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In the fifth episode of the fall season, the featured faculty researcher was , an assistant professor of biology in the  in the .

He discussed his research focused on the evolution and ecological success of social insects such as ants and bees. Pound for pound, social insects and humans make up the largest animal biomass on dry land and occupy nearly every terrestrial ecosystem.

To understand the traits that have facilitated this success, Dr. Penick's research takes an integrative approach that combines techniques in ecology, physiology, behavior, and evolution. He and his team have worked with a broad variety of species from ecosystems that range from remote tropical forests to the sidewalks of New York City.

Dr. Penick has several research interests in social insect integrative biology as it pertains to urban ecology, social immunity, climate change, and nest architecture.  A faculty member since fall 2019, he earned a Ph.D. in biology from Arizona State University.