Biology

Biology Postdoc Tao Zhang and Assistant Professor Jeremy Lichstein published a major paper in Nature on the response of forests to climate change. They examine changes in forest biomass using systematic forest inventories from the 1980s and 2000s across the eastern US, a period in which some regions became drier while others became wetter. They […]

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Associate Professor of Biology and Curator Akito Kawahara and his colleagues have published the first comprehensive evolutionary tree of butterflies.  The team analyzed 352 genetic markers from 207 butterfly species representing all butterfly families and subfamilies and 98 percent of all butterfly tribes. The tree was also dated by calibrating it with the fossil record. […]

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Biology’s outstanding teacher scholars were recognized by three nominations for the CLAS Teacher of the Year competition. Drs. Brad Barbazuk, Keith Choe, and Christine Davis were all nominated, which in itself is a singular honor. Among this stiff competition (which also included excellent teachers from many other departments in CLAS), Dr. Davis was awarded a 2017-2018 […]

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Dan Paluh recently won the David and Marvalee Wake Award for Best Student Talk in the Division of Phylogenetic and Comparative Biology at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology, which took place January 3 to 7, 2018 in San Francisco.  Dan, we’re proud of you!

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Dr. James Liao, Associate Professor of Biology and UF Term Professor, has published an important new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.  In collaboration with past post-doctoral students, colleagues and undergraduates in the REU program at the Whitney Marine Lab., Liao uses biomechanics, fluid dynamics and biomimetic models to study fish […]

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Dr. David Oppenheimer’s video on protein movement has won a national BioArt Award from FASEB, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Dr. Oppenheimer’s video shows how, although protein structures are often shown as static images, in real life they twist and wiggle. Proteins and all other biological molecules are formed of individual atoms […]

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 Biology Professor Rebecca Kimball published a new paper in Nature Ecology & Evolution.  The study describes changes in the size of snail kites resulting from a recent change in their specialized diet.  Graduate student Christopher E. Cattau teamed up with faculty from the Departments of Biology, Wildlife Ecology, Entomology and the USGS Cooperative Fish and […]

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Dr. Gabriela Blohm (Ph.D. 2017, supervised by José Miguel Ponciano) was recognized by the Venezuelan National Academy of Medicine for her work on Zika virus.  The prize is given each year by the José Gregorio Hernandez Foundation, which was founded in 1968 to honor the legacy of Dr. Hernandez, a Venezuelan physician who advocated for the […]

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Dr. Karen Bjorndal, Distinguished Professor of Biology and Director of the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, has been awarded the 2017 Archie F. Carr Medal. “The medal honors others who, like Carr, have been nationally and internationally recognized for their contributions to an understanding of our natural heritage.” Recipients are chosen by a […]

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Biology alumnus, Bruce Shockey (Ph.D. 1997), has named an extinct armadillo-like mammal Ronwolffia pacifica (Cingulata; Peltephilidae) in honor of Zoology Professor Emeritus Ron Wolff (1942-2009).   The Oligocene fossil was originally from Salla, Bolivia where Dr. Wolff conducted much of his field research.  Dr. Shockey’s tribute is “…to recognize his [Dr. Wolff’s] considerable service as undergraduate […]

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Biology post-doc Ruslandi and faculty Claudia Romero and Jack Putz have an important new paper on tropical forest management practices (in press in Forest Policy and Economics).  They address the brewing debate over the costs and benefits of intensification of natural forest management in the tropics with solid timber, carbon, and financial data. Their paper […]

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Jack Putz, Distinguished Professor of Biology, has been awarded a Jefferson Science Fellowship for 2017-2018.  Administered by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the Jefferson Science Fellowships were established in 2003 to engage academic expertise in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy and international development programming.  Jack is one of 14 […]

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Biology assistant professor Emily Sessa is featured on the podcast In Defense of Plants.  You can listen to the interview in which Emily describes her research on, and her fascination with, ferns and lycophytes:  Ep. 122 – Understanding Ferns and Lycophytes  

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Elizabeth Gordon is the first student from the new UF Bioscience Scholars Program to transition to our graduate program. The Bioscience Scholars Program provides a pathway to a five-year, combined BS and MS degree for low-income students pursuing careers in biotechnology or other STEM disciplines.  The summer following her junior year, Elizabeth graduated Summa cum […]

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Distinguished Professor Emeritus Walter Judd and his son Graham have a new book, Flora of Middle-Earth: Plants of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Legendarium, published by Oxford University Press.  Walt provides the botanical expertise and son Graham, who is a professional artist and printmaker, provides wonderful, hand-drawn illustrations in the style of woodcut prints.  To see some of […]

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Dr. Rosana Zenil-Ferguson received the E. Mayr Award for her Ph.D. research, which was presented at the Evolution Meeting 2017 in Portland, OR. The Ernst Mayr Award is given to the presenter of the best student talk in the field of systematics at the annual meeting of the Society of Systematic Biologists (SSB). “This is […]

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Biology Professor Robert Holt received an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Helsinki. He was chosen for this honor by the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Helsinki for his pioneering work in theoretical ecology.   “Through the honorary doctorates, faculties wish to recognize professors and significant social and cultural figures with exceptional merits […]

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Biology graduate student Mark Sandfoss (Lillywhite Lab.) was awarded the Seahorse Key Fellowship for 2017-2018.  The fellowship will support Mark’s doctoral research on the unique behavior, ecology and physiology of insular Florida cottonmouths (Agkistrodon conanti) within the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, including Seahorse Key.

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Mike Gil, a recent Biology alumnus (PhD 2015), has been named a TED Fellow.  He is one of a very diverse group of international experts chosen to attend and speak at this year’s TEDGlobal2017 conference in Arusha, Tanzania. TED recognizes fellows for “remarkable achievement, their strength of character, and on their innovative approach to solving the […]

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  Distinguished Professor of Biology Doug Soltis was elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).  Membership in the NAS recognizes “distinguished and continuing achievements in original research” and is a widely accepted mark of excellence in science.  It is considered one of the highest honors that a scientist can receive.  The NAS […]

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