Science Engagement

Insects are a kind of biological dark horse when it comes to scientific education. Unassuming and often dismissed, they are a great system for sparking curiosity and appreciation for the natural world. The idea that the same tiny ants that seem like simple household nuisances have complex societies and a history stretching back to the age of dinosaurs seems to hit all the right notes for inspiring the latent scientist in just about anyone. Our research has been shared in museum exhibits, after school and summer programs, lectures, and even a comic book!

If you or your organization has an interest in developing or hosting an event/product that aims to increase scientific excitement and understanding, please contact us, we'd like to help!

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Outreach Media
Myrmex: A Comic Ant-thology
Myrmex: A Comic Ant-thology

A crowd-funded collaborative effort between illustrators and scientists, Myrmex is a publicly available print and E-book resource for K-12 teachers. The book creatively covers concepts in general biology and biodiversity, and has been distributed to classrooms in New York City. [Link]

Key to Ants of Central Park
Key to Ants of Central Park

Approximately 40 ant species are known to inhabit Central Park in New York City. This dichotomous identification key is meant to assist citizen scientists and researchers interested in urban ant fauna. [Link]

Amber Secrets Museum Exhibit
Amber Secrets Museum Exhibit

The Amber Secrets exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Houston, Texas, featured fossil ants from the Cretaceous. Pictured here is a live 3D printing display, printing a large sculpture of the now extinct ant, Haidomyrmex scimitarus.

Picturing Science Museum Exhibit
Picturing Science Museum Exhibit

-ray images of fossil ant specimens were showcased at the American Museum of Natural History Picturing Science exhibit in New York City, New York. The exhibition featured examples of scientific imaging that bridged a gap between science and art.