II Virtual Meeting of Systematics, Biogeography, and Evolution
Symposia
The SBE meeting 2021 has already ended. We hosted 10 symposia, as described below.
Schedule for the Symposia
Each poster session was hosted for one hour after their respective symposium. Note that the time zone was in UTC-4.
Jun. 19, 9:00 AM–noon
1. Diversity and inclusion in STEAMM. Part 1. Why do gender, minorities, and diversity matter?
Recently, numerous sources of evidence showed the lack of diversity in science, technology, agronomy, mathematics, and medicine (STEAMM). The underrepresentation of minorities results in a lack of plurality among researchers and the studies performed. This symposium aims to discuss the challenges and the obstacles that underrepresented groups in the STEAMM community face. It also intends to show that it is essential to promote diversity within STEAMM and develop strategies that include all gender and minority groups. Striving towards inclusive environments in academia and research areas is essential, as prejudice against many groups is still not adequately assessed.
Keynote: Dr. Corrie Moreau (Cornell University, USA).
Jun. 19, 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
2. Paleobiodiversity and evolution
As remarkably summarized by Croizat (1964), "Earth and life evolve together." This symposium will integrate discussions of paleobiological approaches and systematic studies of related fossils and extant taxa with an interdisciplinary approach based on this premise. Our speakers will present new methodologies such as 3D modeling, geometric morphometry, and phylogenetic reconstructions. Moreover, discussions will aggregate knowledge from organism-environment interaction, paleoecology, paleobiogeography, and climate change research in paleoenvironments.
Keynote: Dr. Adriana Mancuso (Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET, Argentina).
Jun. 20, 9:00 AM–noon
3. The new era of Biogeography
The new era of biogeography leads us to view the distribution of species from a scale other than that involved in classical Biogeography. The methodology for formulating and testing biogeographic hypotheses is expanding to integrate various determinants of species distribution increasingly. This field invites us to grow on multidisciplinary approaches. At this symposium, by the hand of the new generation of biogeographers invited, we will hear about new topics and methods within the study of the distribution patterns of species.
Keynote: Dr. Isabel Sanmartín Bastida (Real Jardín Botánico, Spain).
Jun. 20, 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
4. Phylogeography: a growing bridge
Phylogeography presents great power as a nexus discipline between macroevolution and microevolution. The speciation process and the species relationships can be evaluated from an infraspecific approach with variability in the space-time scale analyzed. This young discipline is in full growth, and new methodologies are on the rise. We will hear first-hand from researchers at the forefront in the field, making phylogeography an increasingly comprehensive science. In this symposium, you will hear about various approaches for interpreting the populations´ genetic structure in space to infer the natural history of the species, its conservation implication in the face of climate change, and how the ecological variables affect the speciation process.
Keynote: Dr. Fernanda P. Werneck (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Brazil).
Jun. 21, 9:00 AM–noon
5. Eco-evolutionary dynamics and the making of biodiversity
One of the main questions in Biology is how diversity originated. To investigate the processes and mechanisms that lead to the great diversity of living beings, evolutionary biologists focus on the interplay between evolutionary forces and organismal ecology. Advancements in molecular genetic techniques and analytical methods have allowed the study of many groups beyond the model species with various approaches and unprecedented detail. This symposium includes a sample of some remarkable studies that use molecular data to address pivotal evolutionary questions that help us understand the making of biodiversity and its future conservation.
Keynote: Dr. Liliana Davalos (Stony Brook University, USA).
Jun. 21, 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
6. Special symposium of the UNC Charlotte's Bioinformatics Research Center
The Faculty of the Bioinformatics Research Center (BRC) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte focus on infectious diseases including emergent viruses, durable problems like malaria, and the intersection of hosts and microbial communities.
Speakers: Drs. Cynthia Gibas, Daniel A. Janies, Eugenia Lo, Adam Reitzel, Way Sung, and Tingting Xizang (UNC Charlotte, USA).
Jun. 22, 9:00 AM–noon
7. Principles, philosophy, and methodology of phylogenetic systematics
This symposium will be welcoming talks on past and current research on phylogenetic systematics' fundamentals. Speakers will cover many of the basics (e.g., tree thinking, outgroup sampling, and data partitioning) in an accessible language. If you are new to phylogenetics or would like to discuss its fundamentals with the greatest thinkers of this field, this symposium is for you.
Keynote: Dr. Scott V. Edwards (Harvard University, USA).
Jun. 22, 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
8. Current methods and applications of big‐data phylogenetics
This symposium's central goal is to foster the phylogenetic community's growth through the exchange and dissemination of new ideas for phylogenetic inference in the genomic era.
Keynote: Dr. Rebecca Dikow (Smithsonian Institution, USA).
Jun. 23, 9:00 AM–noon
9. Phenotype still matters in the genomic era
Although the generation and use of molecular data for biological research have increased manifold during the last years, phenotypic characters continue to play an indispensable role in taxonomic and evolutionary investigations. New approaches for gathering phenotypic data, such as geometric morphometrics, confocal microscopy, and micro-computed tomography, are expanding the universe of phenotypic features. If you are interested in discussing the importance of phenotypic traits and learning about different tools being used for phenotypic characterization, come and join us at this symposium!
Keynote: Dr. Michael Tessler (American Museum of Natural History, USA).
Jun. 23, 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
10. Diversity and inclusion in STEAMM. Part 2. How do we move from theory to practice?
Recent research findings show that LGBTQ, minority ethnic groups, and women are more likely to be devalued or harassed in their working environment in STEAMM. Confronting academia's unfair realities and research in STEAMM areas call for scientists to care about more than only scientific productiveness. Structural discrimination requires diversifying and institutional transformations, providing novel insights, initiatives, and actions required to guide public policies. Such actions are necessary to promote acceptable practices that ensure equal opportunities for women and men and minority groups in the development of their scientific careers. Here, we show inspiring scientific activities and initiatives towards diversity and inclusion in STEAMM.
Keynote: Dr. Fernanda Staniscuaski (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil).