Dmmetler Posted July 30, 2015 Share Posted July 30, 2015 Well, we're here. We ended up getting a later start than we'd planned, so missed a lot of the more casual, social stuff today. Cat is safely boarded at the vet after dental surgery, snakes, frogs, and DD's current foster lizard (plus the other cats) are at home with an area homeschooler coming in daily. Tonight is the president's keynote, and everything starts bright and early tomorrow. DD will be live tweeting on her My little Python account (and probably updating FB as well). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 Good first talk, until they announced the party in the bar upstairs and that they were tapping a keg, and DD headed to the door. It was quite loud before the talk-last years conference had the social stuff more separate, which was easier for her. She has had a chance to say hi to a few of the people she met last year (mostly fairly senior faculty who also bowed out of the party scene, both last year and this year). She also found out one of her favorite bloggers/tweeters will be giving a talk on using twitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 This morning was the Plenary. It was focused on phylogenetically/systemics, which is less in DD's wheelhouse (you really need a place with a genetics lab, which she doesn't have access to). We're heading to ecology this afternoon, which is more her thing, but there's not the big behavioral focus there was last year. She's much less of a wonder of the world-this year, she's mostly just accepted as being here, which is both good and bad. She blends in more, but it also means she has to make more effort to talk to people than last year. We went to the posters and dropped off her auction lot this morning, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 Ecology-mostly social behavior. Definitely more in her wheelhouse, and she already has posted a quick cartoon on her blog. We also went to the natural history museum and explored campus a bit. There's a student herpetology quiz in a little bit which she signed up to do (and says she expects to lose). And we're bringing home a stuffed cobra and a Higgs Bosun particle (plus some books and a t-shirt). I think she's enjoying herself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 DD tried the herpetology quiz. As she says, "I knew q few 100%, a few more was able to take an educated guess, and the rest. I just guessed. " (my guess is that she got the snake questions right, and probably a lot of the frog ones, but not the salamanders or lizards, just from watching her respond to the questions) However, given that the categories were "undergraduate, graduate and professional", I think she did pretty well, regardless of the score (kind of like my 5 yr olds who took the NME last year :) ). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 What a difference a year makes! A year ago, DD hung back at the reception and was overwhelmed. This year, she was actively working the room. She is really in her element here. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 This morning was the Plenary. It was focused on phylogenetically/systemics, which is less in DD's wheelhouse (you really need a place with a genetics lab, which she doesn't have access to). We're heading to ecology this afternoon, which is more her thing, but there's not the big behavioral focus there was last year. She's much less of a wonder of the world-this year, she's mostly just accepted as being here, which is both good and bad. She blends in more, but it also means she has to make more effort to talk to people than last year. We went to the posters and dropped off her auction lot this morning, too. This post on phylogenetics and your other one today on biogeography reminded of a local postdoc who I heard about a year or so ago... presumably at a Saturday kids talk at the Natural History Museum but I really don't recall... http://www.tc.umn.edu/~gambl007/ He's doing interesting stuff. But even if his research isn't your cup of tea... the cartoon of "Squamates Playing Poker" seems like the sort of thing your DD would get a kick out of... http://www.tc.umn.edu/~gambl007/mbe_cover.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 It's fascinating in theory. The problem for DD comes with the simple fact that you can't do any of it at home. It's all preparing samples, running them through the sequencer, and then comparing them with what is already known and figure out how they fit together (or, actually, programming the computer and having it run the tests). Until she's at a tier 1 research lab, this is a table she can't sit down at yet. And KU is one of the top in the field in the world, so that's what many of the symposia are focused on. She's still enjoying herself, but there aren't nearly as many of the "I want to see ALL of them" sessions and a few more of the "Let's go get a drink and sit in the lounge". Which means she's talking to individual people more, and there are plenty of individual field herpetologists here. Today is conservation ecology, which I think she'll enjoy, although it does sometimes get into the doom and gloom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 This morning-great session on Henry Fitch, then head starting gopher tortoises, and a session on Snake Fungal disease that is actually fairly positive compared to a year ago. We decided to skip out of the next two conservation since they were more dead/dying animals focused, and those don't work for DD. more conservation later, and then the careers I. Herpetology lunch. DD's had a chance to talk to herpetologists from Puerto Rico and New Zealand this morning, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 We had one session which is an example of "what you talk about when your research didn't pan out"- poor grad student gave a 15 minute talk on how she decided which statistics formulas she planned to use once she had data, then a session on amphibian use of repurposed wetlands, which showed That DD was fading fast, since she didn't have questions, and that is probably the closest match to her personal research. We went to the live display where she cooed at the animals and talked to a few visiting kids about them. We have a student lunch at 12:00. Her book is up to $6.00 on the silent auction, so she's feeling better about that, too. She was afraid it wouldn't sell at all. This afternoon looks good, if busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 Nice lunch with grad students, including DD's conference mentor this year, who is a PhD student working on Hellbender conservation, out of DD10's former dream school, University of Florida, and professionals in various non-academic (or semi-academic, since one was the director of herp research at Zoo Atlanta, which also involves a faculty appointment at GA Tech). Basically, it was herp-career speed dating :). We got to connect with several people who may be very helpful in the future, including one consultant who works out of Nashville and is doing surveys of Eastern Diamondbacks and Eastern Hognose for the Forestry Service-and dearly needs "boots on the ground"-no matter what size they are. And said research director at Zoo Atlanta-helpful since we're in the Atlanta area several times a year. Afternoon, we had massassauga rattlesnakes, managed forestry, Eastern Hellbenders, and blue iguanas. Taking a break now before going back for social behaviors in female turtles and cottonmouth conservation. Tonight is the student social (more pizza...sigh...why did they have to put the two free pizza/soda meals for student members (and pre-bac chaperones-there are three of us here this year) on the same day?) and then the live auction/party which DD's mentor won't let her attend. Apparently herpetologists can get kind of rowdy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 Three good sessions, one of them by one of her favorite tweeters. She's now stalking her auction lots, determined not to be outbid this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 She got all thre of her auction lots. We bailed out of the student reception early. Too loud and crowded for DD. She had a good day. DH, on the other hand, got to spend part of today in the Lawrence, KS, ER getting IV antibiotics for cellulitis probably caused by a bug bite. So much for coming with us, working remotely from a hotel room, and getting to do some of the fun stuff with DD! Poor guy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share Posted August 2, 2015 This morning hasn't gone well. The three speakers were three of the biggest of the big-not in the herp world, but in the public eye. First was Tyrone Hayes, who is the herpetologist/endocrinologist who, while actually on contract with the chemical company, discovered and broke just how damaging atrazine is to frogs (and spurred a of research showing the same is true in all vertebrates). The guy is an amazing speaker, has been in every media outlet known to man, and it's basically impossible not to know who he is. Unfortunately, DD is 10, and still has that pre-teen discomfort with discussion of anything related to reproduction, especially when the talk turned to the effects in male mammals. Then, the Snake Lady-Kirsten Wiley, who has been on Dirty Jobs (among other shows, but that's the most famous-and one of DD's favorites) and who managed to spearhead recovery efforts for the Lake Erie Water Snake so effectively as to get it off the endangered species list within 10 years. And finally, David Steen, known for his blog and his massive Twitter presence, who really catapulted into prominence and who regularly blogs for Slate and other major media outlets. DD held it together until the panel, and tried to ask her question--and burst into tears. Poor kid was a combination of star struck and overwhelmed, especially by David, who she's been following avidly on Twitter for months. We're back at the hotel to regroup with some Netflix time, and then We'll get some lunch and head back and see how she does. Poor kid basically had her nightmare come true, so I want to get her back through at least one session, simply so she doesn't leave the conference feeling like a failure. She did get a shout out at the auction last night for her performance on the Herpetological Quiz. She didn't win, but she did quite well compared to the other student members-which is pretty impressive, since most of them are Masters and PhD students! She also has a $100 book credit to spend (which I'm pretty sure was donated on the fly for her). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share Posted August 2, 2015 Back in the saddle with Burmese Pythons-interesting talks, but tough ones for a girl who loves pythons. We're going to diverge to the Internarional Society for History and Bibliography of Herpetology talks in a little bit because DD thinks they sound neat (and I think they might be a little easier to manage emotionally). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share Posted August 2, 2015 The first three history sessions went well-history of herpetology in India during the 19th century, a natural history of frogs created by a German artist in the early 18th century (which was the first text known to illustrate frog/toad reproduction). My favorite was the painting of thes Rubenesque woman next to a spilling jar of frogs, with a kind of long suffering look on her face. It is believed that it is of the artist's wife :)... Then, a session by the curator of the Herpetological section of the Yale Peabody museum on their collections. DD is back in her element-interesting stuff that's understandable, in relatively small sessions with mostly an older audience and speakers (I think most of the history and bibliography folks have lived through a good chunk of history themselves). No emotional load as with endangered species, and no "I can't do this" load. The concept of going through the old bottles stored in the back of the college biol building closets, or through stacks of musty books and learning about now extinct animals is something she can see herself in (although her question about how to preserve dead animals makes me very concerned that she's going to be wanting to drag home every road killed snake she finds...not sure I'm down with that kind of research!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share Posted August 2, 2015 the 2nd set of history talks went well-one from a young woman who got a Fulbright to spend a year in Northern Africa studying snake charming, and two on historical collections-one on the British Museum, and one on the methods used for preserving specimens. DD also has an invitation to join the History and bibliography of herpetology meeting tomorrow. (Which may happen..we may me up staying an extra day due to DH). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 This morning we went on the Allen Press tour (they publish academic journals, including several of the biggest herpetology ones). it was pretty neat. DD came back with a literally hot off the press cover for the next edition of Herpetologica (the journal of the Herpetologist's League). It was also kind of cool for her to see the process by which they print HER book (or would if it were a larger scale print run, since hers is almost certainly completely digitally printed. The binding process is the same, though). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportsmom Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Enjoyed reading about your trip! Sounds like your DD had a great time overall. I felt so bad for her when she had a rough day. Hopefully she will be thrilled with her experience and go home excited for next year's conference. Would love to see an overall recap on her feelings once you get home. Hope your DH is feeling better now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 DH is getting another run of antibiotics, so DD and I are waiting at the hotel (her choice-there are other things we could do, but I think she needed downtime). Currently we have the Society of Amphibians and Reptiles meeting going on-with a stuffed Burmese Python explaining how to be a more effective invasive species. Yep, she's 10 again! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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