NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2020: A mechanistic approach to how the interaction of ecology and evolution determine the response of communities to temperature

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2020, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. To conserve biodiversity in a changing climate, it is important to understand how species respond to changing temperatures in both the short and long term.

However, this task is not easy since temperature affects individuals in multiple ways, from molecules to ecosystems and in how they interact with other species. Recent scientific progress in genetics, evolutionary biology, ecology, and mathematical modelling makes possible a comprehensive approach to understanding how organisms respond to temperature increase.

Just as this research takes a broad approach to address the effects of temperature on biological systems, it is necessary to take a broad approach to increase diversity in the field of biology. The fellow will focus this effort on increasing the participation of women of color, who are underrepresented in science.

The fellow will combine laboratory experiments and mathematical models to investigate how increasing temperature alters individual and generational performance. Furthermore, this research will investigate how species interactions (via bacterial infection), and the type of spatial landscape, alter the ability to adapt to temperature changes. The experimental system is made up of two model species, a well-studied fruit fly and a bacterial pathogen that is widespread in humans and wild animals.

The fellow will use data from this experimental system to parameterize a mathematical model of how temperature change alters species dynamics and extinction probability. Not only will this model be useful to aid in vulnerability assessments of natural species and communities of interest, it also will provide useful information about how temperature alters the virulence of a common pathogen of humans and wild animals.

To support women of color in strengthening their science identities, the fellow will conduct high school, undergraduate and graduate student outreach. These actions include developing a module for use in the classroom to allow students to investigate the effect of temperature on biological communities. Furthermore, the fellow will develop a web-based international women’s mentoring chain, connecting scientists in Ecology and Evolution from seniors in high school to university professors.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.