mini SICB (regional DVM/DCB)

I am mid getting ready for the joint DVM/DCB (Division of Vertebrate Morphology/Division of Comparative Biomechanics) Northeast Regional SICB meeting.  SICB is the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (link).  The 'big' SICB happens in January and this year it will be in Austin, Texas which is exciting (warm weather in January- big fun conference...)!  SICB is a fun group because people who study lots of different animals get together to discuss everything from behavior to physiology and morphology.  There are lots of different 'divisions' in SICB with most people involved with at least 2.  I think I'm in 3 or so... DVM, DCPB (or is it DPCB ?? see below) and DAB (Division of Animal Behavior). They don't have DM (division of mammals) nor do the have a DC (division of Chiropterologists- (people who study bats)).



From the SICB website (red text is my emphasis.... I am curious: is there anyone affiliated with all or all but one of these?!  I will investigate- worry not!)

"Divisions of SICB

Members are allowed to choose affiliations with as many divisions as they wish.

• DAB - Division of Animal Behavior
• DCB - Division of Comparative Biomechanics
• DCE - Division of Comparative Endocrinology
• DCPB - Division of Comparative Physiology & Biochemistry
• DEDB - Division of Evolutionary Developmental Biology
• DEE - Division of Ecology & Evolution
• DIZ - Division of Invertebrate Zoology
• DNB - Division of Neurobiology
• DPCB - Division of Phylogenetics & Comparative Biology
  (Formerly: DSEB - Division of Systematic & Evolutionary Biology)
• DVM - Division of Vertebrate Morphology "

At the regional meeting of us 'northeasteners' (which I guess now includes me- I'll work on embracing that drastic change) I will be presenting my work with bats with a focus exciting images I am getting from Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).  I look forward to some exciting updates for you but for right now I can only say that I'm busy getting my power point (talk) wrapped up.  Currently, this means making what is a 10 minute talk into a 5 minute talk!  I guess having lots to say is better than the alternative.

*Bear with me- as I wouldn't usually post a Dave Matthew's Band video-- but this one is in my head...and is so appropriate but careful!  It's sticky!

"Joint DVM/DCB Northeastern Regional Meeting 2013

The 2013 joint DVM/DCM Northeast Regional SICB meeting will be held at Yale University on Saturday, October 26, 2013.

The meeting will be hosted by Yale's Department of Geology and Geophysics, in New Haven, Connecticut. Following last year's successful format, students and faculty will deliver 5-minute general session talks that will be interspersed with a handful of 10-minute talks with a broader focus, with ample opportunity for questions and discussion.

Lunch and snacks will be included in the registration fee, and we anticipate convening at a nearby pub for a post-meeting celebration.

Please visit the link below for more information:
http://earth.yale.edu/sicb-joint-dvmdcb-northeastern-regional-meeting-october-26-2013"

sometimes like Bilbo Baggin's “I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.”

Phew.  Sometimes things can be a bit hectic.   
The academic life is not always a slow or stationary one.

This has been the year of travel.  After a cross country (re- CA to MA) move my postdoc started with getting stranded due to a storm for an extra week at the 2012 bat meeting which was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico- and I am not sure if I've fully 'settled in since then.

It has been in many regards amazing - lots of great field adventures and meetings - such as the 2013 bat meetings in San Jose, Costa Rica earlier this month *the best attended bat meetings yet.* Very cool.  However, with a trip to yet another very exciting meeting hanging over my head it's been hard to settle back in.  Home for two weeks and some quick histology work, talk preparation and grocery shopping does not bode well for fully settling in.  So just as a paper of mine was recently published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology I find myself keeping up with travel-delayed tasks and hopeful that a transatlantic flight will allow me to get those next few papers off!  The skills to travel well -and by that I mean in a manner that bodes well for being productive- I am hoping to improve! 

Perhaps for these reasons today's post is not really about much at all.  In fact today- no bats, no science just a quote or two, some ramblings and a song that I find incredibly pretty. 

Here's to a pending fall, trips near or far and to savoring both the wandering boot heels of the vagabonding postdoc life as well as accepting one's inner hobbit.  

As Bilbo Baggins said it best;
 “...I have no use for adventures. Nasty, disturbing, and uncomfortable things.” 

“I wish I was at home in my nice hole by the fire, with the kettle just beginning to sing!” 
(J.R.R. Tolkien)

Enjoy this pretty song from Tegan and Sara the amazing songstress sisters from northern North America- Calgary, Canada. 

Bat meeting 2013

There are many scientific conferences but I have to say that the International Bat Research Conference just might be the most stimulating, fun, and collaborative one I've had the pleasure to attend.  This year the meeting in San Jose, Costa Rica was absolutely amazing including researchers from near and far.  The next time this group gathers it will be in South Africa which is quite exciting!

Highlights from this year's IBRC meeting:
>a symposium dedicated to Elisabeth Kalko and Bjorn Siemers,
>a Behavioral Ecology symposium with fascinating work by people like Gerald Carter who studies food sharing in vampire bats (LOTS of other great talks that I hope to write about later),
>a wonderful symposium on the evolution of bats
>amazing plenary talks every day by people such as Rodrigo Medellin, Gary McCracken, and Dan Jansen
>posters from all over the world
>local food and coffee

>and even finishing with salsa dancing

I have lots of great ideas about things to share here on this blog- so stay tuned!

I'll see you at the bat meetings!

Really?  A meeting all about bats?!  Yes.  Why?  Because bat biologists need a place to get together and update each other regarding their research and network!

What better?

For the last 42 years the North American Society for Bat Research (NASBR) has met annually (now in October of course- what better month?!) 

Taken from their website:
"The North American Society for Bat Research (NASBR) is a society dedicated to the promotion and development of the scientific study of bats (Chiroptera) in all its branches, including conservation and public education. The society holds an annual meeting called the North American Symposium on Bat Research, usually in October, of professional bat researchers from throughout North America, with occasional attendees from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Central and South America."

This year the meetings will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  255+ participants from across the globe will get together to geek out over their favorite taxonomic group: bats!

Entire days will be spent on topics like White Nose Syndrome and bat conservation in general.  I will do my best to update as the conference progresses with interesting and important talks or topics that come up!