New Shared-Use Microscopes and Camera for UW community

We are happy to advertise that the lab has acquired new shared-use microscope equipment available for use by any UW student, faculty, or staff member! This includes a dissecting microscope, compound microscope, and a high-quality color camera fittable to both. Berry, Madeleine, and Manogya (along with other department members) applied for and were awarded this equipment through the UW Student Technology Fund. We are incredibly excited to use these microscopes and camera to improve our insect ID and help train new lab members!

Madeleine and Manogya Present at North Coast and Cascades Science Days

This week marked the first ever North Coast and Cascades Science Days conference hosted by the National Park Service’s North Coast and Cascades Research Learning Center. Madeleine and Manogya both presented at this three-day virtual symposium featuring new and ongoing science in the region. Madeleine’s talk focused on the effects of tree encroachment on meadow plants and pollinators, discussing her plans for research at Mount Rainier National Park this summer. Manogya’s talk focused on the MeadoWatch program and utilizing citizen science to monitor wildflower phenology at Mount Rainier National Park.

Madeleine passes her general exam!

Congratulations to Madeleine for passing her general exam and officially becoming a PhD candidate! She successfully presented her dissertation proposal to her committee, discussing her work on shifts in coflowering of meadow plants, DNA metabarcoding of pollen samples, and plans for investigating tree encroachment in the meadows of Mt Rainier this upcoming summer. Amazing job, Madeleine!

Lab Members Attend SICB

This past week Berry, Chris, and Madeleine kicked off the new year by attending the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) conference here in Seattle! Chris gave a talk titled “Contrasting Topology and Interaction Strengths Drive Stability in Mutualistic Networks” and Madeleine presented a poster on “Novel co-flowering in subalpine plant communities at Mt. Rainier National Park”. Check out Chris’ and Madeleine’s abstracts on the SICB page!

Madeleine receives Robert T. Paine Fellowship

Congratulations to Madeleine for receiving the Robert T. Paine Experimental & Field Ecology Fellowship to conduct fieldwork at Mt Rainier National Park next summer! She will be measuring the impact of tree encroachment on plant-pollinator communities and testing the feasibility of tree sapling removal as a method for meadow habitat conservation. Great job, Madeleine!