Seminar Series
EEB hosts a weekly seminar series at 3:30 p.m. Thursdays in room 1420 BPS (Biomedical and Physical Sciences) during the academic year. Throughout the year, the seminar committee solicits nominations of leading scholars whose research appeals to our diverse EEB community (link to nomination form). In the spring, the seminar committee then invites speakers from this nomination pool for the next academic year.
The seminar series contains four special lecture types (nominated by EEB members): the Spartan Eminent Lecture by a prominent EEB leader outside of MSU; the Distinguished Alumni Lecture by an EEB alum with a celebrated research career; up to two Notable Dissertation Lectures by graduating EEB students to share their outstanding dissertation research; and two Career Exploration Panels with speakers discussing their career paths outside of academia.
Questions can be directed to the committee chair: Elizabeth Heath-Heckman.
Spring 2024
February 1
#FindThatLizard: Ecology, science outreach, and supporting underrepresented groups in herpetology and natural resources
Herpetologist at #FindThatLizard
Host: Toby SantaMaria
February 8
Career Exploration Panel (VIA ZOOM)
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Rhode Island
Hosts: Toby SantaMaria
Michael Van Nuland, Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN)
Host: Moriah Young
February 15
MSU SPARTAN EMINENT LECTURE
The power of birds to transform biodiversity conservation
Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University
Host: Kayla Davis
February 22
NOTABLE DISSERTATION LECTURE
Effect of seed dispersal and plant recruitment on tallgrass prairie community assembly
Katherine Wynne
Plant Biology, Michigan State University
Mentor: Lauren Sullivan
March 7 - CANCELLED
Managing populations with highly variable recruitment dynamics
Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University
Host: Jim Bence
March 14
From microbes to mountains: Exploring ecosystems in a changing world
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan
Host: Moriah Young
March 21
Connecting soil feedback experiments to eco-friendly plant-soil management
Biology, Algoma University (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada)
Host: Akihiro Koyama
March 28
Evolutionary divergence and geographic convergence: Phylogenic insights into plant radiations and the spatial structure of diversity
Ecology & Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University
Host: Toby SantaMaria
April 4
The evolutionary origins and mechanisms of the water-to-land transition in vertebrates
Genetics, Rutgers University
Host: Ingo Braasch
April 11
The role of natural enemies in maintaining plant diversity in a semi-arid grassland
Ecology and Natural Resources, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Host: Lauren Sullivan
April 25
EEB Core Faculty Meeting
Faculty will recap the semester, discuss plans for fall, and learn about new initiatives.