Winners of 2013 AAAS Student Poster Competition Tuesday, April 30, 2013 The 2013 Student Poster Competition took place at the AAAS Annual Meeting In Boston February 14-18. The student winners' work displayed originality and understanding that set them apart from their peers. The AAAS Poster Sessions provide individuals with an opportunity to present their research, offering an excellent venue for extended informal discussion with meeting attendees. All posters are peer-reviewed, and accepted posters are listed in the AAAS Annual Meeting Poster Book. Abstracts appear on the Annual Meeting Abstract CD, within the Program Book. VIDEO: Plants for medicine with ethnobotanist Michael Balick Video April 29, 2013 Traditional cultures in tropical, subtropical, and desert environments have long understood and used plants for the treatment of illness and to promote well-being. Michael Balick studies the relationship between plants and people as an ethnobotanist for The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. His work has taken him all over the world. Just recently Balick was on a remote Pacific island in the republic of Vanuatu where he was working with indigenous people, talking to them about health care and their interest in documenting the medicinal knowledge of their elders. OSTP seeks nominations for presidential mentoring award OSTP seeks nominations for presidential mentoring award Capitol Connection April 8, 2013 The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) are now accepting nominations for PAESMEM, the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. OSTP/NSF seeks individuals and organizations that have demonstrated at least five years of excellence in mentoring students, trainees, and/or early career scientists and engineers from groups that are underrepresented in STEM. Marcia McNutt appointed new Editor-in-Chief of Science Marcia McNutt appointed new Editor-in-Chief of Science Tuesday, April 2, 2013 Marcia McNutt, most recently Director of the US Geological Survey, has been appointed the new, full-time Editor-in-Chief of Science. She will begin her tenure at Science on June 1. McNutt will take over the position from Bruce Alberts who decided to step down at the end of his five-year term. Hammerhead shark Sharks gain international protection Capitol Connection April 1, 2013 In a major win for conservation, a global coalition voted to regulate the international trade of five shark species and two manta ray species that are threatened by overfishing and targeted for their valuable fins and gills. Biodiversity may protect against spread of disease Biodiversity may protect against spread of disease Qualia March 15, 2013 Biodiversity matters when it comes to susceptibility to disease. A recent study shows a richer assortment of amphibians in a pond means more protection against the spread of a parasite that causes limb deformities. The findings support the long-held theory that biodiversity in an ecosystem dampens the spread of pathogens, and may also apply to diseases that affect humans. VIDEO: The history of Antarctic whaling Video February 19, 2013 D. Graham Burnett, Princeton University, discusses his recently published book The Sounding of Whales which examines the history of cetology in the 20th century. His talk connects the history of Antarctic whaling with the scientific knowledge gained from this industry, much of which hunted blue whales nearly to extinction. Learn more about this session Asian Needle ants Invasive Asian needle ants thriving, spreading in U.S. Qualia March 4, 2013 There's a new invasive ant species on the block and it could mean big trouble for people and the environment. The Asian needle ant has been in the U.S. since the 1930s, but their population has exploded in the past 8 years. These stinging ants are spreading rapidly and displacing another invasive ant species, the aggressive Argentine ant, in forests and backyards across the country. Cat eating a sparrow Are domestic cats backyard superpredators? Qualia February 26, 2013 Cats are the most popular pets in the world. More than a third of American households have feline family members, and more than 600 million cats live among people worldwide. But a recent report has catapulted felines into the headlines by suggesting their cute and fluffy exteriors belie a ruthless hidden nature. Are domestic cats actually cold-blooded killers that pose a serious threat to biodiversity? VIDEO: The untapped potential of zoos in conservation science Video February 17, 2013 This lecture focuses on the implications of triage approach to conservation research that can be undertaken at zoos worldwide, explore the attributes and risks of the zoo as a laboratory environment, irrespective of its public face, and challenge prevailing perceptions that zoos are primarily for entertainment visits by casual visitors. Learn more about this session
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