In this year of the coronavirus pandemic all 4-H staff and volunteers have had to pivot from in-person programs to virtual programs, AND so did the school system. Our 4-H members have had a double whammy of virtual programs and spend a lot of time on their computers. So, how do you continue to keep your members engaged in this environment? They might really want in-person 4-H … [Read more...]
Club Support: Three Online Courses on Food Safety and Microbiology
If you are looking for ways to supplement your 4-H club or other youth program in the area of Animal Science, Animal U by the Iowa State University has a wealth of interactive and educational resources. The web trainings here are educational yet highly accessible to youth audiences. Production livestock projects may benefit from asking youth to complete the Food Safety and … [Read more...]
The Search for Urban Snakes in NJ
Written by Tianqi Huang, a PhD student majoring in Ecology and Evolution at Rutgers University - New Brunswick , currently working on urban snake ecology. Tianqi is co-advised by Dr. Peter Morin and Dr. Sara Ruane. Nowadays, a large proportion of world’s population lives in urban areas, but we know that cities are not only home to … [Read more...]
What it’s like being a Park Ranger
Name: Erin Morton Job Title: Park Service Associate Organization: Maryland Park Service Education/Degree: Bachelors of Science, Major; Wildlife Conservation and Management 1. Are you a 4-H Alumni? Unfortunately I was not in 4-H, but I always wanted to be! 2. What does a typical work day look like for you? (hours, activities, work … [Read more...]
Virginia Tech paleontologist finds, names new 3-foot-tall relative of Tyrannosaurus rex
This article was first published in the May 7, 2019 Virginia Tech News https://vtnews.vt.edu/ A new relative of the Tyrannosaurus rex – much smaller than the huge, ferocious dinosaur made famous in countless books and films, including, yes, "Jurassic Park" - has been discovered and named by a Virginia Tech paleontologist and an international team of scientists. The … [Read more...]
Webinars as Tools for Animal Science Education
In recent months, the University of Kentucky Department of Animal and Food Sciences has been offering biweekly, 20-minute webinars on very specific topics in animal care and animal science. These livecasts are an effective educational tool because they are interactive. The hosts issue a call for questions at the end of each session and give answers in real time and incorporate … [Read more...]
How Cool Are These? Extinct Amphibians!
Although we have thousands of extant (currently living) amphibians around the globe, there are many interesting extinct ones as well! Here are just a sampling of some of the amazing fossils that have been found of extinct amphibians! Beelzebufo ampinga - The devil frog! Article from https://www.popsci.com/beelzebufo-devil-frog-bite-force-dinosaur/ Beelzebufo … [Read more...]
Evolutionary Biology through Herpetology! Part 2
We decided to ask Dr. Paul Hime who was interviewed in a previous post about hellbenders, how he became a Genomics Specialist. Dr. Hime, what is your official title? I'm a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum. My official title is "Genomics Specialist." What is it you do? I'm an evolutionary biologist … [Read more...]
Evolutionary Biology through Herpetology! Part 1
Ever wonder how adults end up in their profession? Ever asked them to see if what they are doing now is what they thought they would be doing back in high school or even college? For some people, they are doing exactly what they thought they would do, for others they have found a new or different area of interest during their studies and experience. We decided to ask Dr. … [Read more...]
What does a herpetologist do on their summer vacation?
For Dr. Sara Ruane, summer 2018 was a whirlwind of travel and science! Here’s her account of what being a professor specializing in herpetology is like. April/May-Lamanai, Belize The first big trip I did for 2018 was in April/May to Belize for two weeks, accompanying my former PhD adviser Frank Burbrink from the American Museum of Natural History, and a bunch of bat … [Read more...]