The TAMU Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB) Program made a huge impact at this year’s Southeast Texas Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics (STEGG) conference! Held on May 30 at Texas A&M. Organized by our own Dr. Heath Blackmon, STEGG brought together more than 130 evolutionary biologists from across the region and EEB was front and center.
Our students, postdocs, and faculty delivered a strong slate of talks and posters, sharing cutting-edge work on everything from genome evolution and speciation to behavioral ecology and biodiversity science. EEBers were everywhere, in the audience, at the podium, and leading discussions over coffee, and at the happy hour after the conference.
This year, STEGG also featured a special EEB swag giveaway for undergraduate and postbac attendees, made possible by generous contributions from the EEB Program. It’s just one example of how EEB is helping foster the next generation of evolutionary biologists.
And in a fun first for STEGG, the TAMU EEB community was even represented by a father-son duo! Dr. Luis Hurtado Sr. kicked off the conference with a talk on the population genetics of isopods, while later in the day, his son Luis Hurtado Jr.—an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Danial Spalink’s lab—presented his own research on using environmental DNA to detect endangered species.
This kind of turnout shows what makes EEB such a vibrant community: curiosity-driven science, strong support for students, and a deep commitment to growing the evolutionary biology community in Texas and beyond.
Huge thanks to all the EEB members who presented, attended, and helped organize this outstanding event. You represented the program brilliantly!
