Category: Newsletter

Microbiome working group delivers cutting-edge computational training to graduate students

Post author By jcoker
Post date October 25, 2021

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October 26, 2021

The microbiome has emerged as a fundamental component of all life on earth. For example, microbial communities are key in maintaining the health of plant, wildlife, and human hosts as well as mediating major biogeochemical cycles in most ecosystems. Thus, the ability to study microbiomes is an essential tool across many disciplines of not just biology, but also a variety of other fields relevant to global change.

Recognizing the importance of the subject, a collective of Global Change Center (GCC) faculty affiliates began meeting in 2018 to explore research synergies and opportunities to build upon existing strengths across campus. The group discovered that while the number of labs delving into microbiome-related research was increasing, they were quickly outpacing the availability of relevant student training on campus. As a result, many graduate students interested in microbiome research did not have the background to apply appropriate methods. “Students working with their own ‘big data’ benefit immensely if they know how to leverage computing resources on campus to process and analyze the huge volumes of information from next generation sequencing of microbes” said GCC affiliate David Haak.

In an effort to fill this training gap, members of the GCC Microbiome Working Group combined their research experience to develop a graduate course in the Spring of 2019 titled “Introduction to Microbial Community Analysis”. Collaboratively taught by GCC affiliates David Haak and Brian Badgley from the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Lisa Belden and Frank Aylward from the College of Science, the class provided graduate students working in environmental, engineered, and host-associated microbial systems with an understanding of modern tools available for analyzing microbial components of ecosystems and microbial community data.

Students were encouraged to analyze their own data to provide a hands-on educational experience within the context of their own research. Badgley noted, “the most fun aspect of this course is working with students who initially might be intimidated by microbiome research because of their background. As part of that process the students are also learning from the diverse perspectives they each bring from different disciplines and enriching the course beyond what we alone can provide.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”35937″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”35846″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”33270″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”40199″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Demand for this course was evident as enrollment exceeded the initial cap. Students enrolled hailed from five different graduate programs and four different colleges, with IGC Fellows representing approximately 70% of the group. The demand for the course resulted in it being taught again this fall 2021 semester, again with a broad representation of disciplines.

Faculty working groups formed under the GCC have spanned an array of topics to include the microbiome, invasive species, microplastics, environmental justice, ecological restoration, and freshwater salinization. Groups typically coalesce around a problem or thematic topic of shared interest. Most groups start by meeting frequently to develop relationships and an understanding of collective expertise. After identifying shared goals, working groups have moved-on to hold workshops and small conferences, develop manuscripts, submit grant proposals, teach courses, and pursue training grants.

Interested in starting a working group? Contact William Hopkins hopkinsw@vt.edu

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Blog Fellow Spotlight Fellow Spotlight IGC Interfaces of Global Change IGEP News Newsletter

Fellow Spotlight: Amber Wendler

Post author By jcoker
Post date October 25, 2021

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October 26, 2021

Amber is a third year Ph.D. student in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech co-advised by GCC Affiliates Professor Ignacio Moore and Professor Jeffrey Walters. She is also an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. Amber received her Bachelor’s degree in biology from Boston University in 2018. From Arctic Terns in Alaska to conch and parrotfishes in Belize, her extensive research background has taken her across the globe.

After exploring many aspects of biology, Amber is most interested in understanding how a bird’s environment affects their behavior, specifically in the tropics. Her current research investigates differences in breeding behavior between Puerto Rican Tody populations in rainforest and dry forest environments.

In addition to research, Amber is passionate about making STEM and the outdoors more inclusive. Amber is one of the organizers of #BlackBirdersWeek, a social media movement that took place May 30 to June 5 of this year.

Since the social movement kicked off, #BlackBirdersWeek has received extensive media coverage — as has Wendler. “I’ve been mentioned in a few news articles and featured in an article by Backpacker Magazine,” said Wendler.

Wendler has also appeared in an Earth Touch News Network story, a story in Chicago’s WTTW News, a post on Integrative and Comparative Biology (a blog affiliated with the Journal of Integrative and Comparative Biology), a Cornell Lab eNews story, and others[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”58443″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”58442″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”58462″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”58467″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”49715″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Amber is excited to be a part of the Interfaces of Global Change program, which gives her the opportunity to engage in science communication and interdisciplinary research. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping, kayaking, and birdwatching.

Learn more about Amber’s research and DEI projects here.

All photos sourced from Amber Wendler.

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Advocacy Announcements Blog News Newsletter Special Events

Fralin Life Sciences Institute Hosts Virginia Speaker of the House

Post author By jcoker
Post date October 15, 2021

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October 19, 2021

Last Monday, leaders of the university and the Fralin Life Sciences Institute (FLSI) gathered at Steger Hall to welcome Virginia Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn to Virginia Tech. The meeting highlighted the tremendous strengths of the University in solving grand environmental challenges facing society, and the role that FLSI plays in bringing cohesiveness to these campus-wide strengths.

Those in attendance included President Timothy Sands, Executive Vice President and Provost Cyril Clarke, Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer Dwayne Pinkney, Vice President for Research and Innovation Dan Sui, the FLSI Executive Leadership Team, and representatives from each FLSI Center. The visit included an interactive tour that highlighted Steger Hall’s unique facilities and research. The tour emphasized the importance of the University’s location in Appalachia as an asset for solving local and global problems related to climate change, freshwater, infectious disease, invasive species, agriculture, and the rapid decline of biodiversity.

All photo credits: Eileen Filler-Corn Twitter[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”58298″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”58331″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator style=”shadow”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Accolades Blog Drinking water Global Change News Newsletter Student Spotlight Undergraduate Experiential Learning

My Virtual Summer Internship with the EPA, by GCC Science Policy Fellow Kerry Desmond

Post author By jcoker
Post date August 28, 2020

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]While Kerry’s participation in the Washington Semester Program with the School of Public and International Affairs was cancelled due to COVID-19, her summer internship with the US Environmental Protection Agency continued remotely. Kudos to Kerry for successfully completing her summer internship and for her resiliency and adjustment to the remote and virtual experience. We wish her the best in her senior year![/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]

August 27, 2020

by Kerry Desmond, winner of the Global Change Center’s 2020 Science Policy Fellowship

After completing the end of my junior year virtually, I was both eager and hesitant to begin a virtual internship with the Environmental Protection Agency. Although I am a civil engineering student with a focus in environmental and water resources engineering, I have always been interested in environmental and public health policy and was so excited to get involved in work that combined both fields. My specific placement within the EPA was in the Water Enforcement Division (WED) of the Office of Civil Enforcement (OCE). The priority of WED is to enforce the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, and the division is divided into two branches: Industrial and Municipal. Through the projects I worked on, I had the opportunity to work with engineers, scientists, and attorneys from both branches (along with EPA personnel in other HQ offices, regional EPA personnel, and consultants). Despite my initial hesitation, my experience working remotely proved to be just as exciting and stimulating as I had hoped it would be.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”51198″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_border”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]The main project I worked on during the summer was helping improve the functionality of an Address Comparison Tool (ACT) for facilities with stormwater permits. Essentially, ACT takes a known permittee list from EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) database and compares it to a list of facilities that should theoretically have a stormwater permit (typically provided by a state or an outside database). The goal is to find disparities among the two lists and discover facilities that don’t have permits so that they can be targeted and become candidates for federal enforcement. Since ACT compares two facilities at a time and determines a score for them, I was tasked with conducting analysis to determine a numerical threshold for the scoring system. This threshold would be used to differentiate duplicate addresses from unique addresses. This required a lot of deliberation with my mentor and an outside consultant, as well as a lot of analysis within ACT and Excel, but I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of trying to figure out the complexities of ACT and its scoring system.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Along with this project, I had the opportunity to conduct a research project with another intern for a National Compliance Initiative (NCI) under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Specifically, we were tasked with coming up with a recommendation as to whether there is a need for public water system-specific inspector training for risk communication and community involvement. This project was especially interesting because we had the chance to interview EPA personnel from all across the Agency and hear about current and past projects that necessitated this type of communication and involvement. I also had the chance to work on another NCI, which focused on National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Significant Noncompliance (SNC) facility targeting. SNC encompasses the highest priority NPDES permit violations such as significantly exceeding pollutant effluent limits, or not submitting a discharge monitoring report for multiple quarters. The goals of the targeting plan were to determine the highest priority corporations with multiple facilities in various states and the highest priority individual facilities in any state. I conducted the analysis by looking at criteria within ECHO to evaluate these target facilities and characterize the type of violations and scope of enforcement actions already taken.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

I had a bit of time to get adjusted to a remote environment, but I knew it would be different to work in a virtual office setting rather than a virtual class setting. I was especially weary because, as an intern or new hire, you’re often filled with questions and need assistance with the little nuances of a new company. I was really lucky to have two engineering mentors that were always willing to talk over the phone, video call, or even answer a quick IM or email that I would send. Along with the ease of contacting people, it was also easy to hop onto virtual meetings, which allowed me to quickly get a feel for the type of work WED does.

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Accolades Blog Faculty Spotlight Newsletter Research Science Communication Special Events

Professors take part in journal’s test for peer review bias in major international study

Post author By jcoker
Post date September 30, 2019

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]From VT News | September 27, 2019

We all experience bias at some point in our lives: It can be unconscious or conscious, innate or learned, and scientific journals want to know if and why this is happening in their peer review process.

Functional Ecology, which is a highly respected journal in the field of ecology, is taking the lead by conducting a first-of-its-kind comprehensive study that will hopefully put an end to the mystery that surrounds the cause of bias in scientific publishing communities.

Virginia Tech professors Dana Hawley and Bill Hopkins are associate editors for the journal and they will be managing some of the paper submissions for the study, which launched on Sept. 5.

“As scientists, we like to think that we are always objective. That’s the foundation of science. But scientists are human beings too. No one is ever completely objective when it comes to something like evaluating someone else’s work. Because peer review is the key checkpoint determining whether scientific results are published or not, the idea of making this review as objective as possible is really important,” said Hawley, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science.

Although there are different kinds of bias that will be addressed in this study, Functional Ecology noticed that one bias, in particular, receives more attention in previous studies of peer review bias than others: gender bias.

In fact, gender bias receives the most attention because the results of these studies have been surprisingly inconclusive. Where some studies have shown that female authors receive lower acceptances into journals, others have shown that female authors receive higher peer review scores compared to males.

“I will say that, coming into this Functional Ecology initiative, I assumed that the effectiveness of double-blind peer review for addressing issues of gender bias was more supported by data. And what I am learning is that it’s not clear,” said Hopkins, director of the Global Change Center at Virginia Tech and professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment.

This study will examine bias related to gender, institutional prestige, author reputation, and race on a large, randomized scale over multiple years.

“I have definitely had times where I, as an author and mentor, have worried for my female graduate students, that certain reviewers may have been influenced by their names – and you just have to wonder,” said Hawley, an affiliated faculty member of the Global Change Center at Virginia Tech.

“It is really upsetting as a mentor, because you want all of your students to be viewed equally as a scientist and nothing else. Of course, we are all human. We just don’t know what things influence the tone of the reviewer or the ranking that they gave that paper.”

In terms of female authors, there is a pattern that suggests that there is a relatively low percentage of women that publish in highly regarded journals, such as Science. This could be due to the fact that women are generally less represented at higher ranks in academia, but it could also partly be a result of the peer review process.

Typically, manuscripts that are published in a peer review journal are single-blind, which means that the author does not know, or is “blinded” from, the identity of the reviewer. However, this study will be a double-blind trial, where neither the person reviewing the paper knows the identity of the authors nor do the authors know the identity of the reviewer.

Though this study is limited to the field of ecology, a field which has relatively equal gender representation compared to other fields, it can have implications for other scientific journals and the scientific community as a whole. But for Hopkins, he said that it all depends on the results of the study.

“If you look at the studies that have been done so far, none of them are as comprehensive as the multi-year study that Functional Ecology is conducting. There is some evidence that double blind is an improvement over single blind review, and there’s some evidence that it’s not an improvement. Taken together, the conflicting results of past studies clearly suggest that we need a large-scale randomized trial and that is exactly what Functional Ecology is doing.”

“I think it’s really an important study just because it sends a message that the whole culture of science is really starting to take bias seriously,” said Hawley.

~ Written by Kendall Daniels

CONTACT:

Kristin Rose
(540) 231-6614

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Blog Campus Seminar Announcements Climate Change Environmental Justice Food & Agriculture Global Change Newsletter Other Sponsored Lectures Special Events

Thirteenth Annual Sustainability Week kicks off

Post author By jcoker
Post date September 16, 2019

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]From VT News | September 13, 2019

The 13th annual Sustainability Week, an interactive partnership among Virginia Tech Office of Sustainability, the Town of Blacksburg, and local citizens group Sustainable Blacksburg that highlights sustainability efforts in the community and on campus, is underway.

Sustainability Week 2019 kicked off on campus on Sept. 14 with Green Tailgating at the Virginia Tech Furman University football game. More than 20 events are scheduled through Sept. 22.

As part of Virginia Tech’s commitment to sustainability, the Game Day Green Team recycling initiative hands out green recycling bags to tailgaters during home games and strives to build awareness around recycling, waste reduction, and sustainability.

Some of the other events being held during Sustainability Week 2019 on campus and in the community include:

Tech Sustainability Open Forum (Sept. 16, 1–2:30 p.m.): This event will provide a brief overview of Virginia Tech’s successful campus sustainability program and will seek audience ideas for continued improvement. Representatives from the Office of Sustainability, Student Affairs, and the Alternative Transportation Department will highlight current programs and initiatives and explore future opportunities. RSVP.
Active Commute Celebration (Sept. 19, 8 a.m.–1 p.m.): This event offers an opportunity for the Virginia Tech community to learn more about available alternative transportation options around campus. There will also be giveaways and snacks. RSVP.
Sustainable Eats Bike Tour – A Glimpse of Sustainable Practices at Virginia Tech’s Dining Halls (Sept. 17, 12:30–2:30 p.m.): Join the first-ever “Sustainable Eats Bike Tour.” Sample and learn more about our delicious, local, and sustainably sourced eats all while taking a scenic bike tour around campus.
Electric Car Display (Sept. 21, 1–3 p.m.): Join the nationwide celebration to heighten awareness of today’s widespread availability of plug-in vehicles and the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more. RSVP.
And many more.

Click here to view the full schedule of Sustainability Week 2019 events.

CONTACT:

Alexa Briehl

540-231-7899

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Blog Campus Seminar Announcements Climate Change Environmental Justice Food & Agriculture Global Change Newsletter Other Sponsored Lectures Special Events

Best-selling author Roger Thurow to speak about the global food crisis

Post author By jcoker
Post date September 13, 2019

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From VT News | September 12, 2019

On Sept. 16, the Virginia Tech College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Global Programs Office will host best-selling author Roger Thurow for a series of public events, as part of its Global Agricultural Productivity Initiative.

Thurow is an expert on agricultural development and speaks often on high-visibility platforms related to nutrition, hunger, and agriculture in the United States, Europe, and Africa. For 20 years, he was a foreign correspondent based in Europe and Africa. His coverage of global affairs spanned the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the release of Nelson Mandela, the end of apartheid, the wars in the former Yugoslavia, and the humanitarian crises of the first decade of this century – along with 10 Olympic Games.

In 2003, he and Wall Street Journal colleague Scott Kilman wrote a series of stories on famine in Africa that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting. Their reporting on humanitarian and development issues was also honored by the United Nations. Thurow and Kilman are authors of the book, “ENOUGH: Why the World’s Poorest Starve in an Age of Plenty.” In 2009, they were awarded Action Against Hunger’s Humanitarian Award.

Roger Thurow, a former foreign correspondent for the Wall Street Journal is noted for his writing about the politics of world hunger.

He is also the author of “The Last Hunger Season: A Year in an African Farm Community on the Brink of Change,” and his most recent book, “The First 1,000 Days: A Crucial Time for Mothers and Children—and the World,” was published in May 2016. Thurow joined the Chicago Council on Global Affairs as senior fellow on global food and agriculture in January 2010.

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Events open to the public: Sept. 16

Politics of Food Security and Nutrition: 9 – 10:30 a.m., Newman Library Multipurpose Room
The global food price crisis of 2007-08 was a wake-up call for the global community, demonstrating that the world is unprepared to sustainably produce enough nutritious food for a growing population.

Thurow will provide insights into how policymakers are addressing the complex environmental, economic, and human challenges to achieving food and nutrition security. He will also share stories about the people whose lives and livelihoods hang in the balance, including African smallholder farmers and undernourished mothers and children around the world.

This event is co-hosted by the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance and the Community Change Collaborative.

The Last Hunger Season: 12:30 – 2 p.m.,
Fralin Hall Auditorium
Africa’s small farmers are living and working essentially as they did in the 1930s. Without mechanized equipment, fertilizer, or irrigation; using primitive storage facilities, roads, and markets; they harvest only one-quarter the yields of Western farmers. In 2011, a group of farmers in Kenya came together to change their odds for success — and their families’ futures. Thurow spent a year following the progress of four women farmers in this community and recorded their struggles and aspirations in his book, “The Last Hunger Season.”

He will share the stories of these remarkable women and their determination to end the hunger season. His presentation will be followed by a panel discussion about the challenges and opportunities for smallholder farmers in Africa.

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Blog Campus Seminar Announcements Climate Change Global Change Interfaces of Global Change IGEP Newsletter Other Sponsored Lectures

Climate Journalist Sara Peach Set to Visit Blacksburg September 26-27

Post author By jcoker
Post date September 12, 2019

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]From Virginia Water Resources Research Center | September 12, 2019

The Center for Communicating Science is thrilled to welcome Sara Peach, climate journalist and speaker, to Blacksburg this month!

Peach, who holds a master’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from UNC-Chapel Hill, has been reporting on climate change and other environmental issues for nearly a decade. Her experience is vast, with work published in National Geographic, Scientific American, and Environmental Health News, among others.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Peach serves as the Senior Editor of Yale Climate Connections, a multimedia service providing daily reporting, commentary, and analysis on the issue of climate change. This is also where she writes the “Ask Sara” climate advice column.

On September 26 at 5:30 p.m., Peach will be joining us as our September Science on Tap speaker at Rising Silo Brewery, sharing her talk “What to Expect When You’re Expecting Climate Change.” At this event, Peach will share her insights on climate change, how it affects you, and what you can do about it. She will also share some of the interesting questions she’s addressed in her advice column, “Ask Sara,” and open the discussion to questions from the audience.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Peach will also lead a lunchtime workshop, “The Humorous Side of the Climate Story: A workshop on the bizarre, unexpected, and delightfully weird side of climate change,” on September 27 at 12 p.m. Peach’s Friday workshop will allow her to share experiences from her years of communicating about climate change issues.

Peach will tell some of the stranger stories she’s encountered as a climate journalist – for example, did you know climate change could mess up homicide investigations? She will also discuss some new approaches to discussing climate change with friends and family.

Lunch will be provided at the Friday workshop; please RSVP here. The talk and lunch will be held in the Steger Hall Conference Center, 1015 Life Science Circle.

Peach’s visit to Virginia Tech is sponsored by Virginia Tech’s Center for Communicating Science, the School of Public and International Affairs/Urban Affairs and Planning, and Center for Humanities, with support from the Department of Communication, the Global Change Center, and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.

Both of these events are open to the public free of charge. We look forward to seeing you!

By Lauren Holt, Center for Communicating Science student intern[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]