Kim Cooper, Chair (Chair.DEDB@sicb.org); Leslie Babonis, Chair-Elect (Chairelect.DCB@sicb.org); Dave Plachetzki, Program Officer (DPO.DEDB@sicb.org); Heather Bruce, Secretary (Secretary.DEDB@sicb.org); Emily Setton, Student/Postdoc Representative

Message from the Chair, Kim Cooper

The colors are changing as summer has transitioned to fall to be followed by the blustery winter of Pittsburgh to kick off 2027. The first day of SICB will also mark the first day of a new Congress that welcomes more scientists and physicians than ever before – among the freshman class are a microbiologist, a mathematician, an epidemiologist, a nuclear engineer, and three pediatricians.

It reminds us all of the responsibility we share to train the next generation, not only for the academic careers that many of us covet but for all of the crucial roles they will take in leadership and communicating the importance of expertise and critical thinking. I am excited to welcome you all to SICB 2027, to celebrate our varied accomplishments, to provide support and guidance to our junior colleagues, and to shape the future of science as a foundation of society. 

Congratulations to Board Members-Elect!

Dr. Leslie Babonis, Assistant Professor at Cornell University, is our new Chair-Elect and will assume the Chair’s role at the conclusion of the 2028 SICB meeting. Dr. Craig Albertson, Professor at UMass Amherst and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Evolution & Development, will be our next DEDB Program Officer. With these two additions to leadership, the Division continues to be in strong and capable hands. We want to thank all of the candidates for their willingness to serve the SICB DEDB community, and we hope to see you on ballots for future elections.

Looking Ahead to the 2027 SICB Meeting in Pittsburgh

In Pittsburgh, DEDB will sponsor 12 exciting symposia: 

• • Genomics in the Abyss: Unveiling the Hidden Biodiversity and Evolution of Deep-Sea Life
  • Feedback between host phenotypes and the microbiome: Physiological mechanisms and behavioral outcomes
  • Building the bridge between extinct and extant biology
  • Integrating polyploidy across levels of biological organization and organismal systems for novel insights
  • Using evolution and development to predict phenotypic response to climate change
  • The Life Cycle of Crustaceans: Reproduction, Development, and Growth
  • From diapause to torpor: Integrative approaches to understanding periods of low metabolic activity across taxa
  • Decoupling Beauty and Reproduction: The Case for Understanding Animal Aesthetics Beyond Sexual Selection
  • Lost and Found: How Animals Rebuild Bodies, Brains and Behaviors
  • Slenderness in Motion: The Dynamics of Elongated Structures Across Life Forms
  • Hybridization in the -Omics Era
  • Sharks in 3D: deep-time, development, design and how shark science connects the wider community

• These symposia cover a range of topics at the heart of evolutionary developmental biology and evolutionary developmental biology education. Watch for the meeting app and mark your highest priority sessions and talks!

Best Student Presentation Competitions

Four finalists were selected to compete for the Billie J. Swalla Best Student Paper Presentation in Evolutionary Developmental Biology at the 2027 meeting. This year’s finalists are listed below (in alphabetical order): 

• • Asher Albert, Colby College
  • Raul Chavarria, Whitney Laboratory for Marine Biosciences
  • Rebecca Lopez-Anido, American Museum of Natural History
  • Kaitlyn Merritt, University of Tulsa

Additionally, we are looking forward to viewing the 16 entries for the Best Student Poster Presentation!