Corrie Moreau: Audacious E.O. Wilson Student
Meet Corrie Moreau, Ant Biologist and E.O. Wilson Student. Dr. Moreau is now Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University and Director of the Insect Collection. Corrie had previously worked at the Field Museum in Chicago in the Department of Science and Education. Here, she talks about being encouraged and inspired by Ed, both in her research and in her education and science communication adventures.
The Diversity of Ants
Corrie introduces us to the amazing diversity of ants, and their fascinating variety of behavior and life styles. She’s studied ants across the world, from the her favorite group called the Turtle Ants for the shape and way they use their exoskeletons (cuticle) to the infamous bullet ant, so named for having one of the most painful bites known to myrmecologists (ant experts).
Educational Ants
Corrie discusses how engaging ants are for science education, and introduces us to a variety of resources and classroom materials that impress upon students the diversity of ants. Learn about AntWiki, which gathers ant research data in a way that students can find interesting. Corrie focuses on the Florida Keys, a hotspot of ant diversity both native and invasive species.
Letters to a Young Scientist, Chapter 13: A Celebration of Audacity
In Chapter 13 of his popular book encouraging students to pursue science, E.O. Wilson tells the story of a gutsy young researcher, Corrie Moreau, who won’t give up on an idea she has to make a big advance in the study of our planet’s biodiversity.
Excerpted from Letters to A Young Scientist. Copyright (c) 2013 by Edward O. Wilson. Used with permission of the publisher, Liveright Publishing Corporation, a division of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.
More from the Ants of the Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are rich in native ant species, but also a portal for invading exotic ants that didn’t evolve there. Corrie has made a study of the diversity of these ants and shares this beautiful poster and a teacher guide focused on ants as a springboard into important evolution and ecology questions.
Additional educational resources available in this resource guide here.
The Romance of Ants
This comic book illustrates how despite growing up in the city, a childhood fascination with insects grew into a career dedicated to understanding how life on our planet works and the particular natural history and role of ants.
