October 2020 - oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students@lists.fas.harvard.edu

[Oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students] [Oeb-all] TODAY! OEB Seminar Webinar Series: Thursday, October 29, 2020, 3:30pm with Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo

by Heywood, Wendy

Please join us today for the 2020-2021 OEB Seminar Webinar Series Registration Required - Link Below Join us afterwards for informal Q&A with Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo Link will be provided in the chat! OEB Seminar Series<https://oeb.harvard.edu/oeb-seminars> 3:30-4:30pm, Thursday, October 29, 2020 ________________________________ Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo ICREA Research Psychology, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva Associate Professor, Universitat de Barcelona ________________________________ “The power of unicellular relatives of animals: A new perspective into the origin of Metazoa ” [A picture containing group, different, many, elephant Description automatically generated] How animals emerged from their unicellular ancestors remains a mystery. To address this question, we first obtained genome data from the closest unicellular relatives of animals. Comparative genomic analyses demonstrated that the unicellular ancestor of animals was relatively quite complex, with genes involved in cell-adhesion, cell communication and cell differentiation. Moreover, we showed as well that many animal-like features of genomic regulation and spatial cell differentiation were also present in the unicellular ancestor. How those processes were co-opted and expanded, and how different cell types evolved remains unclear, and these questions are the core of our current work. Overall, all the data generated from the closest unicellular relatives of animals allow us to challenge previous views of animal origins and propose a new perspective on how animals evolved. Hosted by Srivastava Lab [A picture containing bird Description automatically generated]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.zoom.us_webina…> -- Wendy Heywood Communications and Events Coordinator Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 ph: 617-496-4639 f: 617-496-8308 e: wheywood(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:wheywood@oeb.harvard.edu> Consider the environment. Please print this email only if necessary. _______________________________________________ Oeb-all mailing list Oeb-all(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb-all _______________________________________________ Oeb_affiliation mailing list Oeb_affiliation(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_affiliation

3 years, 8 months

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[Oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students] [Oeb-all] IMPORTANT: Preparing for potential reversals in lab occupancy

by Kramer, Elena M.

To the OEB Community, I am writing to share a message (see below) that I just sent to the OEB faculty regarding the possibility that we will have to return to our 25% occupancy level or even essential-only occupancy. Let me be clear, we have no new information that suggests that such steps are imminent, but both national<https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html> and state<https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/massachusetts-coronavirus-cases…> trends are moving in the wrong direction, making these planning efforts essential. Note that when we shut down this spring, the average daily case numbers in MA were 15-20. They are now over 1000. You will see below that I have asked our faculty to update their research ramp down plans by early next week. They will need your input and help with this process, so I encourage you to bring all your experience gained from the processes we went through in March and June. I also ask you to please make sure that your PI or manager has your best contact information, both by email and phone. We should all be very proud of the way we handled both the ramp down and re-start of research this year, as well as of our continued compliance with best practices to protect ourselves and our colleagues. It remains true that we know of no instances of on-campus spread and our seven-day positivity rate is 0.04%<https://www.harvard.edu/coronavirus/harvard-university-wide-covid-19-testin…>. That makes us hopeful that even if the state steps back their re-opening, we will be able to maintain the status quo, but our first priority is the safety of our community. Please let me, Becky or Sarine know if you have any questions. Cheers, Elena Begin forwarded message: From: "Kramer, Elena M." <ekramer(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:ekramer@oeb.harvard.edu>> Subject: IMPORTANT: Preparing for potential reversals in lab occupancy Date: October 27, 2020 at 5:07:12 PM EDT To: OEB_ALL_Faculty <oeb_all_faculty(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu<mailto:oeb_all_faculty@lists.fas.harvard.edu>> Dear Colleagues, As we have discussed several times in faculty meeting, as COVID-19 cases increase again in Massachusetts, it is possible that we will have to return to our 25% occupancy level or even to essential-only occupancy. Preparation for these eventualities has begun in earnest at the Divisional level. Let me be clear, we have no new information that suggests that such steps are imminent, but both national<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nytimes.com_intera…> and state<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nytimes.com_intera…> trends are moving in the wrong direction, making these planning efforts essential. Note that when we shut down this spring, the average daily case numbers in MA were 15-20. They are now over 1000. What do we want you to do as PIs? - In the immediate term: Prepare for limited access to offices and instructional spaces. Think about what you would need to work and teach entirely from home. Be ready to grab essential items on short notice. - Over the next 5-6 days: Update your group plans for both 25% and essential-only occupancy levels. Go back to your original plans and discuss with your lab regarding what worked and what didn’t. Update essential personnel and lab task lists, and provide your updated contact lists to OEB administration (sarine_derkaloustian(a)fas.harvard.edu<mailto:sarine_derkaloustian@fas.harvard.edu>). Ensure that essential data are remotely accessible. Coordinate research organisms/sample support with relevant labs, and make back-up plans. Identify critical activities that must be sustained in a shutdown. The Division is preparing to make the case that our current protocols have been very successful at preventing any community spread, so we hope to be able to expand the definition of essential personnel and work, but it remains to be seen how that will be received. There may be decisions at the state level that overrule this effort. Right now you should base your plans on the same guidance we worked from in March. We will be touching base early next week to make sure that you have your plans and personnel lists updated. We will be asking you to send your updated plans to Christian Flynn so we can coordinate uploading them to Sharepoint, should that become necessary. - Communicate with your lab: We are going to share all of our messaging, including this one, with the entire community, but it is fundamentally your responsibility to make sure that all of your lab members are prepared for reversals in our lab occupancy levels. When I say prepared, I mean both practically and psychologically. How are they prioritizing current experiments? Do they have projects to work on from home? Are there ways to redesign current plans if we go back to essential-only occupancy? Please note that at this point we have no indication that the federal government is going to make allowances on effort reporting, as it did this spring. We know this may affect your planning, and we will share information as we receive it. The main point is that no one should panic, but we have to be prepared. This spring, we were able to conduct our ramp-down activities over roughly a week. We may have less time this fall/winter, so we have to prepare now. Please let me, Becky or Sarine know if you have any questions. Cheers, Elena ******************************************* Elena M. Kramer, Ph.D. (she, hers) Bussey Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Chair, Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Interim Director, Harvard University Herbaria Harvard University 16 Divinity Ave Biolabs 1119A Cambridge MA 02138 Office (617)-496-3460 (do not leave message) Lab (617)384-7820 ekramer(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:ekramer@oeb.harvard.edu> _______________________________________________ Oeb_all_faculty mailing list Oeb_all_faculty(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu<mailto:Oeb_all_faculty@lists.fas.harvard.edu> https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_all_faculty _______________________________________________ Oeb_sr_faculty mailing list Oeb_sr_faculty(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_sr_faculty ******************************************* Elena M. Kramer, Ph.D. (she, hers) Bussey Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Chair, Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Interim Director, Harvard University Herbaria Harvard University 16 Divinity Ave Biolabs 1119A Cambridge MA 02138 Office (617)-496-3460 (do not leave message) Lab (617)384-7820 ekramer(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:ekramer@oeb.harvard.edu> _______________________________________________ Oeb-all mailing list Oeb-all(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb-all _______________________________________________ Oeb_affiliation mailing list Oeb_affiliation(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_affiliation

3 years, 8 months

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[Oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students] [Oeb-all] OEB Seminar Webinar Series: Thursday, October 29, 2020, 3:30pm with Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo

by Heywood, Wendy

Please join us for the 2020-2021 OEB Seminar Webinar Series Registration Required - Link Below Join us afterwards for informal Q&A with Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo Link will be provided in the chat! OEB Seminar Series<https://oeb.harvard.edu/oeb-seminars> 3:30-4:30pm, Thursday, October 29, 2020 ________________________________ Iñaki Ruiz-Trillo ICREA Research Psychology, Institut de Biologia Evolutiva Associate Professor, Universitat de Barcelona ________________________________ “The power of unicellular relatives of animals: A new perspective into the origin of Metazoa ” [A picture containing group, different, many, elephant Description automatically generated] How animals emerged from their unicellular ancestors remains a mystery. To address this question, we first obtained genome data from the closest unicellular relatives of animals. Comparative genomic analyses demonstrated that the unicellular ancestor of animals was relatively quite complex, with genes involved in cell-adhesion, cell communication and cell differentiation. Moreover, we showed as well that many animal-like features of genomic regulation and spatial cell differentiation were also present in the unicellular ancestor. How those processes were co-opted and expanded, and how different cell types evolved remains unclear, and these questions are the core of our current work. Overall, all the data generated from the closest unicellular relatives of animals allow us to challenge previous views of animal origins and propose a new perspective on how animals evolved. Hosted by Srivastava Lab [A picture containing bird Description automatically generated]<https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oCNGzoU7QJiwtC2N_Js3oQ> -- Wendy Heywood Communications and Events Coordinator Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 ph: 617-496-4639 f: 617-496-8308 e: wheywood(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:wheywood@oeb.harvard.edu> Consider the environment. Please print this email only if necessary. _______________________________________________ Oeb-all mailing list Oeb-all(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb-all _______________________________________________ Oeb_affiliation mailing list Oeb_affiliation(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_affiliation

3 years, 8 months

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[Oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students] [Oeb-all] REGISTER: OEB Departmental Climate Survey Town Hall October 22, 3-5pm

by Kramer, Elena M.

Dear OEB Community, As you know, we conducted a departmental climate survey in August and September. The Educational Research & Evaluation group is in the process of analyzing the data, but we expect to be able to present an overview of the results at our departmental town hall next Thursday October 22 from 3-5pm. We will also be sharing materials that everyone in the community will be able to study at their leisure. If you would like to attend the town hall, we are asking you to register in advance so we have some idea of how many attendants we will have: Register in advance for this meeting: https://harvard.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUkdu-uqzsiH93la2iTH-0heDQ4h4luRy… After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. This is the meeting agenda: 3:00-4:00 PM: Presentation of major results followed by open Q&A 4:00-4:30 PM: Breakout Rooms to discuss the new OEB DIB Committee 4:30-5:00 PM: Return to main room for further Q&A and discussion In terms of the Q&A, we will be joined by members of the FAS administration from outside of OEB who can address questions about the survey instrument itself, the analysis, and concerns from specific constituencies. These guests include Seth Avakian (Program Officer for Title IX and Professional Conduct), Jenny Bergeron (Director, Educational Research & Evaluation), Stephen Kargere (Director of the FAS Office for Postdoctoral Affairs), and Etaine Smith (FAS Senior HR Consultant). We would like to focus our breakout discussions at this meeting on the new OEB Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) Committee - What should its charge be? How should we develop its portfolio? We will also be presenting a general overview of how the DIB Committee will be assembled and a model for how it will function. We are looking for individuals who would be willing to act as notetakers for these breakout sessions. You are not being asked to mediate, just take notes. If you would be interested in helping, please respond to me or Sarine Der Kaloustian (sarine_derkaloustian(a)fas.harvard.edu<mailto:sarine_derkaloustian@fas.harvard.edu>). There will be additional, smaller group meetings over the next few months for specific constituencies (undergrads, grads, postdocs, faculty and staff) to conduct more in-depth discussions of the survey results and help the DIB Committee prioritize its next steps. In additional, we are planning to hold an open workshop called How Harvard Works, which will help attendees understand how processes such as curricular development, searches, and reporting structures work at the level of the department, Science Division and FAS. This type of knowledge is key to helping everyone understand how best to propose change and identify the processes that need changing. Finally, there will also be electronic anonymous mechanisms for providing feedback to the DIB Committee. We look forward to working with you on these important, on-going efforts. Feel free to reach out to me or Sarine Der Kaloustian (sarine_derkaloustian(a)fas.harvard.edu<mailto:sarine_derkaloustian@fas.harvard.edu>) if you have any questions. Cheers, Elena ******************************************* Elena M. Kramer, Ph.D. (she, hers) Bussey Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Chair, Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Interim Director, Harvard University Herbaria Harvard University 16 Divinity Ave Biolabs 1119A Cambridge MA 02138 Office (617)-496-3460 (do not leave message) Lab (617)384-7820 ekramer(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:ekramer@oeb.harvard.edu> _______________________________________________ Oeb-all mailing list Oeb-all(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb-all _______________________________________________ Oeb_affiliation mailing list Oeb_affiliation(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_affiliation

3 years, 8 months

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[Oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students] [Oeb-all] TODAY! OEB Seminar Webinar Series: Thursday, October 15, 2020, 3:30pm with Donna L. Maney

by Heywood, Wendy

Please join us for the 2020-2021 OEB Seminar Webinar Series Registration Required - Link Below Join us afterwards for informal Q&A with Donna L. Maney. Link will be provided in the chat! OEB Seminar Series<https://oeb.harvard.edu/oeb-seminars> 3:30-4:30pm, Thursday, October 15, 2020 ________________________________ Donna L. Maney Professor of Psychology Emory University ________________________________ “Inside the supergene of the bird with four sexes ” [A small bird perched on a tree branch Description automatically generated] The white-throated sparrow, a common backyard songbird, offers unique opportunities to understand the role of genomic architecture in alternative phenotypes. In this species, alternative plumage morphs segregate with a nonrecombining segment of chromosome 2. This autosomal rearrangement, or “supergene”, bears striking similarities to sex chromosomes. For example, homozygosity is rare and each breeding pair consists of one heterozygous individual and one individual homozygous for the standard, recombining arrangement. This species has therefore been called the “bird with four sexes”. The supergene also segregates with a behavioral phenotype—birds with it are more aggressive and less parental than birds without it. Using a combination of techniques from population genetics, molecular biology, and behavioral neuroendocrinology, we have identified at least one gene that is causal for the aggressive behavioral phenotype. We hypothesize that alleles that benefit the more aggressive strategy are accumulating inside the supergene and that additional causal genes will soon be discovered. Thus, this species provides rich possibilities for discovering alleles that work together to mediate life-history trade-offs and maximize the fitness of alternative complex phenotypes. Hosted by OEB Postdocs [A picture containing bird Description automatically generated]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.zoom.us_webina…> -- Wendy Heywood Communications and Events Coordinator Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 ph: 617-496-4639 f: 617-496-8308 e: wheywood(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:wheywood@oeb.harvard.edu> Consider the environment. Please print this email only if necessary. _______________________________________________ Oeb-all mailing list Oeb-all(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb-all _______________________________________________ Oeb_affiliation mailing list Oeb_affiliation(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_affiliation

3 years, 8 months

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[Oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students] [Oeb-all] OEB Seminar Webinar Series: Thursday, October 15, 2020, 3:30pm with Donna L. Maney

by Heywood, Wendy

Please join us for the 2020-2021 OEB Seminar Webinar Series Registration Required - Link Below Join us afterwards for informal Q&A with Donna L. Maney. Link will be provided in the chat! OEB Seminar Series<https://oeb.harvard.edu/oeb-seminars> 3:30-4:30pm, Thursday, October 15, 2020 ________________________________ Donna L. Maney Professor of Psychology Emory University ________________________________ “Inside the supergene of the bird with four sexes ” [A small bird perched on a tree branch Description automatically generated] The white-throated sparrow, a common backyard songbird, offers unique opportunities to understand the role of genomic architecture in alternative phenotypes. In this species, alternative plumage morphs segregate with a nonrecombining segment of chromosome 2. This autosomal rearrangement, or “supergene”, bears striking similarities to sex chromosomes. For example, homozygosity is rare and each breeding pair consists of one heterozygous individual and one individual homozygous for the standard, recombining arrangement. This species has therefore been called the “bird with four sexes”. The supergene also segregates with a behavioral phenotype—birds with it are more aggressive and less parental than birds without it. Using a combination of techniques from population genetics, molecular biology, and behavioral neuroendocrinology, we have identified at least one gene that is causal for the aggressive behavioral phenotype. We hypothesize that alleles that benefit the more aggressive strategy are accumulating inside the supergene and that additional causal genes will soon be discovered. Thus, this species provides rich possibilities for discovering alleles that work together to mediate life-history trade-offs and maximize the fitness of alternative complex phenotypes. Hosted by OEB Postdocs [A picture containing bird Description automatically generated]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.zoom.us_webina…> -- Wendy Heywood Communications and Events Coordinator Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 ph: 617-496-4639 f: 617-496-8308 e: wheywood(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:wheywood@oeb.harvard.edu> Consider the environment. Please print this email only if necessary. _______________________________________________ Oeb-all mailing list Oeb-all(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb-all _______________________________________________ Oeb_affiliation mailing list Oeb_affiliation(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_affiliation

3 years, 8 months

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[Oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students] [Oeb-all] 10/14 FREE VIRTUAL LECTURE: Wonderful Cambrian Beasts with Javier Ortega-Hernández

by Heywood, Wendy

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to invite you to this Free Virtual Lecture and Book Presentation presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture. We hope to see you on Zoom next week. Have a great day, Bethany Carland-Adams Public Relations Specialist Pronouns: she/her/hers HARVARD MUSEUMS OF SCIENCE & CULTURE 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 bcarlandadams(a)hmsc.harvard.edu <mailto:bcarlandadams@hmsc.harvard.edu> Instagram<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__instagram.com_harvardmu…> | Facebook<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.facebook.com_harva…> | Twitter<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_HarvardMus…> | Website<https://hmnh.harvard.edu/> [A picture containing text Description automatically generated]<https://hmsc.harvard.edu/event/wonderful-cambrian-beasts> FREE VIRTUAL LECTURE Wednesday, October 14, 2020, 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm Wonderful Cambrian Beasts<https://hmsc.harvard.edu/event/wonderful-cambrian-beasts> JAVIER ORTEGA-HERNANDEZ Assistant Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University Earth is home to a vast diversity of organisms that collectively define the modern biosphere. How did this diversity come to be? Javier Ortega-Hernández will discuss his approach to answering this question by studying organisms that lived more than half a billion years ago in the Cambrian Period (541–485 million years ago). By focusing on the earliest-known animals—some of the most versatile to ever exist—Ortega-Hernández aims to reconstruct the early evolutionary history of major animal groups and contribute to our understanding of Earth’s biodiversity. Evolution Matters Lecture Series Series supported by a generous gift from Drs. Herman and Joan Suit Click here to register for this free virtual event<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.zoom.us_webina…>. To join the program, you will need to download the free Zoom app in advance. If you already have Zoom, you do not need to download it again. For details on how to improve your Zoom experience, visit the How to Attend an HMSC Program<https://hmsc.harvard.edu/hmsc-zoom> webpage. Share the Facebook event<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.facebook.com_event…> <https://hmsc.harvard.edu/event/reimagining-capitalism-world-fire> _______________________________________________ Oeb-all mailing list Oeb-all(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb-all _______________________________________________ Oeb_affiliation mailing list Oeb_affiliation(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_affiliation

3 years, 8 months

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[Oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students] [Oeb-all] Upcoming Transition in OEB - Anna Salvato

by Chetham, Rebecca

Dear Members of the OEB, MCZ, and HUH Community, I write to share the news that Anna Salvato, our Manager of Financial Operations, has decided to retire on December 31, 2020 after more than 30 years of service to the University. While Anna has been in OEB Administration since 2000, her career at Harvard began in the Bio Labs in 1981. She managed to escape the Harvard magnetic force to do stints as a Seminar Coordinator at the Hawaii Association of Realtors and a Property Administrator at Stanford University's Department of Electrical Engineering. However, family lured her back to New England, where she worked at Harvard's Office for Sponsored Research for ten years until Jay Taft recruited her to join OEB. Anna's job is one of the toughest in OEB. Anna has kept us compliant with University policies and federal guidelines, despite our grumbling that they are inconsistent, absurd and burdensome. The University and FAS have recognized and valued Anna's experience and expertise, regularly calling on her to advise on, test and roll out new financial systems. Who can forget Buy to Pay, Concur, HCOM, Glacier, AWS, AWS2, ESP, Web Voucher, Web Reimbursement, EREQ, FASSPAR, and STAR, to name just a few? Anna has also built strong financial teams in OEB, and her administrative progeny now fill key financial positions across FAS and GSAS. On behalf of the Department, I want to thank Anna for her exceptional dedication to OEB and for her service to the University in support of its teaching and research mission. I personally feel both lucky and grateful to have had such an unfaltering, caring partner since I first came to OEB (as well as an excellent late-night office companion). We will miss you, Anna! Although her official retirement date is not until December, as of next Tuesday, October 13th, Anna will step away from day-to-day operations to focus on key financial projects in OEB. Please direct any question you would have directed to Anna to your designated approver (Donna Gadbois at dgadbois(a)wjh.harvard.edu<mailto:dgadbois@wjh.harvard.edu> or Jason Green at jgreen(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:jgreen@oeb.harvard.edu>). If you have questions about PCard, please contact Peg Richards at prichards(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:prichards@oeb.harvard.edu>. Please feel free to copy or reach out directly to Julie Knippa Colby at jknippa(a)fas.harvard.edu<mailto:jknippa@fas.harvard.edu>. I hope that there will an opportunity in the future to celebrate Anna in person, but in the interim, please join me in thanking and congratulating Anna as she makes her way toward her well-deserved retirement! With gratitude, Becky _______________________________________________ Oeb-all mailing list Oeb-all(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb-all _______________________________________________ Oeb_affiliation mailing list Oeb_affiliation(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_affiliation

3 years, 8 months

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[Oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students] [Oeb-all] OEB Seminar Webinar Series: Thursday, October 15, 2020, 3:30pm with Donna L. Maney

by Heywood, Wendy

Please join us for the 2020-2021 OEB Seminar Webinar Series Registration Required - Link Below Join us afterwards for informal Q&A with Donna L. Maney. Link will be provided in the chat! OEB Seminar Series<https://oeb.harvard.edu/oeb-seminars> 3:30-4:30pm, Thursday, October 15, 2020 ________________________________ Donna L. Maney Professor of Psychology Emory University ________________________________ “Inside the supergene of the bird with four sexes ” [A small bird perched on a tree branch Description automatically generated] The white-throated sparrow, a common backyard songbird, offers unique opportunities to understand the role of genomic architecture in alternative phenotypes. In this species, alternative plumage morphs segregate with a nonrecombining segment of chromosome 2. This autosomal rearrangement, or “supergene”, bears striking similarities to sex chromosomes. For example, homozygosity is rare and each breeding pair consists of one heterozygous individual and one individual homozygous for the standard, recombining arrangement. This species has therefore been called the “bird with four sexes”. The supergene also segregates with a behavioral phenotype—birds with it are more aggressive and less parental than birds without it. Using a combination of techniques from population genetics, molecular biology, and behavioral neuroendocrinology, we have identified at least one gene that is causal for the aggressive behavioral phenotype. We hypothesize that alleles that benefit the more aggressive strategy are accumulating inside the supergene and that additional causal genes will soon be discovered. Thus, this species provides rich possibilities for discovering alleles that work together to mediate life-history trade-offs and maximize the fitness of alternative complex phenotypes. Hosted by OEB Postdocs [A picture containing bird Description automatically generated]<https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tfZcCWd-TjmJTBHqsW1JCQ> -- Wendy Heywood Communications and Events Coordinator Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 ph: 617-496-4639 f: 617-496-8308 e: wheywood(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:wheywood@oeb.harvard.edu> Consider the environment. Please print this email only if necessary. _______________________________________________ Oeb-all mailing list Oeb-all(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb-all _______________________________________________ Oeb_affiliation mailing list Oeb_affiliation(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_affiliation

3 years, 8 months

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[Oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students] [Oeb-all] TODAY! OEB Seminar Webinar Series: Thursday, October 1, 2020, 3:30pm with Paul S. Shamble

by Heywood, Wendy

Please join us for the 2020-2021 OEB Seminar Webinar Series Registration Required - Link Below Join us afterwards for informal Q&A with Paul Shamble. Link will be provided in the chat! OEB Seminar Series<https://oeb.harvard.edu/oeb-seminars> 3:30-4:30pm, Thursday, October 1, 2020 ________________________________ Paul S. Shamble John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellow Harvard University ________________________________ “How Spiders Jump ” [A picture containing green, sitting, small, table Description automatically generated] Jumping is a way of life for jumping spiders (Salticidae). With seeming ease, they regularly leap gaps many times their body length. In reality, jumping presents fundamental physical and physics-based challenges. Salticids have evolved unique ways of overcoming some of the constraints inherent to this form of locomotion. This talk will explore the mechanisms of jumping in a multi-legged, silk-producing system. Using the common jumping spider Salticus scenicus, we developed a high-speed camera system to quantify jumps and to experimentally manipulate silk-tension. We ask how spider silk is used to control orientation and trajectory—even mid-flight—and discuss the application of these findings to future research on novel forms of locomotor control and the evolution of spider silk. Hosted by the Haig Lab [A picture containing bird Description automatically generated]<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__harvard.zoom.us_webina…> -- Wendy Heywood Communications and Events Coordinator Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 ph: 617-496-4639 f: 617-496-8308 e: wheywood(a)oeb.harvard.edu<mailto:wheywood@oeb.harvard.edu> Consider the environment. Please print this email only if necessary. _______________________________________________ Oeb-all mailing list Oeb-all(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb-all _______________________________________________ Oeb_affiliation mailing list Oeb_affiliation(a)lists.fas.harvard.edu https://lists.fas.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/oeb_affiliation

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oeb_non-oeb_graduate_students October 2020