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Marek Borowiec (Photograph courtesy of the College of Idaho)
The work of legendary E. O. Wilson (June 10, 1929 – Dec. 26, 2021) influenced so many college students to start the scientific examine of ants (mymecology).
UC Davis doctoral alumnus Marek Borowiec, now an assistant professor within the College of Idaho’s Division of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, is one in all many who drew inspiration from Wilson, the Pulitzer-Prize successful biologist thought-about “the” international skilled on ants.
As a grasp’s scholar from Poland on a Ernst Mayr grant, Borowiec labored close to his workplace at Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ).
Borowiec posted this 10-itemed thread Jan. 4 on his Twitter account:
- “Ed Wilson’s passing marks an finish of an period. He impressed generations of myrmecologists. This is my story. I used to be a biology faculty freshman in Poland after I learn Naturalist. I had already learn a number of of his books and was largely excited about what he needed to say about human nature.”
- “Studying Naturalist, nevertheless, it appeared to me that Wilson was extra enthusiastic about chasing ants around the globe than toppling paradigms. I although, ‘huh, if this man thinks ants are so fascinating, there have to be one thing to it.’
- “On my subsequent stroll in a neighborhood park I picked up some ants and stuffed them into the toothpick compartment of my Swiss military knife. I recognized them utilizing a microscope my dad and mom acquired me utilizing an outdated key to bugs of USSR.”
- “As boring as Lasius niger is, on the time I believed this was the coolest-looking factor I ever noticed. My dad, additionally an entomologist, noticed his son’s potential path to the darkish facet and identified {that a} trendy key to the ants of Poland had simply come out (Radchenko et al 2004).”
- “A 12 months later I had the factor actually memorized. I might run by a lot of the Myrmica key in my thoughts with out even opening the e book. Quickly, I used to be given a chance to work for @mil_janda (Milan Janda) who put me accountable for sorting some mind-blowing materials from Papua New Guinea.”
- “Initially I believed I needed to check ant ecology however the range of form and type of tropical ants made me need to examine systematics. As a Masters scholar, nonetheless in Poland, I went to MCZ on an Ernst Mayr grant and spent two weeks working reverse to Wilson’s Harvard workplace.”
- “Ed wasn’t round then however Stefan Cowl satisfied me I ought to apply to grad faculty with Phil Ward (who, I consider, was impressed to check ants after studying Wilson’s Insect Societies). Quick ahead a few years and I landed in Sacramento as a starry-eyed PhD scholar.”
- “I visited MCZ three extra instances since then and was lastly capable of meet Ed in 2019. At 90 his enthusiasm was nonetheless infectious, his thoughts enviably lucid for any age. I’m grateful to have met him, nevertheless briefly.”
- “All this has been an unimaginable journey. Many supported me early in my skilled journey, together with however not restricted to my dad and mom Marta and Lech Borowiec, Alfred Buschinger, @mil_janda (Milan Janda),@GaryDAlpert1 (Gary D. Albert), Stefan Cowl, Phil Ward, @BBlaimer (Bonnie Blaimer), @bramic21 (Michael Branstetter)…
- “But all of it begins with Ed’s Naturalist.”
E. O. Wilson (Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia)
In response, PhD scholar Stephanie Eskew, lamented: “I at all times hoped to satisfy him sometime. An inspiration for a lot of an entomologist!”
Borowiec acquired his doctorate at UC Davis in 2016, learning with main professor and myrmecologist Phil Ward.
“My focus has been totally on ant range and evolution and in my analysis I mix subject work, morphology, molecular phylogenetics and comparative strategies,” Borowiec writes on his web site. “I’m additionally excited about computing and phylogeny estimation from high-throughput sequencing information. Ants are the world’s most profitable eusocial organisms. Lengthy historical past, excessive species range and excessive number of life histories make them a superb group during which many evolutionary questions may be addressed.”
E. O. Wilson influenced so many scientists…
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