UT & the City of Austin renew $12M research partnership to turn science into real-world solutions. IB prof Tim Keitt leads climate/resilience efforts; Research Scientist Ed LeBrun drives ecological stewardship on invasive species & habitat protection. shorturl.at/iHvWi #Conservation #InvasiveSpecies

Meet one of our 2025 Stengl-Wyer Scholars, Leeah Richardson! She researches bee ecology and behavior with a focus on the sublethal impacts of insecticides to pollinators. #Pollinators #biodiversity #conservation tinyurl.com/yn977y97

Tonight is the last Science Under the Stars talk of the fall semester! From lifelong pair bonds to sneaky strategies, animals use a stunning range of mating systems. This talk explores how these behaviors evolve and why so much variation exists. Details here: shorturl.at/qVypg

We honor Dr. Exalton Delco, UT Austin’s first African American Ph.D. in Zoology, who passed last week. He studied here in the 1950s with noted ichthyologist Dr. Clark Hubbs. Learn more about his remarkable life in a 2017 interview from the Integrative Biology History Project: tinyurl.com/mwbskc4y

A prescription for fire? May be surprising, but Texas lands, waters, and wildlife depend on it. From stopping the spread of invasive species to restoring soil health, planned burns play a crucial role in keeping natural areas thriving. From The Nature Conservancy Texas: shorturl.at/AqRqD

🌊 Our UTMSI scientists are at the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation 2025 Conference, sharing research on coastal ecosystems. We’re proud to be part of this global conversation—and even more excited that Dr. Sharon Herzka, CERF President-Elect, is leading the way!

That’s a wrap for #AsgardArchaea expedition, w/ @archaeal.bsky.social fr @texasscience.bsky.social! In the coming months and years, this research will likely open the door to new medical breakthroughs and unlock answers to questions about the origins of complex life. youtu.be/mgmEh_qag5E?...

Want to know why UT’s Brett Baker and other scientists are seeking our microbial ancestors in the depths of the ocean? This video from Schmidt Ocean Institute does a fantastic job of explaining! #AsgardArchaea @archaeal.bsky.social @schmidtocean.bsky.social @utaustin.bsky.social

Meet Ph.D. student Mariangel Correa Orellana. When not researching how Hawaiian shrimp interact with microbes & water temp, she inspires younger students as a mentor & through a UT Turtle Pond research project. #STEMMentorship #TexasScience @texas-ib.bsky.social cns.utexas.edu/news/feature...

New e-book written by @ingridbunholi.bsky.social and colleagues. Fast, practical techniques for species ID 🦈 using DNA/eDNA. “From Sample to Rapid DNA and eDNA Identification – An Easy Step-by-Step Guide” Download here: pt.scribd.com/document/952... #MarineScience #DNA #TexasScience #UTMSI

This fluttery finned fish, possibly from the family Oreosomatidae, was spotted during #AsgardArchaea at around 1000 m. Read more about this expedition led by @archaeal.bsky.social from @texasscience.bsky.social#AsgardArchaeahere: https://schmidtocean.org/cruise/searching-for-the-asgard/

The Wildflower Center (one of our field stations) is hosting a book talk with Texas garden writer Pam Penick, sharing insights from her new book "Gardens of Texas." Nov. 22 | 1–3 p.m. RSVP here: www.wildflower.org/event/garden...

You may have noticed a surge in jellyfish lately. While populations appear to be rising, their gelatinous bodies and drifting nature make them notoriously difficult to track. That’s where science steps in. A new instrument on the UTMSI research pier can record smaller stages of jellyfish. 📷 Herzka

Join us for “How Deep is Your Love” on Nov. 20—with a special live stream from UT marine scientist Brett Baker & team on the R/V Falkor (too) as they search the deep seas for #AsgardArchaea! @archaeal.bsky.social @schmidtocean.bsky.social @moorefound.bsky.social cns.utexas.edu/events/publi...

For the first time, scientists are tracking monarch butterflies across North America, following individual insects from places like Ontario all the way to their overwintering colonies in central Mexico. Explore this gift article from The New York Times! www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/s...

Congrats to Dr. Norma Fowler, winner of the Excellence in Restoration Research Award! Her team’s work on how deer, cattle, fire & thinning shape Central Texas savannas has guided best practices in such things as fire use, deer management, invasive-grass control, and more. chapter.ser.org/texas/

Brackenridge Field Lab has made significant progress in the control of the invasive tawny crazy ant. This ant causes serious ecological damage & is a headache for homeowners as well. Learn more here: shorturl.at/EDBkA #invasivespecies

Outside the classroom, outreach is a big part of science education. Stengl-Wyer 2024 Scholar Keri Greig participated in Roots & Wings, hosted by the Austin Public Library system. Learn more about what they did at this cool event: shorturl.at/jVqFF #scienceeducation #stemeducation #STEM

Excellent talk tonight with Juli Berwald, author and ocean scientist, at the Texas Science & Natural History Museum. This is a free program open to the public. Tuesday, Nov. 11, 6 to 8 p.m. Learn more and RSVP: bit.ly/42VY5mp #coralreef #sustainability #marinescience

Meet new Stengl-Wyer Fellow: Tianyi Xu. Her research examines how reptile diversity responds to global change across space and time using tools from #paleobiology, #ecology, and evolutionary #biology. Blog here: tinyurl.com/eb85be2p #herpetology

Applications for Stengl-Wyer Scholars due 12/8! Program provides up to 3 years of support for talented postdocs researching the broad area of the diversity of life. $70k annual salary/benefits, $10k research/travel allowance & more. To apply: shorturl.at/oaP4Q

We’re Hiring! Small Boat Operator – Port Aransas, TX 🌊🚤 The Small Boat Operator will safely operate and maintain small vessels used in scientific fieldwork—transporting personnel, equipment, and assisting with sampling. Apply now: tinyurl.com/4nkz6crh

While Halloween is already becoming a distant memory (along with the delicious candy treats), these awesome pumpkins carved at the Brackenridge Field Laboratory are still going strong!

In his talk, "Birds Are Smarter!" Carlos Botero (Assoc Professor, IB) explores how birds are challenging everything we thought we knew about animal intelligence. This is a free event part of the Hot Science - Cool Talks series. Nov 14th at 5:30 pm on the UT campus. shorturl.at/Hyh99

Nov 20th is "How Deep is Your Love," a scientific exploration of the deep sea to uncover fascinating ecosystems thriving in darkness. The event also brings into focus the prospect of deep-sea mining that could disrupt this unique ecosystem. More details here: my.thelongcenter.org/4186/4188?ut...

Sunday Nov 2nd at the Texas Science & Natural History Museum is "Día de los Huesos (Day of the Bones)" - a paleontological twist on Día de los Muertos. Learn more and get tickets: bit.ly/3Laefmc

Now that it's fall, join the WIldflower Center in the Fall Challenge to give that rake a rest. 🍁 Fallen leaves are crucial for soil health, wildlife, and resilient ecosystems. Learn more here: www.wildflower.org/leave-some-l... #LeaveSomeLeaves #nativeplants #sustainability

If you're part of the UT Austin community, come participate in the Waller Creek Clean-Up. Fri, Nov 7, from 12-12:50 p.m. Waller Creek winds through the UT campus, and is named after Edwin Waller, the first mayor of Austin. Sign up here: shorturl.at/FxG45 (Photo: Daily Texan)

Conservation efforts also are happening at the microscopic level. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/s...

"Nocturnes" is an exciting documentary part of the Reel Science series. It follows two observers on a nocturnal expedition to decode nocturnal creatures in a remote area on the border of India and Bhutan. 10/21 - 5:30 pm. More details here cns.utexas.edu/events/publi...

Meet new Stengl-Wyer Scholar, Fabian Salgado-Roa! He studies phenotypic and genetic diversity change at multiple geographical scales, using arthropods as a model system. Learn more about him at our new blog post. biodiversity.utexas.edu/news/feature... #biology #ecology #science #entomology

Urban trees can lower temps by up to 12°C, but it’s not just about quantity. Species, layout and local climate all play a role in how effective they are. Strategic planting leads to cooler streets, cleaner air and healthier communities, especially in neighborhoods vulnerable to rising temperatures.

October's free Science Under the Stars event is "Flora of the Living Dead: Resurrection Plants of Central Texas." Speaker is plant bio PhD student Allison Hutt. 10/9 at 8 pm. SUTS is for science-curious people of all ages & experiences, held at the Brackenridge Field Lab. scienceunderthestars.org

🦈 Fast Solutions for an Urgent Problem - PhD student Ingrid Bunholi's new paper on the use of rapid genetic testing in shark & ray conservation. An e-book is coming soon 👉 utmsi.utexas.edu/fast-solutio... 📷 Erika Beux #Shark #TexasScience #eDNA #UTMSI #Genetics #CaseyLab

The Mexican honey wasp is a bit of an oddball: it makes and eats honey like a bee, but when it’s hankering for protein, instead of pollen, it eats other insects. A new study finds its gut microbiome is more like bees than wasps. Funded by USDA and NSF. journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Check out the CNS Visualizing Science 2026 competition! It showcases the beauty of science & the scientific process, bringing UT science into the public eye. Winners will receive cash prizes & many entries will be featured across campus cns.utexas.edu/events/serie...

When we conserve an area, it's not enough to draw lines on a map and walk away. We need clear goals – and long-term commitment – to ensure these places thrive into the future.

Deadline is next week for the Stengl-Wyer Graduate Fellowships Program! The year-long program funds UT doctoral candidates researching life and organisms in their natural environments. Learn more and apply here by Oct 6: shorturl.at/sZ6aU

Bob and Kevin are back in action! Yesterday, a 2nd Sofar buoy "Kevin" was deployed at West Flower Garden Bank by FGBNMS scientists. The Hu Lab will use the data from both Kevin and Bob to monitor the environmental health of the coral reefs.🔹 Meet Kevin: spotters.sofarocean.com/historical/S... #UTMSI

Biologists at UT Austin found a bird that’s the natural result of a green jay & a blue jay’s mating — it may be among the first examples of a hybrid that exists because of recent changing patterns in the climate. #TexasScience #GrueJay #BlueJay #GreenJay #ClimateChange cns.utexas.edu/news/researc...

Join researchers from #UTMSI as they capture stunning high-res imagery of plankton using an advanced shadowgraph-based system that continuously collects images of fish larvae, jellies, amphipods, and other planktonic organisms in their natural environment.

Congratulations to Fabian Salgado-Roa, winner of the Medalla Humbold-Caldas Best Publication in Biogeography! His paper is titled "The Andes as a semi-permeable geographical barrier: Genetic connectivity between structured populations in a widespread spider." tinyurl.com/2pmcem2c

Congrats to grad student Mariangel Orellana & Justin Havird (Assoc Prof), recently named among the latest Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellows and Advisors. The HHMI mission is to unlock fundamentals of biology & build an inclusive future for science. www.hhmi.org/programs/gil...

Students from BIO 206L, an intro biol lab course at UT, collected soil samples at Brackenridge Field Lab as part of a semester-long project. With the Tiny Earth Network, they will grow and test bacteria from their samples and present their findings in team research posters. (Photos by Medha Sarin.)

Check out Travis Audubon’s 1st BIPOC Bird Walk! The event welcomes Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to build community & connection through birding. Free! No prior birding experience or knowledge is needed. Sat 9/27 at Mueller Greenway. travis.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/t...

The Texas Science & History Museum is having free admission from 1 to 5 pm on Sunday, Sept. 21 during Austin Museum Day! Don't miss this great chance to see all the amazing things this museum has been up to! sciencemuseum.utexas.edu?gad_source=1...

Grad student Jeff Coleman is a recipient of the Donald D. Harrington Dissertation Fellowship, considered the most prestigious graduate fellowship award offered by UT. This marks the first time since 2018 a student in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior has received this award.

IB Professor Kelly Zamudio has been selected as a 2025-2026 Fulbright US Scholar for Brazil. Fulbright Scholar awards are prestigious fellowships that offer scholars unique opportunities to teach and conduct research abroad. Congrats, Kelly!

🐟🌊 Less than 1% of baby fish survive past the larval stage. PhD student Juan Pablo Lozano-Peña is studying how rock pools at the Port Aransas jetty help them find shelter on their journey to estuaries. Read more: www.portasouthjetty.com/articles/the...

The Stengl-Wyer Graduate Fellowships Program is now open & accepting applications until Dec 9. The year-long program funds UT doctoral candidates researching life & organisms in their natural environments. Learn more & apply here: cns.utexas.edu/.../stengl-w...