Fungi pervade nearly all ecosystems as agents of nutrition, nurture, decay, and disease. Yet, most of their lives are cryptic, buried in their food. Most noticeable for those who seek fungi is that we mostly find them when they attempt to reproduce. Fungi display a bewildering diversity in reproduction, from bizarre spore morphology to unusual sexual strategies, such as mating type and mate switching.
As part of the 2025 Summer Lecture Series at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS), Dr. Timothy Y. James will give a free, public talk focused on the fascinating world of fungi. He will review patterns of evolutionary change in fungal reproduction over time and as fungi diversified into many unique branches on the fungal tree of life. These patterns provide the foundation to explore some of the unanswered questions in evolutionary biology regarding sex and why it is so widespread in all eukaryotes.
James, who teaches the Field Mycology course at UMBS, is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Michigan, the curator of fungi at the University Herbarium, and the Lewis E. Wehmeyer and Elaine Prince Wehmeyer Chair in Fungal Taxonomy.
James received his Bachelor of Science in botany from the University of Georgia and his Ph.D. from Duke University. His scholarship focuses on reconstructing the Fungal Tree of Life and using genomics to determine fungal mating systems, ecology, and life histories. His is a co-founder and director of the Midwest American Mycological Information educational non-profit, and he is currently the president of the Mycological Society of America.
The U-M Biological Station — the largest of U-M's campuses at more than 10,000 forested acres surrounded by lakes — is one of the nation's largest and longest continuously operating field research stations.
Founded in 1909, the Biological Station supports long-term research and education. It is where students and scientists from across the globe live and work as a community to learn from the place.
The Summer Lecture Series is a tradition at UMBS, where we explore scientific topics with distinguished guest speakers from across the country so our community can learn about our natural world.
The free, public talks are on Wednesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. in the spring and summer in Gates Lecture Hall at the University of Michigan Biological Station, located at 9133 Biological Rd. in Pellston, Michigan — about 20 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge.
As part of the 2025 Summer Lecture Series at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS), Dr. Timothy Y. James will give a free, public talk focused on the fascinating world of fungi. He will review patterns of evolutionary change in fungal reproduction over time and as fungi diversified into many unique branches on the fungal tree of life. These patterns provide the foundation to explore some of the unanswered questions in evolutionary biology regarding sex and why it is so widespread in all eukaryotes.
James, who teaches the Field Mycology course at UMBS, is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Michigan, the curator of fungi at the University Herbarium, and the Lewis E. Wehmeyer and Elaine Prince Wehmeyer Chair in Fungal Taxonomy.
James received his Bachelor of Science in botany from the University of Georgia and his Ph.D. from Duke University. His scholarship focuses on reconstructing the Fungal Tree of Life and using genomics to determine fungal mating systems, ecology, and life histories. His is a co-founder and director of the Midwest American Mycological Information educational non-profit, and he is currently the president of the Mycological Society of America.
The U-M Biological Station — the largest of U-M's campuses at more than 10,000 forested acres surrounded by lakes — is one of the nation's largest and longest continuously operating field research stations.
Founded in 1909, the Biological Station supports long-term research and education. It is where students and scientists from across the globe live and work as a community to learn from the place.
The Summer Lecture Series is a tradition at UMBS, where we explore scientific topics with distinguished guest speakers from across the country so our community can learn about our natural world.
The free, public talks are on Wednesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. in the spring and summer in Gates Lecture Hall at the University of Michigan Biological Station, located at 9133 Biological Rd. in Pellston, Michigan — about 20 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge.
| Building: | Gates Lecture Hall, UM Biological Station |
|---|---|
| Website: | |
| Event Type: | Lecture / Discussion |
| Tags: | AEM Featured, Biological Station, Biology, Biosciences, Bsbsigns |
| Source: | Happening @ Michigan from University of Michigan Biological Station |
