IGDP in Ecology Newsletter

December 2008 Volume 5 No 3 Know of any accomplishments by Ecology graduate students, postdocs or faculty? Send them along to Stephanie Lessard-Pilon ([email protected]) to have these accomplishments published in the newsletter!

New student-taught class a success -Ruscena Wiederholt Comments from people involved with the course: A student-organized introductory Ecology course, called Concepts in Ecology (ECLGY “It was a great opportunity to get some 597E), was offered for the first time this Fall. lecturing experience, especially on The objective of the course was to provide an topics I hadn't taught before, and the overview of basic ecological concepts and immediate feedback from the theory for new Ecology graduate students or students was extremely helpful”. -Angie Luis interested students from other departments. (instructor) The course was taught by a number of Ecology graduate students and post-docs “I thought it was an excellent course and a and covered a variety of topics including great idea. My liberal arts education in population, community, and quantitative undergrad was great in a lot of ways, but it ecology. When possible, the course was weak in ecology. This class allowed me paralleled the topics discussed in Classical to learn about the fundamentals of the Ecology in order to provide background on science. I used what I learned in this class in the classic papers and articles discussed that my classical ecology course every week, and week. also in designing my own research proposal. I also think it is a great opportunity to meet The course was the brainchild of Marc other ecology colleagues, from the first year Goebel and Stephanie Lessard-Pilon, who students taking the class to the students also organized and administrated it. Besides farther along in their research that are helping new graduate students gain a good teaching it, to post docs that are working in overview of ecology, it was also a learning the programs.” -Laura Russo (student) experience for the instructors. The students enrolled in the course evaluated each lecturer “The course was fun to teach, because the and provided advice on how to improve the grad students taking it represented a diverse lectures and presentation styles. For my group, including ecology, rural sociology, and part, I have a newfound appreciation for all wildlife and fisheries. It was also a great professors and the time required to organize opportunity for real teaching experience, one measly lecture! which can be hard to come by early in the career of aspiring scientists”. -Glenna Malcolm (instructor)

1 Don’t Be Such a Scientist: Randy Olson Lectures on Scientific Communication -Kristen Granger

In September, the Eberly College of Science hosted Randy Olson for the 2008 A. Dixon and Betty F. Johnson Lecture in Scientific Communication. Olson’s visit was a unique three-day series: the former marine ecologist is now a filmmaker, and the first two days involved screenings of his documentaries, Flock of Dodos and Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy, followed by discussion sessions. The official lecture was held on the third day.

Flock of Dodos examines the controversy surrounding the teaching of in American schools, paying particular attention to the debates in the 1990’s. In the film, Olson explores the apparent success of the movement in winning followers. He argues that while intelligent design proponents, and particularly the , make a concerted effort to convey their message in a way that the Don’t be so literal. Scientists tend to think the public can understand, scientists generally do facts will speak for themselves, but not. Scientists are failing public relations on unfortunately, communication is not always a basic level, and as a result, scientific so simple. Olson cited as an example the education and policy are suffering. Pew Oceans report, which had a great deal of information, and an important message, The basic dilemma of communication (one but little impact outside of the scientific explored to a greater extent in Sizzle) is how community. In the movie industry, Olson to strike a balance between the substance of pointed out, studios spend almost as much your message and the stylistic way it is money marketing a film as they do making conveyed. Scientists, Olson argues, often the movie. The scientific community needs to struggle because they try to cram too much learn to market their science. substance into their message. Bogged down by a relentless deluge of facts, their audience Don’t be such a lousy storyteller. In a way, becomes lost or bored. Olson offered these scientists already know how to write a story words of advice for how scientists could —it is inherent in the structure of research begin to communicate more effectively: don’t papers. However, scientists need to learn be such a scientist! In practice this means: how to transfer that to a format that will reach a broader audience. Olson points out that he Don’t be so cerebral. To connect with a broad tried to follow a mythic structure in Flock of audience, scientists must learn to filter their Dodos, with a real dilemma and antagonist. message from their head, and ensure that it In transferring their message to a compelling contains sincerity, emotion, and, of course, format, however, scientists risk two types of sex appeal. error: “errors of fact, and errors of boredom.”

2 Though Olson is not advocating anything Doing Soil Ecology in Poland and other than complete accuracy, he said he Germany and finding the money to pared down the information contained in the pay for it Flock of Dodos to prevent from boring his -Kevin Mueller audience, but what is there is accurate.

(Sizzle was his experiment with including My first two years at Penn State were spent even less information; a choice that has in the classroom or at my laptop making made it rather unpopular with scientific official pleas for research dollars to EPA, reviewers.) NSF, DOE, NASA and anyone else who

would listen. After year two I had zero Don’t be so unlikeable. The major error Olson dollars, so I sent out another round of saw scientists commit while filming Flock of proposals with my fingers crossed with extra Dodos was that their rude and fervor. One of the goals of my proposals was condescending attitudes made them lose the to support a sampling trip to an experimental sympathy and attention of the general public. forest in Poland and subsequent lab work in a Scientists can be smart and sympathetic to a soil science laboratory in Germany. Luck and broader audience, without dumbing down lots of help from my collaborators and their message. advisors at Penn State (David Eissenstat –

Ecology; Kate Freeman – Geosciences) It behooves scientists to learn to helped make the third time a charm. communicate, regardless of whether they are interested in policy-making or reaching the The gullible parties were NSF’s Office of general public. Olson’s visit highlighted the International Science and Education (OISE), potential scientists have for using their which provided $18,000 via a Doctoral expertise for the benefit of society. Modern Dissertation Enhancement Proposal (DDEP), society is increasingly dependent on science and the European Association of Organic and technology, and many of the most pressing issues we face will require a sound Geochemists, which provided ∈5,000 via an understanding of science in order to make international travel scholarship. The NSF intelligent decisions. For this reason, Olson’s OISE DDEP is similar to NSF’s Division of message is pertinent and timely: it is more Biological Sciences Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (DDIG), having similar important than ever for scientists to learn how requirements but the to win the information wars. goal of promoting international research experiences for

graduate students and, I suspect, a more Some opportunities in scientific favorable funding rate. communication and outreach for Ecology

students: So my family and I headed to Europe for 3

months of work and fun, along with 1000 Great Insect Fair pounds of luggage, soil sampling equipment, Ag Progress Days very breakable glass jars, and a strange- Biodays looking carry-on which made me popular in Courses in scientific writing security lines; a LICOR 6200 for measuring WISER programs carbon dioxide. Two weeks in Poland were Governor’s school sufficient to collect my samples and do the initial sample processing. Then I packed my

rental car floor to ceiling and headed to Germany with a one-year old as navigator. It took almost a month of back and forth with my German collaborators to settle on a

3 ‘middle-ground’ methodology for one of my Please welcome our new faculty primary research objectives, separating the members! soil samples into different physical fractions with unique biogeochemical and ecological Dr. Andrew Read properties. During this discussion I learned is a professor in the much about the differences between doing Biology and Ento- science in America and Germany and the mology Depart- pros and cons of each system. ments, and an

Eberly College of In the end, I’m certain I was able to conduct Science Dis- my research at a higher level as a result of tinguished Senior the resources and expertise that were Scholar. His uniquely available in Poland and Germany. research focuses The grand statements I made in the on the ecology and evolution of infectious proposals about the benefits of international, disease. His work exploits modern notions of interdisciplinary research still seem a little adaptive evolution to attack biomedically and rosy, but I actually believe them now. I’m theoretically challenging phenomena like grateful to the funding agencies for buying virulence and infectiousness, adaptation to those rosy statements, and to PSU and the new hosts, and vaccine escape, and drug Ecology program in particular for providing an and insecticide resistance. His research environment that encourages students to group works on questions involving seek scientific independence both evolutionary biology, ecology, parasitology, intellectually and financially. Now I have microbiology, genetics, and immunology. enough samples and research dollars to keep Currently, much of the work concerns the me busy for at least two years, and I look three players that cause malaria (the forward to writing manuscripts instead of parasite, vertebrate host and mosquitoes), as proposals. well entomopathogenic fungi and Marek's

disease of chickens. In the past, he has also worked on the parasites of Daphnia, African trypanosomes, and parasitic nematodes of mammals. He comes to us from the University of Edinburgh, where he was a professor of Natural History from 1993 to 2007.

Dr. John Tooker, an assistant professor in the Entomology de- partment, focuses his research on ecological applications of chemical ecology. He Kevin Mueller’s field site in Poland. is specifically interested in tri-trophic interactions, especially in agricultural systems, in induced host-plant defenses, and in gall-inducing insects. Dr. Tooker received his PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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Dr. Tomas Carlo-Joglar is an ecologist who Dr. Dale Holen, who presented a paper, makes connections between ecological “Mixotrophy in two species of Ochromonas” patterns and processes for the British Society for Protist Biology and who studies biotic spring meeting in Gregynog, Wales. interactions such as mutually beneficial Dr. Jason Kaye, who received the 2008 relationships between Honored Alumnus award from the Graduate different organisms. Degree Program in Ecology at Colorado He has worked State, where he received his PhD in 2000. extensively with birds The program at CSU is a cross-campus, and is interested in how they influence plant interdisciplinary program similar to IDGP in distributions by eating fruit and dispersing Ecology at Penn State. seeds. More recently, Carlo has been collaborating on a project to study the Dr. Susan Parks, who received the Office of evolutionary ecology of wild chilies in Bolivia, Naval Research Young Investigator Award developing a method for that uses stable this spring. ONR Young Investigators are isotopes to track the dispersal of chili seeds. considered among the best and brightest He also is conducting research on the young academic researchers in the country. ecology of invasive Green Iguanas in Puerto The awards recognize research Rican mangrove forests. He hopes that his achievements, potential for continued work not only will contribute to advancements outstanding research efforts, and strong in theoretical ecology, but also will help guide support and commitment from their restoration and conservation efforts. Dr. respective universities and research Carlo received his doctoral degree in ecology institutions. Young Investigator Awards and evolutionary biology from the University provide recipients with up to $100,000 a year of Colorado in 2005, and comes to us after for a period of three years with additional completing an NSF Postdoc at the University funding for equipment or collaborative of Washington. research with a Navy lab. ONR's Young Investigator Program seeks to identify and In other news… support academic scientists and engineers The new Ecology Graduate Student who have received Ph.D. or equivalent Organization webpage is up and running! degrees within the past five years and who The URL is http://clubs.psu.edu/up/egso. If show exceptional promise for doing creative you have any suggestions for what you’d like research. The objectives of this program are to see on the website, please email Leah to attract outstanding faculty members of Wasser ([email protected]). institutions of higher education to the Department of the Navy's research program, to support their research, and to encourage their teaching and research careers.

Congratulations to… Dr. Jason Rohr and Dr. Hunter Carrick, who recently published a paper with several Britta Teller, who recently co-authored a colleagues in Nature. The paper was titled paper, titled “Consequences of Density “Agrochemicals increase trematode infections Dependence for Management of a Stage- in a declining amphibian species”, and was Structured Invasive Plant (Alliaria petiolata)”, authored by Jason R. Rohr, Anna M. by Eleanor A. Pardini, Brittany J. Teller and Schotthoefer, Thomas R. Raffel, Hunter J. Tiffany M. Knight, which was published in the Carrick, Neal Halstead, Jason T. Hoverman, American Midland Naturalist. Catherine M. Johnson, Lucinda B. Johnson, 5 Camilla Lieske, Marvin D. Piwoni, Patrick K. Evolutionary Ecology Spring Seminar Schoff & Val R. Beasley. The paper ties the Series Preliminary Schedule application of commonly used fertilizers and pesticides to disease in a declining amphibian (leopard frogs). The work Please reserve time for next semester’s cautions about the use of the these seminar series! Seminars are tentatively chemicals and provides another explanation scheduled for 4 o’clock on Monday for declining amp. populations that may be afternoons. The theme of the seminar series applicable to other places in the world. is Evolutionary Ecology to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and the th Dr. Paul Bartell, who was invited to give a 150 anniversary of the publication of The presentation titled, "Circadian Clocks and Origin of Species. This seminar series looks Zugunruhe," in Mara, Kenya this July at the to be very exciting! It is supported by 4th International Conference for Comparative contributions from the PSIEE, ENRI, and will Physiology & Biochemistry. The theme of the have speakers co-sponsored by Biology, meeting was "Molecules to Migration". Plant Biology and the Huck Institute. Current Randa Jabbour, who defended her PhD speakers and dates are as follows: dissertation, titled “Management effects on th epigeal arthropods and soil-dwelling February 9 - Beth Shapiro th communities during the transition to organic February 16 – Warren Abrahamson nd agriculture”, and who also recently received March 2 - Andrew Read th the ESA President's Prize for Poster March 16 – Norm Ellstrand th Presentation in the Biological Control March 16 * - Judge John Jones (tentative Section. Randa will be beginning a postdoc date) rd at Washington State University, and we wish March 23 – David Winkler th her the best of luck in her future! March 30 – Fred Gould th April 6 – Susan Kalisz th Eric Nord, who recently defended his PhD April 13 – Al Savitsky th dissertation, titled, “Patience is a virtue: April 20 – Steve Hubbell th Delayed phenology is an adaptive response April 28 – Craig Benkman for plants in soils with low phosphorus availability” and will graduate this semester.

Katherine Marchetto, who recently defended her Masters thesis, titled, “Abiotic and Biotic Factors Affecting Seed Release and Dispersal of the Invasive Thistles Carduus nutans and Carduus acanthoides”. Have a very good

Anna Starovoytov, who recently defended break and a Happy her Masters thesis, titled, “Residue management for enhancing sequestration of legume-based nitrogen”. New Year!

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