The 31st annual Seibert Awards were presented at the SSAR Business Meeting on July 15th, 2023 following the 65th Annual Meeting of the SSAR in Norfolk, VA on July 12th – 16th, 2023. These awards are named in honor of Henri C. Seibert, an early and tireless supporter of SSAR (having served as an officer for over 20 years).
In recognition of outstanding student presentations at the annual meeting, a single award is given in each of four categories: Morphology & Physiology (3 presentations), Evolution & Systematics (5 presentations), Ecology (6 presentations), and Conservation (6 presentations). All winners receive a check from SSAR and a book compliments of Chuck Crumly (Taylor and Francis).
The Seibert Award Winners for 2023 are:
Morphology & Physiology:
Robin Bedard, California Polytechnic State University “Plasticity of Cutaneous Evaporative Water Loss in Response to Hydration in Pregnant Prarie Rattlesnakes and their Neonates”
Honorable Mention to Kyle Emerson, Duquesne University, “Investigating the Relationship between the Microbial Environment and Predation Stress in a Larval Amphibian”
Evolution & Systematics:
Thore Koppetsch, University of Oslo, “Genomic and Morphometric Analyses of Diversification Dynamics in the Pristurus rupestris Species Complex”
Honorable Mention to Tucker Heptinstall, Clemson University, “Venom Complexity of Garter Snakes and the Role of Diet in Toxic Diversification”
Ecology:
Matthew Atkinson, University of Central Florida, “Environmental Perkinsea Infections Cause Lethal and Sub-Lethal Disease in Three Frog Families”
Honorable Mentions to Mariah Mack, Southern Illinois University, “Plasticity of Ambystoma texanu Life History Traits in Response to Environmental Conditions” and Ryan Miller, Lock Haven University, “Assessment of Density, Spatial Distribution and Movement Patterns of Plethodon cinereus using Spatial Capture-Recapture”
Conservation:
Madison Harman, University of Florida, “Drivers of Invasive Tegu Diet Composition in Two Florida Populations”
Honorable Mention to Anna Humphrey, Marshall University, “Effects of Vegetation and Historical Land Use on the Occurrence of an Endemic Anuran”
The judges for 2023 were:
Thais Condez, Carleton University; Matthew Heinicke, University of Michigan-Dearborn; Allison Bogisich, Memphis Zoo; Marina Gerson, California State University-Stanislaus; Dennis McNamara, Virginia Zoo; John Horne, NOAA; Andrew Durso, Florida Gulf Coast University; Gareth Hopkins, Western Oregon University.