December Newsletter
Greetings from the Biology GSPA! In this monthly newsletter, we have highlighted some of the recent accomplishments among members of the department and advertised some exciting events coming up in December and January!
Congratulations to Shiwei Liu from Jenny Güler's Lab who defended her dissertation on November 21st, 2022! We are so proud of Shiwei, and we are looking forward to watching her future successes!
Congratulations to Juliana Jiranek from the Gibson Lab, who got a Graduate Global Research Award from UVA!
Congratulations to Fabiane Mundim, former postdoc from the Gibson Lab, now an assistant professor at Utah State University, who has a new paper out in Evolutionary Applications: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/eva.13501
Congratulations to Qijun Tang from Ali Güler's Lab who defended his thesis: "Hypothalamic Neuron Circuits Underlying Interplay Between Biological Clock and Metabolism" on November 17th, 2022.
Congratulations to Qi Zhang from Ali Güler's Lab who began her postdoctoral position at Section on Motivational Processes Underlying Appetite, Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) with Michael Krashes' Lab. Her paper titled: "Food-induced dopamine signaling in AgRP neurons promotes feeding" is out in Cell Reports.
The Biology Department is currently participating in the 2nd Annual STEM Food Drive Competition, which runs until Tuesday, December 6th. Please drop off your donation to the biology office in Gilmer room 326. Most-needed items include:
- Non-perishable items – canned meats, beans, vegetables, boxed goods, peanut butter, soup, pasta, and rice
- Baby supplies – diapers, formula, and baby food
- Dental supplies – toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Personal hygiene – soap, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, feminine products
- Special note –
NO baked goods, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, non- canned meat, dairy or frozen foods
NO glass containers – pasta sauce or fruit preserves
NOTE: items must have an expirations date AFTER Jan 2023
Have an announcement you'd like featured in the January newsletter? Contact Roberta Onoharigho
December Events:
* GSPA Meeting: Thursday, Dec. 1st, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM, PLSB 403
Join us for our December public forum meeting! Snacks are provided! This month, our discussion topic is an end of semester wrap up. Come share your questions, concerns, and ideas about how we can improve department life, both academically and socially. If there are anonymous concerns you would like to share ahead of the meeting, please fill out this form.
* GRIT Meeting: Thursday, Dec. 1st, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM, Zoom
GRIT will be having its next general body meeting. Please join us virtually with the Zoom link. Meeting ID: 972 5196 3550; Passcode: glia
* Biology Holiday Party: Thursday, Dec. 8th, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Gilmer 490
All Biology faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students are invited to an end-of-year celebration! Bring your favorite dish to share! We’ll provide drinks and the usual cheese and veggie assortment.
* BIOP Meeting: Monday, Dec. 12th, 4:30 PM, Hybrid - PLSB 300 & Zoom
BIOP will be having its next general body meeting. Please join us in person, or virtually with the Zoom link. Meeting ID: 944 3592 3408; Passcode: 144891
* Friday Seminar: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM, Hybrid - Gilmer 390 & Zoom
Dec. 2nd - Speaker: Dr. Gina Leinninger (Associate Professor, Physiology, Michigan State University)
Talk Title: To Eat, Drink or be Merry? Central Neurotensin Modulation of Ingestive Behavior and Pain
Host: Dr. Ali Güler
* Recurring Event:
Coffee Hour: Wednesday, 2:30 pm - 3:30pm, PLSB 4th Floor Balcony
Take a break from your desk for coffee and afternoon snacks with your fellow biologists. All are welcome, just bring your own mug!
Looking Ahead!
EXPAND will be hosting a Page-Barbour seminar entitled “Breakthroughs Through Integration” on Friday, January 13th, 2023 from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm in Clark 108. We will have talks from 4 renowned scientists across multiple fields, including biology, neuroscience, and environmental science: Dr. Kenneth Catania, Dr. Catherine Limperopoulos, Dr. Sheila Patek, and Dr. Peter Reich. Our invited speakers will also participate in a panel to discuss the importance of integrating multiple fields of science in one’s research. Coffee will be served in the morning, lunch will be provided, and a reception with light hors d’oeuvres will conclude the day’s proceedings. In order to ensure enough food is ordered, we ask that those who plan on attending register using the following link: https://forms.gle/h1At6qbJH22wH7AM8
Have an event to advertise in an upcoming newsletter? Contact Roberta Onoharigho
Career Development Opportunities
PhD+ Office Hours: Job Search for Diverse Careers - Dec. 1st – 7th
| Virtual | Registration Link
PhD Plus will be hosting virtual office hours on the following days and times for you to ask questions related to your job search, get lightning feedback on your materials, or inquire about specific aspects that are most pressing to you and your circumstances (e.g., interview prep, job search as an international student, negotiation). These sessions will primarily focus on helping PhD students and Postdocs transition into diverse sectors or non-faculty/non-Postdoc positions in academia.
- Dec. 1, Thursday, 12-1 pm
- Dec. 2, Friday, 12-1 pm
- Dec. 6, Tuesday, 4-5 pm
- Dec. 7, Wednesday, 4-5 pm
Please fill in a quick registration form to let us know what you’d like to discuss and which day(s) you plan to come.