OEB Events and Spring 2026 Seminar Series

The OEB Seminar speakers are scientists reflecting the range of intellectual breadth in the community and representing diverse genders, ethnicities, races, life experiences and career stages. OEB provides a welcoming and supportive environment for all people. Unless otherwise noted seminars are in 222 Morrill II. Refreshments are served at 2:45 pm. Seminars start at 3:00 pm

Nominate a speaker

We invite UMass OEB Community members to nominate a future seminar speaker after reading the OEB Seminar Speaker Selection Criteria.  Speaker nominations will be reviewed in March 2026.

Mini-symposium for new OEB faculty

February 6

Presenters: Jeremy Andersen, Hannah Naughton, Jess Gersony
Institution: UMass Amherst
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Ben Normark

Mandy Cass
Swimming against the current: adventures in fish evo-devo as a professional middle author

February 13

Presenter:  Mandy Cass
Institution: UMass Amherst
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Jeff Blanchard

Anurag Agrawal
An alternative framework for diffuse coevolution 

February 20

Presenter:  Anurag Agrawal
Institution: Cornell University
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Lynn Adler

Outstanding Student Research Award Day
TBD

February 27

Presenter:  Emelia Kusi and Matthew Fertakos
Institution: UMass Amherst
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Duncan Irshick

Kelly Zamudio
The love of frogs, and what they have taught us about equity and inclusion

March 6

Presenter:  Kelly Zamudio
Institution: University of Texas Austin
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Duncan Irschick

Lynette Strickland
A Beetle’s-Eye View: Integrating ecology and genomics to understand insect resilience.

March 13

Presenter: Lynette Strickland
Institution:  Boston University
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Phoebe Shubin, Ben Normark

Patrick Green
Contests beyond behavior: Integrative approaches to understanding animal fights

March 27

Presenter: Patrick Green
Institution: Brown University
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Beth Jakob

Simon Brandl
The biogeochemical undercurrent of coastal marine ecosystems: an ecologist’s journey

April 3

Presenter: Simon Brandl
Institution:  University of Texas Austin
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Brian Cheng

Liam Revell
Unlocking a flexible set of phylogenetic models for discrete and continuous trait evolution

April 10

Presenter: Liam Revell
Institution: UMass Boston
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Jeff Podos

Jenn Coughlan
TBD

May 1

Presenter:  Jenn Coughlan
Institution: Yale University
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Nate Senner

Mauricio Diazgranados
TBD

May 8

Presenter: Mauricio Diazgranados
Institution:  New York Botanical Gardens
Location: Morrill Science Center 2 South, Room 222
Host: Ana Caicedo