Three of our faculty members earned promotions effective on July 1st.

Dr. Hugh Smith, tenure and promotion to Associate Professor.
Dr. Jamie Ellis, promotion to Professor.
Dr. Dan Hahn, promotion to Professor.

The University of Florida Society for Viral Studies (Virology Club) traveled to Gressier, Haiti to observe and perform research at the University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute Laboratory. Seven students and their advisor, Dr. Jim Maruniak, were there for seven days. They collected water samples and stool samples to test for cholera by selective plating assays, and collected mosquitoes for identification that may transmit Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya viruses. The students performed hands on research with proper personal protection and were supervised by Haitian researchers working with UF and IFAS. The supervisor, Florence Sergile, who works both there and in the Emerging Pathogens was very knowledgeable and helpful during our whole stay there.

The group stayed in a house and dormitory facilities constructed with UF funds and funds from other donors. One donor for the laboratory and dorm was Sam Holloway who also has donated funds for the Holloway Terrace at the UF football stadium. Mr. Holloway is the father of Dr. Drion Boucias’ wife, Judy Holloway Boucias. The UF facilities are well equipped with PCR machines, incubators, microscopes, computers with internet, pathogen storage facilities, and even a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory. The group visited the hospital and medical school reconstructed after the earthquake with U.S. funding.  They also went into clinics where several cholera patients were being treated. They also learned about insects, diseases, as well as culture of the Haitian people.​

Dr. Janine Spies, a postdoc in Dr. Oscar Liburd’s lab, has accepted a position as Research Field Coordinator in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department at the University of Florida.

We are proud to announce the recipients of the Summer 2018 ENSO Travel Grants:

First Place: James Brown
Second Place: Laurel Lietzenmayer

Our first place winner will receive up to $500 from Dr. Norm Leppla and our second place winner will receive up to $250 from ENSO as reimbursement to cover travel expenses associated with conferences or research.

ABOVE: In June, Jason Williams took a trip to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. to receive molecular training and prepare 96 ant samples for one of his projects. For this project he is using genomic data to delimit species boundaries between the 18 known native and introduced ant species in the genus Nylanderia found across the Caribbean, and to build a global phylogenetic framework to study other tramp ant species in the genus from all over the world. In total, there are over 130 described species in the genus and at least 14 of them have established records outside their native ranges.

Dr. Ted Schultz from the Smithsonian Institution’s AntLab sponsored Jason’s visit, and the AntLab molecular technician, Dr. Mike Lloyd, trained him on how to extract DNA and prepare ultraconserved element (UCE) libraries for sequencing. The prepared libraries were then sent to University of Utah to be sequenced. Jason also had the opportunity to attend a Data Carpentry workshop to learn how to process the large amount of data that he will receive within the next few weeks.

Marice Lopez Laurenti from Dr. Oscar Liburd’s lab presented her M.S. Exit Seminar on July 6, 2018 entitled: Adopting integrated pest management strategies against major above and below ground pests in organic squash.

ABOVE: Dr. Ronald Cave and Matthew Moore attended the XII Reunión Latinoamericana de Scarabaeoidología in Guatemala City, Guatemala, 17-22 June, where they presented their current research on dynastine scarab beetles. Dr. Cave presented a talk titled Los Escarabajos Dinastinos desde Norteamérica al Sudamérica [The Dynastine scarabs from North America to South America]. Matt discoursed on The phylogeny and classification of the Cyclocephaline scarabs.

Clancy Short, from the Hahn lab, is proud to announce that he has received a fellowship from the NSF's Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Clancy will use this funding to continue his work with Dr. Dan Hahn as a Ph.D. student, researching how malnutrition affects fly puberty and reproductive behaviors.

ABOVE: The Mallinger Lab students have been busy with bee outreach. Members of the lab presented on native wild bees to the St. John’s County 4-H Native Buzz Camp on June 1st (above with Jonathan Elmquist), at the Florida Museum of Natural History Summer Camp on June 12th, at the GTM Research Reserve on June 20th, and at the Citrus Youth Day on June 28th.

ABOVE: Ph.D. Candidate Natasha Agramonte and her husband Kent are happy to welcome baby Sabrina to the family! Sabrina was born on the 4th of July at 10:42 AM. Mom and baby are doing great! Natasha was invited to talk about her doctoral research on mosquito insecticide resistance on Season 3, Episode 4 of the Netflix program ‘Bill Nye Saves the World’ which aired in June. Natasha was invited on the program due to her active involvement in science communication via Twitter and her participation in the #BillMeetScience Twitter hashtag campaign. 

From the Outreach Coordinator

Here are our events from June:

• June 6th – Bnai Israel – Sage Thompson
• June 7th – Archer Branch Library – Kristen Gaines, Laurel Lietzenmayer, and Sage Thompson
• June 11th – Greenfield Preschool - Laurel Lietzenmayer
• June 11th – Alachua County Extension - Laurel Lietzenmayer
• June 12th – 4-H Bug Camp Tour - Laurel Lietzenmayer
• June 14th – Forest Public Library – Laurel Lietzenmayer
• June 18th – Summer Camp College Reach-Out Program – Laurel Lietzenmayer and Patricia Prade
• June 19th – Finley Elementary – Laurel Lietzenmayer
• June 30th – Brooker Creek Preserve – Laurel Lietzenmayer

Upcoming Events:

• July 16th – UF Taylor County Extension
• July 16th – Florida Youth Institute
• July 23rd – Florida Youth Institute
• July 24th – Fort White Elementary
• July 26th – Suwannee River Library
• July 30th – Rad Kids Summer Camp
• July 31st – Fear Facers Summer Camp

ABOVE: Young visitors checking out the display of specimens and live arthropods at the Forest Public Library.  

The live critters are always a hit with children and adults alike. The critters are available for you to check out should you be leading an outreach event. We have doubles of our most popular critters, as well as various native insect species depending on the time of year. We have large wood and Plexiglas cages for viewing our native orb weaving spiders. There is one travel cage and one larger static cage. Please be sure to contact us and review the protocol on transporting and handling the critters if you are not already familiar with it. If you lead an outreach, be sure to fill out a documentation form so your event can be included in the newsletter and we can log all outreach events.