The KBS Eminent Ecologists Series brings well-known ecologists and evolutionary biologists to KBS each summer to interact with KBS faculty, students, and staff for week-long visits. The program began in Spring/Summer 1983 and since then we have hosted over 80 speakers as part of this program (EE Speakers 1983-2011).

Each speaker will give two evening seminars, open to the public. These are part of a graduate seminar, 'Current Topics in Ecology & Evolution' [ZOL/PLB/CSS 891]. Students (graduate and undergraduate) may enroll in the course for either 1 or 2 credits. They are encouraged to do so for 2 credits if they plan to attend all seminars, but may do so 1 credit if their participation in course activities will be limited.

Students enrolled in the course participate in small discussions, individual meetings and field trips with the speakers where they can discuss their research interests and plans. While this is designed as a graduate seminar for students in residence at KBS, students from campus and other institutions are encouraged to enroll and can take the course for 1 or 2 credits depending on their interest and involvement in course activities.

The 2012 Eminent Ecologists include scientists who work on a variety of important topics in ecology and evolutionary biology (see below). For more information about the course, how to enroll or to schedule a meeting with any of this year's speakers, please contact the Graduate Teaching Assistant, Mridul Thomas (thomasmr at msu dot edu), or the instructor, Dr. Kay Gross (kgross at kbs dot msu dot edu).

Seminars are held in the auditorium in the Academic Building of KBS and begin at 7:30 p.m. on the dates listed below.

The speakers for 2012 are:

Dr. Joel Brown, University of Illinois at Chicago, June 10-16

• June 11: Not your grandfather's ESS: From behaviors to niche co-evolution
• June 13: Applications: Plants, competition and predator-prey foraging games

• July 2: Diversity and disease ecology in plant communities [Power]
• July 3: Migratory fishes as key subsidies of tropical stream ecosystems [Flecker]

Former speakers:

• 1983-2011