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Wild Plant Harvesting
Dr. Orou Gaoue
is a postdoctoral fellow at NIMBioS. He seeks to understand the global sustainability of harvesting wild plants.
(NIMBioS video: 2 min 40 sec) Aug 15, 2012
The Dynamics of Small Populations
Dr. Andrew Kanarek
is a postdoctoral fellow at NIMBioS. He investigates how individual trait variation influences the dynamics and persistence of small populations.
(NIMBioS video: 1 min 51 sec) Jul 3, 2012
Measures of Movement
Dr. Daniel Ryan
is a postdoctoral fellow at NIMBioS. Dr. Ryan
uses mathematical models to investigate how movement affects the way species are distributed in time and space.
(NIMBioS video: 4 min 48 sec) Jun 28, 2012
Helping the Dairy Cow
Dr. Gesham Magombedze
is a postdoctoral fellow at NIMBioS. Dr. Magombedze
is modeling solutions to treat and control the spread of Johne's disease in cattle.
(NIMBioS video: 2 min 40 sec) Jun 25, 2012
Parsimony in Phylogenetics
Dr. Juanjuan "JJ" Chai
is a postdoctoral fellow at NIMBioS. Dr. Chai
is helping to solve problems related to research methods used in phylogenetics.
(NIMBioS video: 4 min 23 sec) Jun 22, 2012
The Dynamics of Malaria
Dr. Calistus Ngonghala
is a postdoctoral fellow at NIMBioS. Dr. Ngonghala is developing a mathematical model to study the role of mosquito demography in the dynamics of malaria transmission. He also studies the interplay between poverty and disease.
(NIMBioS video: 2 min 46 sec) Jun 19, 2012
Parasite Ecology
Dr. Maud Lélu is a postdoctoral fellow at NIMBioS. She investigates the interactions between parasites, their hosts and the environment and more specifically focuses on the genetic diversity and virulence of Toxoplasma gondii.
(NIMBioS video: 2 min 09 sec) Jun 19, 2012
Dr. David Schimel
In an interview at NIMBioS, Dr. David Schimel,
chief science officer and principal investigator at the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), explains why math is essential in environmental biology and why it matters to the work of NEON.
(NIMBioS video: 8 min 18 sec) Mar 12, 2012
Dr. Lev Ginzburg
In a video interview at NIMBioS,
Dr. Lev Ginzburg, a professor of ecology and evolution at Stony Brook University, explains how his company, Applied Biomathematics, got its start 30 years ago. Dr. Ginzburg visited NIMBioS in February 2012.
(NIMBioS video: 2 min 56 sec)
The Noes Have It
NIMBioS hosted a lively debate on the role of warfare in early social evolution. The debate, held Feb. 8, 2012, in the University of Tennessee's (UT) University Center, was designed to raise questions about how science can explain the transition from simple to complex societies.
Dr. Jeremy Sabloff
Dr. Jeremy Sabloff, president of the Santa Fe Institute (SFI), explains how SFI researchers have used biological laws to understand the nature of cities. Dr. Sabloff, an anthropologist, is a participant in the NIMBioS Investigative Workshop on Modeling Social Complexity.
(NIMBioS video: 4 min 27 sec)
Summer Research for Undergrads
For eight weeks each summer, undergraduates in math, biology and related fields work on teams to conduct original research at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS), located at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. For more information, visit our website at http://www.nimbios.org/education/reu.
(NIMBioS video: 6 min 08 sec)
Math for Frogs: NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Tucker Gilman
Video interview with
Dr. Tucker Gilman, a NIMBioS postdoctoral fellow whose research may may help us predict how ecosystems will respond to man-made disturbances.
(NIMBioS video: 2 min 38 sec)
New Tools for Phylogenetics: NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Tony Jhwueng
Video interview with
Dr. Tony Jhwueng,
a postdoctoral fellow at NIMBioS who designs new phylogenetic methods for comparative analysis under non-tree-like evolution.
(NIMBioS video: 2 min 29 sec)
NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Scott Edwards
In an interview at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis,
Dr. Scott Edwards,
professor of organismic and evolutionary biology at Harvard University, explains why mathematical biology has become a workhorse in science.
(NIMBioS video: 4 min 16 sec)
NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Julia Arciero
In an interview at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis,
Dr. Julia Arciero,
an assistant professor of mathematics at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, explains how mathematical biology has applications to all other areas of science.
(NIMBioS video: 5 min 35 sec)
NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Diana Thomas
In an interview at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis,
Dr. Diana Thomas,
an associate professor of mathematics at Montclair State University, explains how mathematical models can be used to help curb the obesity epidemic.
(NIMBioS video: 2 min 39 sec)
NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Anita Layton
In an interview at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis,
Dr. Anita Layton,
an assistant professor of mathematics at Duke University, explains how mathematics is useful in understanding how the kidney works.
(NIMBioS video: 7 min 4 sec)
Biology in a Box
Biology in a Box is a fun, hands-on way for students from kindergarten to 12th grade to learn about the wonders of the natural world, while also learning the scientific methods and math skills needed to understand that world. For more information about how to enroll in the program for your school, visit http://www.nimbios.org/biologyinabox
(NIMBioS video: 4 min 16 sec)
NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Vivek Kapur
In an interview at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBIoS), Dr. Vivek Kapur,
professor and head of veterinary and biomedical sciences at Penn State University, describes how mathematics can help clarify the chaotic science of biology. Dr. Kapur was a participant in the NIMBioS Investigative Workshop on Modeling Johne's Disease held July 6-8, 2011, at NIMBioS.
(NIMBioS video: 6 min 18 sec)
NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Tom Ingersoll
Dr. Tom Ingersoll is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS). He is developing dispersal and dynamic models for the spread of white nose syndrome in bats. (NIMBioS video: 4 min 30 sec)
Changing Forests: NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Emily Moran
Dr. Emily Moran is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS). She investigates the impact of increasing CO2 on inter-genotype competition and plant-insect interactions in aspen forests in order to develop a modeling framework that could be applied to other forest communities. (NIMBioS video: 2 min 56 sec)
The Mathematics of Malaria, Dr. Olumide Ogundahunsi
Dr. Olumide Ogundahunsi is with the Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases at the World Health Organization. In an interview at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBIoS), Dr. Ogundahunsi explains how mathematical modeling can help in the fight against malaria, a disease that claimed nearly one million lives in 2008. Dr. Ogundahunsi was a participant in the NIMBioS Investigative Workshop on Malaria Modeling and Control held June 15-17, 2011, at NIMBioS. The views expressed by Dr. Ogundahunsi are not necessarily representative of the views of the WHO. (NIMBioS video: 4 min 22 sec)
NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Volker Grimm
In an interview at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBIoS), Dr. Volker Grimm of the Helmholz Center for Environmental Research in Germany explains why math is absolutely critical to solving today's pressing ecological problems. (NIMBioS video: 3 min 07 sec)
The Blight of the Hemlock
NIMBioS Songwriter-in-Residence Jay Clark debuts his song, The Day the Last Hemlock Died, which tells the story of the blight of the Eastern Hemlocks in Southern Appalachia. The song ends with a short refrain, a note of optimism, from Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring." For more information about the songwriter-in-residence program, visit http://www.nimbios.org/songwriter. For more information about how to help save the hemlocks, visit http://www.savinghemlocks.org/. (NIMBioS video: 6 min 17 sec)
Inspired by Science
In an interview with NIMBioS, singer-songwriter Timothy Sellers explains how science inspires his music. Sellers is lead singer in the Los Angeles-based indie pop band Artichoke. The band has released nine CDs, including a two-volume set of scientist biography songs (NIMBioS video: 2 min 9 sec).
Science for the People, RB Morris
NIMBioS Songwriter-in-Residence RB Morris performs his song Science for the People. Click here to view the video. (NIMBioS video: 6 min 34 sec)
NIMBioS Interview with Dr. Juliet Pulliam
In an interview at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, Dr. Juliet Pulliam explains how mathematics is used to understand the transmission dynamics of infections transmitted from animals to people, like the monkeypox virus or Nipah virus. Click here to view the video. (NIMBioS video: 5 min 02 sec)
NIMBioS Songwriter-in-Residence
The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, in conjunction with the Univ. of Tennessee's James R. Cox Endowment Fund, is sponsoring a Songwriter-in-Residence Program to encourage the creation and production of songs involving ideas of modern biology and the lives of scientists who pursue research in biology. Click here for more information.
The Mathematics of Biology
In an interview at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Maryville College Dr. Maria Siopsis explains why mathematics is a critical skill for biology students. Click here to view the video. (NIMBioS video: 3 min 39 sec)
Preserving Nature on Land and Sea
At the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis, four scientists have gathered from around the world to determine optimal strategies for designing and managing marine and terrestrial reserves. Click here to view the video. (NIMBioS video: 6 min 23 sec)
Relationship Between a Species' Niche and Its Distribution
Dr. William Godsoe is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS). He uses probability theory to examine relationships between a species' niche and its geographic distribution. For more information about Dr. Godsoe's work, click here. To view the video click here. (NIMBioS video: 3 min 51 sec)
Undergrads, Vet Students, Teachers Dive Into Summer Research at NIMBioS
Sixteen students and two high school teachers from 16 different institutions across the United States lived on the university campus and worked in teams with professors on various research projects as a part of NIMBioS' Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experience for Veterinary Students (REV). Click here to read more about it in Knoxville's hometown newspaper.
Cooperation and Confict
Dr. Erol Akçay is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS). He investigates the dynamics of cooperation and conflict in animal social behavior and ecological mutualisms. Click here to view the video. (NIMBioS video: 4 min 01 sec)
Transmission Dynamics of Infectious Disease
Dr. Folashade Agusto is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS). She conducts research involving mathematical analysis and optimal control of transmission dynamics of infectious diseases, focusing specifically on bovine tuberculosis, malaria and avian influenza. Click here to view the video. (NIMBioS video: 1 min 53 sec)
Biodiversity in a Changing World
Dr. Xavier Thibert-Plante is a postdoctoral researcher at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS). He studies the impact of climate change on biodiversity, specifically the evolution of biodiversity and the process of biodiversification in a changing environment. Click here to view the video. (NIMBioS video: 2 min 11 sec)
Ants and Climate Change
Dr. Sharon Bewick is a postdoctoral researcher at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS). She studies how different ant species interact and how their interactions affect forest plant composition. She focuses particularly on how ant communities might be affected by disturbances in the global climate. For more information about Dr. Bewick's research, click here. To view the video, click here. (NIMBioS video: 2 min 23 sec)
The Evolution of the Protein
Dr. Yi Mao is a postdoctoral researcher at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis. She studies enzymatic protein's role in biological energy production and the physical principles that drive protein evolution. Because the origins of many diseases lie in the malfunction of proteins, a better understanding of how proteins behave could lead to new discoveries in medicine. Click here to view the video. (NIMBioS video: 1 min 12 sec)
The Fight of the Feral Cat
Kerrie Anne Loyd is a graduate student at the University of Georgia's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and a short-term visitor at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) on the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is developing a mathematical model to analyze and determine the most efficient way to manage feral cat populations. Click here to view the video. (NIMBioS video: 2 min 23 sec)
2010 NIMBioS/UBM Award Winners Chosen
Nine undergraduate students from across the nation have been selected to receive a 2010 NIMBioS/UBM award to attend the Beyond BIO2010 Celebrations and Opportunities Symposium, May 21-22, in Washington, DC. The conference focuses on initiatives underway at the nation's colleges and universities to transform the way biology is taught at the undergraduate level. The award covers transportation to and from the conference, where students will present their research.
NIMBioS Undergrad Wins Research Award
Steve Fassino, who participated in the 2009 Research Experience for Undergraduates at NIMBioS, has won an undergraduate research award from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT). Fassino, a junior majoring in mathematics at UT, won a EURēCA award in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources division.
Photo/Office of Research
REU/REV Students Chosen
Seventeen students and two high school teachers from 17 different institutions across the United States have been chosen to participate in this year's summer research program at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis.
NIMBioS Undergrad Wins Goldwater Scholarship
Nathan Stebbins, a biochemistry and cellular and molecular biology major at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been named a 2010 Barry M. Goldwater Scholar. Stebbins is currently conducting research on cancer biology as an undergraduate.
NIMBioS Congratulates Its Newest Postdocs
The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) congratulates its newest postdoctoral fellows, who will begin their research at NIMBioS later this year: R. Tucker Gilman, Tom E. Ingersoll, and Xavier Thibert-Plante.
New Guidebook Helps Life Scientists Navigate R Statistical Software
The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis has released an introductory guide to data analysis using the R system to conduct statistical analysis and techniques widely used in the life sciences. Written by Marco Martinez, a graduate student in the department of mathematics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, R for Biologists was produced as companion material for the R Tutorial for Life Sciences seminar, held in 2009 and co-sponsored by NIMBioS and UT's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Freely available on the Internet, R offers a variety of statistical and graphical techniques used by life science researchers.
AAAS Symposium Investigates Math Applications in Biology
Under what conditions does an epidemic spread? What is the optimal way to design an effective HIV intervention plan? How does the human brain work when it makes poor choices? The answers to these questions can be found mathematically, and will be explored in a symposium at this year’s annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, to be held Feb. 18-22 in San Diego.
NIMBioS Leaders Among 11 UTK Faculty Named AAAS Fellows
NIMBioS leaders Suzanne Lenhart and Cynthia Peterson, were named 2010 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Lenhart is a professor of mathematics at UT and NIMBioS Associate Director for Education, Outreach and Diversity, while Peterson is a professor of biochemistry, cell and molecular biology and NIMBioS Associate Director for Graduate Education. AAAS named 11 UT Knoxville faculty members to the 2010 class of fellows, more new fellows than any other university in the South.
Congratulations to the Newest NIMBioS Recipients of Support
The sustainability of coral reef ecosystems and nutrient cycling in food webs are among the topics to be studied in 2010 at NIMBioS. The range of topics to be investigated advance the Institute's mission to foster collaborative efforts to address biological questions using mathematical and computational methods.
Songwriters, Scientists Put the Pop in Science at BioSongs Project
Todd Steed, R.B. Morris and other local singer-songwriters heard University of Tennessee, Knoxville scientists talk about their research at an all-day songwriting workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at NIMBioS on the UT Knoxville campus. The NIMBioS BioSongs Project brought together singer-songwriters and UT biologists and mathematicians to share stories about research and about the people who do it, with the goal of sparking ideas for songs about modern biology.
NIMBioS Celebrates First Year with More Than 400 Participants
NIMBioS celebrated its one-year anniversary in September, and thus far, more than 400 individuals from 15 countries and 43 states have participated in various research and educational activities.Located on the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, NIMBioS focuses on advancing research and education at the interface of biology and mathematics. Programs for visitors to NIMBioS began in March 2009, including working groups, investigative workshops, tutorials, and educational opportunities.
