May 5, 2025
The ground floor of the University of Missouri–St. Louis Science Complex was alive with activity and conversation on April 26 as graduate biology students filled the space from Benton Hall into the lobby of the Science Learning Building. They came from colleges and universities across the Midwest – more than 20 in total – eager to share their research at the 2025 Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference. UMSL served as host for the weekend conference, which featured oral and poster presentations in categories such as animal behavior, botany, ecosystems, entomology, evolution, genetics, pollination and population biology. UMSL doctoral student Addy Yoder chaired the committee that organized the conference and also shared her research on red-headed woodpeckers. The conference included optional field trips to the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Saint Louis Zoo and Forest Park, and plenary talks from Lisa Kelley of the Saint Louis Zoo’s WildCare Institute and Danielle N. Lee of SIUE.
Students took center stage, with more than 40 oral presentations and over 35 poster presentations. Thirteen UMSL students presented their research. Arkansas State doctoral student Joshua Poland shared work on invasive grasses and praised the well-organized event. Ohio State University doctoral student Jesse Wallace showed her research on genomic DNA extraction from crayfish specimens. Poland said the relaxed setting made it easier for students to present, meet potential advisors, and get excited about sharing research with a wider audience.
