One of the main goals of my sabbatical was to write, write, write.  I needed to finish up a number of papers that had been on the back burner for way too long.  I also wanted to start a couple larger projects.  While I didn't get everything done that I wanted to, I was able to make strong progress on all my writing projects.  I also managed to add another paper, coauthored with my host, Noah Whiteman, and his lab.  This turned out to be a nice project that allowed us to summarize some of the microbial work that we have both been doing in our labs.  This paper has just come out online in Frontiers in Microbiology's special Symbioses issue.  Here's a link to the paper.

We were invited to submit a full NSF proposal on the ecology and phylogenetics of the genus Scaptomzya.  We're working with Noah Whiteman and Rick Lapoint at the University of Arizona.  This work will examine the biogeography and phylogeny of Scaptomyza in Hawaii and throughout the world.  

Check for updates on our new project site: http://scaptomyza.drosophilaevolution.com/

Rick will officially get this PhD tomorrow!  Please come out and congratulate him!