Join us for the third lecture in our 2025 winter series! If you can’t make it in person, register for the Zoom Webinar below. Katie Smith is a first year PhD student at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Feathers are essential—from flight to courtship to warmth. Yet, the very basic biology of feather molt is remarkably understudied. In this talk, we will explore the various and unexpected functions of feathers, why molt is critical for survival, the beautiful patterns of feather growth, and how environmental factors may be disrupting this process. Please join us for a deep dive into the overlooked world of feather biology!
Katie Smith is a first-year PhD student in the Biology Department at the University of Nevada, Reno. For the last 7 years, she has been studying birds of the Great Basin with an emphasis in saline lake ecology. Now at UNR, Katie's research focuses on the regulation of feather molt—examining how gene expression and cellular processes drive feather replacement and how environmental stressors may be altering this fundamental aspect of avian biology.
The talk will start at 6:00 PM at Rosewood Nature Study Area.
Please RSVP to outreach@gbbo.org if you are interested in attending in person