University of Michigan
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

EEB extends its warmest welcome to seven undergraduate students from across the country who were selected to participate in the 2012 ED-QUE²ST REU Program, which began Saturday, May 26. The program is especially for first and second year college students from backgrounds underrepresented in ecology and evolutionary biology. Their three-day orientation included a weekend retreat to the E.S. George Reserve. The students begin their research projects on May 30 and will present their work at a symposium on July 30.

The outstanding students, their home universities, research project titles and ED-QUE²ST mentors follow:

Sanam Anwar, first year, Wellesley College, Dietary habits of living and fossil mammals, Professor Catherine Badgley.

Raymond Balaguer, second year, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, Spatial dynamics of a complex ecological network in Mexican coffee agroecosystems, Professor John Vandermeer and EEB graduate student Senay Yitbarek.

Sara Maria Colom, second year, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, Why are there so many Galeommatoidean clams in the sea? Speciation of a group of marine clams, Professor Diarmaid Ó Foighil and EEB graduate student Jingchun Li.

Zachary Hajian-Forooshani, second year, University of Michigan, Spatial dynamics of a complex ecological network in Mexican coffee agroecosystems, Vandermeer and Dave Gonthier, a graduate student in the School of Natural Resources and Environment.

L’Oreal Melissa Hawkes, first year, Washtenaw Community College, Urban agriculture as a science: how biocomplexity and crop variety affect pest prevalence and dispersal through an urban landscape, EEB graduate student Theresa Wei Ying Ong.

Alejandra Torres Marrero, first year, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, Genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying phenotypic evolution, Professor Trisha Wittkopp.

Kirsten Verster, second year, University of Florida, The evolution of cognition in wasps, Professor Elizabeth Tibbetts and EEB graduate student Allison Injaian.

Faculty directors are Badgley, Jo Kurdziel, and Vandermeer, with administrative support from Bethany Christoff and Jane Sullivan. Kurdziel and Badgley will coordinate weekly meetings and discussion of this year’s book selection, “Darwin’s Archipelago” by Steve Jones. The University of Michigan program is in its second year and is funded by the National Science Foundation.  Students will spend nine weeks conducting research with their mentors. Following the weekend retreat at the E.S. George Reserve to observe research in action and discuss the scientific process, their third day of orientation on the U-M Ann Arbor campus will acquaint students with available facilities and resources.

Balaguer and Hajian-Forooshani will spend eight weeks in Chiapas, Mexico conducting research with Vandermeer. Participants receive funds for airfare, local housing and a stipend for their efforts. 

Caption: left to right: Alejandra Torres Marrero, John Vandermeer, Theresa Ong, Kirsten Verster, Sanam Anwar, Jo Kurdziel, Liz Tibbetts, L’Oreal Hawkes, Zachary Hajian-Forooshani, Sara Colom, Allison Injaian, Jingchun Li, Raymond Balaguer.

Read 2011 ED-QUE²ST news