Integrative Biology - UT Austin

Reel Science: Underland Get “deep” questions answered, and explore mysteries on screen, as Reel Science pairs a film’s voyage to discovery with a local scientist’s own.

"Underland" is a documentary exploring the worlds beneath Earth’s surface. Enjoy interactive activities with the Texas Field Station Network and the lab of Dr. Melissa Kemp (Integrative Biology). After, Dr. Kemp shares insights from her subterranean research. Mar 4-5:30 pm - Long Center

Building Better Tech for Marine Science: A Q&A with Chip Breier Chip Breier (Ph,.D. '06) is a marine biogeochemist and engineer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

How do you study ocean environments that are nearly impossible for humans to reach? By building the technology to go there. 🌊⚙️ In this Q&A, UT alum Chip Breier shares how he's designing autonomous tools that collect critical data.
🔗 Read the full interview:

Science Activity Fair and Plant Biology Talk at the Wildflower Center Explore how Indigenous knowledge and ecological science come together at the annual Jean Andrews Seminar at the Wildflower Center and the hands-on science fair.

The Jean Andrews Seminar is Sunday, 3/1 at 2pm at the Wildflower Center. Dr. Frank Kanawha Lake presents “Indigenous Fire Stewardship, Pollinators, & Eco-Cultural Restoration,” exploring fire ecology, tribal agroforestry & climate resilience. Free + all ages! sciencefest.utexas.edu/events/demos...

Texas Science Festival Invites Community to Partake in the Joys of Discovery From a talk-show themed night featuring science comedy to a campus-wide day for hands-on STEM exploration to special events spotlighting the latest scientific discoveries, the 2026 Texas Science Festi...

Follow your curiosity to the Texas Science Festival for two full weeks of science-inspired offerings!

#TexasScience #TexasScienceFestival
news.utexas.edu/2026/02/11/t...

A Break in a Longstanding Mystery about Origin of Complex Life Breathe easy. It appears our microbial ancestors used oxygen, too.

Some of our earliest microbial ancestors, the Asgard archaea, were able to use oxygen, says new study in @nature.com. It may solve a mystery about how complex life first arose.

#AsgardArchaea #MicrobialEcology #Eukaryogenesis #TexasScience @utmsi.bsky.social @archaeal.bsky.social

Microplastics in the Sand: Beach Combing Goes High Tech A UT chemist says it is now time to develop tests for microplastics, similar to tests for other toxic threats.

You know what we DON’T love this Valentine’s Day? 💔 Microplastics on the beach. 🏖️ Fortunately, our colleagues on the main campus, Carlos Baiz and team are working on a solution 💘 Read the story: cns.utexas.edu/news/feature...
#UTMSI #Microplastics #TexasScience #Robotics

The Biology of Love Hot Science - Cool Talks event with Dr. Steven Phelps

Feb 20 is Hot Science Cool Talks: “The Biology of Love” 💕 What can prairie voles teach us about human love? 🐭❤️ Dr. Steven Phelps explores the biology & evolution behind bonding & commitment. Activities 5:30 pm talk 7 pm WEL 2.224. Register:
lovebiology.eventbrite.com

2026 UT Spring Bee Competition: We have a winner! This article announces the annual spring bee competition.

We have a winner for our 2026 Spring Bee Competition! The winner is UT student Arya Vyas. biodiversity.utexas.edu/news/feature... #entomology #nativebees

Publish Online A newsletter from The University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Texas, Issue 26.

Even though the temperature feels like summer, our UTMSI Winter 2025 Newsletter is here! ❄️ Check out our 36th issue.
👉 indd.adobe.com/view/c80f982...

Next week, join UT & the Austin community for the largest science and STEM outreach event of the year. Running Feb 18-Mar 5, the Texas Science Festival—presented by the College of Natural Sciences—features science-themed films, talks, tours, demonstrations & more. Details: sciencefest.utexas.edu

From swimming whales to microscopic bacteria, evolution shapes all life. But how does it work? Join grad student Matt Ming at Science Under the Stars as he explores how our understanding of evolution has changed. Feb 19th @ 8pm. Free & family friendly! scienceunderthestars.org

From Santa Barbara to the Gulf: Scientists synthesize decades of data to protect a changing Texas coast - NOAA RESTORE Science Program Trapped inside on a cool, sunny day in Santa Barbara, California, a group of scientists are deep in discussion. It’s November 2023, and the group is at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and…

Texas scientists are teaming up to protect our changing Texas coast by synthesizing decades of TPWD data on storms, drought, freezes, and fisheries. UTMSI’s Dr. Zhanfei Liu co‑leads this NOAA‑funded effort 👉

In Memorium of Bill Cade This article is an obituary about Bill Cade, an entomologist and UT alumnun

We'd like to honor the recent passing of entomologist & UT alumnus Bill Cade. He researched the Texas field cricket, but also made remarkable discoveries on the parasitic fly Ormia ochracea. biodiversity.utexas.edu/news/feature...

7000 years of turnover: historical contingency and human niche construction shape the Caribbean's Anthropocene biota Abstract. The human-mediated movement of species across biogeographic boundaries—whether intentional or accidental—is dramatically reshaping the modern wor

Congratulations to Jenna Wadman (class of 2020) on her paper, co-authored with Melissa Kemp (Assoc Prof, IB), exploring how humans have reshaped #biodiversity in the Caribbean for 7,000 years. Read the paper: shorturl.at/YXvfQ #paleobiology

Barton Creek Habitat Preserve Barton Creek Habitat Preserve is a scenic and pristine landscape in Austin that protects the habitat of endangered songbirds and preserves the quality of water in the Barton Creek watershed.

Look what is in Austin! Here one can find limestone canyons, tree-lined hills and native songbirds at the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve: nature.ly/4qAkb7d #conservation #sustainability #ecology #environment #nativeplants

One of UT Austin's Biodiversity Center's field stations, the McDonald Observatory, has applications open for their paid 2026 summer internships @mcdonaldobs.bsky.social
Students assist w/ programs, tours, workshops & outreach.
Applications Due: 2/15 @mcdonaldobs.bsky.social ow.ly/3RSg50Y0YW5

Meet Stengl-Wyer Scholar: Julia Schap This article is about Stengl-Wyer Scholar Julia Schap

Meet 2025 Stengl-Wyer Scholar Julia Schap! Julia is a conservation #paleobiologist who studies the impact of changing climate on small mammal communities. Read the interview with her here:
biodiversity.utexas.edu/news/feature...

#conservation #climatechange #biology

Head out to the Texas Science & Natural History Museum on the UT Austin campus for an evening of "cocktails, crafts and prehistoric passion" at Fossils & Flowers. Thur, Feb. 12 Get tickets here: bit.ly/4qswAdX

Chilling Out in Nature The Nature Conservancy provides a guide to enjoying our preserves during winter.

Step into your winter groove and enjoy the quieter, cooler beauty of the season. Fresh air and movement in the winter sun can lift your mood and energize your body. 🧣🧤Bundle up, head outside, and let the cold work its magic on your mind and body. Let's keep the winter blues at bay, okay?

Public Lectures - Marine Science Institute. The University of Texas at Austin. The public lecture series features in-person presentations by scientists on their research and programs, free for everyone to attend. For questions, please contact us at msi-edureserve@utlists.utexas....

Join UT's Marine Science Institute on Jan 22, 2026, for a free public lecture with Angel Enriquez from the National Weather Service at the Patton Center. Presentation Title: A Case Study of the November 1, 2025 Large Hail Supercells Across the Coastal Bend. Details: utmsi.utexas.edu/learning-opp...

2026 UT Spring Bee Competition This article announces the annual spring bee competition.

The Entomology Collection is pleased to announce the 2026 UT Spring Bee Contest! If you are UT student/staff/faculty, present the first sighting of seasonally-active Osmia mason bees in Travis County to win a prize. Details: biodiversity.utexas.edu/news/feature...

Brackenridge Field Laboratory Open House Drop by Austin’s Brackenridge Field Lab for tours, hands-on activities, talks by UT researchers, views of UT Collections and Bio-Blitz training.

Guess what's coming up at Brackenridge Field Lab! An Open House as part of the 2026 Texas Science Festival. Sat Feb 21st btw 10 am - 3 pm. Discover BFL through tours, talks, hands-on family activities. Enjoy free giveaways, prizes, and more.
sciencefest.utexas.edu/events/open-...

This Thu evening, Jan 15 at Brackenridge Field Lab is the 1st Science Under the Stars event: "Changing Birds in a Changing Texas." PhD student Brian Stokes explores how Texas birds are adapting to climate & habitat change. Details: scienceunderthestars.org

Calling all postdocs! Applications are open for Dept. of Molecular Biosciences 3rd Trailblazers Postdoctoral Symposium @utaustin.bsky.social. Come to Austin, meet your peers, showcase your work. Application is easy and all expenses are paid! Spread the word!

tinyurl.com/yw7ffjn9

Check out the Science Under the Stars’ spring 2026 schedule! SUTS is a free, student-run public outreach lecture series at Brackenridge Field Lab that covers topics on science and nature by biologists at UT. scienceunderthestars.org

Public voting is now open for our 2026 Visualizing Science contest!

See this year’s entries & vote at txsci.net/2026VisSciEntries

#SciArt #ArtinScience #ScienceArt #ScientificArt #ArtandScience @texas-ib.bsky.social @utaustinchemistry.bsky.social @texasastronomy.bsky.social @utmsi.bsky.social

From Research to Results: UT-City of Austin Partnership Delivers Regional Innovation A proven model for research-driven innovation is expanding beyond the UT-City partnership to build a regional network for public problem-solving.

UT & the City of Austin renew $12M research partnership to turn science into real-world solutions. IB prof Tim Keitt leads climate/resilience efforts; Research Scientist Ed LeBrun drives ecological stewardship on invasive species & habitat protection. shorturl.at/iHvWi #Conservation #InvasiveSpecies

Meet one of our 2025 Stengl-Wyer Scholars, Leeah Richardson! She researches bee ecology and behavior with a focus on the sublethal impacts of insecticides to pollinators. #Pollinators #biodiversity #conservation tinyurl.com/yn977y97

Tonight is the last Science Under the Stars talk of the fall semester! From lifelong pair bonds to sneaky strategies, animals use a stunning range of mating systems. This talk explores how these behaviors evolve and why so much variation exists. Details here: shorturl.at/qVypg

Exalton Delco: UT’s First African American Ph.D. in Zoology This article is about one of the early black Ph.D.s in Zoology at UT: Exalton Delco

We honor Dr. Exalton Delco, UT Austin’s first African American Ph.D. in Zoology, who passed last week. He studied here in the 1950s with noted ichthyologist Dr. Clark Hubbs. Learn more about his remarkable life in a 2017 interview from the Integrative Biology History Project: tinyurl.com/mwbskc4y