biology Faculty Elected AAAS Fellows
Three faculty members from the UNC-Chapel Hill Biology Department, Robert J. Duronio, Alan M. Jones, and Ann G. Matthysse are among 702 new scientists to have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society. This honor is bestowed upon association members by their peers in recognition of their distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. The AAAS will present the new fellows with a pin and a certificate on Feb. 16, 2013, at its annual meeting in Boston. 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.
Seung Samuel Choi, Stephanie Manisha Doctor, Henry Washburn Evans, Evan Michael Farina, David Gu, Matthew Adam Hodges, Brent Blackwell Hoffman II, Jessica Brooke Koontz, Robert Hollinshead Long, Paul Thomas McIntosh, Jacqueline Wynne Nichols, Scott Hunter Oppler Jr., Kathleen Marie Quintana, Kristen Knutsen Rosano, Patrick Joseph Short, Trent L. Wei, Mary Katherine Weinel, Brooke Nichole Wolford, Jenna Leigh Wood, and Everett Glenn Young. READ MORE >>
Kelly Hogan Featured on Arts and Sciences Website
Kelly Hogan, award-winning senior lecturer and adviser in biology, teaches a Biology 101 section that has close to 400 students enrolled. She has made many changes in the way this large class is taught in order to provide better learning opportunities for all of those students. Kelly also co-chairs a task force set up by the College of Arts and Sciences to transform instruction in large lecture classes across the College. READ MORE >>
Max and Fran Hommersand Distinguished Seminar Series
The Department of Biology is proud to announce a new Distinguished Lecture series established by Paul and Mary Love Gabrielson - The Max and Fran Hommersand Distinguished Lecture in Biology. The new lecture series honors Dr. Max H. Hommersand (Professor Emeritus of Biology) for his years of research and teaching service to the university and his wife Fran Hommersand for her years of service establishing and curating (along with Max), the Algal Herbarium. The annual lecture will be presented by a distinguished scholar in the area of Evolution, Ecology or Organismal Biology.
David and Karin Pfennig’s New Book on Biodiversity is Published
Congratulations to Karin and David Pfennig on the publication of their new book, Evolution’s Wedge: Competition and the Origins of Diversity, which explores competition’s role in generating and maintaining biodiversity. READ MORE >>
Faculty Job Opportunities
The Department of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill invites applications for two faculty positions — a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Evolutionary Biology and a Lecturer in Biology. READ MORE >>
DAVID PFENNIG APPOINTED TO ROYSTER DISTINGUISHED PROFESSORSHIP
Congratulations to Biology Professor David W. Pfennig, who has been appointed the Caroline H. and Thomas S. Royster Distinguished Professor for Graduate Education. During his three-year appointment, Pfennig will serve as Director of the Royster Society of Fellows, a selective interdisciplinary fellowship program administered by the UNC-Chapel Hill Graduate School. READ MORE >>
Courtney Endres Research Featured in “The Economist”
Congratulations to Courtney Endres (Ken Lohmann lab), a Biology EEOB graduate student, whose loggerhead turtle olfactory research was featured in an article in “The Economist”, a prominent British magazine that focuses on economic issues. READ MORE >>
Gregory Copenhaver Appointed Editor-in-Chief of PLoS Genetics
Congratulations to Associate Professor Gregory Copenhaver who has been appointed as Editor-in-Chief for PLoS Genetics. PLoS Genetics is a top-tier, peer-reviewed journal in the field of genetics and has been at the forefront of open-access publishing. READ MORE >>
“My Life As A Plant” Published by ASPB
Congratulations to Professor Alan Jones (along with collaborators Jane Ellis and Janice Anderson) on the American Society of Plant Biologists funded publication of “My Life As A Plant”, an exciting coloring & activity book that inspires younger children to explore the world of plants and the 12 Principles of Plant Biology. UNC Undergraduate Biology Students Jordan Humphrey and Emily O’Mara were part of the Design Team that produced this extremely successful book, which is already undergoing translation for distribution to other countries. READ MORE >> UNC NEWS STORY >>
ENCODE COLLABORATORS PUBLISH HUMAN GENOME ANALYSIS
Congratulations to collaborators in the Terry Furey and Jason Lieb labs who were part of the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) mega-consortium that published its analysis of the human genome in 30 interconnected papers in Nature, Genome Biology and Genome Research. READ MORE >> VISIT THE NATURE ENCODE EXPLORER WEBSITE >>
Jian-Ke Tie’s manuscript selected as a JBC “Paper of the Week”
Congratulations to Jian-Ke Tie (Darrel Stafford lab), whose manuscript: ”Human vitamin K epoxide reductase and its bacterial homologue have different membrane topologies and reaction mechanisms” was selected as a Journal of Biological Chemistry “Paper of the Week”. These papers are selected by JBC Associate Editors and Editorial Board Members and represent the top 2% of papers reviewed in terms of significance and overall importance. An image submitted by Jian-Ke is also featured on the cover of the October 5th issue of JBC. READ MORE >>
Jeff Dangl’s lab members Publish research article in Nature
Congratulations to the Jeff Dangl lab graduate students Derek Lundberg, Sur Herrera-Paredes, and Scott Yourstone, SPIRE Post doc Sarah Lebeis and UNC undergrad Jase Gehring who anchored a team of scientists in the largest genomics-based analysis to date of root-associated bacteria that establish complex communities inside plant roots, contributing to plant health and growth, in a paper featured on the cover story in this week’s NATURE entitled: “Defining the core Arabidopsis thaliana root microbiome”. READ MORE >> READ THE ARTICLE >>
Alan Jones Lab research article published in Plant Physiology
Congratulations to Dr. Kun Jiang (Alan Jones Lab) and coworkers for having a research article (and cover image) published in Plant Physiology, an international journal devoted to physiology, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, genetics, biophysics, and environmental biology of plants. Their research demonstrated that it is possible to make informed mutations on the protein surface of an essential signaling molecule to confer specific plant growth and behavioral traits that may be beneficial to agriculture and avoiding detrimental traits often associated with standard genetic ablation. Congratulations also to UNC undergraduate researcher, Ms. Arwen Frick-Cheng, who is a co-author on this work. [Photo and art credits: Susan Whitfield, Paul Braly, Brian Nalley, and Alan M. Jones. Cover image copyright 2012 by Alan M. Jones, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.] READ MORE >>
Alakananda Das Receives HHMI International Student Research Fellowship
Congratulations to Alakananda Das, a Biochemistry & Biophysics Ph.D. student (Kevin Slep lab), who was awarded a 2012 Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Student Research Fellowship for her project entitled: “Elucidating the mechanism of the Che-12-dependent ciliogenesis through in vivo, biochemical and structural analysis”. This three year fellowship from the HHMI supports outstanding international predoctoral students studying in the United States. READ MORE >>
Mira Pronobis receives HHMI International Student Research Fellowship
Congratulations to Mira Pronobis, a Genetics and Molecular Biology Ph.D. student (Mark Peifer lab), who was awarded a 2012 Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Student Research Fellowship for her project entitled: “Regulating Wnt signalling via the tumor suppressor APC: Defining the catalytic cycle of the beta-catenin destruction complex and its interface with the E3-ligase”. This three year fellowship from the HHMI supports outstanding international predoctoral students studying in the United States. READ MORE >>
Meredith Newton receives NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
Congratulations to Meredith Newton, a 2012 UNC-CH Biology major graduate and former women’s lacrosse player, who has been awarded a prestigious $7,500 NCAA Postgraduate scholarship. Along with her multitude of athletic accomplishments, Meredith accumulated many academic honors as a UNC student and will begin medical school this fall. READ MORE > >
Gregory Copenhaver research article published in “Science”
Congratulations to Associate Professor Gregory Copenhaver, whose research article “FANCM Limits Meiotic Crossovers” recently appeared in SCIENCE magazine. The article identifies the FANCM helicase as a major factor limiting meiotic crossover formation, and that its manipulation could be very important to plant breeding. The article was also selected for a highlight in the “This Week in Science” section of the same journal issue. READ MORE >>
Alan Jones elected president of the American Society of Plant Biologists
Congratulations to Professor Alan M. Jones, who was recently elected President of the American Society of Plant Biologists, a professional society devoted to the advancement of plant sciences. READ MORE >>
Ben Ritchie receives an AHA predoctoral fellowship
Congratulations to Ben Ritchie, a Biology Ph.D. student (Mark Peifer lab), who was awarded a predoctoral fellowship from the Mid-Atlantic Affiliate of American Heart Association for his project entitled “Mechanisms by which Abelson kinase regulates the actin cytoskeleton during morphogenesis and organogenesis”. The fellowship begins July 1, 2012 and lasts for two years. READ MORE >>
Jeff Dangl wins American Phytopathological Society Award
Congratulations to John N. Couch Professor Jeff Dangl, who has won the Ruth Allen award from the American Phytopathological Society. This award is given annually to honor individuals who have made an outstanding, innovative research contribution that has changed, or has the potential to change, the direction of research in any field of plant pathology. READ MORE >>
Ken Lohmann lab publishes research on sea turtle navigation
“The most comprehensive perspective to date on how young loggerheads navigate the transoceanic migration was recently published in two complementary papers produced by a research team led by Professor Kenneth J. Lohmann, a marine biologist at UNC-Chapel Hill.” Simulating transoceanic migrations of young loggerhead sea turtles: merging magnetic navigation behavior with an ocean circulation model appears in June 2012 issue of The Journal of Experimental Biology. READ MORE >> A related paper, The magnetic map of hatchling loggerhead sea turtles, was published in the April 2012 issue of Current Opinion in Neurobiology. READ MORE >> An interesting article and video link on the Lohmann loggerhead navigation research project also appears on the UNC-CH “Spotlight” website. VISIT THE SITE >>
“Butterflies and Science” Blog Featured in News and Observer
Congratulations to evolutionary biology graduate students Jessica Higgins and Sarah Seiter (Joel Kingsolver lab), whose blog “Butterflies and Science” was recently featured in the Raleigh News and Observer. READ MORE >> VISIT THE BLOG >>
PAT GENSEL RECEIVES 2012 BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA MERIT AWARD
Congratulations to Biology Professor Pat Gensel, recipient of the 2012 Botanical Society of America Merit Award. This award is given in recognition of excellence in basic research, education, public policy, or exceptional service to the professional botanical community. READ MORE >>
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 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 »