BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/Chicago X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Chicago BEGIN:VEVENT UID:55@minnesotamycologicalsociety.org DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260511T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260511T210000 DTSTAMP:20260420T173614Z URL:https://minnesotamycologicalsociety.org/events/mms-graduate-2026-schol arship-recipients/ SUMMARY:Graduate 2026 Scholarship Recipients\, May DESCRIPTION:\n\n\n\n\nGraduate 2026 Scholarship Recipients\, May\n\n\n\n\nT his May member meeting will feature our 2026 MMS Graduate Scholarship reci pients\, Michael Malone and Jason Raiti\, remotely via Zoom\n\n\n\n\nThe M innesota Mycological Society (MMS) is continuing our scholarship program f or University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin students (any campu s location) currently enrolled in graduate-level studies with an emphasis on mycology. Each year\, MMS gives away monetary scholarships to graduate students at the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin. C ome check out their presentations highlighting their graduate thesis topic s!\n\n\n\nThis meeting is free and open to the public. Presentations may b e recorded and posted on the MMS YouTube channel. \;Members receive Zo om \;link on meeting announcements and reminders. Anyone can click the button below to provide their contact info and receive the Zoom link for this meeting.\n\n\n[frmmodal-content class="frm_button" label="Request Zoo m link"][formidable id=10][/frmmodal-content]\n \n\n\nMichael Malone\n\n\ n\nThe phylogeography of Polynesian Xylariales\; Do Laboulbenian fungi aff ect beetle behavior?\n\n\n\nThis presentation consists of two research pro jects conducted at UWL:\n\n\n\n\nPolynesian fungi are poorly documented\, and the deficit in biological data is even greater in Polynesian taxa of u nderstudied groups such as the Xylariales (dead man's fingers\, cramp ball s\, etc.). Studying Polynesian fungi in general is important for understan ding the evolutionary relatedness of these fungi to the continental types. To help reach this goal\, Michael developed a branching evolutionary diag ram with a global distribution of Xylariales\, including Polynesian repres entatives sequenced during his thesis. Additionally\, he conducted a bioge ographical signaling analysis to assess immediate genetic similarity of Po lynesian taxa to matching sequences on a global scale and will share the r esults in this presentation.\n\n\n\nThe Laboulbeniales are among the most poorly studied groups of fungi to date. Among many reasons\, the most appa rent is their microscopic size and a specialized association with arthropo ds (mainly beetles). Many questions about the Laboulbeniales have gone una nswered\, including their influence on the behavior of their hosts. Michae l organized a lab-based observation experiment with UWL undergraduate Zach ary Morgan. The objective was to assess the difference in frequency of gro oming/sanitary behaviors and food consumption between beetles with no fung al infection versus those with Laboulbenian fungi present. Preliminary res ults will be disclosed in this presentation.\n\n\n\n\n\nMichael Malone rec eived his Master's degree from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse (UW L)\, where he studied Polynesian Xylariales. Previously\, he studied Labou lbeniales at Syracuse University during his undergrad and will be studying novel fungi of the New Jersey Pine Barrens at Rutgers University this fal l. In general\, he likes to study the ecology and phylogenetics of obscure fungi\, particularly within the Ascomycota.\n\n\n\nLearn more about Micha el's thesis work: UW–La Crosse MINDS research repository\n\n\n\n\nJason Raiti\n\n\n\nWhat shapes spore shape?\n\n\n\nHave you ever looked around a t the incredible diversity of shapes in nature and asked why? The branchin g fractals of trees and roots\, the arc of a wing\, the shape of a fungal spore: what are they all for!? If so\, this question is for you!\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nJason Raiti is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Botany at t he University of Wisconsin–Madison\, where he studies the evolutionary m orphology of Amanita spores in the Pringle Lab. His research integrates ec ology\, phylogenetics\, and computational analysis\, with a strong focus o n science communication and fungal conservation. He also serves as a board member for the Madison Mycological Society\, where he runs their speaker series.\n\n\n\nPrior to joining UW–Madison\, he served as a board member of the Central Texas Mycological Society\, leading hands-on workshops in low-tech mushroom cultivation and wild-to-agar cloning. His work has inclu ded cultivating bioluminescent fungi in Brazil\, co-authoring a paper on r obotic water sampling for IROS\, and contributing to NASA-affiliated robot ics projects\, including an autonomous lunar rover and a space-trash clean ing robot.\n\n\n\nOutside of academia\, he enjoys doing anything outdoors (hiking\, foraging\, surfing\, climbing\, running) but also loves to play guitar and make any kind of art or poetry. Jason believes that creativity and science are deeply intertwined\, and strives to bring a sense of wonde r and playfulness to everything he does.\n\n\n\nExplore Jason's work: jaso nraiti.org | Pringle Lab | University of Wisconsin–Madison | The Sclerot ia Project\n\n\n\n\n.stk-dffe9d0 .stk-block-heading__text{text-shadow:none !important\;}FOR MORE INFORMATION\n\n\n\nHow to join a Zoom meeting: You do not need a Zoom account\, but you will need the Zoom app installed on y our desktop or mobile device. You can either download the Zoom app in adva nce here. Or\, you will be automatically prompted to download and install the Zoom app when you click on a meeting link for the first time. \;Yo u can also join a test meeting at any time at https://zoom.us/test.  \ ;Watch a video on how to join a Zoom meeting here.\n\n\n\n\n ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnesotamycologicalsociety.org/wp-conte nt/uploads/2026/04/5Morels.png CATEGORIES:Membership Meetings LOCATION:https://minnesotamycologicalsociety.org/send-zoom-link/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR