Summary of the 54th Annual Meeting
On September 7th, 2023, we gathered at Cedar Point Biological Station near Ogallala, NE to celebrate the 54th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists. Our Thursday evening’s Welcoming Reception was a festive occasion featuring a variety of delicious hors d’oeuvres and libations.
Friday morning, President Ashley McGrew welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order. The morning sessions were devoted to graduate and undergraduate student oral presentations. Papers reflected a great diversity of parasite/host interactions including: Viruses in Columbian bats, amphibian myiasis, gastropod coccidia infections, trematode prevalence in snails, damsel fly gregarines, and cricket behavior when infected with Paragordius.
Bob Hancock delivered the Newton Kingston Memorial Lecture, The Bedbugs of London, an amazing documentary film produced by and starring Bob. Friday evening featured our annual banquet. As always, dinner was a sumptuous affair, and we thank the entire Cedar Point kitchen crew for their dedication and hard work not only for dinner, but for the reception, breakfasts, and lunch as well. Thanks also to Cedar Point Director, Jon Garbisch.
Following dinner, Vasyl Tkach delivered the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture: Germs Within Worms: Progress in Studies on Transmission Biology and Diversity of Neorickettsia Bacteria. Both Memorial presentations were outstanding and elicited many questions from a fascinated audience.
“The other ……”, a more recent tradition at RMCP meetings, showcases a side of a faculty mentor’s life not generally known to students or colleagues. This year we found out about “the other Scott Gardner,” What I Do In My Spare Time—Radio Communications From UHF To HF, complete with demonstrations of his ham radio equipment and how it is used. Who knew?
Saturday morning concluded with the business meeting and awards. Alyssa Bolger (Creighton University) earned the William C. Marquardt Award for Best Undergraduate Student Oral Presentation, and Kevin Lievano-Romero (University of Nebraska, Lincoln) earned the Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Graduate Student Oral Presentation. Winners each received an engraved plaque, a one-year ASP membership, and a $100 check. President Ashley McGrew then passed the Marquardt Gavel to incoming President Cindy Church who wished everyone safe travel and adjourned the meeting. Our next meeting will be September 5th, 6th, and 7th 2024 at Cedar Point.
Ron Hathaway, Secretary/Treasurer, RMCP
Summary of the 53rd Annual Meeting
53rd Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists
On September 8th, 2022, 36 parasitologists converged upon the beautiful Cedar Point Biological Station in Ogallala, NE to participate in the 53rd annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists. For the first time in two years we abandoned cyberspace for the pure joy of swapping stories, laughing, enjoying the company of long-time friends, and talking about parasites in person. Personal interactions! Wow, we have missed that over the past two years! It was a festive occasion beginning with our Thursday evening Welcoming Reception featuring a variety of delicious hors d’oeuvres and more than enough beer.
On the following morning, President John Janovy, Jr. welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order. The morning and afternoon sessions were devoted to student oral presentations. There were seven undergraduate and five graduate student papers, and all were of excellent quality—some of the best ever presented at RMCP.
Ash Bullard delivered the Newton Kingston Memorial Lecture, Natural History Of Blood Flukes Infecting Early-Branching Craniates: Extinction, Host-Switching, and Cophyly. The Poster Session followed Ash’s presentation., and Friday evening featured our annual banquet. As always, dinner was a sumptuous affair, and we thank the entire Cedar Point kitchen crew for their dedication and hard work not only for dinner, but the reception, breakfasts, and lunch as well. Thanks also to Cedar Point Director, Jon Garbisch.
Following dinner, Rich Clopton delivered the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture, There’s Plenty Of Room At The Bottom, Revisited. Each of the memorial presentations was outstanding and elicited a lot of questions from a fascinated audience!
Saturday began with two faculty talks. Matt Bolek spoke on Parasite Transmission In A Milkweed Patch: How are Parasites Transmitted In Insects Specializing on Milkweed Hosts? Tracy Kinkel summarized An Exciting New Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) Investigating Helminth Microbiomes and Parasite Disease Ecology being developed at Colorado State University
The morning concluded with the business meeting and awards. Melody Sly (Peru State College) earned the William C. Marquardt Award for Best Undergraduate Student Oral Presentation. Caitlin Babbitt (University of New Mexico) earned the Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Graduate Student Oral Presentation, and Anna-Sophia Leon (Colorado State University) earned the William C. Marquardt Award for Best Undergraduate Student Poster. Winners will each receive an engraved plaque, a one-year ASP membership, and a $100 check.
Stephen A. Bullard was awarded an Honorary Membership to the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists.
The meeting ended with the reading of an entertaining “Be It Resolved” written by Ben Hanelt and Guin Drabek. President Janovy then passed the Marquardt Gavel to incoming President Ashley McGrew, who wished everyone safe travel and adjourned the meeting. Our next meeting will be September 7th, 8th, and 9th at Cedar Point.
Summary of the 52nd Annual Meeting
The 52nd Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held on Saturday, September 10th, 2021 as a virtual meeting hosted by the Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln and the Department of Biology, Creighton University.
RMCP President, John Janovy, Jr., called the meeting to order and welcomed the membership with warm greetings and personal regrets that, for the second consecutive year we were not able to meet in person. Again, we all missed the special charm of Cedar Point as well as the interactions with friends. The Newton Kingston and Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lectures were shelved for yet another year, but all will return to normal as we celebrate the 53rd annual meeting scheduled for the second week of September, 2022.
Approximately 45 RMCP members attended the meeting and learned of the exciting student research being generated in the field and laboratories of our faculty colleagues and mentors. There were eight oral presentations, two by undergraduate and six by graduate students. Additionally, there were seven posters, all by undergraduate students. The level of undergraduate student participation in the 2021 RMCP meeting was remarkable!
Students represented a variety of institutions: the Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, the University of North Dakota, Southern Illinois University, Oklahoma State University, the University of New Mexico, the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, and Creighton University.
Dates for the 53rd annual meeting of RMCP are September 9th, 10th and 11th at Cedar Point.
Submitted by Ron Hathaway, Colorado College, Secretary/Treasurer, RMCP.
Summary of the 51st Annual Meeting
The 51st Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held on Saturday, September 12th, 2020 as a ZOOM presentation hosted by the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. The technical details for organizing and hosting the ZOOM conference were ably handled by Scott Gardner.
RMCP President Kirsten Jensen welcomed the membership with warm greetings and personal regrets that, for the first time in the history of our organization, we were not able to meet in person due to COVID restrictions. Mostly we missed the ambiance of Cedar Point! We also missed not having interactions with friends, not having the Newton Kingston and Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lectures, and not having our traditional Friday night banquet, always a tasty delight provided by the Cedar Point kitchen crew.
On the other hand, the student presentations were extraordinary! There was a total of nine, two by undergraduate and seven by graduate students. Additionally, there were four extraordinary presentations by faculty. Approximately forty-five participants learned of the latest research taking place in RMCP member’s laboratories.
Because poster presentations were not solicited for this meeting, judges decided to give two awards for each of the student categories. Even though there were only two competitors in the undergraduate student category, both papers were excellent in terms of presentation, merit, and content.
Student awards consist of cash ($100), an engraved plaque, and a one-year membership to ASP, and were given as follows:
The William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation(s) by an Undergraduate Student:
Ali Kandil for his paper: Quantifying the cost of trematode metacercarial exposures in freshwater snails. University of Manitoba, and Anna Sniezek for her paper: Prevalence of Chordodes morgani cysts in Heptageniidae over time. Creighton University.
The Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation(s) by a Graduate Student:
Ryan W. Koch for his paper: Molecular identification of juvenile Neoechinorhynchus spp. (phylum: Acanthocephala) infecting ostracod and snail hosts provides insight into acanthocephalan host use. Oklahoma State University, and Scott E. Malotka for his paper: Signaling molecules induce different immune responses in freshwater snails. University of Manitoba.
Dates for the 52nd annual meeting of RMCP are September 9th, 10th and 11th at Cedar Point.
Submitted by Ron Hathaway, Colorado College, Secretary/Treasurer, RMCP.
Summary of the 50th Annual Meeting
On September 5th, 2019, over forty parasitologists converged upon the beautiful Cedar Point Biological Station in Ogallala NE to participate in the 5oth annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists. The festive occasion began with a delicious Welcome Reception that featured a variety of hors d’oeuvres, delectable deserts and many fine adult beverages.
On the following morning, President John Shea welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order. We then enjoyed eleven excellent talks, one of which included a sing-along to the tune of “Yellow Submarine.” The day concluded with a poster session, a sumptuous dinner, and two engaging lectures. John Hawdon delivered the Newton Kingston Memorial Lecture on Hookworm Larval Activation, and Armand Kuris delivered the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture on Infectious Disease in a Changing World. Both speakers engaged the audience and elicited thought-provoking questions.
Saturday began with two more talks. Kirsten Jensen presented The Phyllobothriidea Decluttered followed by “The Other John Shea”, a talk describing his journey to becoming a Jesuit priest. The morning concluded with the business meeting and awards. Olivia Pletcher, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, earned the William C. Marquardt Award for Best Undergraduate Student Oral Presentation, Emily Sarvis, University of New Mexico earned the Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Graduate Student Oral Presentation, and Jasmine Najad, Colorado State University, earned the Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Graduate Student Poster. Winners received an engraved plaque, a one-year ASP membership, and a $100 check.
President Shea passed the gavel to incoming president Kirsten Jensen who thanked everyone and adjourned the meeting. Our next meeting will occur September 10-12 in the same great location. Please consider attending, especially if you haven’t experienced an RMCP meeting before.
Submitted by Kelly Weinersmith
Summary of the 49th Annual Meeting
The 49th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held from September 6—8, 2018 at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station located on the shores of Lake Ogallala in western Nebraska.
The customary reception was held on Thursday evening in Goodall Lodge where participants renewed friendships and enjoyed Cedar Point hospitality by sampling a variety of hors d’oeuvres. Friday morning President Jillian Detwiler welcomed all and called the meeting to order. Paper and poster sessions were held all day Friday and Saturday morning, and approximately fifty five participants learned of the latest research taking place in RMCP member’s laboratories. There were sixteen oral presentations, six presented by undergraduate students and six by graduate students. A total of seven posters, six by undergraduate students and one by a graduate student, rounded out the student presentations.
Kirsten Jensen, University of Kansas, presented the Newton Kingston Memorial Lecture, Parasitologists as Host Biologists emphasizing expertise in host taxonomy as a basis for understanding host/parasite interactions.
Friday evening the staff of Cedar Point did not disappoint as they prepared a delicious meal for our annual banquet. After sumptuous food, good wine, and great conversation, Tim Sparkes, DePaul University, delivered the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture, a thought provoking presentation entitled Multidimensional Modification in Acanthocephalans: Pathology, Manipulation, and Counter-Adaptation.
Saturday morning we were treated to “The Other”, a session that has become a tradition at RMCP meetings. This year we learned about “The Other Jillian Detwiler”. We were enchanted by her keyboard artistry and her words describing the intense love for music that has shaped her life from early childhood.
Afterward President Detwiler called the business meeting to order. Student awards of cash, an engraved plaque, and a one year paid membership to ASP were given as follows: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student—Scott E. Malotka, University of Manitoba; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student— Sean Watson, University of Nebraska at Omaha; Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Poster Presentation by a Graduate Student—Altangeral Dursahinhan, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Poster Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Emily Harders, Creighton University. Following summaries of the RMCP financial report and the ASP Council Meeting, the membership unanimously elected Sam Loker as a Life Member of the Rocky Mountain Conference. The last item of business was to elect Kirsten Jensen to the office of President Elect. President Detwiler passed the gavel to incoming President John Shea who wished safe travel to all and adjourned the meeting.
Meeting dates and site for our 50th meeting will be September 5—7, 2019 at Cedar Point.
Summary of the 48th Annual Meeting
The 48h Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held from September 7th-9th, 2017 at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station. The customary reception was held on Thursday evening in Goodall Lodge where participants renewed friendships and enjoyed Cedar Point hospitality by sampling a variety of hors d’oeuvres. Friday morning President Deb Clopton welcomed all and called the meeting to order. Paper and poster sessions were held all day Friday and Saturday morning, and approximately fifty eight participants shared the latest research taking place in laboratories of RMCP members. Out of a total of eleven oral papers, two were presented by undergraduate students and four by graduate students. Five posters, two by undergraduate students and three by graduate students, rounded out the student presentations.
Additionally there were three invited presentations. Mike Barger, Peru State College, delivered the Newton Kingston Memorial Lecture, Parasite Biodiversity in the Big Thicket National Preserve. The paper summarized the results of many years of Mike’s work in Texas.
Friday evening the Cedar Point kitchen staff prepared a delicious fare for the annual banquet. After dinner Matt Bolek, Oklahoma State University, presented the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture, Butterflies, Milkweed and STDS, Oh My! Observations on the Transmission and Natural History of the Neogregarine, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha in the Monarch Butterfly, Danaus, plexippus.
Saturday morning’s invited talk was “The Other”, a session that is becoming a tradition at RMCP meetings. We all know each other professionally, but who are we when we step away from our academic roles? Previous presentations have featured “The Other John Janovy, Jr.”, and “The Other Rich Clopton”. This year we got a glimpse into the life of The Other Ron Hathaway—Thread, Feathers, Fur, and Carbon Fiber All Meet On The South Platte River. Ron demonstrated building a graphite fly rod, tying a dry fly, and fishing the South Platte River near Fairplay, CO.
Afterward President Clopton called the business meeting to order. Student awards of cash, an engraved plaque, and a one year paid membership to ASP were given as follows: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student—Ryan Shannon, Oklahoma State University; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Alyssa Damke, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Poster Presentation by a Graduate Student—Sebastian Botero, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; and the William C. Marquardt Award for Best Poster Presentation by an Undergraduate Student— Samuel Hagen, Creighton University.
Matt Bolek reported on the ASP Council Meeting after which we discussed the current financial state of the RMCP. We are blessed to have some extra cash after all the bills are paid! Elections were the next order of business, and John Shea, Creighton University, was the unanimous choice for the office of President Elect.
At the conclusion of the business meeting, the Marquardt gavel was passed in spirit from outgoing President Clopton to our new President, Jillian Detwiler, University of Manitoba. Jillian couldn’t attend because of the impending birth of her child. Even without the gavel, Jillian has carried out her Presidential duties flawlessly. President Clopton wished safe travel to all and adjourned the meeting.
The 2018 annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists will again be held at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station during the 6th, 7th, and 8th of September.
Submitted by Ron Hathaway, Secretary and Treasurer, RMCP
Summary of the 47th Annual Meeting
The 47th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held from September 8th-10th, 2016 at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station located on the shore of Lake Ogallala in western Nebraska.
The customary reception was held on Thursday evening in Goodall Lodge where participants renewed friendships and enjoyed Cedar Point hospitality by sampling a variety of hors d’oeuvres. Friday morning President Gabor Rácz welcomed all and called the meeting to order. Paper and poster sessions were held all day Friday and Saturday morning, and approximately sixty-two participants learned of the latest research taking place in RMCP member’s laboratories. There were sixteen oral presentations, ten presented by undergraduate students and six by graduate students. A total of eight posters, four by undergraduate students and four by graduate students, rounded out the student presentations.
R. Scott Seville, University of Wyoming at Casper presented the Newton Kingston Memorial Lecture, Einstein was Right: The More I Learn About Coccidia The More I Realize How Much I Don’t Know. No matter our discipline, Scott’s talk drove home a point that we have all pondered at some time or other.
Friday evening the staff of Cedar Point did not disappoint as they prepared a lavish meal for our annual banquet. After sumptuous food, good wine, and great conversation, Eric Loker delivered the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture, a thought provoking presentation entitled Human Schistosomiasis: A Tenacious Neglected Tropical Disease Thriving in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Saturday morning we were treated to “The Other”, a session that is becoming a tradition at our RMCP meetings. At our 2015 meeting, it was “The Other John Janovy, Jr.” This year we learned about “The Other Rich Clopton,” an artist when it comes to shaping wood and building clocks! Wooden gears? Yes, and everything you ever wanted to know about pendulums as well!
Afterward President Rácz called the business meeting to order. Student awards of cash, an engraved plaque, and a one year paid membership to ASP were given as follows: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student—Christina Anaya, Oklahoma State University; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Laura K. Eliuk, University of Manitoba; Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Poster Presentation by a Graduate Student—Porsche Robison, Colorado State University; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Poster Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Demi K. Gagnon, University of Manitoba. After hearing a summary of the ASP Council Meeting, an RMCP financial report, and a discussion of next year’s meeting dates, the membership unanimously elected Jillian Detwiler to the office of President Elect
At the conclusion of the business meeting, the Marquardt gavel was passed from President Rácz to our new President, Deb Clopton, Peru State University. President Clopton wished safe travel to all and adjourned the meeting.
The 2017 annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists will again be held at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station during the 7th, 8th, and 9th of September.
Submitted by Ron Hathaway, Secretary and Treasurer, RMCP
Summary of the 46th Annual Meeting
The 46th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held from September 10th-12th, 2015 at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station located on the shore of Lake Ogallala in western Nebraska.
The customary reception was held on Thursday evening in Goodall Lodge where participants renewed friendships while sampling a variety of brews and hors d’oeuvres. Friday morning President Rich Clopton welcomed all and called the meeting to order. Paper and poster sessions were held all day Friday and Saturday morning, and approximately sixty participants learned of the latest research taking place in the laboratories of colleagues. Thirteen oral presentations were given of which three were contributed by undergraduate students and five by graduate students. There were seven poster presentations, three by graduate students and four by undergraduates.
Sarah Orlofskee, Northeastern Illinois University, presented a thought provoking Newton Kingston Memorial Lecture, Foraging Ahead: Re-Inventing the Niche of Parasitologists in Natural Enemy Ecology. Following Sarah’s presentation the audience was treated to a special invited talk inspired in part by his Gideon Marshall novels, The Other John Janovy, Jr.—A Presentation Made About Writing At the Request of Ron Hathaway.
Friday evening the staff of Cedar Point did not disappoint as they prepared a lavish meal for our annual banquet. After sumptuous food, good wine, and great conversation, Bill Campbell, Drew University, delivered the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture, a masterful presentation entitled Parasite Theme and Variations—And an Unpopular Proposal.
Following the Saturday morning paper session, President Clopton called the business meeting to order. Student awards of cash, an engraved plaque, and a one year paid membership to ASP were given as follows: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student—Ryan P. Shannon, Oklahoma State University; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Carter Shank, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Poster Presentation by a Graduate Student—Christina Williams, Oklahoma State University; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Poster Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Parisa Selseleh, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada. Also included was a summary of the ASP Council Meeting, an RMCP financial report, a discussion of next year’s meeting dates and the election of Deb Clopton to the office of President Elect.
The members then voted to award Honorary Membership in the RMCP to Dr. William C. Campbell as a token of our respect for the many accomplishments of this humble and truly gifted man. Of course none of us could be aware of the ultimate honor that would be bestowed on Bill just a few weeks later! RMCP extends our CONGRATULATIONS to you Bill as a recipient of the Nobel Prize!
At the conclusion of the business meeting, the Marquardt gavel was passed from President Clopton to our new President, Gabor Rácz University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln. President Rácz wished safe travel to all and adjourned the meeting.
The 2016 annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists will again be held at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station during the 8th, 9th, and 10th of September.
Submitted by Ron Hathaway, Secretary and Treasurer, RMCP
Summary of the 45th Annual Conference
The 45th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held from September 4th-6th, 2014 at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station located on the south shore of Lake Ogallala in western Nebraska.
The customary reception was held on Thursday evening in Goodall Lodge where participants renewed friendships while sampling a variety of brews and hors d’oeuvres. Friday morning President Karl Reinhard welcomed all and called the meeting to order. Paper and poster sessions were held all day Friday and Saturday morning, and approximately thirty six participants learned of the latest research taking place in the laboratories of colleagues. Twelve oral presentations were given of which two were contributed by undergraduate students and four by graduate students. There were three posters all representing graduate student research.
Karl Reinhard, School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln presented the seventh Memorial Lecture honoring Newton Kingston, Archaeo-parasitology: Resolving Archaeological Questions with Parasitological Investigation. Following the Friday night banquet, Kirsten Jensen, University of Kansas, Lawrence delivered the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture in Jerry’s honor, Advancing Our Knowledge of Elasmobranch Cestodes: A Global Perspective.
Following the Saturday morning paper session, President Reinhard called the business meeting to order. The membership elected Gabor Rácz to the Office of President-Elect. At the end of the business meeting, the Marquardt gavel was passed to our new President Rich Clopton, Peru State College. At that moment a wild celebration ensued with Karl and Rich holding hands as they danced and skipped around Goodall Lodge to bagpipe music played by Robert Arlen!
Student awards of $100 and an engraved plaque were given as follows: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student—Kathleen Farris, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Ransomus rodentorum (Hall, 1916) from Pocket Gophers (Geomyidae); William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Chelcie Pierce, Oklahoma State University, Using Snail “Jerky” to Untangle the Life Cycle Strategies of Gordiids (Nematomorpha); and the Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Poster Presentation by a Graduate Student—Ryan Shannon, Oklahoma State University, Blood Parasites of Amphibians From North Central Oklahoma.
The 2015 annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists will again be held at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station during the 10th, 11th, and 12th of September.
Summary of the 44th Annual Conference
The 44th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held from September 5th-7th, 2013 at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station located on the south shore of Lake Ogallala in western Nebraska.
The customary reception was held on Thursday evening in Goodall Lodge where participants renewed friendships while sampling a variety of tasty brews and hors d’oeuvres. Friday morning President Matt Bolek welcomed all and called the meeting to order. Paper and poster sessions were held all day Friday and Saturday morning, and approximately thirty seven participants learned of the latest research taking place in the laboratories of colleagues. Sixteen oral presentations were given of which six were contributed by undergraduate students and four by graduate students. There were three posters representing research by one undergraduate and two graduate students.
Augustin Jimenez-Ruiz, University of Southern Illinois, Carbondale presented the seventh Memorial Lecture honoring Newton Kingston, Wonderful and Wandering Worms: Nematodes in the New World. Following the Friday night banquet, Ben Hanelt, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque delivered the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture in Jerry’s honor, From Species to Genes; What Hairworms Have Taught Us About How Parasites Work.
Following the Saturday morning paper session, President Bolek called the business meeting to order. The membership elected Rich Clopton, Peru State College to the Office of President-Elect. At the end of the business meeting, the Marquardt gavel was passed to our new President, Karl Reinhard, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Student awards of $100 and an engraved plaque were given as follows: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student—Francisco T. Melo, Universidade Federal do Pará, Brazil; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Delina E. Barbosa, University of Wyoming at Casper; Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Poster Presentation by a Graduate Student—Heather A. Stigge, Oklahoma State University; and the William C. Marquardt Award for Best Poster Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Emily R. Hannon, University of Colorado, Boulder.
The 2014 annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists will again be held at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station during the 4th, 5th, and 6th of September.
Submitted by Ron Hathaway, Secretary and Treasurer, RMCP
Summary of the 43rd Annual Conference
The 43rd Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held from September 6th-8th, 2012 at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station located on the south shore of Lake Ogallala in western Nebraska.
A workshop considering the related topics of parasite biodiversity, climate change, and emerging diseases was organized by Dan Brooks, Scott Gardner, and Eric Hoberg. Workshop participants shared their collective expertise during the three days prior to the RMCP meeting. The RMCP membership was invited to a Thursday afternoon discussion led by Eric Hoberg in which he elaborated on some of the workshop findings.
The annual reception was held on Thursday evening in Goodall Lodge. Jon Garbisch and the Cedar Point staff, as usual, provided a tasty variety of hors d’oeuvres. President Scott Gardner welcomed all and called the meeting to order Friday morning. Paper and poster sessions were held all day Friday and Saturday morning. There were sixty five participants at the meeting, and 18 papers and two posters were presented. Seven papers were contributed by undergraduate students and another seven by graduate students. Both posters represented student research, one undergraduate and one graduate. In addition to his Thursday afternoon informal presentation, Eric Hoberg spoke about the U.S. National Parasite Collection and why it is important. Scott Gardner, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, presented the Newton Kingston Memorial Lecture, and Walter Boeger, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil honored us by delivering the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture.
Following the Saturday morning paper session, President Gardner called the annual business meeting to order. The membership unanimously elected Karl Reinhard, University of Nebraska-Lincoln to the Office of President-Elect. At the end of the business meeting, the Marquardt gavel was passed to our new President, Matt Bolek, OklahomaStateUniversity.
Student awards of $100 and an engraved plaque were given as follows: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student—Sarah A. Orlofske, University of Colorado; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Alison Eckert, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Poster Presentation by a Graduate Student—Crystal Wiles, Oklahoma State University; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Poster Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Ryan Shannon, Oklahoma State University. The membership voted to award RMCP Honorary Membership to Walter Boeger, and Life Membership to Ron Hathaway.
The 2013 annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists will again be held at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station during the 5th, 6th, and 7th of September.
Submitted by Ron Hathaway, Secretary and Treasurer, RMCP
Summary of the 42nd Annual Conference
The 42nd Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held September 7-10, 2011 at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station located on the south shore of Lake Ogallala in western Nebraska.
A workshop, organized and conducted by Rick McKown and Skip Sterner, was a new addition to the 2011 meeting. The purpose of the all day workshop (held on Wednesday, the 7th) was to teach participants techniques of collecting, staining, and mounting protozoan specimens. A printed procedures manual was provided for each student.
Following the reception on Thursday evening, paper and poster sessions were held all day Friday and Saturday morning. A total of 42 people attended the meeting, and 17 papers and 5 posters were presented. Besides the scenery and excellent paper presentations, highlights of the meeting included an invited paper by Dan Brooks, University of Toronto; the Newton Kingston Memorial lecture presented by Janice Moore, Colorado State University; and the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture presented by Robin Overstreet, University of Southern Mississippi.
After the Saturday morning paper session, President Bill Granath called the business meeting to order. The membership voted unanimously to award a Lifetime RMCP Membership to John Janovy, Jr. and an Honorary Membership in RMCP to Robin Overstreet. Matt Bolek was elected to the office of President-Elect. At the end of the business meeting, the Marquardt gavel was passed to President, Scott Gardner.
Student awards of $100 and an engraved plaque were given as follows: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student—Robert C. Jadin, University of Colorado, Boulder; Datus M. Hammond Award for the Best Poster Presentation by a Graduate Student—Sarah A. Orlofske, University of Colorado, Boulder; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Bailey Griscom, Colorado College; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Poster Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Delina E. Barbosa, University of Wyoming/Casper College Center.
Summary of the 41st Annual Conference
The 41st Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held September 9-11, 2010 at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station located on the south shore of Lake Ogallala in beautiful western Nebraska.
Following the reception on Thursday evening, paper and poster sessions were held all day Friday and Saturday morning. A total of 35 people attended the meeting, and twelve papers and posters were presented. Besides the scenery and excellent paper presentations, highlights of the meeting included an invited paper by Scott L. Gardner, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; the fourth Newton Kingston Memorial lecture presented by Eric S. Loker, University of New Mexico; and the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture given by Daniel R. Brooks, University of Toronto.
Following the Saturday morning paper session, President Rick McKown called the annual business meeting to order. The membership unanimously elected Scott L. Gardner to the Office of President-Elect. At the end of the business meeting, the Marquardt gavel was passed to President, Bill Granath, University of Montana.
Student awards of $100 and an engraved plaque were given as follows: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student—Sarah A. Orlofske, University of Colorado; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Nicole Searcey, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Poster Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Emily Rees, Metropolitan State College of Denver.
The 2011 annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists will be held again at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station during the 8th, 9th, and 10th of September.
Summary of the 40th Annual Conference
The 40th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was held September 10-12, 2009 at the Heart Six Guest Ranch located beneath the shadows of the Grand Teton Mountains and within throwing distance to the Buffalo Fork of the Snake River in beautiful Moran, Wyoming.
Following the reception on Thursday evening, paper and poster sessions were held all day Friday and Saturday morning. A total of 31 people attended the meeting, and sixteen papers and posters were presented. Besides the scenery and excellent paper presentations by faculty and students, highlights of the meeting included a visit and paper presentation by ASP Vice President Janine Caira of the University of Connecticut, the third Newton Kingston Memorial lecture by Matt Bolek of Oklahoma State University, and the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture by Bill Granath of the University of Montana. The RMCP was pleased to welcome our newest members and meeting participants, Dr. Gabrielle A. Stryker and Dr. Blaise Dondji along with their students from Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA.
After the Saturday morning paper session, President Delane Kritsky called the annual business meeting to order. The membership unanimously elected Bill Granath to the Office of President-Elect. The 2010 annual meeting will be held at the University of Nebraska, Cedar Point Biological Station September 9, 10, 11, 2010. The meeting promises to be outstanding, and Dr. Dan Brooks has already agreed to deliver the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture.
Student awards of $100 and an engraved plaque were given as follows: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student—Cheryl A. Mandich, University of Wyoming; Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Poster Presentation by a Graduate Student—Cassandra M. Monteiro, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro; William C. Marquardt Award for Best Paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student—Corbin J. Smith, University of Utah.
Summary of the 39th Annual Conference
The 39th Annual Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists was hosted by Matthew Bolek and held September 18-20, 2008 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Cedar Point Biological Station in Ogallala, Nebraska. Following the Thursday evening dinner and reception, paper sessions were held on Friday and Saturday morning.A total of 40 people attended the meeting and 19 papers and posters were presented. Highlights of the meeting included excellent paper and poster presentations by students and faculty, field trips of Cedar Point Biological Station by Dr. John Janovy Jr., the second Newton Kingston Lecture given by Dr. Richard E. Clopton of Peru State College, and the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture given by Dr. John Janovy Jr. of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Following the Saturday morning session, the annual Business Meeting was called to order by President Matthew Bolek. The membership elected Dr. Delane Kritsky and Dr. Dick Spall, both form Idaho State University, as Life members of RMCP. The membership unanimously elected Dr. Richard D. McKown to the Office of President Elect. President Elect Delane Kritsky and Scott Seville offered to check on the possibility of holding the next meeting at the University of Wyoming Field Station in Jackson Hole Wyoming, contingent on working out details with the research station staff.
Student awards of $100 and an engraved plaque were given to: Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper Presentation by a Graduate Student. Ms. Alaine K. Knipes, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Poster Presentation by a Graduate Student. Ms. Heather Tracy, Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University. William C. Marquard Award for Best paper Presentation by an Undergraduate Student. Ms. Erica Costello, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming/Casper College Center. William C. Marquard Award for Best poster Presentation by an Undergraduate Student. Ms. Ashlee N Hartman, Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Kearney.
The gavel was passed to President Kritsky, and the meeting was adjourned. Information on the meeting and a podcast of the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture given by Dr. John Janovy Jr. can be found on
http://www.matthewbolek.com/RMCP%202008/RMCP2008index.htmlSubmitted by: Matthew G. Bolek – Past President of Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University Stillwater OK, 74078
Summary of the 38th Annual Conference
There were a total of 18 presentations during sessions on Friday and Saturday morning. Dale H. Clayton from the University of Utah delivered the Newton Kingston Memorial Lecture, The Ecological Basis of Coevolutionary History: Lessons of Lice, and Mauritz Sterner, from the USGS National Wildlife Health Center gave a keynote presentation, What are Parasitologists Doing in the United States Geological Survey?
Following the banquet on Friday night, Dr. Robert S. Desowitz presented the Gerald D. Schmidt Memorial Lecture, America the Malarious: A Political and Social History.
The Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Paper presented by a graduate student went to Alaine K. Knipes, University of Nebraska, Larval Morphology Reveals Factors Determining the Distribution of Parasites in Nature: The Case of Dactylogyrus. The Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Poster presented by a graduate student went to Jessica L. Waite, University of Utah, Testing for Monophyly of the Avian Malaria Subgenera (Genus Plasmodium). The William R. Marquardt Award for Best Paper presented by an undergraduate student went to Stephanie Jensen, University of Wyoming, Parasitology and the Secondary Science Classroom. The William R. Marquardt Award for Best Poster presented by an undergraduate student went to Jason Crouch, University of Wyoming, DNA Sequence Diversity of Eimeria callospermophili.
At our annual business meeting, Delane C. Kritsky, Idaho State University, was elected to the office of President Elect, and the Marquardt gavel was passed to our new President, Matt Bolek.
Mauritz Sterner was elected to a Life Membership in the RMCP.
Robert S. Desowitz was elected to an Honorary Membership in the RMCP.
Summary of the 37th Annual Conference
The 38th annual meeting will be held on the campus of Metropolitan State College, Denver in mid September.Submitted by Ron Hathaway, Regional Representative to ASP
Summary of the 36th Annual Conference
The University of Wyoming/Casper Center and Casper College hosted the 36th Annual Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists for the second year in a row. It was held in Casper, Wyoming on April 28th – 30th, 2005. Some members were unable to attend the meeting do to road closures from snowstorms.Murray Dailey, The Marine Mammal Center, presented the Gerald Schmidt Memorial Lecture entitled, “Parasitic eye infections in young Galapagos sea lions by a digenetic trematode of the genus Philophthalmus.” The Datus Hammond award for the best graduate student paper went to Matthew G. Bolek, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, for his paper entitled, “ Transmission patterns in amphibian coccidian (Apicomplexa): implications for arthropods as mechanical vectors for transmission.” Cindy K. Cordery, Arizona State University, received the Datus Hammond award for the best graduate student poster, entitled “Maturation of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Chytridiales).” The President’s Award for the best undergraduate student paper went to Alyssa Gehman, Colorado College, entitled “An investigation of cellular sheaths surrounding gameto-cysts and gametocytes of Monocystis sp. in the seminal vesicles of earthworms.” The William C. Marquardt Award for the best undergraduate student poster went to Ashley Lavering, University of Wyoming/Casper Center, entitled “Eimeria spp. in Wyoming ground squirrels (Spermophilus elegans) on the Casper College campus, Wyoming.” Each graduate student also received a $100 stipend donated by the late Albert Grundmann, and each undergraduate student received a $75 stipend.
The RMCP meeting dates have been changed from April to September to minimize blizzards blocking the roads, and to maximize student attendance. Our next meeting will be in approximately 1.5 years in September 2006. This meeting will be held in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Cindy K. Cordery, Arizona State University, is designing a new RMCP logo. She is also designing new t-shirts for sale.
Elections for all offices were conducted. Ron Hathaway, Colorado College, was elected as president. Cynthia Church, Metropolitan State College of Denver, was elected as president-elect. Gary L. McCallister, Mesa State College, was elected as Secretary/Treasurer. Cindy K. Cordery, Arizona State University, was re-elected as ASP Representative.
Submitted by Cindy Cordery, Regional Representative to ASP
