NSF is highlighting our women STEM faculty. This week we are featuring the biology department head Dr. Alicia Mathis, and her research on amphibian and fish behavior.
Mathis argues that these species each are intricate and fascinating despite their size.“We have all these ideas about the challenges animals encounter and how they have adapted to meet those challenges,” she said. In a natural habitat, these challenges include: avoiding predators, finding mates, dealing with competition, and locating good habitats and food. “What can animals do to increase their probability of survival and reproductive success? That’s really the bottom line as far as biology is concerned. Everything, from the way your cells work to the way ecosystems work boils down to this.”
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