These awardees were recognized at the 9th Mini-Symposium for Young Investigators meeting that took place on March 11, 2025 at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in NYC. Our very own Yiran “Tayor” Han (MBBC/ECON) was one of two pre-doctoral students who were recognized for delivering the best oral presentation at the mini symposium. Taylor was awarded the first-place pre-doctoral award which included a $200.00 cash prize!
Taylor is also coauthor on a published manuscript that came out this week in the Journal of Bacteriology (also attached). First author is Middlebury recent graduate Myrto Ziogas (MBBC), and other Middlebury coauthors include Igor Todorovic (MBBC) Katie Kraczkowsky (NSCI), and Taylor Han (MBBC/ECON double).
Myrto Ziogas (MBBC’22) delivered an oral presentation at the 8th Mini-Symposium for Young Investigators in New Orleans, LA. Myrto’s talk, titled “Characterizing a Novel SloR Recognition Element in the S. mutans mntH Promoter” won first place in the “Best Student Presentation” category.
Myrto graduated from Middlebury College in 2022 with a major in MBBC. Since graduation she has been working as a laboratory technician in the Boston area. Currently, she is deciding where she wants to go to graduate school since she has been accepted to the Molecular Genetics and Microbiology graduate program at Duke University, and to similar programs at UC-Davis and University of Southern California.
In June 2022, research students India Drummond (MBBC ’21.5), Emily Bulczynski (MBBC ’22) and Jenny Pushner (MBBC ‘21.5) traveled with Professor Grace Spatafora to the American Society for Microbiology meetings in Washington, D.C., to present the results of their senior work.
Also in attendance was Spatafora researcher Ali DePaolo (MBBC ‘23). Their posters received many visitors including Middlebury College alumni Emily Putnam (MBBC ‘10), Julia Schwartzman (MBBC ‘09), and Daniel Tetrault (MBBC ‘2020). While not attending the meetings a good time was had by all at the National Mall.
Specifics of the lecture will be added when available, please check back or check the Biology department events page.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
Specifics of the lecture will be added when available, please check back or check the Biology department events page.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
Specifics of the lecture will be added when available, please check back or check the Biology department events page.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
Hold the Salt: Salinity Influences Structure and Function of Streams Across North America
Most inland waters are defined by their low salinity relative to the oceans. However, both geological and anthropogenic processes can lead to freshwater salinization. This talk will summarize work done by Eric Moody and his research students at Middlebury College using ecological stoichiometry as a framework to study the causes and consequences of freshwater salinization in streams and rivers across North America.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
Living in a toxic world: Mechanisms of internal salt-sensing in C. elegans
Animals are exquisitely sensitive to salt concentrations in both their external and internal environments. While we now have a good understanding of how we taste salt, the mechanisms by which internal salt levels are sensed remain poorly described. This talk will describe recent work from the lab on the identification of a new pathway by which a single gut neuron in C. elegans detects ingested salts and protects the animal against high salt stress.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
Alexa Duchesneau will give the second talk in the annual Anthro & Friends Winter Speaker Series, titled “Simians and the Story of Us: What Biological Anthropology Brings to STEM.” In an increasingly divided world, Biological Anthropology and Primatology are a bridge between divided academic disciplines: the social sciences and the hard sciences. The combination of observational studies and hypothesis testing places these fields in the unique position of being truly interdisciplinary.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 104
Open to the Public
Population Ecology and Diseases of Fishers in the Northeastern USA
Our work currently includes: (1) comparative microbial ecology focusing on the emergence of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance on farms – with plans to expand our focus; (2) emerging infectious disease discovery; and (3) wildlife disease ecology.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
Join the Biology department’s bon voyage celebration for Susan DeSimone, Assoc. Lab Professor. Susan has been with department for over 25 years and we will gather to wish her well as she embarks on new adventures.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall Tormondsen Great Hall
Using genomics to reveal the mechanisms of resilience: Studies of global change adaptation and sea star wasting disease.
In this talk, I will discuss how we integrate genomic approaches with the ecology and evolution of interesting, ecologically foundational marine organisms to understand if and how they respond to stressors such as ocean warming, ocean acidification, and pathogens. We use field sampling, common garden studies, and experimental evolution to shed light on the mechanisms of resilience in a rapidly changing world.
McCardell Bicentennial Hall 220
Open to the Public
Museum of the Multiverse: Insects! by Middlebury College Entomology Students
When: Dec 6, 2025 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Where: The Great Hall in McCardell Bicentennial Hall
276 Bicentennial Way Middlebury, VT 05753
(Parking available in the lot on Bicentennial Way)
In a twist on the successful Pokémon-inspired Pop-Up Museums, get ready to learn about insects or insect-inspired creatures from across many universes like Star Wars, Animal Crossing, Hollow Knight, Alien, Dune, Avatar, and more!
McCardell Bicentennial Hall Tormondsen Great Hall
Open to the Public
