Undergraduate Research Symposium Schedule

Undergraduate Research Symposium Schedule - Thursday, April 10th, 2025

Poster presenters should have their posters displayed 30 minutes prior to the start of their mini-session. Poster sessions to be held in the Unity Room (Rm 212) in the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center.

Poster Session: 12:30-3:15 pm - All entrees will be present (subject to change). Food and drink present throughout.

Keynote Speaker: 3:30-4:30 pm - Dr. Spencer Behmer, Professor in the Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University

"Insect Nutrition - and Why It Matters to Us"

Nutrition is a fundamental driver of animal health, development, and ecological success, shaping everything from metabolism to behavior. At the core of these processes lies nutrient regulation—the ability of organisms to balance their nutritional intake to maintain homeostasis, maximize fitness, and adapt to changing environments. Insects, the most diverse and abundant animals on Earth, are deeply influenced by their nutritional landscapes. But more than that, they serve as powerful models for understanding the broader principles of nutrition. In this talk, I present a robust experimental framework for studying nutritional biology and demonstrate how it reveals insights across multiple scales. Using examples from grasshoppers and caterpillars, I explore how nutrient regulation shapes individual foraging behavior and cascades to affect population and community dynamics. I extend this perspective to social insects—such as honeybees and ants—to show how collective foraging strategies emerge from nutritional needs. Finally, I highlight how understanding these nutritional constraints opens new avenues for targeted insect control. By exploring how insects navigate the challenges of nutrition, we gain powerful insights into ecology, evolution, and even our own food systems.

Awards Reception: 4:30-5:30 pm - A reception & presentation of awards for best posters will immediately follow the keynote address. The reception will be in the Unity Room (Rm 212) in the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center.