UMSL Department of Biology

10/21/2026

🐝🌍 What can paper wasps teach us about invasive species and the environment?

UMSL Biology PhD candidate Garrett Behrends took his research to South Africa to investigate!

Garrett was awarded the Henry Mitchell Scholarship, which supported his research trip to Cape Town. Using DNA analysis, he studies what paper wasps eat and investigates whether a more flexible diet helps the European paper wasp succeed as an invasive species.

His research also highlights the important roles wasps play in ecosystems, including pollination and natural pest control.

🎉 Congratulations to Garrett on this exciting research opportunity and his feature in UMSL Daily!

Read the full story to learn more about his research in South Africa! 👇

🔗 https://blogs.umsl.edu/news/2026/10/19/garrett-behrends-henry-mitchell-scholarship/

Behrends studied the diets of paper wasps near Cape Town with support from the University of Missouri South Africa Education Program.

07/10/2026

We wanted to share an update with everyone about the plans for a memorial for Dr. Robert E. "Bob" Ricklefs, who passed away on June 7, 2026.

A memorial event is planned to celebrate Bob’s life and legacy on Monday, August 17 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the UMSL Campus. All are welcome to attend, and we hope you can join us. We will have a reception from 3-5pm, with brief remarks beginning at 4pm.

Please share your memories and photos of Bob with us at the following website, where you can also indicate if you plan to attend the memorial event:

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/9NETCW3EcB

07/09/2026

Sharing this celebration as a late addition to our annual award winners as well - congratulations to John!

Celebrating another outstanding student! 🎉 Meet John Bender, one of this year's recipients of the Ceil DeGutis Award, shared with Cristina Sinobas (featured in an earlier post). Congratulations, John and Cristina, on this well-deserved honor!

06/16/2026

It is with great sadness that the UMSL Department of Biology and the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center share the passing of Dr. Robert E. "Bob" Ricklefs on June 7, 2026.

Bob served as Curators' Professor of Biology for more than two decades, building one of the most significant careers in modern ecology. He was a warm and thoughtful colleague and an inspiring mentor to graduate students and postdocs. A member of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of the Ramon Margalef Prize in Ecology, he advanced our understanding of evolutionary ecology, island biogeography, and the forces that shape biodiversity across the globe. He literally wrote the textbook, which has further introduced the discipline to students worldwide.

His influence at UMSL extended well beyond his own research. After winning the Margalef Prize in 2015, he and his wife, Dr. Susanne Renner, established an endowment known as the Margalef Seminar in Ecology, which brings leading scientists to campus year after year to talk with biology students. He measured his success not in honors but in the people he trained, once quoted as saying his students were the greatest reward of his work.

Our community is better for his decades of contribution and advocacy. We extend our condolences to his family, his colleagues and collaborators, and the many scientists he mentored. His legacy endures in all of them.

A memorial is being planned to celebrate Bob; we will share details as they are finalized.

05/22/2026

🎉 Congratulations to our Biology Award Recipients! 🧬🌿

We are proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements, leadership, research, and teaching contributions of our students this year. Swipe through for highlights from the awards celebration and photos of some of this year’s honorees!

🏆 Arnold B. Grobman Award
Graduate (EES): Casey Ernest
Undergraduate (EES): Lucy Roth

🏆 Raju Mehra Award
Graduate (EES): Samir Kuinkel
Graduate (CMB): Ray Kannenberg

🏆 Outstanding TA Award
Becky Hansis O’Neil & George Todd

🏆 Muriel E. Babcock Award
Undergraduate: Zoe Ellis

🏆 Master’s Research Award
Riley Adams

🏆 Tomazi Award
Grace McGowen

🏆 Jenny Higashiguchi Award

John Bender, Alejandra Serna, & Pratikshya Chalise
🏆 Outstanding Graduating Senior
Tim Lopez

🏆 Outstanding Continuing Biology Major
Jess Chern

Please join us in applauding these incredible members of our biology community for their dedication, curiosity, and excellence!

05/14/2026

Meet John Bender — a UMSL Biology PhD student and executive director of Pacific Bird Conservation, whose work is helping protect endangered bird species across the Mariana Islands. His research focuses on restoration ecology, species translocations and long-term conservation strategies that support both ecosystems and local communities.

From fieldwork to global conservation partnerships, his work reflects the impact biology can have far beyond the lab.

Read the full article here: https://www.umsl.edu/umslmagazine/2026/spring-2026/john-bender.html

Although a conservation scientist, John Bender is as focused on people and partnerships as he is on the birds he works to protect. After earning degrees in integrative and conservation biology, the executive director of the Pacific Bird Conservation spent years on field projects across Illinois an...

05/07/2026

We pause to reflect on the life and legacy of botanist Peter Raven, President Emeritus of the Missouri Botanical Garden, whose influence helped shape UMSL’s Biology Department and its enduring commitment to research and conservation. His vision continues to echo through the work of our faculty, students, and alumni.

We invite you to read more about the impact he leaves behind:

Raven, also a former member of the University of Missouri Board of Curators, died Saturday at age 89.

05/05/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Jalene LaMontagne on being recognized at UMSL’s 2026 Research and Innovation Celebration! Her work in biology helps us better understand forest ecosystems and how they are changing, showing how research can truly make a difference. Thank you for your contributions to science and innovation.

Learn more about this amazing recognition and event here: https://lnkd.in/gnmjsQ3y

04/29/2026

🌟 We’re proud to highlight Dr. Jalene LaMontagne, E. Desmond Lee Professor in Botanical Studies at UMSL, for her impactful research and leadership in the field.

Her work continues to advance our understanding of forest ecosystems and inspire the next generation of scientists.

Take a moment to check out this short video featuring her work:

🎥

Mast seeding of tree species is critical for forest regeneration and the dynamics of seed production is linked to bird, small mammal and tick population dynamics. In this short video, Dr. Jalene LaMontagne, the E. Desmond Lee Professor in Botanical Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis wor...

04/28/2026

Want to participate in St. Louis Wasp Watch? The social insect diversity lab at UMSL is tracking where paper wasps chose to build their nests in Missouri and Illinois.

Do you have a paper wasp near your house or apartment? Not sure? Take a look around! Paper wasps will have open nests made out of brownish paper (you can see directly into the nest). Females are just starting to build nests now, so nests will be small - likely only a few cells. You might find them on porches or decks, near sheds, on unused outdoor equipment, or even on plants.

Report your sightings here: https://stlwaspwatch.github.io/