March 6, 2017, MONDAY (10:30 – 11:30 am), Institute of Biology, UP Diliman, Room 117 — IB Seminar: 

Biosystematics of owlflies (Neuroptera: Ascalaphidae) [and other groups]: My journey to build a sustainable program of systematic arthropod research in the Philippines

by Joshua Jones, Ph.D.

Visiting Scholar, BYU Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum

The Philippines has captured my attention for half my life, first when I was assigned here as a service missionary from 1996-1998, and now as a critical venue for my systematic research. To that end, I present in this talk my academic experience and current research program, in three parts. (1) I overview my academic development. Specifically, I speak about what led me to systematics and an interest in Philippine biodiversity, my efforts to establish networks with local researchers, and my efforts to pursue research funding. I share the results of my first visits to the country as a systematic researcher. I review the research foci of my undergraduate and Master’s programs, the methods I learned, and how they culminated in a focus on owlflies as a Ph.D. candidate. (2) I present a summary of my dissertation research. I outline how I am developing it into an intensive, ongoing program in arthropod systematics. (3) I discuss the status of systematics research in the Philippines. I review the state of knowledge of taxa in my study groups for the larger biogeographic region, and address the great urgency to document biodiversity of the Philippines as soon as possible, via collaborations between foreign researchers and, crucially, native Filipinos. I present a current knowledge of my study taxa in the Philippines, talk about specific pressing needs in the systematics of Philippines species in mine and other groups, and suggest how my long-term research objectives can help meet those needs. I close by offering my background in outreach, publication, teaching, and mentoring.

*We invite all IB graduate students to have lunch with the speaker at noon in IB Room 206.