Biology Blog

Group photo at ASM
From left to right: Back: Dr. Sean Maher, Eric Green, Dana Green, Dr. Tom Tomasi. Front: Casey Adkins, Emily Beasley, Briana Anderson and Keslie Naffa-Wack

Current and former biology students attend conference

Presenting doesn’t end when you graduate.

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The 98th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) was a chance to see some familiar faces and discuss a common interest: mammals. The meeting was held June 25-27 at Kansas State University.

Drs. Sean Maher, assistant professor of biology, and Tom Tomasi, professor of biology, took several of their current and recent graduate students.

Two biology alumni attended the meeting as well. Dana and Eric Green recently completed their master’s degrees at Northern Arizona University. Their research advisers at MSU were Drs. Alicia Mathis, biology department head, and Lynn Robbins, professor emeritus, respectively.

Many of the presentations were related to disease ecology and pathogen dynamics, as well as biogeography of mammals.

All students, current and former, presented their research. An * symbol reflects who presented.

  • Embracing uncertainty in distributional model development and estimations by considering circulation models. C.L. Adkins*, V .Starnes, K. Beckham, B. Spitz, and S.P. Maher
  • Immune function and hibernation energetics of four North American bat species with whitenose syndrome. B.N. Anderson*, T. Tomasi, and C. Lupfer
  • Applying island biogeography to small mammals in the Ozark glades while accounting for imperfect detection. E.M. Beasley* and S.P. Maher
  • Identifying immune response to WNS in a resistant bat species (Eptesicus fuscus). K.S. Naffa-Wack*, T.E. Tomasi, and C.R. Lupfer
  • Isolation by marine barriers and climate explain areas of endemism in an island rodent. T.C. Giarla*, S.P. Maher, A.S. Achmadi, M.T. Swanson, K.C. Rowe, and J.A. Esselstyn
  • Examining parasite distributions using niche models and patterns of host occurrence. S.P. Maher* and K.C. Bell

Recognition at the meeting

Beasley received the Annie M. Alexander Award. This award recognizes outstanding graduate research at the master’s level.

Maher received the President’s Award for his service to the society, which includes maintaining the ASM website and its social media presence. Part of the social media presence is participation in the annual March Mammal Madness.

Tomasi was elected for another term on the ASM Board of Directors.

Congratulations, all!