Informal Training

Degree training we undertake contains aspects that receive no formal credit but greatly influence the potential to construct quality monographs and obtain desired career positions. These fall into two skills categories, scope and breadth in science (electronic media, language, systematics, cladistics, nomenclature, Dipterology, illustration, and fieldwork) and professional development (journal article writing, grant writing, teamworking, networking, oral presentation, resume construction, interviewing).

Systematics Training. Graduate students use PAUP, MACLADE, CLADOS, HENNIG 86, COMPONENT, etc. for cladistic analyses to resolve phylogenetic relationships within specific clades of taxa. All students have access to regular interchange of ideas relating to systematics both among other members of our PEET group and groups reviewing systematics articles on campus. Wiegmann's lab is responsible for molecular phylogenetics training, including techniques and interpretation. Gaimari spent 6 weeks in intensive molecular training and Winterton began a three-month internship in '99. Holston, Metz, and Hauser will join Wiegmann's lab in spring 2000.
Computer Skills and Techniques. All graduate students and many undergraduates have been trained in a number of computer skills involving, among others, data entry and manipulation of database files; GIS manipulation techniques; software for cladistic analyses (see above); construction of presentations for posters, slides and direct computer output; use of internet-available and CD ROM based gazetteers for refining geographical information; and basic word processing/spreadsheet applications for preparing reports and manuscripts. Some have also been involved in web page construction, scanning and manipulation of print images, and plotting distribution maps.
Scientific Illustration. Although it is important to have a scientific illustrator attached to the project (see Monography section: Illustrating Taxa and Character States), it is also important to ensure that graduate students are capable of and practiced in rendering illustrations for their monographs. To this end, Mullett mentors graduate students in drawing techniques. In April '98, she conducted a workshop designed to teach 6 of our team to render scientific illustrations professionally and accurately. She is currently helping students produce line drawings that are scanned into the computer and filled with various textured pattern swatches from a library she has created. In Queensland, Winterton is learning illustration techniques from Christine Lambkin, a professional scientific illustrator with considerable taxonomic experience, who is another Ph.D. student in the Yeates' lab.
Field Work Skills. We have invested heavily in fieldwork skills for graduate students. These skills provide a foundation for understanding organisms within their environments and allow a better interpretation of morphological and behavioral characteristics upon which a large portion of the systematics is based. We not only insist on fieldwork, we encourage team fieldwork. For instance, Irwin and Webb led a two-week expedition to Guatemala for five graduate students and the PIs, Ev Schlinger, Webb, and 3 graduate students, for two weeks, discussed Diptera ecology and collected therevids while encamped in the Cederbergs of South Africa. Activities like these not only hone field-related skills, they provide mechanisms for cementing team relationships.
Diptera Identification. The UIUC contingent meets Tuesday evenings to sort and identify accumulated Diptera in the Illinois Natural History Survey insect collection. This provides an atmosphere to learn from one another and results in labeled, curated, and classified specimens to be shipped to specialists for monographing and determinations. Visiting dipterists lend their expertise when present Tuesday evenings. This has begun to pick up momentum with additional graduate students joining in, but working on other groups.