E-Nouncements - November 2025

The students of seminar are hosting a faculty life history panel talk this upcoming Friday, November 7th from 12:00 - 1:30 PM in the seminar room. We will be hearing from several members of our very own biology faculty to hear all about how they got where they are today and all the twists and turns they navigated along the way. We hope you will join us in hearing from Dr. Chris Phiel, Dr. Annika Mosier, and Dr. Paul Le. Each presenter will give a 15-minute talk about their lives which will be followed afterwards by an informal panel/snack potluck. We encourage folks to bring their favorite college snack to share with the group! Hope to see you there! 

Dr. Casey Setash

Researcher at Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Date: November 14, 2025
Time: 12:00pm- 1:00pm
Location: Science Building, Room 2001

Applied Avian Ecology in the Anthropocene (or Why Humans Ruin Everything)

Species can be generalists, but so can researchers! This seminar will follow the ways applied research allows for the exploration of many ecological sub-disciplines in the name of better wildlife management. Some landscapes have been altered by humans in ways that enhance wildlife habitat while other alterations entirely destroy existing habitat, but nearly all have been altered in some way. My research explores how we optimize these alterations for as many bird species as possible, using the basic principles of demography, habitat selection, life-history theory, and more. From using flood-irrigated hay agriculture as a means of producing duck habitat to minimizing renewable energy impacts on passerines, my primary goal is to inform wildlife managers in order to maintain stable bird populations in the face of numerous extrinsic threats.

Congratulations to DR Ryan Jones for successfully defending his dissertation on October 17th! His thesis is titled “ A PHYLOGENOMIC AND BIOGEOGRAPHIC HYPOTHESIS FOR NORTH AMERICAN SOLIFUGE FAMILY EREMOBATIDAE (ARACHNIDA; SOLIFUGAE) AND THE RESURRECTION OF GENUS EREMOSPINA ROEWER.” One chapter has already been submitted for publication! Ryan started work on his dissertation in 2020. His work will prove to be a significant contribution to our understanding of camel spider evolutionary relationships.

Simone Mellert, a PhD candidate in Integrative Biology at CU Denver, has been awarded the prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award for her work to better understand sex differences in resistance to psychological stress. In her research, she’s seeking to understand how exercise-induced stress resistance works in females and how it might differ from males.

Local NBC affiliate 9News recently stopped by the Moore lab to talk with PhD student Sarah Nalley about her research on the Impacts of Climate Change and Wildfires on Dragonflies. 

Sarah Nalley and Dr. Michael Moore recently joined CPR’s Colorado Matters to talk about Climate Change, Wildfire, and the Threats that Animals Face in a Warming World.

Michael Moore, an assistant professor in the Department of Integrative Biology, has been selected for the 2026 George A. Bartholomew Award from the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. This prestigious international award is presented each year to a single early career researcher for their distinguished contributions to the fields of comparative physiology and integrative biology. Prior winners of the Bartholomew Award have gone on to win MacArthur “Genius” Fellowships and become members of the National Academy of Sciences. Through this award, Dr. Moore will be giving the keynote Bartholomew lecture at the 2026 international conference hosted by the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology.

Annika Mosier (Associate Professor) and Timberley Roane (Associate Professor) co-authored a book chapter titled “Interactions of Metals and Microorganisms” for the textbook Environmental Microbiology, 4th edition, by Elsevier (in press).  Timberley Roane has a second chapter titled “Microscopic Techniques”.

The CIRCLES program (Community for Integrated Research:  Collaborative Learning Experiences) run by Timberley Roane has accepted its 2025/2026 cohort.  Dr. Roane is excited to announce new students:  Caroline Popenuck (Biology BS), Elaine Lin (Biochemistry BS), Jeremy Sentelle (Biology BS), Trivana Malla (Biology BS) and Deborah Espinoza Varela (Biochemistry BS).  The CIRCLES research team will be isolating and characterizing bacteria involved in 1,4-dioxane degradation at the Lowry Superfund Site in Aurora, CO.  The 2025/2026 cohort brings diverse experience, knowledge, and skills to a highly integrative research project.  Welcome new CIRCLES members!

Interested in Research this Summer?
Are you thinking about getting involved in research during the summer semester? There are many excellent opportunities available for CU Denver students, but it’s time to start planning now!
Join us on November 13th from 2:30–3:30 p.m. at Lynx Connect for an information session designed to help you prepare strong applications. We’ll discuss how to identify research opportunities, prepare your materials, and request letters of recommendation.
Since many programs require faculty recommendations, it’s important to begin reaching out to your professors early.
Please register for this workshop. 
Questions? Contact Dr. Lisa Johansen at lisa.johansen@ucdenver.edu

Service Project – Build-A-Bear
Tuesday, Nov 11, 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Free
Join the CU Denver Ethics Club, a Member of our Denver Fire Department, and Gisella Bassani from the CU Denver Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program in a Build-A-Bear Service Project.

This is your opportunity to make a difference and put your Ethical Leadership into practice!

The bears you will build and the special note you will create will be donated to local fire stations that will then be passed along to bring some comfort to individuals during tragic times.

Location: 1475 Lawrence Street

Research with Integrity: Library Workshop
Wednesday, Nov 12, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Free
Research With Integrity: Can I use AI to find sources?

A Library Workshop at which Auraria Librarians will teach you: 

AI uses and limitations
AI versus library tools
How to find sources
In-Person Workshops (all  1 p.m. in Auraria Library Rm 116): 

Nov. 6
Online Workshops (all 5:30 p.m. on Zoom, register for link)

Nov 12
 

Tuesday, Nov 18, 4 p.m. -5 p.m.
Free
Your credit score can have a sink-or-swim effect on your purchasing power. Take this deep dive into learning how your score is determined and why it’s important, and you’ll emerge with tips on how to use credit responsibly.

Join us on November 18th virtually from 4 – 5 pm

CU at Zoo Lights
Sunday, Nov 23, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
$26,
You and your family are invited to a special sneak preview of Denver Zoo Lights with the CU community. Tickets are $26 and limited, so please register early to get your preferred timeslot. Ages two and under can join for free.

Stop by Zoo Gardens for a fun-filled time with Milo and Chip while you enjoy live performances from a variety of talented musicians from the CU community.

LGBTQ+ Inclusion Workshop

Numerous studies have shown that implementing best practices related to LGBTQ+ inclusion in educational settings have significant impacts on gender and sexual minorities’ sense of self-worth and belonging as well as their ability to succeed, leading to greater retention and graduation rates. These practices are essential for creating a university culture that better prepares all students to enter and shape a more equitable and just world.

This hour-long workshop, created and delivered by CU Denver’s LGBTQ+ Faculty Assembly Committee, introduces participants to the whys and hows of LGBTQ+ inclusion in a university setting. Topics covered include appropriate terminology; updating gender information in CU Denver information systems; normalizing asking for names and pronouns; recovering from mistakes; inclusive pedagogical practices; gender neutral restrooms; and identifying resources available on LGBTQ+ topics at the university and beyond.

Feel free to bring your lunch to this workshop. Light refreshments will be provided by the CFDA.

Facilitators: Caitlyn Willard (She/They), MHMSS program (caitlyn.willard@ucdenver.edu) and K. Mohrman (She/Her), Associate Professor in Ethnic Studies

Discover the NEW Canvas Portfolios: Showcase Learning & Track Growth

Looking for an assessment strategy that showcases your student's accomplishments over time? Canvas is upgrading its portfolio tool, so whether you are new to portfolios or you currently use Canvas portfolios and want to see the changes, this session is for you Join us for a 45-minute session to explore Canvas Portfolio, which will be integrated into Canvas on November 15, 2025. This session is designed for faculty who want to help students reflect, showcase their learning, and share their work beyond the classroom. You’ll learn how to:

Set up and navigate Canvas portfolios in your courses.
Guide students to organize artifacts, add reflections, and publish or share their work.
Use portfolios for assessment and align artifacts to course or program outcomes.
Access best practices and examples for integrating portfolios into assignments or capstone projects.