ASB 2022 Meeting - Event Information
Symposia
Plant Conservation Genetics
Organizer - Matt C. Estep, estepmc@appstate.edu, Appalachian State University
Description -Genetics is a powerful tool that can be used to address many questions in Biology. Our goal is to bring together the botanists within the southeast that are using genetic techniques to address questions concerning the conservation status of our native plants. We hope to provide an inviting platform for labs to discuss their work and build a network of botanists focused on the conservation of our local flora.
From Cookbooks to Cell Blocks: Developing a Research-Centered Undergraduate Curriculum
Organizer - Lori Hensley, lhensley@jsu.edu, Jacksonville State University
Description - For faculty to be successful in developing a research-based curriculum, they must have a viable research program themselves and the confidence to move their research into course-based labs.To address such needs, the Cell Biology Education Consortium (CBEC/www.cellbioed.com) created a comprehensive model that provides faculty with the resources they need to incorporate mammalian cell culture into the undergraduate classroom.By providing resources in the form ofCell Blocks, even inexperienced faculty members can successfully make a move. Cell Blocks consist of video protocols, written protocols, classroom implementation strategies, and assessments for common cell culture experiments.Most current CURE initiatives focus on students conducting predefined projects; however, this often limits student creativity and the ability to scaffold research throughout a program's curriculum. Because Cell Blocks are all similarly formatted, they serve as mix-and-match modules, allowing faculty and students to develop projects that are of interest to them, relevant to their course content, and feasible at their institutions. In addition, Cell Blocks are freely available to everyone through the CBEC website, our YouTube channel, and Google Classroom. In this Symposium, faculty will discuss best practices and present examples for integrating research into the curriculum. By blurring the lines between the classroom and the research lab, the CBEC seeks to improve undergraduate research and positively impact science education. Our Symposium will end with a panel discussion focusing on how schools can receive technical and financial support through the CBEC voucher system as well as ways to work creatively with upper administration to obtain the necessary support. This session is designed for both the beginner, "I do not have a hood," and the seasoned expert.
The Surprising Frequency, Diversity, and Relevance of Southeastern Grasslands (and Why We Need to Save Them)
Organizer - Dwayne Estes, dwayne.estes@segrasslands.org, Austin Peay State University
Description - The purpose of our symposium is to create a forum for researchers, land managers, historians, and others to increase awareness of the unique but largely overlooked ecology of southeastern grasslands. For most North Americans, the term 'grassland' likely evokes images of the prairies of the Great Plains or other western locales. But grasslands in the southeastern US are more frequent and more biodiverse than most realize. Southeastern grasslands also have unique and rich cultural histories, and preserve information and artifacts that can span millennia. Grassland ecological research has been overshadowed in the southeast by studies that focus on forest, coastal, and other systems that are more commonly associated with the region. However, a recent resurgence in interest has revealed levels of biodiversity in southeastern grasslands that can rival those in western environments. Such studies expose both a need and an opportunity for transformative research on the processes that shape grassland environments in southern US--environments that differ significantly from those in the more familiar west. Unfortunately, agriculture, development and other anthropogenic forces have reduced grasslands in the southeast by an estimated ninety to ninety-nine percent, and this loss is thought by some to represent the greatest threat to biodiversity in the eastern United States. Remaining grasslands face these same threats but are also vulnerable to climate-driven changes in temperature, moisture, and fire frequency as well as the often related encroachment by invading species and communities. As grassland communities disappear, so do countless opportunities for research because southeastern grasslands are also repositories of novel genetic, ecological, and evolutionary information. With those opportunities in mind, we hope that this symposium will serve to educate and inspire others in the ASB to forge new opportunities for collaborative research, and to take an interest in exploring and preserving novel grassland ecosystems in their own communities.
Pandemic Pedagogy: Innovations That Inspired Better and More Inclusive Teaching
Organizer - Steph Jeffries, ssjeffri@ncsu.edu, North Carolina State University
Description - Instructors adjusted to teaching during the pandemic in multifaceted ways. Not only did they need new methods to deliver content, but they also had to meet their students' needs in an often chaotic environment. Despite the obstacles, learning continued, sometimes through unexpected pathways. This symposium offers an opportunity to reflect and share best practices for better and more inclusive teaching going forward.
SERP Institute: Departmental Strategies for Change in Life Sciences Education
Organizer - Christopher Finelli, finellic@uncw.edu , University of North Carolina - Wilmington
Description - The Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education (PULSE) provides academic departments with resources and training that promote alignment of undergraduate life sciences programs with best educational practices, including those recommended in the Vision & Change Report (2011). The Southeastern Region of PULSE (SERP), which coordinates PULSE’s efforts across the southeastern US, has led fifty-four teams of faculty from colleges and universities in a process of reflection, planning, and action to improve outcomes for undergraduate students. During this symposium attendees of previous SERP Institutes will share insights and results from their departmental change efforts. Talks will include topics such as advanced pedagogy, designing inclusive curricula, navigating departmental change, incorporating undergraduate research, and other topics of interest to the ASB membership.
Progress Update from the SERP III Institute
Organizer - Christopher Finelli, finellic@uncw.edu , University of North Carolina - Wilmington
Description - The Southeastern Region (SERP) of the Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education (PULSE) hosted the third SERP Institute during May 24-27, 2021. Fourteen teams of faculty and administrators met virtually over the course of the Institute to interact with experts in advanced pedagogy, building equitable learning environments, and departmental transformation. Each team developed an action plan to improve learning outcomes for undergraduate students. At this invitation only symposium, teams will share the progress, challenges, and insights from their work. As part of our IRB for this work, this session is by invitation only. Posters and a separate symposium will also be presented for attendance by the general ASB membership. This is a closed symposium.
Plant Conservation Genetics
Organizer - Matt C. Estep, estepmc@appstate.edu, Appalachian State University
Description -Genetics is a powerful tool that can be used to address many questions in Biology. Our goal is to bring together the botanists within the southeast that are using genetic techniques to address questions concerning the conservation status of our native plants. We hope to provide an inviting platform for labs to discuss their work and build a network of botanists focused on the conservation of our local flora.
From Cookbooks to Cell Blocks: Developing a Research-Centered Undergraduate Curriculum
Organizer - Lori Hensley, lhensley@jsu.edu, Jacksonville State University
Description - For faculty to be successful in developing a research-based curriculum, they must have a viable research program themselves and the confidence to move their research into course-based labs.To address such needs, the Cell Biology Education Consortium (CBEC/www.cellbioed.com) created a comprehensive model that provides faculty with the resources they need to incorporate mammalian cell culture into the undergraduate classroom.By providing resources in the form ofCell Blocks, even inexperienced faculty members can successfully make a move. Cell Blocks consist of video protocols, written protocols, classroom implementation strategies, and assessments for common cell culture experiments.Most current CURE initiatives focus on students conducting predefined projects; however, this often limits student creativity and the ability to scaffold research throughout a program's curriculum. Because Cell Blocks are all similarly formatted, they serve as mix-and-match modules, allowing faculty and students to develop projects that are of interest to them, relevant to their course content, and feasible at their institutions. In addition, Cell Blocks are freely available to everyone through the CBEC website, our YouTube channel, and Google Classroom. In this Symposium, faculty will discuss best practices and present examples for integrating research into the curriculum. By blurring the lines between the classroom and the research lab, the CBEC seeks to improve undergraduate research and positively impact science education. Our Symposium will end with a panel discussion focusing on how schools can receive technical and financial support through the CBEC voucher system as well as ways to work creatively with upper administration to obtain the necessary support. This session is designed for both the beginner, "I do not have a hood," and the seasoned expert.
The Surprising Frequency, Diversity, and Relevance of Southeastern Grasslands (and Why We Need to Save Them)
Organizer - Dwayne Estes, dwayne.estes@segrasslands.org, Austin Peay State University
Description - The purpose of our symposium is to create a forum for researchers, land managers, historians, and others to increase awareness of the unique but largely overlooked ecology of southeastern grasslands. For most North Americans, the term 'grassland' likely evokes images of the prairies of the Great Plains or other western locales. But grasslands in the southeastern US are more frequent and more biodiverse than most realize. Southeastern grasslands also have unique and rich cultural histories, and preserve information and artifacts that can span millennia. Grassland ecological research has been overshadowed in the southeast by studies that focus on forest, coastal, and other systems that are more commonly associated with the region. However, a recent resurgence in interest has revealed levels of biodiversity in southeastern grasslands that can rival those in western environments. Such studies expose both a need and an opportunity for transformative research on the processes that shape grassland environments in southern US--environments that differ significantly from those in the more familiar west. Unfortunately, agriculture, development and other anthropogenic forces have reduced grasslands in the southeast by an estimated ninety to ninety-nine percent, and this loss is thought by some to represent the greatest threat to biodiversity in the eastern United States. Remaining grasslands face these same threats but are also vulnerable to climate-driven changes in temperature, moisture, and fire frequency as well as the often related encroachment by invading species and communities. As grassland communities disappear, so do countless opportunities for research because southeastern grasslands are also repositories of novel genetic, ecological, and evolutionary information. With those opportunities in mind, we hope that this symposium will serve to educate and inspire others in the ASB to forge new opportunities for collaborative research, and to take an interest in exploring and preserving novel grassland ecosystems in their own communities.
Pandemic Pedagogy: Innovations That Inspired Better and More Inclusive Teaching
Organizer - Steph Jeffries, ssjeffri@ncsu.edu, North Carolina State University
Description - Instructors adjusted to teaching during the pandemic in multifaceted ways. Not only did they need new methods to deliver content, but they also had to meet their students' needs in an often chaotic environment. Despite the obstacles, learning continued, sometimes through unexpected pathways. This symposium offers an opportunity to reflect and share best practices for better and more inclusive teaching going forward.
SERP Institute: Departmental Strategies for Change in Life Sciences Education
Organizer - Christopher Finelli, finellic@uncw.edu , University of North Carolina - Wilmington
Description - The Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education (PULSE) provides academic departments with resources and training that promote alignment of undergraduate life sciences programs with best educational practices, including those recommended in the Vision & Change Report (2011). The Southeastern Region of PULSE (SERP), which coordinates PULSE’s efforts across the southeastern US, has led fifty-four teams of faculty from colleges and universities in a process of reflection, planning, and action to improve outcomes for undergraduate students. During this symposium attendees of previous SERP Institutes will share insights and results from their departmental change efforts. Talks will include topics such as advanced pedagogy, designing inclusive curricula, navigating departmental change, incorporating undergraduate research, and other topics of interest to the ASB membership.
Progress Update from the SERP III Institute
Organizer - Christopher Finelli, finellic@uncw.edu , University of North Carolina - Wilmington
Description - The Southeastern Region (SERP) of the Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education (PULSE) hosted the third SERP Institute during May 24-27, 2021. Fourteen teams of faculty and administrators met virtually over the course of the Institute to interact with experts in advanced pedagogy, building equitable learning environments, and departmental transformation. Each team developed an action plan to improve learning outcomes for undergraduate students. At this invitation only symposium, teams will share the progress, challenges, and insights from their work. As part of our IRB for this work, this session is by invitation only. Posters and a separate symposium will also be presented for attendance by the general ASB membership. This is a closed symposium.
Workshops
Hitting the Ground Running with Your Graduate School Applications
Organizer - Chinyere Knight, cknight@tuskegee.edu, Tuskegee University
Description - This workshop has been designed to better prepare our undergraduate student members to apply to graduate school. Through dynamic discussion with more experienced ASB member panelists and short exercises, learn about the key elements for successful graduate school applications. After a short introduction, an interactive discussion will ensue with the help of four experienced ASB panelists. We will also divide the discussion into blocks so that we can engage attendees with short exercises that will help them experience successful strategies for career development. To ensure the progress of the discussion, there will be a moderator from the Human Diversity Committee. The workshop will end with a short review of the take-home messages to remember.
Southeastern Regional PULSE Institute Attendees Reporting Session
Organizer - Christopher Finelli, finellic@uncw.edu , University of North Carolina - Wilmington
Description - Attendees in this workshop will report on their progress in implementing action plans developed at the SERP III Institute. This is a closed workshop.
Hitting the Ground Running with Your Graduate School Applications
Organizer - Chinyere Knight, cknight@tuskegee.edu, Tuskegee University
Description - This workshop has been designed to better prepare our undergraduate student members to apply to graduate school. Through dynamic discussion with more experienced ASB member panelists and short exercises, learn about the key elements for successful graduate school applications. After a short introduction, an interactive discussion will ensue with the help of four experienced ASB panelists. We will also divide the discussion into blocks so that we can engage attendees with short exercises that will help them experience successful strategies for career development. To ensure the progress of the discussion, there will be a moderator from the Human Diversity Committee. The workshop will end with a short review of the take-home messages to remember.
Southeastern Regional PULSE Institute Attendees Reporting Session
Organizer - Christopher Finelli, finellic@uncw.edu , University of North Carolina - Wilmington
Description - Attendees in this workshop will report on their progress in implementing action plans developed at the SERP III Institute. This is a closed workshop.
Field Trips
A Botanical Tour of Camp Robinson Special Use Area (AR Game and Fish)
Field Trip Leader - Dwayne Estes, dwayne.estes@segrasslands.org, Austin Peay State University
Schedule - Wednesday AM
Description - Join Dwayne Estes, director of the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative and Professor and Herbarium Curator at Austin Peay University in Tennessee for a tour of the Camp Robinson Special Use Area near Conway, Arkansas. Dwayne is an expert in plant communities of the United States, with a special love for grasslands of the southeast. Originally part of the nearby National Guard training center, Camp Robinson SUA was deeded to the Arkansas Game and Fish after World War II. It includes a variety of upland and bottomland habitats, including grasslands, oak savanna, upland oak/hickory forest and bottomland hardwood forest. The area is known for its diversity of wildlife, including many birds of interest, bear, bobcat, and even American alligators. The diversity of habitats in a relatively small area is a highlight of this trip.
Lorance Creek Aquatic Biology
Field Trip Leader - Dustin Lynch, dustin.lynch@arkansas.gov, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission
Schedule - Wednesday AM
Description - Join Dustin Lynch for a visit to Lorance Creek Natural Area, south of downtown Little Rock. The natural area is accessible via an elevated boardwalk that takes you through a typical shallow water bald cypress/tupelo swamp. There is also a universally accessible paved trail on higher ground. The greater part of the natural area includes a mosaic of ecosystems including beaver ponds, upland pine and hardwood forests, open water and sandy washes. Numerous streams, seeps, and springs support a rich community of plants and animals. The boardwalk experience at Lorance is sure to please those who want to experience the sites and sounds of swamp life. Your guide will be Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission's Dustin Lynch, an expert in aquatic ecology who knows Lorance Creek well. Join Dustin for an up-close look at aquatic biology in Arkansas.
Cove Creek Natural Area
Field Trip Leaders - Travis Marsico (trmarsico@astate.edu, Arkansas State University), Benjamin Benton (benjamin.benton1@smail.astate.edu, Arkansas State University), and Kunsiri Grubbs (grubbsk@winthrop.edu, Winthrop University)
Schedule - Saturday AM
Description - The Cove Creek field trip is a 1/2 day trip including a hike in one of Arkansas's natural areas. Participants will learn about the Arkansas River Valley region, sandstone glades and woodlands, restoration practices, and have a chance to see an Arkansas endemic plant species. We will discuss the unusual patterns of plant biogeography in the Interior Highlands region. This field trip is sponsored in part by the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society (SABS).
Gillam Park Birding and More with Audubon Arkansas
Field Trip Leader - John Young, jontathan.young@audubon.org, Audubon Arkansas
Schedule - Saturday AM
Description - Gillam Park is a 400 acre, largely wooded site in southeast Little Rock. The park is managed as a natural area by Audubon Arkansas, whose Little Rock Center is found nearby. Gillam Park is home to one of the few exposed igneous rock formations of nepheline syenite in the world, creating several glade communities. Other plant communities include upland and bottomland hardwood forests, open water, and other wetlands. The Park is a popular place for local birders and its proximity to the Audubon Arkansas Center provides additional opportunities to explore. The center has several additional trails as well as gardens and constructed glades. Join Jonathan Young, Audubon Arkansas Field Project Manager for a tour of Gillam Park and its unique ecology and geology.
Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area
Field Trip Leader - Theo Witsell, theo.witsell@arkansas.gov, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission
Schedule - Saturday AM
Description - Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area is a complex of open glades, barrens, and dry oak woodlands on a shale substrates in the Ouachita Mountains. The glades range from seasonally wet flat areas to dry hillside glades on south- and west-facing slopes. The area is home to several globally rare endemic plants and is a hotspot for glade-associated arthropods like lined bark scorpions and Texas brown tarantulas. Theo Witsell is well-known for his encyclopedic knowledge of Arkansas plant communities, and his tremendous enthusiasm for conservation and management in his home state. Join him for a trip that highlights arid islands in a forest sea.
A Botanical Tour of Camp Robinson Special Use Area (AR Game and Fish)
Field Trip Leader - Dwayne Estes, dwayne.estes@segrasslands.org, Austin Peay State University
Schedule - Wednesday AM
Description - Join Dwayne Estes, director of the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative and Professor and Herbarium Curator at Austin Peay University in Tennessee for a tour of the Camp Robinson Special Use Area near Conway, Arkansas. Dwayne is an expert in plant communities of the United States, with a special love for grasslands of the southeast. Originally part of the nearby National Guard training center, Camp Robinson SUA was deeded to the Arkansas Game and Fish after World War II. It includes a variety of upland and bottomland habitats, including grasslands, oak savanna, upland oak/hickory forest and bottomland hardwood forest. The area is known for its diversity of wildlife, including many birds of interest, bear, bobcat, and even American alligators. The diversity of habitats in a relatively small area is a highlight of this trip.
Lorance Creek Aquatic Biology
Field Trip Leader - Dustin Lynch, dustin.lynch@arkansas.gov, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission
Schedule - Wednesday AM
Description - Join Dustin Lynch for a visit to Lorance Creek Natural Area, south of downtown Little Rock. The natural area is accessible via an elevated boardwalk that takes you through a typical shallow water bald cypress/tupelo swamp. There is also a universally accessible paved trail on higher ground. The greater part of the natural area includes a mosaic of ecosystems including beaver ponds, upland pine and hardwood forests, open water and sandy washes. Numerous streams, seeps, and springs support a rich community of plants and animals. The boardwalk experience at Lorance is sure to please those who want to experience the sites and sounds of swamp life. Your guide will be Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission's Dustin Lynch, an expert in aquatic ecology who knows Lorance Creek well. Join Dustin for an up-close look at aquatic biology in Arkansas.
Cove Creek Natural Area
Field Trip Leaders - Travis Marsico (trmarsico@astate.edu, Arkansas State University), Benjamin Benton (benjamin.benton1@smail.astate.edu, Arkansas State University), and Kunsiri Grubbs (grubbsk@winthrop.edu, Winthrop University)
Schedule - Saturday AM
Description - The Cove Creek field trip is a 1/2 day trip including a hike in one of Arkansas's natural areas. Participants will learn about the Arkansas River Valley region, sandstone glades and woodlands, restoration practices, and have a chance to see an Arkansas endemic plant species. We will discuss the unusual patterns of plant biogeography in the Interior Highlands region. This field trip is sponsored in part by the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society (SABS).
Gillam Park Birding and More with Audubon Arkansas
Field Trip Leader - John Young, jontathan.young@audubon.org, Audubon Arkansas
Schedule - Saturday AM
Description - Gillam Park is a 400 acre, largely wooded site in southeast Little Rock. The park is managed as a natural area by Audubon Arkansas, whose Little Rock Center is found nearby. Gillam Park is home to one of the few exposed igneous rock formations of nepheline syenite in the world, creating several glade communities. Other plant communities include upland and bottomland hardwood forests, open water, and other wetlands. The Park is a popular place for local birders and its proximity to the Audubon Arkansas Center provides additional opportunities to explore. The center has several additional trails as well as gardens and constructed glades. Join Jonathan Young, Audubon Arkansas Field Project Manager for a tour of Gillam Park and its unique ecology and geology.
Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area
Field Trip Leader - Theo Witsell, theo.witsell@arkansas.gov, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission
Schedule - Saturday AM
Description - Middle Fork Barrens Natural Area is a complex of open glades, barrens, and dry oak woodlands on a shale substrates in the Ouachita Mountains. The glades range from seasonally wet flat areas to dry hillside glades on south- and west-facing slopes. The area is home to several globally rare endemic plants and is a hotspot for glade-associated arthropods like lined bark scorpions and Texas brown tarantulas. Theo Witsell is well-known for his encyclopedic knowledge of Arkansas plant communities, and his tremendous enthusiasm for conservation and management in his home state. Join him for a trip that highlights arid islands in a forest sea.
