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--THE EEB DRIFT--

Wendy Isner & Nick Kneen, Editors
Founded 1990, Tucson, Arizona
Submissions to the Drift need to be submitted by 5pm on Thursday. Email submissions to eebdept@email.arizona.edu

March 11 , 2005

-In This Edition -
-Monday Seminar Series

-Tuesday Seminar

-EEB Meeting with NSF's Program Director

-Last Day for EEB Staff Excellence Nominations

-Call For Proposals- Silliman Award

-Pi Day

-Food Drive

Monday Seminar Series

(no seminar March 14 due to Spring Break)

Next Seminar
Monday, March 21, 2005
4:00 pm
BSW 301

Dr. Adam Porter

Genetics & Ecology of Species Boundaries, Lepidopteran Biology,

Evolutionary Genetics, Insect Genomics, Mathematical & Statistical Modeling, Insect Conservation, Computer Simulation, Systematics, Evolution of Development, Insect Population Ecology, Chemical Control of Insects ,

University of Massachusetts , Amherst

“Cognitive dissonance at the species boundary: A reductionist's view of hybridization and differentiation in butterflies”

Many species hybridize while continuing to maintain the differences in diagnostic traits that systematists use to designate them as good species. That’s not supposed to happen: we tacitly assume diagnostic traits tell us not only about differentiation in the genes that generate those particular traits, but about underlying differentiation genome-wide. In my lab, we take a reductionist approach and assay genetic patterns across the genome using gene-mapping techniques and population sampling. We then look to see which parts of the genomes of hybridizing species are maintained as different and which parts are shared as part of a common gene pool. Posing the question properly depends substantially on the geography of hybridization, and I'll talk a bit about the implications of that distinction. In one case especially, the results are quite surprising: The sulfur butterflies Colias philodice and eurytheme hybridize in sympatry across most of North America, but maintain genetic differences only on their sex chromosomes. Part of their genomes behave as separate species, but the rest behaves as a common gene pool. So, should we treat them as one species or two? The answer depends on what goals you have for using species-level designations, and the best answer might well turn out to be, yes.

If you would like to schedule time with Dr. Porter:
Dan Papaj is organizing the schedule for Dr.Porter. Since March 21st is just after spring break, Dan is trying to schedule interested parties NOW, before spring break officially starts.
 Dr. Porter will be available mainly Monday Mar. 21st, though there may be time during spring break, perhaps Sunday 20th.  There are potential opportunities for Sunday night dinner, and Monday night dinner
 Please email Dan  ( papaj@email.arizona.edu ) with times on Monday that you can NOT meet, and he'll try to organize a schedule that accomodates all.  He will guarantee a 1/2 hour meeting, but let him know if you would want a 1 hour meeting and he'll oblige as many as possible.

See Dr. Porter’s online bio:
http://www.umass.edu/ent/faculty_staff/porter/index.html

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Tuesday Seminar
(no seminar March 15 due to Spring Break)

March 22, 2005
BSW 208
12:30pm-1:45pm

Michael D. Weiser (25 min) “Latitudinal gradients of range size and species richness in New World woody plants.”
Gabriela Wlasiuk (25 min) Mc1r and coat color variation in pocket gophers, Thommomys bottae.”

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EEB Meeting with NSF's Program Director

March 21, 2005
11:00am-12:00pm
BSW 302

Dr. Jerry O. Wolff, Program Director at the National Science Foundation (Integrative Organismal Biology), will be on-site visiting EEB, and will also hold a meeting with grads, postdocs, and faculty to discuss current funding opportunities in NSF and to answer any questions. Everyone is invited.

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Last Day for EEB Staff Excellence Nominations!

Today is the last day to submit your nomination for the EEB Staff Excellence Award!
Forms are available at the front desk, or email
ajburke@email.arizona.edu to get the electronic form.

Eligible Staff Members
Richard Boyer, Research Technician
Greg Barron-Gafford, Research Specialist
Joanne Cortez, Business Manager
George Ferguson, Laboratory Coordinator
Greg Greene, Research/Laboratory Assistant
Nick Kneen, Support Systems Analyst Sr.
Suzanne LaClair, Administrative Assistant for Advising
Jean Mason, Accountant
Margrit McIntosh, Support Systems Analyst
Connie Myers, Research/Laboratory Aide
Wendy Isner, Sr. Receptionist
Becky Nankivell, Administrative Secretary
Nicole Orenduff, Administrative Assistant
Catherine Pearson, Research Technician
Lilian Schwartz, Accountant
Jeffrey Sewall, Research/Laboratory Glassware Attendant
Dana Seaman, Research Specialist
Abreeza Zegeer, Research Specialist

One staff member will be chosen from each of two categories:
laboratory/technical staff and administrative staff. The EEB award winners
will be recognized at a College-wide banquet later this semester!

Thanks to everyone who has already taken a moment to demonstrate their
appreciation for our excellent staff!

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Call For Proposals
 
Ornithology Research ~ Silliman Memorial Research Award

We are soliciting proposals for undergraduate and graduate research projects with an emphasis on birds. Any student research project planned for the period from May 15, 2005 until May 1, 2006 with an emphasis on birds will be considered. Several awards will be granted in the range from $500 to $1500.

To submit a proposal, students should write a 2-4 page proposal that includes: A clear statement of the research question(s) and goals of the project, a brief description of the methods of the study, a proposed schedule for the study, and a brief justification for the funds. All awardees will be required to submit a progress report at the end of their project. On the front page provide contact information, including an e-mail address, other sources of funding, and faculty sponsor(s) of the research.

Proposals should be mailed or emailed to: Dr. Courtney J. Conway, School of Natural Resources, 104 Biosciences East, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721; cconway@ag.arizona.edu

Proposals must be received by April 1, 2005. Proposals will be evaluated by a faculty committee with members in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and School of Natural Resources. For further information contact Courtney Conway at 626-8535 or cconway@ag.arizona.edu.


The research awards are presented annually as a memorial to James Silliman, graduate of the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

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Pi Day

To celebrate Albert Einstein's Birthday and to help collect food for the UA4Food canned food drive, the Chemistry Department is celebrating Pi day!
It starts with the idea that the numerical value of Pi is 3.1415 and devolves into using March 14th (3.14) as the holiday where people get together and share Pie, or Pi if you will.

Monday, March 14th (3.14) bring non-perishable canned goods to Old Chemistry 221. In exchange for your canned goods, or monetary donation, you will get a piece of pie (pi)! This is a great way to contribute to the UA4Food canned food drive that is currently underway.
Local bakeries have done their part and donated the pies, now its time for you to step-up and help those who need to be fed.
The pie is on a first come, first serve basis, so bring your cans early, and bring your appetite!

Julia McMorran
Administrative Assistant
Department of Chemistry

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Food Drive

Please bring in canned food for the UA4Food Drive benefiting the Community Food Bank of Tucson. Collection boxes are in the BSW front office (310) and mailroom. If you would prefer to give cash, please drop by Amanda Burke’s office, BSW 306. Or, give online- It’s easy! The address is www.ua4food.arizona.edu. Contact Amanda with questions at ajburke@email.arizona.edu.

-95% of every dollar donated to the Community Food Bank goes to feeding the hungry.

-Need for food assistance has grown at least 10% annually for the last several years

- In some sectors of our community more than half the residents live below the federal poverty level

- Nearly 65% of those served by the Community Food Bank are children or senior citizens

-The largest category of households served by the Community Food Bank have at least one person working at least one wage-paying job

FYI: The most needed food items are canned soup, canned tomato products, canned meat, canned vegetables, canned fruit and peanut butter.
Please do not donate boxed products or products with thin plastic packaging (ex: Ramen noodles).

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