Salem State's annual Darwin Festival is a weeklong event that celebrates the work of Charles Darwin, with sessions from leading researchers celebrating the field of biology and its impact on today's world.
Watch Recordings of the 2022 Darwin Festival
Darwin Festival 2022: February 7-11
Dr. Isaiah Nengo
It is with sadness that we announce the cancellation of Dr. Nengo’s talk (previously scheduled for 11 am on Monday, February 7) as he very unexpectedly passed away on Sunday, January 23, 2022. Read details of Dr. Nengo's life.
Monday, February 7
11 am-12 pm
“Vegetation and Cloud Cover Shape Semi-Arid Carbonate Landform Development”
Dr. Amani Al Abri
Dr. Al Abri’s talk will describe the influence of cloud and vegetation cover on carbonate landforms in southeastern Oman. These phenomena have economic significance as summer monsoon winds deliver heavy fog to the region, supporting plant-life and thereby livestock and agriculture.
Dr. Al Abri is an adjunct professor in the Department of Geological Sciences at Salem State University.
Sponsored by the Department of Geological Sciences and the Charles Albert Read Trust.
2-3 pm
“Natural History as an Inspiration for New Technologies - Bio Inspired Design from the Sea”
Dr. Adam Summers
Using his background in engineering and mathematics, Dr. Summers will discuss the properties of natural materials and their roles in form and function in marine animals. Dr. Summers is a Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington.
Sponsored by the Biology Department and the Charles Albert Read Trust.
Tuesday, February 8
11 am-12 pm
Dr. Molly E. Brown (GPH)
Dr. Brown’s talk will address the conceptual frameworks that connect observations of climate variables to individual nutrition outcomes in Africa and Asia. She will describe datasets used to measure climate extremes, explain how food security is defined and share data demonstrating the impact of climate change on food security in children. Dr. Brown is a Professor in the Department of Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland.
Sponsored by the Geography and Sustainability Department and the Charles Albert Read Trust.
2-3 pm
Founder's Lecture: “The Role of Restoration in Preserving Plant Biodiversity.”
Dr. Rakan Zahawi
Dr. Zahawi will present results on a long-term restoration study (>15 years) in southern Costa Rica assessing the effect of different restoration treatments on recovery processes. He will also provide a brief overview of the Charles Darwin Research Station in the Galapagos, and will highlight a few of their core research programs.
Dr. Zahawi is Executive Director of the Charles Darwin Foundation.
Sponsored by the Biology Department and the Charles Albert Read Trust
Wednesday, February 9
11 am-12 pm
“Enabling a New Era of Ocean Exploration and Discovery with Marine Genomics.”
Dr. Andrea Bodnar
The oceans cover 71% of the Earth’s surface and play a vital role in supporting life on our planet and yet, remain largely unexplored. New genomic technologies provide an unprecedented opportunity to explore the ocean’s vast biodiversity and promote sustainable use of marine resources. Dr. Bodnar’s talk will introduce some of the work being done at the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute to use genomic technologies to promote healthy and sustainable oceans, and to uncover new discoveries that impact humankind.
Dr. Bodnar is the Donald G. Comb Science Director at the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute.
Sponsored by the Biology Department and the Charles Albert Read Trust.
2-3 pm
“Pteropods as Bioindicators of Climate Change in New England Waters.”
Dr. Amy Maas
Human activities, notably the burning of fossil fuels, are causing dramatic changes to the physics and chemistry of the marine environment. One poorly understood or monitored aspect of these changes are the consequences of the changing pH of the marine environment - otherwise known as ocean acidification. Dr. Maas will discuss the effects of ocean acidification on a sensitive calcifying organism in the Gulf of Maine - the shelled pteropod or “sea butterfly” Limacina helicina, and how these data can be used to improve biological monitoring on the East Coast.
Dr. Maas is an Associate Scientist at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences.
Sponsored by the Biology Department and the College of Arts and Sciences.
7-8 pm
“Tiny Conspiracies: Cell-to-Cell Communication in Bacteria”
Dr. Bonnie Bassler
Bacteria communicate with one another using chemical molecules that they release into the environment. These molecules travel from cell to cell and the bacteria have receptors on their surfaces that allow them to detect and respond to the build-up of the molecules. This process of cell-to-cell communication in bacteria is called “Quorum Sensing” and it allows bacteria to synchronize behavior on a population-wide scale. Dr. Bassler will talk about research into therapies that interrupt quorum sensing.
Dr. Bassler is Squibb Professor in Molecular Biology and Chair of the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University. She is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.
Sponsored by the Biology Department and the College of Arts and Sciences.
Thursday, February 10
11 am-12 pm
"The Best Bad Option: Using Science to Guide Public Schools’ Pandemic Response.”
Dr. Kristin Pangallo
Dr. Pangallo will describe how her training as a scientist has helped her navigate the COVID-19 pandemic in her role on the Salem Public Schools Committee.
Dr. Pangallo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics at Salem State University.
Sponsored by the Chemistry and Physics Department and the Charles Albert Read Trust.
2-3 pm
“Microaggressions: What’s the Harm? Examining the Impact of Microaggressions and Racism on Health.”
Dr. Susan Torres-Harding
Microaggressions are forms of subtle, everyday discrimination that can negatively impact people from disempowered social groups in the US. In her talk, Dr. Torres-Harding will describe and define microaggressions, discuss the cognitive and physiological pathways through which microaggressions may impact health status, and discuss how they may contribute to existing racial health disparities in the US.
Dr. Torres-Harding is Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Roosevelt University.
Sponsored by Academic Affairs.
7-8 pm
“Genomic Evolution and Adaptation in Africa.”
Dr. Sarah Tishkoff
Dr. Tishkoff studies genomic and phenotypic variation in ethnically diverse Africans. She will present research that combines field work, laboratory research, and computational methods to examine African population history, the genetic basis of anthropometric, cardiovascular, and immune related traits, and how humans have adapted to diverse environments and diets.
Dr. Tishkoff is the David and Lyn Silfen University Professor in Genetics and Biology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Sponsored by the Biology Department and the College of Arts and Sciences.
Friday, February 11
11 am-12 pm
Dr. Tara Pelletier
Dr. Pelletier will demonstrate how "big data” can be used to understand the historical processes that shape current biodiversity patterns and be used to make predictions for conservation purposes. These data are compiled using computational methods that integrate species occurrences with genetic and/or climatological data on a large scale.
Dr. Pelletier is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Radford University.
Sponsored by the Biology Department and ThermoFisher Scientific.
2-3 pm
Dr. Laura Laranjo and Ms. Sydney Addorisio
DNA mutations have profound implications for human health. Among the multiple sources of DNA mutations, are secondary structures. Quasipalindrome sequences (QP) are imperfect inverted repeats capable of forming hairpin-like DNA secondary structures. These structures can perturb DNA replication, resulting in mutations, DNA damage, and chromosomal rearrangements. Previous work has shown that these mutations can be caused by the addition of FDA-approved drugs such as 5-azaC, AZT, and ciprofloxacin. Dr. Laranjo and Ms. Addorisio will discuss the results of investigating two additional FDA approved antitumor drugs, CPT-11 and Doxorubicin hydrochloride for their ability to affect template-switch mutagenesis.
Dr. Laura Laranjo is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Salem State University.
Ms. Sydney Addorisio has just graduated from Salem State University with a BS in Biology and worked with Dr. Laranjo on her Honors Project.
Sponsored by the Biology Department and ThermoFisher Scientific.
Questions?
Interested in the 2022 Darwin Festival? Contact Ryan Fisher for more information.
Thank You to Our Supporters
Major support for the Darwin Festival comes from the Charles Albert Read Trust and ThermoFisher Scientific.
