Biology Presentations

To keep people safe, it’s important to keep science in mind. Carl Farley is an industrial hygienist – a scientist and engineer who specializes in keeping people safe in the workplace.

Summer is hot, winter is cold and spring is wet. But have you ever wondered why some seasons are hotter or colder, wetter or drier than normal?

Frogs can teach us a lot about evolution and how organisms adapt to an ever-changing world. Biologist Molly Womack takes us on a millions-of-years journey featuring amazing amphibians.

How can we use science to foster a healthier world? Using Utah Lake as an example, ecologist Ben Abbott will discuss ways to encourage productive interaction between scientific knowledge and public policy.

USU neurobiologist Sara Freeman studies what happens in the brain as people form social bonds, including bonds strong enough to commit ourselves to one significant other. Freeman presented “The Science of Social Bonds: From Animals to Autism” at USU’s Sc...

Biological Engineer Keith Roper presents “An In-COVID-ient Sleuth: Lifting Viral Fingerprints from Water and Air” at USU’s Science Unwrapped. He details efforts to detect SARS-CoV-2 virus in wastewater. This has aided public health officials in tracking i...

USU ecologist Norah Saarman is using satellite and genetic data to track Mosquitos, disease-carrying killers. She discusses this in her presentation “Making Use of the Great and Small: Tracking Disease-Carrying Mosquitoes with Satellites and Genetics” at...

USU neurobiologist Thayne Sweeten says, “Although vaccines have played a major role in eradicating serious disease over the centuries, concerns and fears surrounding their use have persisted.” Sweeten explores this topic at Science Unwrapped with “Vaccin...

USU’s Science Unwrapped delves into zoonotic diseases (illnesses caused by germs spread from animals to people) as Research Assistant Professor Brett Hurst presents “Uneasy Neighbors: How Interactions Between Humans and Animals Can Cause Pandemics.” (Nov...

“How boring our meals would be without pollinators,” says Theresa Pitts-Singer, research entomologist, USDA-ARS Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research Laboratory on the USU campus in Logan. She presents “All the Reasons that ‘Bee’” a...

What happens to food when we eat it? USU nutrition scientist Carrie Durward, a registered dietitian, says the journey food takes through our digestive systems is ‘epic’ and she describes that fantastic voyage at Science Unwrapped. (Oct. 11, 2019)

Utah State University scientists Bruce Bugbee and Lance Seefeldt are part of the NASA-funded Center for the Utilization of Biological Engineering in Space Project, known as “CUBES,” and they share what they’ve learned about “Food on Mars” at Science Unwra...

“Nano,” a unit prefix meaning “one billionth,” is the topic for USU’s Science Unwrapped with featured speakers Elizabeth Vargis, assistant professor in USU’s Dept. of Biological Engineering and Nick Roberts, assistant professor in USU’s Dept. of Mechanica...

“Microscopic organisms influence the health of our environment and even processes occurring within our own bodies.” says USU biologist Bonnie Waring, assistant professor in the Department of Biology and the USU Ecology Center. She presents “Microscopic,”...

Author Vladimir Nabokov was also an accomplished lepidopterist and illustrator. USU biologists Lauren Lucas and Zach Gompert explore Nabokov’s unique genius at USU’s Science Unwrapped with a presentation titled “Nabokov’s Butterflies”. (Jan. 26, 2022)

Sharks often evoke fear, but USU ecologist says the aquatic creatures deserve greater credit for their role in maintaining healthy marine and coastal ecosystems and a sustainable planet. Atwood presents “Sharks: Guardians of Our Oceans” at USU’s Science U...

Do birds of a feather really flock together? Can birds recognize individual people? And why do birds sometimes crash into windows? Utah State University ornithologist Kimberly Sullivan explores these questions with her Science Unwrapped presentation, “A B...

Are wolves as ferocious and fearless as depicted in popular media? USU wildlife ecologist Dan MacNulty explores this question at Science Unwrapped. The assistant professor in the Dept. of Wildland Resources presents “Timid Predators, Scary Prey: Why Wolve...

Utah State University’s Science Unwrapped explores questions about movie making with bees as the featured speaker Jamie Strange, research entomologist with the USDA-ARS Pollinating Insects Research Unit at USU, presents “Swarm Science: Taking the Sting Ou...

“I want to dispel common myths about snakes and offer a chance to learn some really cool, interesting stuff about these animals…” Utah State University’s Science Unwrapped explores these curious creatures when herpetologist Andrew Durso presents “Life is ...

We’ve all heard the terms ‘organic’ and ‘sustainable’ agriculture, but what do those descriptions really mean? Utah State University’s Science Unwrapped explores this question with USU soil scientist Jennifer Reeve. She presents “What is Organic and Susta...

“Quality of water has to equal quality of life. If we degrade water, we degrade our quality of life,” says Betsy Damon, who has collaborated with scientists and urban planners around the world to create naturally filtering urban water parks, presents “Wat...

“Beavers do a much better job of river restoration than we do, and have a much longer track record of river engineering,” says USU geomorphologist Joe Wheaton. He is the featured speaker for USU’s Science Unwrapped presenting “Leave it to Beavers: Lessons...

Extraordinary microbial communities actually thrive in “America’s Dead Sea.” USU welcomes Westminster College microbiologist Bonnie Baxter, who has long studied these ultra-hearty organisms. She presents “Going to Extremes: Exploring Extremophiles of the...

USU wetlands ecologist Karin Kettenring addresses challenges, along with special features of the Great Salt Lake wetlands, as featured speaker for USU’s Science Unwrapped. Her talk is titled, “Mighty Phragmites: Controlling Plant Invaders in Great Salt La...

In its “Great Salt Lake Today” series, Utah State University’s Science Unwrapped explores this enigmatic Utah gem. The series begins with “Great Salt Lake: Stranger in Utah’s Backyard “presented by USU Limnologist Wayne Wurtsbaugh, (Jan 16, 2015)