Dr. J.D. Gantz, Hendrix College
Dr. Gantz will share what life is like working as a scientist in the US Antarctic Program along the Antarctic Peninsula. This includes discussion of the ecology and natural history of the region, exploration of the flora and fauna in the area, discussion about the amenities and day-to-day life, and brief examination of Dr. Gantz’s research on the only insect native to that continent.
Register in advance for this meeting: https://audubon.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUvf-6spzouGtdAPivZr6HE957CI11g1FZ5. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Dr. J.D. Gantz grew up in northeastern Ohio. After graduating from Mount Union College, he joined the Laboratory of Ecophysiological Cryobiology at Miami University (Ohio) to study how insects survive a variety of environmental stresses, with a particular focus on chilling, freezing, and dehydration. The Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica, was among his primary study subjects, which gave him a chance to travel to the Antarctic Peninsula to collect and study these remarkably stress tolerant animals. After earning his PhD in 2018 he started as an assistant professor of physiology in the Department of Biology and Health Sciences at Hendrix College. He continues to research the physiology of invertebrates that live in polar regions and other extreme environments, and to collaborate with many amazing students while working in Antarctica and Alaska.
