'The Ethogram' to Present Outreach Program on Animal Behavior at Davis Library on Aug. 19

"Animal Behavior for Young Explorers!"

That's the theme of a special outreach program to be presented by The Ethogram,  members of the UC Davis Animal Behavior Graduate Group (ABGG),

The free public event, geared for youth ranging from kindergarten through  eighth grade, is set from 2:30 to 4 p.m., Monday, Aug. 19 in the Blanchard Room of the Mary L. Stephens branch of the Davis Library, 315 E. 14th Street, Davis. 

Attendees can ask scientists questions about animal behavior research and participate in a variety of activities.

It's a free, hands-on, science communication event, complete with specimens and live insects from the Bohart Museum of Entomology; arts and crafts; trivia games (with winners receiving small prizes); live termites; and even kittens. A scientist-led bird walk around the Community Park is planned, weather permitting. Participants also can peruse a variety of books. 

The live termites will be displayed by Nicole Keough (formerly Korzeniecki), a PhD candidate in the Brian Johnson lab, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. She's a member of ABGG and an editor of The Ethogram, which is ABGG's official blog. ABGG founded The Ethogram in 2014.

Keough is interested in eusociality, host-microbe symbiosis, and social behavior. Her research focuses on "exploring the relationship between termites and their gut microbiome in the context of termite social hygienic behaviors such as allogrooming and cannibalism." Using genetic sequencing, she investigates this symbiotic relationship and identify endosymbionts with overlapping roles in termite nutrition.

Hosts at the Aug. 19th event will include:

• Isabelle McDonald-Gilmartin, PhD candidate and editor-in-chief of The Ethogram
• Nicole Keough, PhD candidate and editor for The Ethogram
• Siobhan Calhoun, PhD student and editor for The Ethogram
• Nicole Rodrigues, PhD candidate and editor for The Ethogram
• Sabrina Mederos, PhD candidate and editor for The Ethogram
• Jessica Schaefer, PhD candidate and editor for The Ethogram
• Kirsten Sheehy, PhD candidate and editor emeritus of The Ethogram
• Dr. Josephine Hubbard, editor emeritus of The Ethogram
• Hee Jin Chung, PhD candidate and co-chair of the Animal Behavior Graduate Group's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

This is a one-time event but plans may call for more outreach programs, depending on the interest, Keough said.

What is an ethogram? "Ethogram is a list or catalogue of behaviors that are being studied in animal behavior research (also known as ethology)," according to The Ethogram website. "The aim is to make scientific topics and findings more accessible to non-scientists through articles, videos, and other multimedia communication."

"The Ethogram encourages interaction between scientists and non-scientists in order to spark curiosity and passion for the study of animal behavior and general scientific research," the message continues.  "Our mission is to create a platform that allows scientists to disseminate their research in approachable and exciting ways. In doing so, we also aim to train the next generation of science communicators. Using diverse narratives of animals and those who study them, we provide accessible scientific information through a variety of media types, from text to sketch to video."

The Ethogram blog features writings and illustrations. Two of the insect sketches:

• The Honey Bee, by Nicole Rodrigues, a PhD candidate in the Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology program.
• The Bumble Bee, by Danielle Rutkowski of the Rachel Vannette and Rick Karban labs, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. She received her doctorate in June.

Ethogram also maintains an Instagram account.  For more information, contact Keough at nwkorzeniecki@ucdavis.edu.