Valerie Banschbach, professor of biology and Environmental Studies Department chair, published a manuscript for August 2012 in the peer-reviewed entomological journal Psyche, entitled "Edge effects on community and social structure of Northern temperate deciduous forest ants." This publication reports the results of two years of field research, involving four Saint Michael’s undergraduate student researchers (who were Biology majors) who worked with Valerie. The work was conducted at the Mills Riverside Park in Jericho, VT. All of her co-authors were SMC student researchers who are now alumni.

Valerie also travelled to Uganda (August 4 – 17, 2012) to participate in a workshop regarding ant diversity assessment in the Kibale National Forest, near Fort Portal. The workshop participants came from 17 different countries and spent nearly two weeks collecting and identifying ants and found more than 60 genera, including two species not previously described from Uganda. Earlier, just after last year’s Commencement, Valerie travelled to Northern India (May 16- June 3, 2012) with 12 Saint Michael’s Environmental Studies students, as well as colleagues Mark Lubkowitz, associate professor of biology, and Mike Bosia, associate professor of political science and Gender Studies coordinator, to teach an Environmental Studies class on “Organic Farming and Conservation of Biodiversity” at the organic farm training center run by Navdanya. Valerie was the instructor of record for the class but Mark and Mike came along to provide additional perspectives, pilot their own work at the site and serve as additional group chaperones. During the course, participants learned about Indian methods of organic farming, composting and other sustainable living technologies. While at the farm they surveyed bird diversity on the organic farm versus neighboring synthetic-pesticide-using farms to assess impacts of organic farming on biodiversity. They also visited and met with scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India and the Forest Research Institute. And, they made cultural excursions into the spice and food markets of Old Delhi, the aarti Hindu ritual at Haridwar, a holy city on the Ganges River, went on a safari in the Rajaji National Park and trekked to a temple set on a mountain in the Himalayas. Valerie and Peter Hope, Instructor of Biology, worked with four Saint Michael’s student interns to survey plants and invertebrates at Camp Johnson (June and July, 2012) to establish summer baseline data for an upcoming controlled burn experiment that the Biology Department will take on in partnership with the Nature Conservancy, State of Vermont and personnel at the Army National Guard base at Camp Johnson. The student research intern positions were funded by the John C. Hartnett Endowment to the Biology Department. Some funding for the upcoming Spring semester 2013 also will be provided by the Harnett Endowment. This work relates strongly to the student research that all biology majors join during their first semester in the Biology 151: Intro to Ecology and Evolution laboratory.