Dr. Jennifer Uehling joins Department of Biology
Jennifer Uehling will join the West Chester University Department of Biology as an
Assistant Professor in August 2023. She is an avian behavioral ecologist and incorporates
elements of foraging ecology, stress physiology, and movement ecology into her work.
She likes thinking about why wild birds eat what they do, and how it affects their
health and survival. At WCU, she will investigate how challenges like predation, inclement
weather, and competition affect foraging behavior. For her research program at WCU,
Jenny will study cavity nesting birds, including swallows, chickadees, and wrens,
using a network of nest boxes that she and her students will set up throughout the
West Chester region. As a core technique of her research program, she uses DNA metabarcoding
of fecal samples to reconstruct birds’ diets (extracting and sequencing DNA from bird
poop!). She is excited to mentor students on fieldwork techniques, lab work, and science
outreach and communication.
Jenny looks forward to teaching courses in animal behavior, ornithology, and diversity in STEM. She is passionate about demystifying research opportunities and the graduate school application process, especially for students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM, and she is broadly excited to be involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at WCU. Jenny is also eager to contribute to and advance public outreach opportunities. She has co-run a bird biology education program for elementary school students in Ithaca, New York for many years and plans to create a similar program for schools in the West Chester area.
Jenny is finishing her PhD from Cornell University’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She earned her B. S. in Biology and B. A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Chicago in 2015. She grew up in Glenside, Pennsylvania and attended Springfield Township High School in Montgomery County. She is an avid Phillies fan and is excited to return home to the Philadelphia area.
Dr. Megan Fork receives $390,381 grant from NSF
Dr. Megan Fork, together with a team of researchers, received a grant from the National
Science Foundation for a project titled "Improving institutional diversity in professional
society participation through virtual and hybrid conferencing". The team will investigate
how and whether virtual and hybrid conferences in ecology, environmental science,
and allied fields have increased participation by individuals from a diverse set of
institutions, including academic organizations like universities and organizations
outside of academia like government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and environmental
consulting firms. With participants from a diversity of types of institutions, scientific
conferences can improve collaboration and knowledge exchange and facilitate evidence-based
environmental management. The project will also assess whether virtual and hybrid
conferences are more inclusive of a diverse set of backgrounds and career stages and
assess barriers, attitudes, and preferences related to conference access, attendance,
and participation.
A New Investigator research grant of $150,000 over two years was awarded to Sean Buskirk
A New Investigator research grant of $150,000 over two years was awarded to Sean Buskirk,
assistant professor, Department of Biology at West Chester University, for “Exploring
the impact of genetic background on adaptive evolution,” which will initiate and propagate
many replicate populations of closely-related bacteria in a controlled environment,
whereby evolution can be “replayed” over and over. This research will combine experimental
evolution with comparative genomics and transcriptomics to investigate how genetic
background affects bacterial adaptation to a common selective pressure.
Dr. Pagán's new book gets a Korean translation.
Dr. Pagán's new book, Drunk Flies and Stoned Dolphins, gets a Korean translation and
new cover!
Dr. Manu Ramalho as Co-PI in NSF ADVANCE Program
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Manu Ramalho has been appointed as a Co-Principal
Investigator (Co-PI) through the National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE program,
securing substantial funding of $299,997.
Collaborating with other women faculty members in STEM disciplines at WCU, this project aims to address and dismantle institutional barriers contributing to inequalities for women, faculty historically excluded or minoritized, and those at the intersection of these identities in STEM fields at WCU. The funding from the NSF ADVANCE program will undoubtedly contribute to the advancement of diversity, inclusion, and excellence in STEM education and research at WCU.