Science and Math Colloquium Series
Science and Math Colloquium Series
The Science and Mathematics Colloquium Series invites distinguished
speakers from science and mathematics disciplines to present current,
exciting scientific research to Columbia College faculty, staff, and
students, as well as Chicago's South Loop community. Talks are intended
to introduce a general audience to a wide variety of important advances
in science and math, their potential applications, and public policy
implications. Reflecting the arts emphasis at Columbia College, select
talks examine the intersections among science, math, art, and the media.
All lectures are free and open to the public. A brief reception will precede each talk in the Ferguson Auditorium Lobby.
Location: Ferguson Auditorium, 600 S. Michigan Ave.
Time: Talks will begin at 5 pm unless noted otherwise.
December 3
Title: Sustaining Biological Diversity: “Fishy” Lessons from the Amazon Rainforest
Dr. Cindy Gerstner, Professor of Biology and Ecology, Columbia College Chicago
Sustainability is a big “buzz” word in the news these days, but what does it really mean in practice? Dr. Gerstner will present the results of her research on the trade in home aquarium fishes from the Peruvian Amazon rainforest, as a case study in sustaining biological diversity. After dogs and cats, fish are the next most popular pet in the United States and parts of Europe. Many species of freshwater fish that you buy in the pet store are collected right from the Amazon River, yet until now, no data have been available on the ecological impact of the fishery. Fish abundance, species diversity (richness) and biomass were quantified at three locations with differential fishing pressure to examine the possible effects of the aquarium trade on Amazon fish populations. The socioeconomic importance of the trade on local indigenous communities will also be discussed.
Previous Fall 2008 Talks:
September 24
It’s a Snail Eat Snail World: Mucus Trail Following in the Carnivorous Rosy Wolf Snail
Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Berg, Professor of Biology, Columbia College Chicago
The rosy wolf snail, Euglandina rosea, is a carnivorous snail native to the Southeastern U.S. In the 1960s and 70s Euglandina was introduced to a number of Pacific oceanic islands to control the giant African land snail, a pest of agricultural crops. Rather than behaving as hoped, Euglandina rosea preyed upon the smaller native snails, decimating their numbers and contributing to the extinction of several species. This talk will discuss trail following in the rosy wolf snail and why this behavior contributes to its status on the ISSG’s 100 worst invasive species list.
October 22
Insights Into the Bird Tree of Life with Genomic-scale Data
Dr. Sushma Reddy, Bucksbaum Postdoctoral Fellow, Field Museum of Natural History
Birds are a highly diverse (>10000 species) and well-studied vertebrate group. Yet, paradoxically, the deep evolutionary history of birds has remained elusive. Reconstructing evolutionary relationships of modern birds is difficult due to their rapid divergence into many distinctive, morphologically cohesive groups (e.g., owls, parrots, doves) with few, if any, living intermediary forms linking them to other groups. Using genomic-scale DNA data, our study has redrawn the avian evolutionary tree. We documented well-supported but previously unrecognized relationships between avian orders, such as close relationships between songbirds and parrots, hummingbirds and nightjars. While the broad pattern shows major groups of birds diverged along environmental divisions (e.g., 'waterbirds' and 'landbirds'), our study also shows many examples of convergence to similar adaptations and lifestyles in distantly related birds. Our revolutionary study challenges current classifications, alters our understanding of avian evolution, and provides a valuable resource for all types of comparative studies in birds.
November 12
Icy Math and Global Warming
Dr. Kenneth M. Golden, Professor of Mathematics, University of Utah
Sea ice is both an indicator and agent of climate change. It also serves as a primary habitat for algal and bacterial communities sustaining life in the polar oceans. Fluid flow through porous sea ice mediates a broad range of processes, such as the growth and decay of seasonal ice, biomass build-up, and the absorption of solar radiation in the polar regions. A new, mathematical understanding of the fluid permeability of sea ice, and how its brine microstructure evolves with temperature, promises to improve predictions of how global warming will affect earth's icepacks, and how polar ecosystems may respond. Related work on electrical properties will help in monitoring ice thickness. Video from a 2007 Antarctic expedition where we measured fluid and electrical transport in sea ice will be shown.
All lectures are free and open to the public. A brief reception will precede each talk in the Ferguson Auditorium Lobby.
Fall 2008
Location: Ferguson Auditorium, 600 S. Michigan Ave.
Time: Talks will begin at 5 pm unless noted otherwise.
December 3
Title: Sustaining Biological Diversity: “Fishy” Lessons from the Amazon Rainforest
Dr. Cindy Gerstner, Professor of Biology and Ecology, Columbia College Chicago
Sustainability is a big “buzz” word in the news these days, but what does it really mean in practice? Dr. Gerstner will present the results of her research on the trade in home aquarium fishes from the Peruvian Amazon rainforest, as a case study in sustaining biological diversity. After dogs and cats, fish are the next most popular pet in the United States and parts of Europe. Many species of freshwater fish that you buy in the pet store are collected right from the Amazon River, yet until now, no data have been available on the ecological impact of the fishery. Fish abundance, species diversity (richness) and biomass were quantified at three locations with differential fishing pressure to examine the possible effects of the aquarium trade on Amazon fish populations. The socioeconomic importance of the trade on local indigenous communities will also be discussed.
Previous Fall 2008 Talks:
September 24
It’s a Snail Eat Snail World: Mucus Trail Following in the Carnivorous Rosy Wolf Snail
Dr. Elizabeth Davis-Berg, Professor of Biology, Columbia College Chicago
The rosy wolf snail, Euglandina rosea, is a carnivorous snail native to the Southeastern U.S. In the 1960s and 70s Euglandina was introduced to a number of Pacific oceanic islands to control the giant African land snail, a pest of agricultural crops. Rather than behaving as hoped, Euglandina rosea preyed upon the smaller native snails, decimating their numbers and contributing to the extinction of several species. This talk will discuss trail following in the rosy wolf snail and why this behavior contributes to its status on the ISSG’s 100 worst invasive species list.
October 22
Insights Into the Bird Tree of Life with Genomic-scale Data
Dr. Sushma Reddy, Bucksbaum Postdoctoral Fellow, Field Museum of Natural History
Birds are a highly diverse (>10000 species) and well-studied vertebrate group. Yet, paradoxically, the deep evolutionary history of birds has remained elusive. Reconstructing evolutionary relationships of modern birds is difficult due to their rapid divergence into many distinctive, morphologically cohesive groups (e.g., owls, parrots, doves) with few, if any, living intermediary forms linking them to other groups. Using genomic-scale DNA data, our study has redrawn the avian evolutionary tree. We documented well-supported but previously unrecognized relationships between avian orders, such as close relationships between songbirds and parrots, hummingbirds and nightjars. While the broad pattern shows major groups of birds diverged along environmental divisions (e.g., 'waterbirds' and 'landbirds'), our study also shows many examples of convergence to similar adaptations and lifestyles in distantly related birds. Our revolutionary study challenges current classifications, alters our understanding of avian evolution, and provides a valuable resource for all types of comparative studies in birds.
November 12
Icy Math and Global Warming
Dr. Kenneth M. Golden, Professor of Mathematics, University of Utah
Sea ice is both an indicator and agent of climate change. It also serves as a primary habitat for algal and bacterial communities sustaining life in the polar oceans. Fluid flow through porous sea ice mediates a broad range of processes, such as the growth and decay of seasonal ice, biomass build-up, and the absorption of solar radiation in the polar regions. A new, mathematical understanding of the fluid permeability of sea ice, and how its brine microstructure evolves with temperature, promises to improve predictions of how global warming will affect earth's icepacks, and how polar ecosystems may respond. Related work on electrical properties will help in monitoring ice thickness. Video from a 2007 Antarctic expedition where we measured fluid and electrical transport in sea ice will be shown.