Events and Community

It has been great to see everyone back on campus and around town after returning from summer field work, work through data, plan new projects, and get some writing done (lots more still to go!). A few events worth noting -

The ecology graduate students had a welcome back/welcome new students cookout, followed by a camping trip in Happy Jack (~20 minutes from Laramie):

Program in Ecology Graduate Student Fall Camping Trip, Happy Jack, WY

E.O. Wilson came to Laramie and spoke about biodiversity loss and conservation for a public audience on campus.  I can now mark him off of my science-heros-I'd-like-to-see-in-person list!

The Program in Ecology hosted Dr. Ray Callaway for our Distinguished Ecologist Speaker Series.

My home department, Zoology & Physiology, has a fall picnic every year as well.  This year's get-together took place on a beautiful ranch owned by a retired professor just outside of Centennial and the Snowy Mountains (~30 minutes from Laramie):

Zoology & Physiology Department Fall Picnic, Lindzey's Ranch near Centennial, WY

And while I was near the Snowy Mountains for the department picnic, I decided to spend the morning hiking in Medicine Bow National Forest with the Snowies in the background.  One of my favorite spots near Laramie, especially in late summer/early fall:

Snowy Mountains, Medicine Bow National Forest, WY

The University of Wyoming community is a great one, and I'm always amazed when my friends at other institutions are surprised that the faculty and students socialize as much as we do.

The graduate students are hosting two invited speakers for the Program in Ecology this semester, and I am looking forward to interacting with the speakers as well as the professors and students during those visits.

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READING: Guenet et al. 2010. Priming effect: bridging the gap between terrestrial and aquatic ecology. Ecology.
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