CSU Pueblo Biology Department to host the Tri Beta 2023 W-1 District Convention April 14-15
Release Date: April 12, 2023
The Biology Department at Colorado State University Pueblo will host speakers, poster sessions and 30 research presentations as part of the Tri Beta 2023 W-1 District Convention. Tri Beta is a national biological honor society for undergraduates dedicated to improving their understanding and appreciation of biological research. The key activity of Tri Beta is to support biology research students with opportunities to present their research.
Convention Chair Abby Davidson is bringing the district convention back to CSU Pueblo. Davidson attended and presented at the district convention as an undergraduate student when it was last hosted on the campus in 2008. "Participating in Tri Beta as an undergraduate biology student at UNC really benefited my confidence and competence as a research student,” Davidson said. “I had the opportunity to come to CSU Pueblo in 2008 to present at the W-1 District Convention, and I won an award for my presentation, which allowed me to present at the National Conference. Now as a professional and a member of the CSU Pueblo community, it is incredibly special to facilitate this opportunity for our students and other undergraduate students in the Mountain West community. I hope that the campus community considers attending and supporting all the students that will be presenting their work".
The two-day convention begins on Friday, April 14 with a keynote address by Dr. Franziska Sandmeir, Associate Professor in Biology, and faculty mentor for the Phi Alpha chapter at CSU Pueblo. Dr. Sandmeir focuses on the ecological and comparative immunology of reptiles, especially in ways in which eco-immunology and disease ecology can be integrated into the practice of conservation biology. Her research has focused on turtles and tortoises - primarily the Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii).
Poster sessions and professional development sessions begin at 8 a.m. in the Occhiato Student Center. Afternoon sessions include wildlife experiences at CSU Pueblo and in the Pueblo community. Dr. Steve Mackessey, Professor of Natural and Health Sciences at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Northern Colorado, will deliver the closing keynote address during a dinner on Saturday night.
The district convention features two research categories: Cellular/Molecular and Organismal/Ecology. A total of 27 CSU Pueblo students will attend and present at the conference. Representatives from Colorado Mesa, the University of the Southwest, the US Air Force Academy, the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) and Adams State will attend and present at the conference.
The convention is supported by the Mentoring Access and Platform in STEM (MAPS) program at CSU Pueblo. The MAPS Program sponsored the membership fees to allow CSU Pueblo biology students to join Tri Beta and present their research at the district convention. The Phi Alpha chapter at CSU Pueblo is the oldest Tri Beta chapter in the State of Colorado. Students who win at the district conventions hosted across the country are invited to present at the national conference.
The MAPS Program at Colorado State University Pueblo, with financial support from the Department of Education, supports undergraduate students from all STEM disciplines through research opportunities, internship programs, professional development, tutoring support, and other programs and resources. The MAPS Program is committed to providing students with opportunities and support to achieve academic success and prepare for their future careers.
Dr. Sandmeir focuses on the ecological and comparative immunology of reptiles, especially in ways in which eco-immunology and disease ecology can be integrated into the practice of conservation biology. Her research has focused on turtles and tortoises - primarily the Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Different studies have explored ways in which extrinsic factors (e.g. season, climatic factors, heterogeneity of habitat, etc.), as well as intrinsic factors (e.g. gender, endo vs ectothermy, metabolic rates, phylogeny, etc.) may influence host-pathogen dynamics. Parallel projects have focused on the distribution and infection intensities of pathogens of the respiratory tract disease – as these appear to be ecologically relevant in terrestrial turtles and tortoises.
Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) is a society for students, particularly undergraduates, dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending boundaries of human knowledge through scientific research. Since its founding in 1922, more than 200,000 persons have been accepted into lifetime membership, and more than 520 chapters have been established throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.
