Department of Biological Sciences Newsletter // Fall 2020

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES FALL 2020 NEWSLETTER

A LETTER FROM THE CHAIR The 2020-2021 academic year is off to an exciting and interesting start. Through the unique and unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to delivering quality educational experiences for our students. Although course delivery methods look different than usual, we have adapted to ensure our students are still engaged in their coursework and have the resources they need to excel. We will continue to innovate our teaching and adapt to the current reality as we provide our students with a robust learning experience.

This past year we had 1,538 undergraduate majors and 76 graduate students enrolled in our program, with 46 participating in the Ph.D. program and 30 in the M.S. and M.A. programs.

The Biological Sciences faculty continue their strong record of engaging undergraduate students in research. This past year, we mentored 280 undergraduate students in our research laboratories; our highest numbers to date. As you continue to read the newsletter, you will learn more from one of our undergraduate researcher alumi, Annie Watkins, who is now part of a team at Yale University that is developing a new saliva based COVID-19 test that bypasses that uncomfortable nasal swab.

This past year our faculty were recognized for their contribution to the mission of the University. Dr. Laura Reed was recognized for her exceptional contribution to research with the President’s Faculty Research Award and Dr. Phil Harris was selected for his outstanding teaching record by the College of Arts & Sciences as the A&S Distinguished Teaching Fellow. I invite you to read in this newsletter the remarkable successes of the faculty in securing funding that is helping to answer some of the most pressing scientific issues of the day and enabling them to mentor students that will go on to make the next discoveries. I urge you to take a look at the following website for updates on the exciting research that Dr. Kevin Kocot and his students are conducting in the Antarctic on the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer icebreaker: www. icyinverts.com.

As the Fall semester began, we said farewell to two faculty members: Drs. Carol Duffy and Asma Hatoum-Aslan. Carol brought such incredible value to our department, and we wish her only the best in her retirement. Asma Hatoum-Aslan left the department after 6 years of service. A highly productive faculty member, Asma received numerous grants and recognitions while at UA including the President’s Faculty Research Award. Thank you for your service to the Department, and we wish you all the best!

This year we also welcomed a new faculty member, Dr. Brandon Kim, who joined our team. Brandon is a microbiologist and received his Ph.D. from University of California San Diego

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and San Diego State University. Brandon will establish a research group that will focus on elucidating mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens gain access to the central nervous system by crossing the highly specialized blood-brain barrier. In the coming year, we will continue with additional hires in the field of microbiology, marine sciences, and biogeochemistry.

Throughout this year’s newsletter, you will find highlights of our outgoing and current professors, Friends of the Department, new faculty, past students, and office staff, as well as features on department outreach, new courses, student awards and fellowships, and a very special visit from E.O. Wilson.

Finally, we are always happy to engage with prospecting students, current students, and alumni! If you are considering becoming an undergraduate or graduate student or are interested in the learning about what we are doing in the department, then this newsletter and our website will prove very exciting and useful for you. I am always excited to share the details of the happenings in our department. If you are interested in exploring opportunities or supporting the UA Department of Biological Sciences, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me a note at bmortazavi@ua.edu. I would love to hear from you!

DR. BEHZAD MORTAZAVI

Professor and Department Chair Department of Biological Sciences

THANK YOU TO FRIENDS OF THE DEPARTMENT! One of the guiding principles of the Department of Biological Sciences

IN THIS ISSUE

is meeting the science and educational needs of both Alabama and the

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Letter From The Chair

nation by producing impactful research and providing quality learning

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Thank You to Friends of BSC

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A Fond Farewell to Outgoing Professors

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Faculty News

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Meet the Biology Office Staff

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Biological Sciences Outreach

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Raising the Biology Research Profile

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New Course for First Year Students

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Former Graduate Student Spotlight

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BSC Alumni Spotlight

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Celebrating Scholarships

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E.O. Wilson Visits UA

experiences for our undergraduate and graduate students. Our efforts in these areas have been aided by generous contributions from several Friends of the Department. We would like to thank these individuals for their generous gifts.

Frances R. Clement of Elberta, AL. has established The Frances Roberts Clement Bama Biology Bootcamp Endowment. This gift will provide support for incoming freshman students to attend Bama Biology Boot Camp during the summer prior to the start of their first academic semester. The purpose of this week-long program is to help students make a successful transition from the expectations of high school to those of college, setting the stage for a great college experience.

Dr. Jane Rasco is a long-time faculty member of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University. She received her Ph.D. in the Department in 1993, focusing Developmental Toxicology under the direction of her advisor, Dr. Ronald Hood. She then remained in the department first as a post-doctoral scientist and then as an assistant professor. In 2012, she was promoted to Associate Professor. Even after announcing her retirement in 2014, she remains a valuable contributor to the department and the University by continuing to teach classes central to the preprofessional biology track. Her love of teaching led her to develop and contribute to several educational initiatives and community outreach activities during her career.

Jolyn and Charlie Wilson of Tuscaloosa, AL. have contributed to enhance the Darden Lecture Series endowment.

This endowment allows the Department of Biological Science to bring world class scientists to Tuscaloosa each year to give a community lecture in their area of expertise. This endowment is named after Dr. Bill Darden, longtime chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, who dedicated 31 years of service at the University. ■

CONTACT Department of Biological Sciences

Main Office -1325 Science and Engineering Complex (SEC) (205) 348-1807 bscacademics@ua.edu Box 870344 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL 35487

Arboretum

4801 Arboretum Way Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 (205) 553-3278 arboretum.ua.edu

Tanglewood Biological Station 496 Tanglewood Road Akron, AL 35441 (205) 348-1817 hlgarrett@ua.edu

To make a gift to the department, visit bsc.ua.edu/make-a-gift.

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A FOND FAREWELL TO OUTGOING PROFESSORS Dr. Martha Powell has enjoyed a long and outstanding career that has covered five decades in the field of Mycology (the study of fungi). She broke a glass ceiling, earning her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 1974 when the biological sciences were dominated by men. Following a short time as a post-doctoral scientist, Martha became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany at Miami University where she quickly rose through the ranks, earning tenure in just three years. Due to her prolific research record, she earned the title of Distinguished Professor of Botany in 1994 at Miami University. Later that year, Martha took on the next challenge of her career moving to James Madison University where she took on a leadership role as the Head of the Department of Biological Sciences. Then, in 1997, Martha joined the Department of Biology at The University of Alabama as our Department Chair. During the decade that she led the department she oversaw unprecedented growth of the department’s faculty body, where she led the hiring of faculty in Ecology and Evolution, Cell and Molecular Biology and Systematics. Through her leadership the department research profile expanded both in depth and variety. Still today around 25% of our current faculty were hired during her time as Chair. In 2007, Martha stepped down as Chair to focus on her research and love of teaching. She remains active in research even today.

Dr. Bob Findlay retires after 12 years in the Department where he was appointed as the Bishop Professor of Freshwater Biology. Prior to his arrival at the University, Dr. Findlay received his Ph.D. in Microbiology from Florida State University in 1986. He followed the completion of his degree with a post-doctoral research scientist position at University of Miami. In 1988, he was then appointed an Assistant Professor at the University of Maine, and after 5 years at the University he moved back to Miami University. There he was promoted to Associate professor prior to joining the University of Alabama. During his time at the University, Bob led a large effort to enhance diversity in our graduate program and was awarded with a Department of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Grant (GAANN). The GAANN program provided fellowships through the Department of Biological Sciences, to assist graduate students with excellent records who demonstrate financial need and planned to pursue a Ph.D. in biology. Bob’s contribution to the Department and University are also noted, where he served on several committees, most notably he was the department’s long-time graduate student coordinator and Chairperson of the Tenure and Promotion Committee.

Dr. Carol Duffy is retiring from the Department after 13 years of service to the University.

Carol earned her Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in 2000 and following postdoctoral experience at Cornell University, joined the Department of Biological Sciences at UA in 2007, and she became an Associate Professor in 2013. Her early work focused on mechanisms by which Herpes Simplex Virus 1 proteins regulate viral replication, which expanded into numerous applications of and roles of HSV-1 and bacteriophage (viruses that infect bacteria), as well as research on the involvement of herpesviruses in chronic diseases. In addition, Carol is Chief Scientific Advisor at Innovative Med Concepts, LLC, a company developing a novel pain treatment therapy for fibromyalgia and associated diseases, as well as a diagnostic test for individuals displaying fibromyalgia symptoms.

Carol is also a dedicated and recognized educator, teaching numerous courses over the years in the Department including Virology and Molecular Biology. This is exemplified with the honor of being recognized as a College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Fellow from 2017-2020.

This balance of educator and researcher was highlighted by friend and departmental colleague, Dr. Julie Olson, who said, “Carol is a talented educator, striking the perfect balance of rigor, humor, and enthusiasm to keep her students engaged in her courses. She is an equally gifted scientist, whose creativity and attention to detail serve as hallmarks of her work… As a friend, her wise counsel, good taste in food and beverage, and appreciation for all things horse-related are greatly appreciated, and having her on campus to share in lunches and other exploits will be sorely missed.” ■

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NEW FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: DR. BRANDON KIM Dr. Brandon Kim conducted his Ph.D. work in the laboratory of Dr. Kelly Doran at San Diego State/University of California San Diego where he began to examine the host-pathogen interaction of Group B Streptococcus and the blood-brain barrier. During his doctoral training, he was awarded the American Heart Association predoctoral fellowship as well as many other awards such as the ARCS scholarship and the Rees-Stealy Graduate Research Fellowship. After completing his PhD, he sought expertise in blood-brain barrier modeling by conducting postdoctoral training at the University of Wisconsin in the Chemical and Biological Engineering department under the direction of Dr. Eric Shusta, where he was awarded a Wisconsin Stem-Cell and Regenerative Medicine postdoctoral fellowship and was the first to implement human stem-cell derived bloodbrain barrier models in the context of infectious disease. He then was awarded an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship for continued postdoctoral training in Germany, where he joined the group of Dr. Alexandra Schubert-Unkmeir at the University of Wuerzburg. There, he was able to establish a state-of-the-art stem-cell modeling technique using the human-specific pathogen Neisseria meningitidis and implement new RNAseq technologies with collaborators from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA and infection biology. Dr. Kim has published work in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Nature Communications, Frontiers in Microbiology, and others. He has also mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students throughout his training.

For our full Q&A with Dr. Kim, visit our website. ■

DR. LAURA REED HONORED WITH PRESIDENT’S FACULTY RESEARCH AWARD Each year, the President’s Faculty Research Award, sponsored by the President and the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, is awarded to outstanding faculty from across UA Colleges and Schools. We are thrilled to share that Dr. Laura Reed, Associate Professor in Biological Sciences, received this award in the “Mid-career Physical & Biological Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering” category this year.

Dr. Reed’s research unites evolutionary genetics with analysis of the multi-layer physiological mechanisms that determine population level variation in metabolic traits like obesity and type-2 diabetes.

She uses fruit flies as a model system to explore how the complex interactions between genetic factors and environment drive differences in disease risk among individuals. Specifically, she studies the impacts of diet, exercise, gut microbiome, and transgenerational environment on metabolic traits. She and her team perform elegant experiments and employ cutting-edge genomic, metabolomic, and computational approaches to understand how these factors interact.

Dr. Reed is a prolific scholar who has authored more than 35 peer-reviewed publications and publishes her work in top journals including Nature, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Genetics, Metabolomics and others. Her research is funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health, and she has been awarded more than $6.6 million dollars in grant funding since joining UA. Dr. Reed incorporates aspects of her research and cutting-edge research in her field into her teaching through UA courses such as Integrated Genomics and Evolution. In 2017, she became the Director for the Genomics Education Partnership, a national collaboration involving over 100 colleges and universities that provides authentic course-based research experiences to undergraduate biology students. She has since secured grant funding to double the number of institutions served by the partnership, especially focusing on minority-serving institutions and community colleges.

Dr. Reed is a valued member of the Department of Biological Sciences who, despite her active research program, has worked diligently to ensure that graduate student workloads are fair and balanced and, as of this semester, she serves as the chair of the newly formed departmental committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Learn more about her interesting and important research by visiting Dr. Reed’s website at http://flygxe.ua.edu/. Congratulations, Laura! ■

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MEET THE BIOLOGY OFFICE STAFF The UA Department of Biological Sciences comprises over 200 faculty, staff and graduate students spread over six different buildings on campus and the Dauphin Island sea lab. Add in the roughly 1500 undergraduate biology majors, and one can only imagine how much administration is required to maintain the various research, teaching, service, outreach and degree seeking activities. The small group of dedicated Biological Sciences office staff, who deal with much of this admin, are the unsung heroes without whom we would cease to function.

As you enter the Biological Sciences office, the first person you are likely to encounter is the “gatekeeper,” Ms. Angela Flurry, who sits at the front desk, pointing visitors and students in the right direction and dealing with most course-placement and pre-requisite override queries (both before and after the deadlines). Ms. Flurry joined us three and a half years ago after her three children flew the nest, and is earning a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration at UA in her spare time. She has the following advice for current and prospective students: you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar; always treat everyone with respect; and recognize that you can learn something from anyone, regardless of whether they got their PhD from a university or from life.

Mrs. Amy Banks and Mrs. Kim Stidham in the budget office bravely tackle balancing the department budgets and dealing with accounting-related issues.

Mrs. Amy Banks has been in the dept for three years and lists the bat as one of the craziest things she has seen on the job (granted it did fly into the budget office first). Mrs. Banks’ advice for our graduate students is to focus on achieving balance between graduate studies and the rest of life. Coming from someone who balances her work life with looking after and spending time with her three children, this is good advice backed up by experience.

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Mrs. Kim Stidham has been with us for one year now. She lives in the Northern Tuscaloosa countryside with her husband, 9-year old son, 2 dogs, 3 cats and 4 chickens.

Given how idyllic this sounds, her advice to graduate students of slowing down and enjoying this phase of life is likely also based on experience. Mrs. Stidham says that the craziest thing she has seen on the job are some of the purchasing approval requests she gets. She won’t mention any names, but we wonder if these requests relate to donated bodies, home remedies for cancer or freshly captured snake species?

If you are a past, current or prospective graduate student, or faculty member, chances are your life has been touched by Ms. Debbie Eads, the “matriarch” in some way. Ms. Eads worked in the UA College of Education for two years followed by a 32-year stint in the UA graduate school office until her retirement in 2012. For the last seven years post retirement, Ms. Eads has worked parttime in Biological Sciences, dealing primarily with graduate student related administrative tasks. For Ms. Eads, family is everything, and luckily for us, she considers us part of her family. She takes care of everyone, even to the point of feeding her colleagues (A.K.A extended family) freshly baked goods for breakfast and afternoon snacks on a regular basis. One of the greatest joys for Ms. Eads is knowing that she had a small part to play in the students she is involved with meeting their educational goals and graduating.

Mrs. Catherine Schmandt is our administrative specialist. Mrs. Schmandt schedules meetings, reviews documents and assists faculty, staff and students with their various administrative needs. She too lists the bat as the craziest thing she has seen on the job. She adds some missing detail however in that the poor budget office staff happened to be locked in with the bat whilst the rest of the staff were able to watch the unfolding scenario from the other side of a glass door. Apparently, it was hypnotic from their perspective, and someone may have even said that it was there to obtain its “bat” chelors degree. Mrs. Schmandt herself has a bachelor degree in corporate communications minoring in vocal performance and has been part of 20+ theatrical productions and even sung the national anthem before a major-league soccer game. Mrs. Schmandt’s advice to our students is never be afraid to ask a question.

We did not get a chance to interview our other hardworking office staff this time around, but we wanted to give them a shout out for now and let them know we appreciate all their hard work: Sherry Herring, Josh McCracken and Kimberly Tsoukalas, thank you for all you do. Our office staff, who deal with much of this admin, are the unsung heroes without whom we would cease to function. ■

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES OUTREACH

Partnerships between the Department of Biological Sciences and the community are primarily facilitated by our two outreach coordinators, Mrs. Jeanna Yates and Dr. Kaleb Heinrich, but virtually all department members are involved in various outreach efforts to some degree. Some of our highlights from the past year include: 1) Bama Biology Bootcamp (B3): a one week intensive program for incoming Biological Sciences majors and other freshmen enrolled in our majors Principles of Biology I course; 2) BSC 393 Biology Outreach class: UA Biology majors create and teach hands-on science lessons to K-12 students in the Tuscaloosa County and Tuscaloosa City schools throughout the calendar year. The BSC 393 UA students reach ~1000 students each summer, and ~500 each fall and spring semester (see below for more on this); 3) ArBOOretum: A wellattended, family-friendly, Halloween-themed, biology event at the UA Arboretum with educational activities about some of the spookier aspects of biodiversity (and lots of candy); 4) BioFest: A combined career fair for all STEM majors, welcome to new biology majors, and undergraduate and graduate student research poster colloquium; 5) Alabama Science Olympiad: An annual competition that is part of one of the largest K-12 STEM programs in the United States; and 6) UA Arts and Sciences Homecoming Tent: Faculty and students share research with the public during the football tailgate.

This past year Jeana Yates was awarded The University of Alabama’s Council on Community-Based Partnerships Premier Award for Community Engagement for her work with the Biology Outreach Program. This honor recognizes the program as an Outstanding Faculty/ Staff-Initiated Engagement Effort for 2020 and includes $2,000 of funding support. For more information on this, check out the Department of Biological Sciences Outreach webpage (bsc.ua.edu/outreach/)!

Through these outreach efforts we also hope to expand opportunities for historically excluded groups, particularly black, Indigenous and people of color, and increase diversity among our student population through creating grassroots recruitment pipelines from the naturally diverse school system in Alabama. Central to this goal is the recruitment and ongoing support of diverse faculty members. These efforts are also exemplified by the department’s newly created Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee, which aims to create a welcoming and comfortable environment for all departmental members to thrive in, regardless of ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. ■ (The photo above was taken prior to COVID-19 precautions.)

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RAISING THE BIOLOGY RESEARCH PROFILE

A number of faculty in Biological Sciences have recently secured prestigious awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other funding agencies to study wide-ranging biological phenomena.

DRS. FIERST AND ATKINSON RECEIVE

it is possible to recover these functions

importance to the field of ecology and to

PRESTIGIOUS NSF CAREER AWARDS

and services, thereby promoting more

the stability of wildlife populations. Dr. Gui

The NSF Faculty Early Career Development,

resilient coastal watersheds. As part of a new

Becker has been awarded an NSF grant to

or CAREER, Program is the most prestigious

Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant project, Drs.

study the impacts of rainfall variability on

award in support of early-career faculty at NSF.

Cherry and Mortazavi will evaluate ecosystem

wildlife disease transmission. The project

Recipients are recognized as being individuals

structure and function in habitat restoration

is global in scope, with field sites in three

with the potential to serve as academic role

and creation projects of different ages. This

megadiverse tropical regions: Brazil, Peru,

models in research and education and to lead

project will provide important baseline

and Cameroon. By advancing disease

advances in the mission of their department

information about restoration activities, while

transmission theory for diverse species

or organization. With this award, Dr. Fierst

also assessing the structural and functional

assemblages, this research will provide novel

and her team will develop new bioinformatic

outcomes of projects that used different

insights into community-level impacts

tools to detect horizontal gene transfer

approaches for wetland restoration or creation.

of emerging diseases and will ultimately

using nematode worms as a model system.

DRS. ATKINSON, BENSTEAD AND JONES

As part of the award, Dr. Fierst will train undergraduate students in genomics and bioinformatics through an immersive summer research experience at UA. Dr. Atkinson aims to merge the characterization of the functional traits of communities of freshwater mussels, the most globally imperiled faunal group, to critical ecosystem processes such as water filtration and biogeochemical cycling.

Further, she plans to integrate the concepts of biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships gained from the research objectives into the instruction of undergraduate courses, K-12 day camps, and after school programs. This research will advance scientific understanding by investigating how community composition and coincidental trait diversity influences biogeochemical cycling over time and space, while also informing conservation of a highly imperiled group and engaging local

AWARDED EPSCOR GRANT TO STUDY INTERMITTENTLY FLOWING STREAMS In Alabama alone, over 40% of our streams and rivers go dry on an annual basis. However, we know very little about what drives this drying, and importantly, how it impacts downstream water quality. Drs. Atkinson, Benstead and Jones have been awarded an NSF EPSCoR RII Track 2 grant to address knowledge gaps on intermittently flowing streams, which control the quantity and quality of water delivered downstream to perennial streams and rivers. This project will create a network of instrumented sites designed to quantify flow intermittency, stream microbiomes, and water quality.

Leveraging this network, the team will provide training in collaborative science and interdisciplinary methods through a new

increase our capacity to forecast and respond to disease outbreaks. The project will integrate long-term field surveys and largescale field experiments to test hypotheses on host movement patterns and infection dynamics under different rainfall scenarios.

Dr. Becker was also awarded NSF funding for a project focused on investigating the interaction between deforestation and the microbiome as a process to explain patterns of disease emergence across disturbed landscapes, using amphibians of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest as a model system.

Both projects will help educate the public through museum exhibits and school lessons and activities with the goals of teaching the concepts of community-level hostpathogen dynamics and narrowing the K-12 science education gap in one of the most underserved areas in the nation.

‘On Ramps to Data Science’ program, which

DR. HARRIS AWARDED GRANT TO

will focus on data generated by microbiome

RESCUE SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY’S

DRS. CHERRY & MORTAZAVI AWARDED

sequencing, environmental sensors, and

FROZEN TISSUE COLLECTION

GRANT TO STUDY RECOVERY OF

Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This

Saint Louis University Museum’s Genetic

RESTORED TIDAL MARSHES

infrastructure and training will support a team

Resources & Collections (GRC) amassed a

Coastal wetland restoration is increasingly

of 18 investigators, including nine early-career

collection of approximately 63,000 catalogued

utilized to offset wetland loss and degradation

scientists spanning five EPSCoR jurisdictions

and vouched specimens or tissues from over

and to recover ecosystem services, making it

(AL, ID, KS, MS, OK) and engage a diverse

6,600 species of freshwater and marine fishes

important to evaluate the relative effectiveness

group of students, including undergraduates.

from all over the world since its beginning

and times to functional equivalence of

DR. GUI BECKER AWARDED TWO

communities.

different restoration strategies. Two critically important services provided by coastal wetlands are carbon storage and nitrogen removal. By restoring or creating wetlands,

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GRANTS TO STUDY WILDLIFE DISEASE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE Understanding how species cope with disease in an era of global change is of fundamental

in 1983. On May 25, 2017, Macelwane Hall, home to the Museum and GRC, experienced a fire that caused extensive structural, water, and soot damage throughout the building.

Following this incident, Saint Louis University

determined that it would no longer support

trees—to assess how abiotic and biotic

project to understand the genomic factors of

or maintain either the museum or the

factors have played a role in the evolution

invasiveness over the course of an invasion.

GRC. Thus, without rescue this extremely

of these iconic desert species. Dr. McKain

valuable collection would otherwise be lost

and colleagues will help in protecting the

to the global scientific community. The

species by informing conservation biologists

goal of this project is to transfer the GRC to

of these populations, which will serve as

The University of Alabama Ichthyological

genetic reservoirs for breeding programs. Dr.

Collection (UAIC), which is curated by Dr.

McKain and colleagues were also awarded

Phil Harris. Transferring this collection into

an NSF RII Track-2 FEC EPSCoR grant to

UAIC will ensure long-term curation of this

investigate the genomic trends of how and

collection, as well as providing access to the

why introduced species become invasive.

specimens through the UAIC public database.

By comparing genome sequences of historic

Student research opportunities in molecular

herbarium specimens spanning the duration

systematics, population and conservation

of an invasion, Dr. McKain and colleagues will

genetics, genomics, and transcriptomics will

be able to step back in time and examine the

be enhanced due to the taxonomic diversity

patterns and processes that promote invasion

and global distribution of specimens and

from initial introduction to present day. Dr.

tissues contained in this invaluable collection.

McKain’s lab will focus on Johnsongrass,

DR. MCKAIN AWARDED TWO GRANTS Dr. McKain and collaborators been awarded an NSF Rules of Life grant to investigate patterns of genetic and physiological variation in Joshua trees as they have adapted to the arid environment and high temperatures of the Mojave Desert. One of the goals of this project is to identify contributions of environmental stress and interactions with yucca moths—obligate pollinators of Joshua

Sorghum halepense. Named for an Alabama landowner, this pest is one of the world’s most noxious weeds being found on all continents and major islands except for Antarctica. The McKain lab will use genomics to understand how being polyploid (having more than two copies of its genome) has impacted the invasive capacity of the species since its introduction into the United States. This work will contribute to the overall goal of the

DR. KOCOT AWARDED A GRANT TO DIGITIZE THE ALABAMA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY COLLECTION Dr. Kocot received a grant as part of a large collaborative project focused on documenting marine biodiversity through Digitization of Invertebrate collections (DigIn). Dr. Kocot, a co-PI on the project, and his collaborators at 23 institutions nationwide aim to greatly improve the accessibility of data on marine invertebrate biodiversity by more than doubling digitally-accessible marine invertebrate records from nonfederal collections. These records will be enriched with images, DNA sequence data, georeferences, and improved nomenclature.

They will be made accessible through diverse resources in both human- and machinereadable formats to promote collections-based biodiversity research. This work will help enhance the Invertebrate Zoology collection and will support digitization of specimens from three Antarctic research expeditions Dr. Kocot’s lab will participate in over the next four years. ■

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NEW COURSE TO HELP FIRST-YEAR BIOLOGY STUDENTS SUCCEED Local socioeconomic factors play a major

Metacognition is defined as an awareness

after a few weeks of participation in the course

role in the quality of Science, Technology,

and understanding of one’s own thought

the quality of the questions has improved

Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculums

processes, but as an active approach it promotes

and continues to trend higher as the students

in K-12 schools, and the lack of a strong early

self-monitoring and self-regulation by training

become more creative in general. This success is

science education can leave many students from

students to determine the best learning

representative of the genuine interest students

lower-income backgrounds at a disadvantage

strategies that work for them as individuals

have in learning how to be more efficient at

when it comes to being properly prepared for

and teaching them how to self-assess to

studying, and we hope that participation in this

pursuing an undergraduate degree in a STEM

determine if they are meeting their learning

course will empower students to realize their

field. However, it is possible to overcome such

goals. In addition to assisting students in

full potential.

obstacles and tap into a student’s true potential

developing better study skills, the course also

because learning is a skill that can be cultivated

focuses on building self-confidence, critical

primary goal of the department and university.

through training and effort. So, to that end, the

thinking, and time-management skills. This

A recent assessment from several years of

Department of Biological Science has begun

class allows students to interact with their peers

data on incoming UA freshman who have

offering a new course for incoming freshman

and graduate teaching assistants in a relatively

declared a biology major suggests that a

entitled “BSC 113 Introduction to Principles

informal setting, thus building a safe space

significant majority of these students will leave

of Biology.” This course is designed around

for students to discuss and share methods for

the major before the end of the second year

the principles of metacognition and student

studying, coping with stress and test-anxiety,

of their undergraduate career, often due to

learning highlighted in the book by Dr. Saundra

and life-skills. This Fall 2020 semester we have

poor performance in their freshman biology

Y. McGuire, entitled Teach Students How to

298 students enrolled in our inaugural BSC

and chemistry coursework. Our data also

Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate Into Any

113 course offering. While there are many class

suggests that underrepresented minorities are

Course to Improve Student Metacognition,

activities for students to participate in over the

disproportionately affected and more likely to

Study Skills, and Motivation (2015). This book

course of the semester, one weekly activity is

leave the major. The lack of underrepresented

also serves as the basis for our Bama Biology

to have students write comprehensive exam

minorities in STEM career fields is a persistent

Bootcamp (B3), a one-week intensive program

questions from the current lecture material

problem in the U.S. Even though our course

offered to incoming freshman planning to

that can be used to create practice tests for

focuses on the freshman biology curriculum,

enroll in the freshman majors biology courses

all students. The ability to write a properly

the principles of metacognition can apply

and both the BSC 113 course and the Bama

constructed question requires a higher level

to any subject. By assisting students with

Biology Bootcamp are designed to create a

of thinking that encourages students to focus

developing new learning skills, we can improve

welcoming environment to promote diversity

on higher cognitive processes like analyzing

student retention that will ultimately lead to

and inclusivity.

or evaluating the course information. Even

increased diversity in the STEM workforce. ■

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The success of our students is always a

FORMER GRADUATE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: SPARKLE MALONE

Sparkle L. Malone joined our department as a PhD student in 2011, after receiving a MS degree from the University of Florida’s School of Forest Resources and Conservation. Building on her skills in ecological modeling, she received her Ph.D. in 2014 with her studies focusing on how changes in hydrology (both natural and anthropogenic) and climate influenced the carbon, water and energy dynamics of freshwater marshes of Everglades National Park (ENP). Her diverse skills and knowledge across ecosystems enabled Dr. Malone to immediately join the U.S. Forest Service as a Research Ecologist at the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Fort Collins, CO. In this position, she developed her own research program looking at disturbance regimes in western forests, while continuing her contributions to the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program in ENP. Over the next three years in this position, she received several awards from the Department of Interior in recognition of her research and became involved in mentoring students through the Ecological Society of America’s SEEDS program.

Despite her success at the Forest Service, Sparkle had a desire to return to academia, to a position where she could directly mentor students and young scientists in her lab. Thus, in 2017 she successfully competed for a faculty position at Florida International University (FIU). Since returning to academia, her research portfolio, which was already amazing for an early-career scientist, grew even stronger. She has received a NASA career grant, which is one of the most prestigious grants a young scientist can attain. She has also been awarded as the principle investigator, co-investigator or senior scientist on another 7 grants. To date her grantsmanship has exceeded $6.5 million dollars, and she has published 28 articles. She has also served on several national and international research panels and has been a reviewer for over 20 scientific journals. This is an amazing record for such a young scientist and the Department of Biological Sciences is proud of her accomplishments.

When asked about Sparkle, one of her two Ph.D. advisors, Dr. Christina Staudhammer stated, “Sparkle is a force. She not only accomplishes great research – she picks up skills along the way and is continuously building the infrastructure for new projects along the way. I was so lucky to meet her and have her in my lab.” ■

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UA ALUM CONTRIBUTING TO COVID-19 TESTING DEVELOPMENT

You may or may not have had a test for

Dr. Carol Duffy, who recently retired

– the NBA. While the target audience of

COVID-19, but if so, it most likely was a

from the department, shared “Annie is one of

SalivaDirectTM is the general population and

test via a nasal swab. The Grubaugh Lab at

the most intelligent, mature, and motivated

not necessarily athletes (with labs currently

Yale University has developed a test that can

students I’ve had the pleasure of working with.

being designated across the country to use

bypass that uncomfortable nasal swab, testing

She is one of those special students I know will

the protocol), Grubaugh found opportunity

for the novel coronavirus via saliva – and UA

go far and I will always remember fondly.”

in working with the NBA to accommodate

alum Annie Watkins is part of that lab group’s

While nasal swabs have been prone to

their need for frequent testing, as this project

efforts. During her undergraduate research

shortages over the last few months, the

had the potential to lead to developing a test

at UA, Annie initially joined the Department

SalivaDirect test developed by Grubaugh and

that could benefit the greater population.

of Biological Sciences intending to study

the Yale team, which received Emergency

Annie’s main role in this project has been

Alzheimer’s, but ended up finding her way

Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA in

to do much of the asymptomatic validation

to study the connection between Herpes

August, does not require any swab or specific

work through the partnership with the NBA.

Simplex Virus (HSV-1) and Alzheimer’s,

type of collection device, as the sample can

“Between another tech and myself we’ve

which led to an interest in virology and

be collected in any sterile container. “The

tested nearly 3800 saliva samples from NBA

applied, translational research.

ultimate goal of this work is to make testing

players, staff, and vendors since the end of

more accessible and affordable which is, and

June.” A preprint awaiting peer-reviewed

will continue to be, so important.”

publication is now available highlighting

“I almost definitely would not be in the program I currently am without my time at UA, and a good bit of that is due to the

According to the FDA, “Yale intends

the testing platform.Annie is currently a

research and faculty relationships I had in

to provide the SalivaDirect protocol to

2nd-year MPH student in Epidemiology

undergrad. I worked in Carol Duffy’s lab on a

interested laboratories as an ‘open source’

of Microbial Diseases with a concentration

few different HSV-1 projects – that work and

protocol. Because this test does not rely on

in Public Health Modeling at YSPH. Her

the time that I spent with Dr. Duffy and Dr. Yu

any proprietary equipment from Yale and can

current experience in graduate school may be

Wang really helped shape me as a scientist. I

use a variety of commercially available testing

different than what she anticipated a year ago

can’t speak highly enough of them as mentors.

components, it can be assembled and used in

“…but I’ve been so glad to be a part of it and

I also very much enjoyed Dr. Olson’s micro

high-complexity labs throughout the country.”

to work with this team to do what we can to

and pathogenic micro classes that further confirmed my interests in infectious diseases.”

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This testing method was developed thanks to some funding from an unusual source

make a difference in these crazy times.” ■

CELEBRATING SCHOLARSHIPS Every spring, outstanding graduate and undergraduate students are recognized for their achievements and awarded much-appreciated scholarships.

Thank you to the donors who have made these scholarships possible!

GRADUATE AWARDS The Inge and Ilouise Hill Research Fellowship Anthony Gaeta The Joab Langston Thomas Scholarship Sergei Bombin Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Student Spring 2019 – Aurora Giorgi Spring 2019 – Taylor Ledford Fall 2019 –Rebecca Varney Fall 2019 – Matteo Monti The E.O. Wilson Fellowship Megan Davis, Anthony Snead, Bryan MacNeil, Matteo Monti The Tanglewood Fellowship Samantha Siomko, Jacob Hershberger The Bishop-Stackman Marine Science Endowed Scholarship Meghan Yap-Chiongco, Taylor Ledford, Anthony Snead The Ralph L. Chermock Prize Rebecca Varney, Logan Griffin The Graham Prize Lucy Chou Zheng, Sommer Starr

UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS The Michael L. McDaniel Memorial Scholarship Sarah Darby Gaston, Vanessa Marie Marshall, Victoria Isabel Colon The Septima Cecilia Smith Award, Biology Warren Brunson The Septima Cecilia Smith Award, Marine Science Acacia Kronenberg The Septima Cecilia Smith Award, Microbiology Owen Cunneely The Grantland and Louise Rice Scholarship Lane Cavey, William (Harrison) Cook, Alyssa Gutierrez, Cole Kiser, Vanessa Marshall, Ethan Sij, Laura Carrasquilla, Sarah Jackson, Cullen Finnerty, Alexis Longmire Holzanagel Award in Biology Major Mitch Hungerpiller The James D. and Donjette Yarbrough Scholarship John Paul Williams Soriano, Emily Nicole Ray The J. Henry Walker Memorial Scholarship Ashley Elizabeth Batts, Riley Kate Williams

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E.O. WILSON VISITS UA “It’s obvious that the key problem facing humanity in the coming century is how to bring a better quality of life – for 8 billion or more people – without wrecking the environment entirely in the attempt.” – E.O. Wilson Last fall, the legendary E.O. Wilson, Alabama alum and one of the

As Dr. Wilson has said, “the world needs all you can give,” and we

world’s most eminent naturalists, visited campus to speak with E.O.

encourage our students to use what they learn at UA to do just that – to go

Wilson Fellows, meet UA faculty, and witness an exhibit opening at

out into the world and be a persistent voice in sharing their expertise as it

the Alabama Museum of Natural History honoring his work and the

relates to their field of study.

tremendous impact he has had on generations of students. His lifetime

Our E.O. Wilson Fellows found that sharing these moments – a

of work serves as an inspiration for all biologists, as does his tireless

luncheon and an exhibit opening – with a living legend had a profound

advocacy for broader research and understanding of our biodiverse

impact which will stay with them throughout their academic careers, as is

planet. We are thankful to have had the opportunity to share this visit

illustrated in the letter below. Thank you, Dr. Wilson, for sharing your time

with someone who holds such an esteemed presence in the world of

and wisdom with us.

biological sciences.

Dear Dr. Wilson, You know the beauty of fieldwork. The peace of connecting with

each one of us about our research, commented on our studies’ value, and supported our progress. You advised us to be “a little rebellious”

an organism so intimately in its natural environment couples with the

with our science, and not to be afraid to challenge dogma if necessary.

thrill of revealing the formerly unknown to produce an experience

You encouraged us to persist in our endeavors and to be open to

that mimics enchantment. For many of us, your books provided our

blending old methods with new. When we met later to discuss the

first glimpse of that beauty. Your words fanned a tiny spark of passion

luncheon among ourselves, many of us commented on your kind

for scientific exploration into a flame that will never be extinguished.

and supportive spirit, and how, despite our expectations of being

For all of us, your fellowship has afforded the opportunity to pursue

intimidated, you put us immediately at ease. Life changing, meaningful,

that passion. In our collective travels over the past 5 summers, we have

reinvigorating, enduring, and wonderful are just a few of the words that

journeyed more than 47,000 miles and spent countless hours in the

were used to describe your impact on our lives.

field, experiencing the beauty of fieldwork for ourselves and joining the

I doubt you will ever realize the full extent of your impact on us

ranks of researchers dedicated to the understanding and preservation

(and the world we live in). Each of us E.O. Wilson fellows has been

of biodiversity. We have contributed to the management of threatened,

given the unique opportunity to pursue our scientific dreams while

endangered, and invasive species, discovered new populations of

being supported, in more ways than one, by a true hero of science.

organisms, investigated ecology and natural history, and performed

Not only has your fellowship provided financial assistance essential for

genetic and computational analyses to understand biodiversity a little

our research endeavors, but you have also impacted us through your

bit more.

books and words. Every single one of us is immensely grateful for your

Sitting down to a luncheon with you, one of the world’s most eminent naturalists, was a surreal experience for all of us. What was

support. We are striving to become, as you charged us, not only experts, but the experts in our respective fields.

meant to last an hour stretched to two, and two still were not enough.

Your stories carried subtle, yet weighty, commentary on the state of

Thank you,

science over your career while providing relatable anecdotes that

The E.O. Wilson Fellows

humanized yourself and the other giants alongside you. You questioned

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