Plant and wildlife professor Ben Abbott is a principle investigator in projects with the University of Vermont to study how human activity is changing the structure and function of Earth's ecosystems. The team received a $3.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to support the research.

Scott Weber from the College of Life Sciences Microbiology and Molecular Biology Department is the new associate director of the Simmons Center for Cancer Research. In addition to supporting Steven Castle, the center's new director, Weber will work closely with staff to facilitate the fellowship program.