Ecology Candidate Presentation: Rebecca Humphrey

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | Ecology faculty candidate Dr. Rebecca Penny Humphrey will present her work and research to the community.

Pollen form and function: Testing evolutionary hypotheses This talk will center on the evolutionary ecology of pollen, the multicellular haploid life phase in seed plants. Connecting form and function, we will discuss adaptive hypotheses explaining the observed diversity in pollen morphology both among-species and within-individuals of the same species in the flowering-plant genus Thalictrum.

The talk will also introduce future research aims and both past and planned engagement with service learning.

Dr. Humphrey is an evolutionary ecologist interested in the evolution of separate sexes and sexual dimorphism in flowering plants. The evolution of pollen grain morphology in response to shifts between wind and insect pollination is a primary focus of her current research. Additionally, she is conducting pedagogical research examining how content-delivery models and approaches to grading influence self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and uptake of knowledge and skills among learners. She is also active in promoting sustainability and ecological restoration within an urban-forested campus and its surrounding communities.

Dr. Humphrey earned her PhD in Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior from Indiana University in 2015. She is currently an Associate Professor of Biology at Aquinas College in Michigan and teaches introductory and upper-level courses related to evolution, ecology, botany, and organismal biology.