Bug Talk

The MSU Entomology Department is very fortunate to have a wonderful new group of graduate students joining us in 2021. This episode features five of these new grad students: Cynthia Fiser, Julie Michaelson, Ronnie Miller, Charlotte Schuttler and Lauren Goldstein. We talked about how they selected graduate schools, why they ended up choosing MSU and what were the things they looked for in this selection process. We also discussed their future career plans and what skills they hope to learn in graduate school that will help them in finding a job. We talked about Ecolog( https://halllab.asu.edu/how-to-join-the-ecolog-job-board/), a list serve that some people in our discipline use to find graduate student positions.

Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
*Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
*Visit us on our YouTube channel.

In this episode Jen and Ariana chat with Naim Edwards about his work as an extension specialist at Michigan State University's Detroit Partnership for Food, Learning and Innovation (DPFLI). The DPFLI is an urban food research center, developing solutions to economic and nutritional challenges unique in urban environments located in a Detroit neighborhood. We talk about the formation of the DPFLI and some of its goals, along with the importance of promoting urban agriculture within communities and eating local food.

If you are interested in learning more about or becoming involved with the DPFLI you can visit their website or follow them on instagram @msu_detroit_ag!


Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!
*Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
*Visit us on our YouTube channel.

If you are interested in graduate school and are considering joining our department, this episode will provide you with a wealth of information about where to start this process. Dr. Anthony Cognato (Graduate Program Director) and Heather Lenartson (Administrative Assistant to the Chairperson and Academic Programs) talk about topics related to admission to graduate school and what you should expect. You can find resources on the MSU Entomology department website about finding a major professor, funding and the application process.

Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo! 
*Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
*Visit us on our YouTube channel.

Dr. Anthony Cognato (Graduate Program Director) and Heather Lenartson (Administrative Assistant to the Chairperson and Academic Programs) talked about this year's new grad student orientation, the new Student Information System that replaces much of the physical paperwork for both PhD and MS students and allows them and their committee members to track their progress online, different types of MSU fellowship, application process for those interested in being considered for MSU fellowships/assistantships, graduate guidance committee composition, etc. We will be back with another episode about details of the application process to graduate school.

Thanks to Jason Roedel for improving the sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo! 
*Contact us @bugtalkpodcast on Instagram or Twitter.
*Visit us on our YouTube channel.

This week, Jen and Ariana chat with Mohammad Turaani, an Entomology Research and Outreach Fellow (EROF) for Summer 2021! We talk about Mohammad's newfound appreciation for the research process, his favorite parts of being in the lab, the mosquito plague and the cool work he's doing this summer working on trapping methods and biological control of the Spotted Wing Drosophila! We also chat about some of his favorite hobbies like football (soccer), Arabic rapping and dancing, and some of his favorite books!

You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!

This week, Jen chats with Jimmy Gray-Jones, an Entomology Research and Outreach Fellow (EROF) for Summer 2021! We talk about Jimmy's interest in data science, research and his cool project this summer looking at how COVID-19 is impacting pesticide use for farmers in Africa! We also chat about  where he hopes to travel and his favorite books and video games!

You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!

Zsofia talks to Henry Mochida ([email protected]), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Communications Manager at Michigan State University. Henry works to strategically elevate MSU’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, practices, and programming with staff in University Communications and the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives.  We talked about his cultural heritage,  growing up in Hawaii, his film making career, interest in economics and his current position at MSU.  Watch Henry's films:

•  Blue Tarp City (master’s thesis / award winner – native Hawaiian homelessness in Waianae)
• Place of Hope (community mobilizing / raised $25k+ – impact of 2011 earthquake on potter community in Japan)
• Hula in the Zane ʻOhana (hula culture - wait for the Kamehameha butterfly!)
• Say No to Pipelines (advocacy / award winner – activism to stop the building of the Kindermorgan pipeline)
• What is IGR? (institutional storytelling / award winner – video production series)
• MSU Juneteenth Celebration (Juneteenth – institutional remarks)

You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of some of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!

This week, Jen chats with Natasha Mackay, an Entomology Research and Outreach Fellow (EROF) for Summer 2021! We talk about Natasha's childhood fascination with bugs and nature, her interest in outreach and extension, and the amazing work she's doing this summer working on trapping methods and biological control of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug on Michigan apples! We also chat about  where she hopes to travel to find bones and the cool bone earrings she makes in her free time!

You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!

In this episode Andrea Glassmire and Kayleigh Hauri talk with a collaborative research group from Louisiana State University and the LSU Ag Center – Rodrigo Diaz, James Cronin, Laura Meyerson, Tracy Meyerson, Xuelian Meng, John Nyman, Ana Salgado, and Joshua Snook. They are collaborating on a project examining the mechanisms causing the die-off of an important wetland grass system, Phragmites australis, that stabilizes the Louisiana coastline. The Phragmites die-off is a multi-faceted problem, and each collaborator is investigating different aspects of this die-off. The restoration of Phragmites is an applied ecological challenge that will be important for stabilizing the Louisiana coastline, and the only way to accomplish this is using basic research to understand what the mechanisms are.

The Phragmites research team includes additional scientists studying the role of plant pathogens, soil microbes, plant volatiles, and Asian parasitoids. For a glimpse, please see the research topics covered here: https://www.lsuagcenter.com/topics/environment/invasive%20species/roseau%20cane%20die-off/researchers

You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!

In this episode Andrea Glassmire talks with Dr. Walter Carson and graduate students, Cheyenne Moore and Castilleja Olmsted, from the University of Pittsburgh on tips for applying to graduate school in ecology and evolutionary biology. They co-authored a paper in the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America that lays out a step-by-step guide on applying to graduate school and how to succeed by choosing the right advisor and program for you. This episode covers how to prepare for graduate school, how to choose a program, the criteria for gaining admission into graduate school, selecting an advisor, selecting a program if you are a parent, and finding an equitable, inclusive, and welcoming graduate program.

Please check out their accepted paper in a forthcoming issue of the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America for more information on this topic:

Advice on applying to graduate school in ecology and evolutionary biology: how to prepare and a step-by-step guide (2021). WP Carson, SE Kuebbing, TL Betras, AS Campbell, EW McQueen, CL Moore, CF Olmsted, LB Roberts, and NN Washington. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America.

You can follow Bug Talk on Twitter and Instagram @bugtalkpodcast. Subscribe to our Youtube channel to see videos of the conversations with guests. Thanks to Jason Roedel, audio engineer, for improving sound quality, Matt Grieshop for the music, and Ellie Darling for designing the Bug Talk logo!