Lab Candids

The 2007 Two Star-Tour of the Southeast

We spent over two weeks in September 2007 scouring the southeast looking for Agalinis populations for Jamie's research. We got to experience some of the finer sleeping and dining establishments this country has to offer. It took months to clear the grease from our bloodstreams. But we did get to see some gorgeous habitats and found lots of cool Agalinis species we had only seen in plastic bags and Eppendorf tubes in the freezer. We also saw some very sad remnants of previously fabulous habitats.

Transmission line habitat for Agalinis decemloba at William B. Umstead State Park, North Carolina.

Our lab, saving the world one fierce pink flower at a time.

How did they know we were going to be working here?

Our car was an agent of death for tens of thousands of insects. Sorry guys.

We were able to get wireless access in some of the most unlikely places.

After two weeks of waffles and whipped spread, I can't face the sight of these anymore.

One of the friends we made along the way.

Australia Trip

In June, 2006 Christina & Maile went to Western Australia to work with scientists in the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization's Ecological Sustainability in Perth. This research group conducts applied research in agricultural landscapes that ranges from improving cropping systems to make them more sustainable to examining interactions between cultural actions and biodiversity conservation. The purpose of our trip was to develop collaborative research efforts on the effects of habitat fragmentation and the consequences of making conservation decisions with incomplete information. The University of Maryland's International Program funded part of the trip and CSIRO generously contributed housing and local transportation during the trip.

Even birders can learn to love plants when they are in Western Australia.

Christina & Maile at Yilliminning Rock, WA.

Maile with CISRO scientists Michael Robertson, and Lynn Atkins at Boyagin Rock, WA.

When left on her own without adequate botanical supervision, Christina reverts to her birder tendencies.

Workshop on Molecular Evolution 2006

Maile and Jamie attended the Workshop on Molecular Evolution at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts in July/August, 2006. The grueling schedule of 12-14 hours of lectures and computer labs each day for 2 weeks requires counterbalancing to maintain sanity. That counterbalancing in turn requires livers of steel. Naiara Rodriguez-Ezpeleta (left) and Deb Triant (right) were two of the awesome Workshop TA's.

Jamie and Maile at the end of course party. Jamie's bike racing season came to a grinding halt after these two weeks of sitting all day and liquid carbo-loading all night. Lillian Fritz-Laylin, Peter Beerli, and Maile dreaming of successful MIGRATE runs

Jamie practices his professional networking skills by telling Dave Swofford that he thinks PAUP* is a really good file pre-processor for GARLI runs. The same three after seeing actual MIGRATE results. Who says science isn't pretty?

Miscellaneous Activities

Lesley C., MN, Kim Mead, and Christina at Christina's baby shower, Fall, 2007.

Celebrating with Plant Science Graduate Student Andrea Ottesen (center) after she made the cover of Science Magazine by winning a Science and Engineering visualization challenge competition. In addition to being a scientist Andrea does fabulous botanical photography.

Robert demonstrating how stressful and challenging it is to collect Vallisneria samples in the Potomac River. We all feel your pain, Robert.

The lab contingent at the Society for Conservation Biology Meetings in Chattanooga, TN. Lesley Campbell (now at Rice University), M, Jamie Pettengill, and Mike Lloyd.

Matt Weaver Memorial Swim Meet

We have been part of the Landscape Architecture team in the Matt Weaver Memorial Swim Meet for the last two years. The meet honors one of our students who was tragically killed at the end of his sophomore year in the Landscape Architecture program. In addition to being an outstanding and creative student Matt was a competitive swimmer and life guard. The Maryland Swim Club has named their annual spring invitational meet for him and all proceeds go to a scholarship in Matt's name.

Not being known for our swimming prowess, we provide great comic relief and entertainment value at the meet.