The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Department of Life Sciences invites you to a special guest lecture by Dr. Michael Edgehouse on Friday, April 8. Dr. Edgehouse, who is an associate professor at Lewis-Clark State College (LCSC), will visit CWI’s Nampa Campus Academic Building for a lecture titled Dragons, Damsels, and Snakes Oh My!!! Eat, Be Eaten, or Specialize. The event will be held in room 106. Light refreshments will be provided at 5 p.m., with the lecture following at 5:30 p.m.
Dr. Edgehouse will discuss his research and answer questions from students interested in transferring to LCSC or, more generally, interested in opportunities to engage in research as undergraduates. Dr. Edgehouse has been investigating dietary habits of Mountain Garter Snakes (Thamnophis spp.) for over a decade, often with the assistance of undergraduate students. He spent a great deal of his time in graduate school living in a tent, studying snakes, to determine if they eat toxic newts.
Since arriving at LCSC his research has diversified to include invertebrate animals as well as continuing to investigate snake diet. His lab team at LCSC has described a new behavior in Odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) referred to as “predatory luring.” This interesting behavior has been one of the many ongoing projects in Dr. Edgehouse’s lab that students transferring to LCSC might benefit from or even participate in. When not studying snakes he is most likely found steelhead fishing, chasing powder, or playing hockey with his sons.