Christina Andruk
Plants On Fire!
Fire is a natural part of Texas plant and animal communities. Too little fire has altered our savannas and woodlands and put them at risk for catastrophic wildfires. This talk will explore how prescribed fire can be used to restore endangered species, manage invasive species, and reduce extreme wildfire risk.
Patrick Stinson
How Animals Adapt to Living Around Humans
Patrick Stinson explains the myriad ways in which animals and humans interact in urban ecosystems!
Patrick Stinson is a graduate student in the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior graduate program at the University of Texas at Austin.
Stavana Strutz
The Wild Wild West:
West Nile and Vector-borne Disease in Texas
Emily Jane McTavish
Journey to a New World – The Global History of Texas Longhorn Cattle!
★ Texas’s iconic longhorn cattle are descended from herds arriving with Columbus in the 1490’s. Left to roam the unfenced southwest, they adapted to their new environment through natural selection.
★ Using genomic data, we will trace the longhorn’s remarkable history – both around the globe, and back to the time of cattle domestication 8,000 years ago!
Taylor Sultan Quedensley
Lichenized-fungi of Texas: Biology, Ecology, and Distribution of a Diverse Group of Understudied Organisms
Lichens are a diverse group of organisms in Texas, occupying many different types of habitats throughout the state. There are over 500 species reported for the state, and the number is undoubtedly greater considering the relatively low amount of collecting that has been conducted. With a diverse flora and fauna well-reported for Texas, lichens also need to be included in the discussion of the state’s high biodiversity levels, and also towards developing conservation strategies for threatened ecosystems.
Science Under The Stars 