DINAH R DAVISON
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Arizona, USA. December 2022.
Thesis: The origin and evolution of cellular differentiation in the volvocine green algae
Master of Research with Distinction, Evolutionary Biology
University of Bath, UK. 2014.
Thesis: Indirect genetic effects in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Bachelor of Science, Animal Biology
University of California, Davis, USA. 2013.
Thesis: Individual differences in consortship partner choice in captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).
PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS
National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow
Kansas State University, Kansas, USA. 2023-2025.
Limited Term Lecturer
Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA. 2024.
Limited Term Lecturer
University of Arizona, Arizona, USA. 2022.
PUBLICATIONS
DR Davison, AM Nedelcu, E Onyi, and RE Michod. Plasticity mediates the transition from cell-level traits to group-level traits during the evolution of multicellularity. In press at Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
DR Davison, H Sanders, JS Hoskinson, S La, B Jiménez-Marín, and RE Michod. Translating research on evolutionary transition into the teaching of biological complexity: III. Tools for teaching the hierarchy of life. Accepted at The American Biology Teacher.
S La, Z Grochau-Wright, JS Hoskinson, DR Davison, and RE Michod. Translating research on evolutionary transitions into the teaching of biological complexity. IV. Teaching the hierarchy of life in university courses. Submitted to Evolution.
JS Hoskinson, DR Davison, H Sanders, B Jiménez-Marín, and RE Michod. Translating research on evolutionary transitions into the teaching of biological complexity. II. A NGSS-aligned framework for teaching the hierarchy of life. Evolution: Education and Outreach 17(1)(2024): 16.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Steps to individuality in biology and culture. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B (2023): 20210407.
DR Davison and RE Michod. The role of metaphor in shaping scientific inquiry. Metascience (2023): 313-316.
RE Michod, DR Davison, H Sanders, JS Hoskinson, and KM Gagnier. Translating research on evolutionary transitions into the teaching of biological complexity. Evolution (2022): 1097-1373.
DR Davison*, C Andersson*, RE Michod, and SL Kuhn. Did Human Culture Emerge in a Cultural Evolutionary Transition in Individuality? Biological Theory (2021): 1-24.
*Equal contributors
DR Davison and RE Michod. Plasticity and evolutionary transitions in individuality. Pp. 241 in D. W. Pfennig, ed. Phenotypic plasticity: causes, consequences, and controversy. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida. (2021).
ER Hanschen, DR Davison, PJ Ferris and RE Michod. Volvox perglobator (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae) informs the evolution of outcrossing from self-fertilization. Evolutionary Ecology Research 19.3 (2018): 299 – 318.
ER Hanschen*, DR Davison*, ZI Grochau-Wright and RE Michod. Individuality and the major evolutionary transitions. Landscapes of Collectivity in the Life Sciences (2018): 255.
*Equal contributors
ER Hanschen*, DR Davison*, ZI Grochau-Wright and RE Michod. Evolution of individuality: a case study in the volvocine green algae. Philosophy & Theory in Biology 9.3 (2017).
*Equal contributors
DR Davison and J Razafindramanana. Social structure and dyadic bonds in wild collared brown lemurs (Eulemur collaris)in southeast Madagascar. Lemur News (2012) 16: 70-72.
ABSTRACTS AND PRESENTATIONS
DR Davison and RE Michod. Plasticity and evolutionary transitions. Invited oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at Entomology 2024, Phoenix, Arizona.
DR Davison, JS Hoskinson, and RE Michod. Teaching the evolution of complexity using the volvocine algae model system. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison and JS Hoskinson at National Association of Biology Teachers 2024, Anaheim, California.
DR Davison, RE Michod, and BJSC Olson. Plastic changes in cooperation may shape the evolution of multicellularity. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at Evolution 2024, Montreal, Canada.
L Lopez, DR Davison, and BJSC Olson. The evolution of cellular differentiation. Oral presentation. Presented by L Lopez at Evolution 2024, online.
DR Davison, BJSC Olson, and RE Michod. Experimental evolution of cellular differentiation in the volvocine green algae. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at AbSciCon 2024, Providence, Rhode Island.
DR Davison, C Berger, S Cossey, J Tumberger, K Tenzin, and BJSC Olson. The evolution of multicellular group formation in the volvocine green algae. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at Kansas State University’s 2024 Molecular Research Forum, Manhattan, Kansas.
L Lopez, DR Davison, and BJSC Olson. Examining how environmental stress alters cell state in green algae to understand cancer development. Poster presentation. Presented by L Lopez at the 2024 Undergraduate Cancer Research Awards Banquet, Manhattan, Kansas.
L Lopez, DR Davison, and BJSC Olson. What genes are expressed during the development of plastic somatic cells in the volvocine green algae? Poster presentation. Presented by L Lopez at the 2024 Developing Scholars Program Undergraduate Poster Session, Manhattan, Kansas.
L Lopez, DR Davison, and BJSC Olson. Mechanisms underlying the development of plastic cellular differentiation in the volvocine green algae. Poster presentation. Presented by L Lopez at the 2024 K-INBRE Symposium, Manhattan, Kansas.
KL Boston, DR Davison, and BJSC Olson. Are cyclin genes important in the evolution of multicellularity? Poster presentation. Presented by KL Boston at the 2023 CATS Undergraduate Research Poster Session, Manhattan, Kansas.
DR Davison, BJSC Olson, and RE Michod. Experimental evolution of cellular differentiation through genetic assimilation in the volvocine green algae. Poster presentation. Presented by DR Davison at SMBE Evolutionary Cell Biology Satellite Meeting 2023, Phoenix, Arizona.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Did somatic cells evolve through genetic assimilation? The experimental evolution of cellular differentiation. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at Evolution 2023, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
DR Davison, J Rakijas, and BJSC Olson. The reorganization of protein interaction networks during the transition to multicellularity. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at Volvox 2023, Baltimore, Maryland.
DR Davison, B Jimenez-Marin, JS Hoskin, S La, H Sanders,and RE Michod. The volvocine algae should be used as a teaching tool in classrooms. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at Evolution 2023, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
DR Davison, BJSC Olson, and RE Michod. The evolution of cellular differentiation in the volvocine green algae. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at Kansas State University’s 2023 Molecular Research Forum, Manhattan, Kansas.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Did genetic assimilation play a role in the evolution of somatic cells? Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at Volvox 2022, online.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Phenotype-first evolution of cellular differentiation in the volvocine green algae. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at Evolution 2021, online.
E Onyi, DR Davison, and RE Michod. Aggregative and developmental multicellularity in clonal Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Oral presentation. Presented by E Onyi at Evolution 2021, online.
DR Davison and RE Michod. The origin of group-level traits during the evolution of multicellularity. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at the University of Arizona’s 2021 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology’s Tuesday Seminar, Tucson, Arizona.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Phenotype-first evolution of cellular differentiation in the volvocine green algae. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at the University of Arizona’s 2020 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology’s Tuesday Seminar, Tucson, Arizona.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Phenotype-first evolution of cellular differentiation in the volvocine green algae. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at the 5th International Volvox Conference, Tokyo, Japan.
A Cousson, Z Grochau-Wright, DR Davison, R Ferriere, and RE Michod. Investigating reg cluster expression in undifferentiated Eudorina sp. NIES-3984. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at the 5th International Volvox Conference, Tokyo, Japan.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Phenotype-first evolution of cellular differentiation in the volvocine green algae. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at Evolution 2019, Providence, Rhode Island.
P Cortez, DR Davison and RE Michod. Changes in cellular survival in response to stress during the evolution of multicellularity. Oral presentation. Presented by P Cortez at the 2019 University of Arizona Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Undergraduate Poster Session, Tucson, Arizona.
P Cortez, DR Davison and RE Michod. Changes in cellular survival in response to stress during the evolution of multicellularity. Oral presentation. Presented by P Cortez at the 2019 Arizona NASA Space Grant Undergraduate Research Symposium, Phoenix, Arizona.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Phenotype-First evolution of cellular differentiation in the volvocine green algae. Oral presentation. Presented by DR Davison at the University of Arizona’s 2019 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology’s Tuesday Seminar, Tucson, Arizona.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Plasticity-first evolution of soma in the volvocine green algae (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the University of Arizona’s 2018 Ecology and Evolutionary Biology noon seminar, Tucson, AZ.
DR Davison and RE Michod (poster presentation). Image analysis challenges in the volvocine green algae. Presented by DR Davison at the 2018 BisQue Image Analysis Workshop, Santa Barbara, CA.
DR Davison, J Brewster, JN Hoang, M Sieffert, A Alencar, and RE Michod (poster presentation). Understanding volvocine algae ecology. Presented by DR Davison at the 2017 Volvox meeting, St Louis, MO.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Plastic production of small cells: Evidence of plasticity-first evolution of soma? (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2017 Volvox meeting, St Louis, MO.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Plastic production of small cells in an undifferentiated species (poster presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2017 Evolution meeting, Portland, OR.
DR Davison and RE Michod. The consequences of complexity: Does complexity affect canalization in the volvocine green algae? (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2016 Evolution meeting, Austin, TX.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Complexity, plasticity and canalization in the volvocine green algae (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the University of Arizona’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology noon seminar, Tucson, AZ.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Morphological complexity and stress responsivity in the volvocine green algae (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics 2015 Evolutionary Cell Biology Workshop, Santa Barbara, CA.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Morphological complexity and stress responsivity in the Volvocaceae (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2015 Volvox conference, Cambridge, UK.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Environmental stress and phenotypic instability in the Volvocaceae (poster presentation). Presented by DR Davison at 2015 NASA Astrobiology Science Conference, Chicago, IL.
DR Davison and RE Michod. Environmental stress and diversification of the Volvocales (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2015 NASA Astrobiology Science Conference, Chicago, IL.
DR Davison and RE Michod. The evolution of sex in the volvocine algae (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the University of Arizona’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology noon seminar, Tucson, AZ.
DR Davison and N Martinez. Ecological network evolution (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the University of Arizona’s Ecology and Evolutionary Biology noon seminar, Tucson AZ.
DR Davison, R Snook and NJ Priest. Sexual selection and sexually transmitted infections in Drosophila pseudoobscura (poster presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2015 Genetics Society Meeting, Sheffield, UK.
R Atencia, DR Davison and L Revuelta. Possible mechanisms of malaria resistance in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) (poster presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2014 Conference of the International Primatological Society, Hanoi, Vietnam.
NG Sharpe, DR Davison and BJ McCowan. The influence of key personalities on group dynamics in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) (oral presentation). Presented by NG Sharpe at the 2014 Conference of the International Primatological Society, Hanoi, Vietnam.
DR Davison, P Mac Carron, J Vandeleest and J Capitanio. Differences in consortship partner choice in two groups of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists, Davis, CA.
DR Davison, P Mac Carron, J Vandeleest and J Capitanio. Mate choice in two groups of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) (poster presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2012 UCLA Psychology Undergraduate Research Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
DR Davison and A Marshall. Phylogenetic inertia and the evolution of primate locomotion (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2012 Undergraduate Research Conference, Davis, CA.
DR Davison, J Vandeleest and J Capitanio. Individual differences in grooming patterns among rhesus macaques (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2011 Undergraduate Research Conference, Davis, CA.
DR Davison. Inbreeding and breakdowns in thoroughbred racehorses (oral presentation). Presented by DR Davison at the 2010 Undergraduate Research Conference, Davis, CA.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Instructor of Record, Principles of Biology, Kansas State University
One semester
I am the instructor of record for a 70-student introductory biology studio course. I create new lecture slides and modify existing slides, create study guides, hold office hours, and work with the students during class. I also oversee two TAs and one undergraduate practicum student.
Instructor of Record, Evolution, University of Arizona
One semester
I was the sole instructor of record for a 200-student undergraduate evolution course that is typically taught by two instructors. I created new lectures and modified existing lectures from previous years, wrote exams, held office hours and met with students, set up the D2L site, and lectured twice a week using active learning methods. I also trained and oversaw a team of five TAs, who taught the discussion sections.
Instructor of Record, Evolution, University of Arizona Online
One semester
I was the sole instructor for the 50-student undergraduate evolution course administered through Arizona Online. I recorded and posted material, set up and ran the D2L site, held office hours and met with students, and created exams. I also trained and oversaw a TA.
Head Teaching Assistant, Evolution, University of Arizona
Three semesters
I was the head teaching assistant for the 200-student undergraduate evolution course. I created the discussion section activities (which employed active learning), set them up each week, trained and oversaw four TAs, taught a discussion section, held office hours and met with students, and graded assignments and exams. I also assisted the professors with setting up the D2L website, creating and administering exams, running the course, and troubleshooting technology.
During the pandemic, I helped oversee the switch to online learning, created a new set of discussion activities that could be run online, and recorded videos explaining each one of the online discussion activities.
Co-course developer, Evolution, University Arizona Online
One semester
Along with one of the undergraduate evolution professors, I set up the online version of the Evolution course. I created the D2L site, met with professional course developers to record videos and create additional content, and uploaded videos and activities that had been recorded earlier in the pandemic.
Teaching Assistant, Mammalogy, University of Arizona
Two semesters
I was a TA for the undergraduate mammalogy course, where I oversaw two sections of 20 students each. I taught students about mammal identification and biology and assisted during the multi-day field trips to a biological research station.
Teaching Assistant, Introductory Biology Lab II, the University of Arizona
Six semesters
I was a TA for the undergraduate introductory biology labs, teaching two sections each semester. I was the instructor of record for each one of those sections. I gave a short lecture at the beginning of each lab and then oversaw the activities. I also assisted the director of the introductory biology labs with course content development and provided him with algae strains to use in the classroom.
HONORS AND AWARDS
KAWSE Postdoctoral Travel Award, 2024
National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2022
University of Arizona Graduate College Scholarship Award, 2022
University of Arizona Graduate College Teaching Award, 2021
Galileo Circle Scholar, 2019-2020
Volvox Conference Outstanding Talk Award, 2019
Volvox Conference Travel Grant, 2019
GPSC Research and Project Award, 2018
Volvox Conference Travel Grant, 2015
University of Arizona College of Science Travel Grant, 2015
Master of Research with Distinction (highest level of honors), 2014
University of Bath Faculty of Science Scholarship, 2013-2014