The United States National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) is a scientific research center in Durham, North Carolina. Known by its acronym NESCent (which rhymes with “crescent”), the center’s goal is to promote collaborative, cross-disciplinary research in evolutionary biology.
NESCent promotes the synthesis of information, concepts and knowledge to address significant, emerging, or novel questions in evolutionary science and its applications. NESCent achieves this by supporting research and education across disciplinary, institutional, geographic, and demographic boundaries.
NESCent sponsors a number of research and training programs for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and groups. Examples include:
Catalysis meetings
Working groups
Postdoctoral fellowships
Sabbatical fellowships
Graduate fellowships
Short-term visitor fellowships
Postgraduate-level courses on topics related to evolution
Senior leadership
NESCent’s Directorate consists of:
Allen Rodrigo, Center Director
Susan Alberts, Associate Director of Science and Synthesis
Todd Vision, Associate Director of Informatics
Brian Wiegmann, Associate Director of Education and Outreach
In addition, NESCent has an external Advisory Board and Operations Committee that meet on a regular basis to advise the Directors and oversee the center.
Scientists-in-residence and in-house staff
NESCent has 15-20 full-time employees and several employees on a part-time or contractual basis. In addition, approximately 10 postdoctoral fellows and 2-3 sabbatical scholars typically work on-site at the center at any given time.
Informatics at NESCent
NESCent’s informatics team plays an active role in developing cyberinfrastructure for the scientific community, with a focus on open source software, database development, IT support, and analytical tools in evolutionary biology. Major initiatives include the Generic Model Organism Database project, Dryad, and Phenoscape project.
Education and outreach
NESCent’s science education and outreach group works to improve evolution education, expand opportunities for underrepresented groups, and communicate current and emerging research to the general public. Programs include professional development workshops for instructors at science and education conferences, annual Darwin Day festivities, working groups on evolution education, and monthly audio/video podcasts for the Evolution in the News program.
Location and facilities
NESCent is located in the Erwin Mill Building, a former textile mill near Duke University’s main campus. NESCent’s facilities include four meeting rooms with space for up to 45 people, and a variety of offices for scientists and staff. The center is located at 2024 W. Main Street, Suite A200 Durham, NC 27705.
References
Senkowsky, S. (2007). "The Ascent of NESCent." BioScience 57(2): 106-111.
Bates, K. L. (2009). Putting it all together again: Frontier of biology assembles data, looks for patterns. Duke Research Magazine.
national, evolutionary, synthesis, center, united, states, nescent, scientific, research, center, durham, north, carolina, known, acronym, nescent, which, rhymes, with, crescent, center, goal, promote, collaborative, cross, disciplinary, research, evolutionary. The United States National Evolutionary Synthesis Center NESCent is a scientific research center in Durham North Carolina Known by its acronym NESCent which rhymes with crescent the center s goal is to promote collaborative cross disciplinary research in evolutionary biology NESCent offers a range of fellowships for visiting scientists and educators and sponsors numerous scientific meetings each year In its first 7 years NESCent hosted nearly 4 200 visitors from more than 50 countries Sponsored projects span the fields of systematics paleontology molecular evolution phylogeography comparative biology evolutionary genetics population biology and functional morphology among others The logo of the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center Contents 1 Mission 2 History and funding 3 Major programs 4 Senior leadership 5 Scientists in residence and in house staff 6 Informatics at NESCent 7 Education and outreach 8 Location and facilities 9 References 10 External linksMission EditNESCent promotes the synthesis of information concepts and knowledge to address significant emerging or novel questions in evolutionary science and its applications NESCent achieves this by supporting research and education across disciplinary institutional geographic and demographic boundaries History and funding EditNESCent was founded in December 2004 with a grant from the US National Science Foundation and is jointly operated by Duke University North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill In the fall of 2009 NESCent was awarded a second 5 year grant from the National Science Foundation which will provide funding for the center through 2014 Major programs EditNESCent sponsors a number of research and training programs for graduate students postdoctoral fellows faculty and groups Examples include Catalysis meetings Working groups Postdoctoral fellowships Sabbatical fellowships Graduate fellowships Short term visitor fellowships Postgraduate level courses on topics related to evolutionSenior leadership EditNESCent s Directorate consists of Allen Rodrigo Center Director Susan Alberts Associate Director of Science and Synthesis Todd Vision Associate Director of Informatics Brian Wiegmann Associate Director of Education and OutreachIn addition NESCent has an external Advisory Board and Operations Committee that meet on a regular basis to advise the Directors and oversee the center Scientists in residence and in house staff EditNESCent has 15 20 full time employees and several employees on a part time or contractual basis In addition approximately 10 postdoctoral fellows and 2 3 sabbatical scholars typically work on site at the center at any given time Informatics at NESCent EditNESCent s informatics team plays an active role in developing cyberinfrastructure for the scientific community with a focus on open source software database development IT support and analytical tools in evolutionary biology Major initiatives include the Generic Model Organism Database project Dryad and Phenoscape project Education and outreach EditNESCent s science education and outreach group works to improve evolution education expand opportunities for underrepresented groups and communicate current and emerging research to the general public Programs include professional development workshops for instructors at science and education conferences annual Darwin Day festivities working groups on evolution education and monthly audio video podcasts for the Evolution in the News program Location and facilities EditNESCent is located in the Erwin Mill Building a former textile mill near Duke University s main campus NESCent s facilities include four meeting rooms with space for up to 45 people and a variety of offices for scientists and staff The center is located at 2024 W Main Street Suite A200 Durham NC 27705 References EditSenkowsky S 2007 The Ascent of NESCent BioScience 57 2 106 111 Bates K L 2009 Putting it all together again Frontier of biology assembles data looks for patterns Duke Research Magazine External links EditOfficial website US National Science Foundation Duke University University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina State UniversityCoordinates 36 00 26 N 78 55 24 W 36 007121 N 78 923442 W 36 007121 78 923442 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title National Evolutionary Synthesis Center amp oldid 1130425024, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
