Marine Biology Colloquium

The Student Research Colloquium of the Graduate Program in Marine Biology (GPMB) was established in 1998, with the goals of increasing awareness of research activities by students and faculty affiliated with GPMB; providing graduate students with experience in making scientific presentations; and promoting interactions among faculty and students conducting research in marine biology. Dr. Erik Sotka stepped in the give the opening talk for Dr. Scott France of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. Previously part of the CofC Department of Biology and Grice Marine Lab, Dr. France was unable to attend. A poster session and the Friday social was held on Septemer 25th, 2009. The poster presenters attended their posters from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and the posters remained on display throughout the Colloquium. Several students received honorable mentions for their posters. On Saturday, student talks ran from 9-3:30, followed by the closing address at 4pm by Dr. Geoff Scott of the Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research and the Hollings Marine Lab. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed Lowcountry Boil and the new students to the GPMB program were introduced to the Fort Johnson community. Melanie Hedgespeth won the award for best oral presentation. Please see theColloquium Program for a detailed schedule and presentation abstracts.

The Colloquium gives the students an opportunity to practice their presentation skills and provides them with feedback to make improvements; it also allows faculty to recruit new students to their labs, and allows new students to review the research going on in various labs and consider their own future research. Also, undergraduates interested in graduate school can get a sense of what graduate school is all about.

Very nearly all marine graduate students, except those in their first year, presented their research this year – as you will see in the abstracts, it is an impressive array of marine research!

Oral Presentation Award

Melanie Hedgespeth

Distinguished Recognition for Colloquium Poster

Lindsey Parent and Joy Gerhard

Distinguished Recognition for Colloquium Poster of Proposal

Ryan Joyce and Tessa Bricke

Former GPMB Graduate Awarded Teaching Honors

A former College of Charleston Marine Biology Masters graduate has received great honors for her work in Charleston County School District. Katherine Lee Metzner-Roop, a teacher at Academic Magnet High School, has been named the South Carolina Academy of Science’s 2009 Teacher of the Year. Metzner-Roop was recently honored in Columbia, SC at the Academy of Science and Junior Academy of Science meeting. Not only has she been named 2009’s Science Teacher of the Year, but she was also named Teacher of the Year (2003-04) at her school as well as the Junior Science Academy Sponsor of the Year (2004-05). She has been making a difference teaching in Charleston County Schools for seventeen years and has been shaping lives at the College of Charleston for nine years. Congratulations Katherine!

GPMB Students Inducted into Sigma Xi

On April 23, 2009, several GPMB Students were inducted into Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, at the annual banquet and awards ceremony. According to Dr. Robert T. Dillon, Jr., “Sigma Xi may be best known here locally as the main sponsor for the annual “Darwin Week” and for sponsoring presentation awards at the annual MUSC Student Research Day, GPMB Student Research Colloquium and the Citadel’s Student Research Presentation Day. The organization provides excellent opportunities for professional networking among scientific institutions in the Charleston area and offers solid evidence of professional involvement for graduate students as they move into the next stage of their careers.”

Student Research Colloquium

The Student Research Colloquium of the Graduate Program in Marine Biology (GPMB) was established in 1998, with the goals of increasing awareness of research activities by students and faculty affiliated with GPMB; providing graduate students with experience in making scientific presentations; and promoting interactions among faculty and students conducting research in marine biology. Oral and poster sessions, including the Friday social, were held at the Marine Resources Research Institute, Fort Johnson. The Lowcountry Boil on Saturday took place in the outdoor classroom adjacent to the Marshlands House. The poster presenters attended their posters from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday and the posters remained on display throughout the Colloquium. Meggie Kent won the award for best oral presentation. Please see the 2009 Colloquium Program for details about the presenters and topics.

SICB Meeting

The Grice Lab was well represented at the annual meeting of the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology in Seattle, Washington, January 3-7, 2010.  Members of the Burnett, Podolsky and McElroy labs were among the more than 1700 attendees at the international scientific conference.  The program included research presentations by undergraduates, graduate students and faculty, as well plenary talks by leading scientists, including Dr. Bruce Alberts, editor of Science magazine.  Representing the Grice laboratory, graduate students Daniel Fernandes, Kolo Rathburn, Nat Johnson and Kris Stover gave oral presentationsof their research, as did Drs. Bob Podolsky, Eric McElroy and Kristin Hardy.  They also took some time before and after the meeting to enjoy the sites of Seattle, including the Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, and even nearby Forks.

An Octoclaus Sighting

If you happened to be on Folly Beach on December 13th, you may have seen a giant blue octopus wearing a red Santa hat and riding on top of a boat. New species? Mutant genes you ask? Turns out it was part of a float entered by GML in the Folly Beach Christmas Parade. Graduate students dressed as sea critters danced around the boat as it was pulled along the parade route and threw candy canes to the delight of the many children. OCTOCLAUS was a huge success, finishing in 2nd place and winning a prestigious trophy and $200 for the Marine Biology GSA. Click here for more photos and video clips.

.2008-12 Christmas Parade 047