Evelyn Pielou Discussion Group
Welcome to the Evelyn Pielou Discussion Group hosted by the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph!
The Evelyn Pielou Discussion Group is a weekly discussion group that covers topics relating to the biological and environmental sciences. Topics that are explored include (but are not restricted to) eco-evolutionary dynamics, bioinformatics, future biological methods, and eco-physiological responses to climate change.
The aim for the Evelyn Pielou Discussion Group is to foster a creative environment for biological and environmental scientists at the University of Guelph. Through multidisciplinary discussions, scientists can be exposed to topics outside of their specialization and identify commonalities between disciplines to improve their and other scientist’s research. Furthermore, the Evelyn Pielou Discussion Group provides a space for scientists with varying experience levels to collaborate and assist each other.
The format is very flexible. Although multidisciplinary topics are encouraged, any biological and environmental topic is fair game. One person each week is responsible for beginning the discussion in whatever way they choose. This may involve a paper to discuss, presenting tentative research ideas, a set of data in need of analysis, a finished research product, or anything they see fit to open for discussion. In order to maintain a casual atmosphere, presenters are encouraged to use the whiteboard and describe their data and ideas, rather than relying on Powerpoint.
Any interested undergraduates, graduates, postdocs and faculty are welcome to lead and/or join the discussion.
The Evelyn Pielou Discussion Group meets every Wednesday at 12:00pm for an hour in Rm 4440 Summerlee Science Complex.
Why Evelyn Pielou?
Evelyn Pielou espouses the aims of our discussion group; her interests and biological contributions spanned many fields. She started out with a certificate in radio-physics. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Botany, she taught herself mathematical ecology, published articles, and then turned these articles into a PhD, all without an advisor or committee. She worked for the Canadian government in various capacities and then entered academia formally as a professor at several Canadian Universities. She pioneered the use of multivariate statistics in ecology. During retirement, she wrote several popular science books on topics ranging from biogeography to physics.
Special Series – Fall 2017 and Winter 2018 – New Horizons
In the Winter 2017 semester, the departments of Integrative Biology, Environmental Sciences, and Geography were canvassed to identify concepts and tools that are at the frontiers of the biological and environmental sciences. This horizon scan will form the discussion topics for the Fall 2017 and Winter 2018 semesters.
Winter 2018 Schedule
January 17, 2018 - CRISPR and Pest Control
Facilitated by Chris Caruso
Recommended Readings: Zentner and Wade 2017, Radiolab Podcast
January 24, 2018 - Evolutionary Response of Pacific Chinook Salmon to Climate Change
Facilitated by Liz Boulding
Recommended Reading: Start with - Munday 2015 Original article - Munoz et al. 2015 Commentary on article - Mantua 2015 Munoz et al 2015
January 31, 2018 - Parallel Evolution
Facilitated by Matt Brachmann
Recommended Reading: Stuart et al. 2017
February 7, 2018 - (Mis)Use of Generalized Linear Mixed Models
Facilitated by David Fisher and Simon Denomme-Brown
Recommended Reading: Start with - Ben Bolker Interview Extra reading - Touchon and McCoy 2016, Harrison et al. 2018
February 14, 2018 - Continuation of (Mis)Use of Generalized Linear Mixed Models
*****NOTE This week's discussion is in SSC 2315*****
Facilitated by David Fisher and Simon Denomme-Brown
Recommended Reading: Start with - Ben Bolker Interview Extra reading - Touchon and McCoy 2016, Harrison et al. 2018
February 21, 2018 - READING WEEK - NO DISCUSSION
February 28, 2018 - The ecology of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis in Ontario, Canada - Disease Ecology Seminar and Discussion Series
*****NOTE For this week, we will join the Disease Ecology Seminar and Discussion Series in PAHL 4838 @ 12:30pm - 1:30pm******
Presenter Katie Clow
March 7, 2018 - Rewilding: A sound conservation strategy or a battle against ecological reality?
Facilitated by Tim Bartley
Recommended Reading: Carey 2016
March 14, 2018 - Fundamental Evolution
Facilitated by Chris Caruso
Recommended Reading: Queller 2017
March 21, 2018 - Is local biodiversity declining?
Facilitated by Karl Cottenie
Recommended Reading: Cardinale et al. 2018
March 28, 2018 - Temperature sensing and temperature dependent editing of RNA in eukaryotes: implications for adaptation, acclimatization and biotechnology
Facilitated by Louise Tunnah and Giulia Rossi
Recommended Reading: Somero 2018
April 4, 2018 - Pluck or luck: Relationship between phenotypes and fitness
Facilitated by Amy Newman
Recommended Reading: Snyder and Ellner 2018
Feedback and More Questions
We ask that after each discussion everyone fill out a quick survey in the link below. This survey also allows you to ask more questions of the facilitator or suggest discussion topics.
https://uoguelph.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eDuwkvagE8kDim1
Pielou Mailing List Instructions
Do you want to be completely informed about what is happening in the Evelyn Pielou Discussion Group community? Do you want to continue the conversations outside of the weekly meetings? If so, then follow these instructions to join the Pielou mailing list.
If you have any questions about the discussion group, or if you want to facilitate a discussion, please email Chris Greyson-Gaito.
To subscribe
to the list pielou@LISTSERV.UOGUELPH.CA, send an email from your account to pielou-request@LISTSERV.UOGUELPH.CA with the word subscribe on the Subject line.
To unsubscribe
from the list pielou@LISTSERV.UOGUELPH.CA, send an email, from the account which is subscribed, to pielou-request@LISTSERV.UOGUELPH.CA with the word unsubscribe on the Subject line.
To send a message
if you subscribed to the listserv, simply send an email to pielou@LISTSERV.UOGUELPH.CA, we have a substantially smaller mailing list than the departmental list