Cal Poly Humboldt retired staff and faculty to meet

The Humboldt Emeritus and Retired Faculty and Staff Association will kick off its spring luncheon lecture series on Thursday in the Plaza View Room, 780 Seventh St., Arcata.

The first in the series begins with a presentation and discussion by Allison Bronson titled “The Evolutionary Anatomy of Shark Ears.” Bronson is a lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences, at Cal Poly Humboldt and a recipient of an Emeritus and Retired Faculty and Staff Association small grant for her research.

Though sharks are over 400 million years old, they are also hyper-specialized to fill a variety of ecological roles, from top pelagic predators to gentle planktivorous giants. Some of these adaptations are obvious, such as variation in their cartilaginous skeletons, formidable rows of teeth and highly-movable jaws. Others are harder to detect, but no less important.

With the help of high-resolution CT scanning, Bronson has been investigating the anatomy of their highly-adapted inner ear, unique among fishes for its ability to detect very low-frequency sound. Researchers found that the inner ears of sharks vary dramatically in their morphology. These findings lead to further questions: Why are these ears so diverse? Does this relate only to these fishes’ evolutionary history, or does this diversity reflect ecological differences? Come and find out.

All guests should be fully COVID-19 vaccinated and may wear masks while attending. A meet and greet begins at 11:30 a.m. Food and beverages will be served at 11:45 a.m. and the presentation starts at 12:10 p.m. The hot lunch, prepared by Uniquely Yours Catering, includes an assorted bread selection, salad, a vegetarian side dish and an entrée. The price for lunch is $17.50, payable by cash or check. Guests can have a “take away” meal by either bringing their own container or paying $1 for a provided container. Wine is available for purchase. The Humboldt Emeritus and Retired Faculty and Staff Association will cover the cost of the first glass of wine for those who purchase lunch.

The lecture series continues with a presentation by Lori Dengler, emeritus professor of geology, and codirector of the Humboldt Earthquake Education Center on March 9; Matthew Marshall, executive director of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority, April 13; and Jeffrey Crane, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences talks, May 11.

For more information about the Humboldt Emeritus and Retired Faculty and Staff Association, go to https://erfsa.humboldt.edu/.