Biodiversity Blog
Students Excel in Stengl-Wyer REU InSTInCT Program
L-R: Autumn Magnuson, Alexander Avalos, Emma Rust
The Stengl-Wyer Endowment is the largest endowment in the history of the College of Natural Sciences. It supports UT Austin’s programming in ecology and biological research, with a focus on the study of the diversity of life and interactions between living things and their natural environme... 
"Save the Insects, Save the Planet" with Dr. May Berenbaum
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. Please stay tuned for a possible reschedule in the near future. Email nicole.elmer[at]austin.utexas.edu if you have any questions About the talk: With more than a million described species, the Class Insecta is the most species-rich group of multicellular organisms on Earth; insects can be found in...
Meet Stengl-Wyer Fellow: Sam Smith
Sam and singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina) caught in Costa Rica Sam Smith is one of our 2022 Stengl-Wyer Fellows. Sam studies rodent vocal mechanisms in the lab of Dr. Steven Phelps. In this blog, she talks about her wide interests in biology, the fascinating way rodent vocalizations work, and how her fellowship is assisting with her research. T...
Meet Stengl-Wyer Fellow: Erik Iverson
Erik and a painted bunting (Passerina ciris.) Erik Iverson is one of our 2022 Stengl-Wyer Fellows. Erik studies the influence of mitochondrial genetics and physiology on many aspects of biodiversity and conservation. His research interests and studies have taken him to very diverse places across the globe. In this blog, he talks about his ...
Meet Stengl-Wyer Scholar: Guillaume Dury
Guillaume Dury is one of our 2022 Stengl-Wyer Scholars who will be working in the lab of Dr. Brian Sedio. As part of the Stengl Wyer Endowment, the Stengl Wyer Postdoctoral Scholars Program provides up to three years of independent support for talented postdoctoral researchers in the broad area of the diversity of life and/or organisms in thei...
Biotechnologies for Conservation & Their Intended Consequences
The Stengl-Wyer Endowment is proud to share this public seminar with Ben Novak, Lead Scientist of Revive & Restore, hosted by Stengl-Wyer Fellow Erik Iverson. Friday, December 9th, 10:00 am - 11:00 am, UT Campus, NHB 1.720 Revive & Restore is a nonprofit conservation organization leading the effort to responsibly integrate bio...
Meet Stengl-Wyer Fellow: Kathryn Appler
Presenting research at the 18th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology (ISME18) in Lausanne, Switzerland. Kathryn Appler is one of our 2022 Stengl-Wyer Fellows. She is a Marine Science Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Brett Baker's Lab where she studies the diversity and ecological role of Asgard Archaea. Kathryn took time from her busy re...
Stengl-Wyer Graduate Fellowships Now Open
If you're a UT graduate student studying the diversity of life and organisms in their natural environments, then check out this fellowship program! The Stengl-Wyer Graduate Fellowship program is now open for applications, closing on December 12, at 5 p.m. Central Time. This fellowship includes a 12-month stipend of $36,000 beginning September 1, 20...
Meet Stengl-Wyer Fellow: Philip Souza
SCUBA diving to conduct lobster, grouper, and conch surveys in The Bahamas Philip Souza is one of our 2022 Stengl-Wyer Fellows. He is a Ph.D. candidate in the Simon Brandl - Fish and Functions Lab where he studies estuarine soundscapes. Philip's path into his research focus is fascinating, and he shares his story below. Tell us where you came fr...
Announcing the 2022 Stengl-Wyer Scholars, Fellows and Grant Awardees
Funded by the Stengl-Wyer Endowment, the Stengl-Wyer Scholars Program provides up to three years of independent support for talented postdoctoral researchers in the broad area of the diversity of life and/or organisms in their natural environments. The endowment also supports the Stengl-Wyer Fellowship Program, year-long fellowships for doctoral ca...
Meet Stengl-Wyer Scholar: Ummat Somjee
Ummat Somjee is one of our 2021 Stengl-Wyer Scholars and is researching the evolution of exaggerated sexually-selected traits in animals. His research aims to understand how the energetic costs underlying these exaggerated traits may shape their evolution. As part of the Stengl Wyer Endowment, the Stengl Wyer Postdoctoral Scholars Program prov...Meet Stengl-Wyer Fellow: Nikunj Goel
Nikunj modeling source-sink dynamics at range limits.
Nikunj is one of our 2021 Stengl-Wyer Fellows. He is a theoretical biogeographer working in the lab of Dr. Tim Keitt at the Department of Integrative Biology. He is broadly interested in understanding how dispersal generates and maintains biodiversity. As a Stengl-Wyer Fellow, he is buil... 
Meet Stengl-Wyer Scholar: Harry Siviter
Doing work in Senegal with baboons Harry Siviter is one of our 2021 Stengl-Wyer Scholars and is researching how environmental factors contribute to bee decline. As part of the Stengl Wyer Endowment, the Stengl Wyer Postdoctoral Scholars Program provides up to three years of independent support for talented postdoctoral researche...
Stengl-Wyer REU Program: supporting undergraduates in the natural sciences
Jenifer Dubon (left) and Jaylin Knight (right) The Stengl-Wyer Endowment is the largest endowment in the history of the College of Natural Sciences. It supports UT Austin’s programming in ecology and biological research, with a focus on the study of the diversity of life and interactions between living things and their natural environments...
Meet Stengl Wyer Fellow: Nick Ivers
Setting trap nests to catch cavity nesting bees and wasps in the Edwards Plateau. Nick Ivers is one of our 2021 Stengl-Wyer Fellows. He is a is a PhD candidate in the lab of Dr. Shalene Jha where they work towards the conservation of native pollinators amid rapid habitat loss and degradation. As part of the Stengl Wyer Endowment,...
Applications open for the 2022 Stengl-Wyer Fellows Program
The College of Natural Sciences is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications for the 2022 Stengl-Wyer Graduate Fellowship Competition. The Stengl-Wyer Graduate Fellowship funds doctoral candidates pursuing dissertation research on the diversity of life and organisms in their natural environments, across many disciplines wi...
Applications open for 2022 Stengl-Wyer Scholars Program
The College of Natural Sciences is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications for the 2022 Stengl-Wyer Scholars Competition! Recent Ph.D.s are invited to apply for distinguished postdoctoral positions to study the diversity of life and/or organisms in their natural environments at The University of Texas at Austin (UT), one...Meet Stengl-Wyer Scholar: Liming Cai
Liming Cai is one of our 2021 Stengl-Wyer Scholars. She is a systematic biologist broadly interested in the study of phylogenetics and evolutionary genomics of plants. Her research integrates fieldwork, herbarium collections, and genomic analysis to characterize the patterns and drivers of biodiversity. As part of the Stengl Wyer Endowment, th... 
Meet Stengl-Wyer Fellow: Alex Nishida
Alex isolating bacterial strains from the gut microbiomes of captive great apes. The Stengl-Wyer Endowment supports year-long fellowships for doctoral candidates pursuing dissertation research in the area of Diversity of life and organisms in their natural environments. Recipients will receive a 12-month stipend of $34,000, full t...
