The Department of Biological Sciences holds an Annual Retreat every fall. Faculty, student and staff alike gather for a weekend of talks, posters, food, fun and games. Besides providing an opportunity for everyone to catch-up with friends, and refresh their memories on what everyone is up to (scientifically and otherwise), the Department retreat is the perfect opportunity for incoming graduate students to meet their colleagues and to familiarize themselves with the most important asset our Department has : our people.

The retreat is typically held at our very own field station, the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology, usually on the second or third week of September. The scientific program is arranged by two facutly members (who rotate through the job on a yearly basis), and the entire operation is coordinated by Natalie in the Main Office. All Department members are welcome to attend and bring their spouses, significant others, and children.

Scientifically, we usually start with a prominent Keynote speaker on friday evening; past speakers include Cyril Wecht, Garland Allen and William Provine. Faculty present 20 minute talks in short sessions held on Saturday morning and early Saturday evening. To the right we see Dr. Roger Hendrix prepare his computer for a PowerPoint presentation.

But the real scientific action is always found in the poster session; there undergraduate researchers, gradaute students, post-docs and faculty present posters on their current research. Much discussion is had and everyone comes away better informed. This is the ideal place for incoming gradaute students to educate themselves on the goings-on in our Department. The best posters compete for our annual Pisum Prize for outstanding poster presentation.

But its not all hard work at the retreat. Afternoon activities vary from year-to-year, and this past fall we all made tie-dyed T-shirts. And after the Saturday talks, we have a fabulous dinner and evening entertainment. While we often bring in bands (including past appearances by Second Wind, Psoas and The Sleaze), on many other years, we "enjoy" kareoke; trust me, the fun comes from the watching and the doing, not the listening! To the right we see John Hempel and Bob Duda mutilating performing a classic song from yesteryear.

And sometimes, all you need to round out a fabulous retreat weekend is a fishing pole, a bucket of of worms, and a relaxing spot on the Pymatuning pier to catch some rays; we could learn alot from Lew Jacobson's form (below).