Q&A with Lauren Alteio: First isolation of giant virus genomes in soil from a forest ecosystem

Soil sample collection from the Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts.

Researchers Frederik Schulz (US Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute) and Lauren Alteio (University of Massachusetts) have discovered sixteen new giant viruses in soil samples from a long-term research site at the Harvard Forest LTER, described in a Nature Communications paper published in November 2018. Giant viruses are larger than most single celled organisms, and tend… Read more »

Webinar series on 21st century field education

Fiona Jevin in the field at Harvard Forest in 2010.

The Undergraduate Field Experiences Research Network (UFERN) is pleased to announce a new webinar series focused on 21st century field education. The webinar series will bring expertise to our discussions and thinking that support the goal of UFERN by moving field learning experiences into the 21st century. Please join us for the first webinar in this series… Read more »

Inaugural LTER Idea Cafe Generates Innovative Pitches

The All-Scientists’ Meeting only happens every 3 years. The workshops offer an amazing smorgasbord of fresh results, new theory, tools, and opportunities to make progress on old challenges. But as the organizing committee contemplated the 2018 All Scientists’ Meeting, we also wanted to create a space for the Network to look toward the future–a way… Read more »

The Many Faces of Synthesis at LTER ASM 2018

Sunshine, sand, and surf greeted participants of the 2018 LTER All Scientists’ Meeting as they arrived at Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California. For four days, Asilomar was abuzz with the excitement of nearly 600 people sharing new scientific ideas and discussions. The theme of the 2018 meeting, Next Generation Synthesis: Successes and Strategies,… Read more »

LTER ASM 2018 Merchandise!

T-shirts and hats will be available for purchase on-site* at the All Scientists Meeting. Special thanks to Rebecca Atkins for designing this year’s fabulous meeting graphic. If you can’t attend the meeting, remember to coordinate with your colleagues to make sure they come back with extra merch for you! *Merchandise is not available for pre-ordering or… Read more »