October 14, 2024
The University of Montana Western’s Biology Department is pleased to present Life: Inside and Out (LIO), a speaker series that features scientists from across the country, sharing their research in an accessible and engaging format. LIO would like to invite both the UMW and Dillon communities to attend the next presentation, “Geochemistry and Life: From Supervolcanoes to Silver Bow Creek” by Dr. Stephanie Crofts, on Wednesday, October 16, in UMW’s Lucy Carson Library.
LIO offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from experts about exciting biological research happening today, as well as insight into potential career paths for students, enhanced by firsthand knowledge from leading scientists.
The first LIO presentation, held on August 21, showcased the research of Montana Western’s Biology Faculty and the opportunities for students to get involved in scientific research. UMW students participate in a range of projects, from investigating antibiotic-resistant bacteria in local waterways to studying parasites that infect fish in those same waters. Other projects include exploring the outdoor ecology of alpine environments, studying the internal anatomy of sharks and horses, understanding the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems, and investigating chronic wasting disease in local deer populations.
The second LIO presentation, held on September 18, featured the research of Dr. Diane Bimczok, DVM, PhD, an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology at Montana State University. Her talk, titled “Modeling Epithelial-Immune Cell Interactions in the Human Gastric Mucosa,” described the current understanding of how stomach cancer begins and spreads in relation to a bacterium that many people naturally host within their stomachs. She uses model tissues, called organoids, to simulate a stomach environment, allowing detailed study of the cellular mechanisms that link stomach bacteria to our immune system.
LIO presentations take place on the first Wednesday of every block, beginning at 4:00 p.m. on the first floor of the Lucy Carson Library. For more information about undergraduate research opportunities and the LIO speaker series, please contact the Chair of the Biology Department, Dr. Michael Morrow, at [email protected].
Life: Inside and Out 2024-2025 Schedule:
Wednesday, October 16: Dr. Alysia Cox, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry at Montana Technological University, will speak on “Geochemistry and Life: From Supervolcanoes to Silver Bow Creek.”
Wednesday, November 13: Dr. Stephanie Crofts, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, will speak on “Tails, Teeth, and Spines: Biomechanical Consequences of Morphology at Multiple Levels.”
Wednesday, January 15: Dr. Beverly Piggot, Assistant Professor in the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Montana, Missoula, will speak on “Bioelectric Regulation of Brain Development.”
Wednesday, February 12: Dr. Bob Cieri, National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Zoology at the University of British Columbia, will speak on “Taking a Breath: The Mechanics and Evolution of Tetrapod Ventilation.”
Wednesday, March 19: Dr. Hilary Katz, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Western Kentucky University, will speak on “Spinal Cord Regeneration in the Larval Sea Lamprey.”
Wednesday, April 16: Dr. Dan Atwater, Assistant Professor of Rangeland Ecology in the Department of Animal and Range Science at Montana State University, will speak on his research about global changes on ecosystem function and how they’re mediated by changes in plant communities.
