Mushroom Club: Convergent Evolution, July 6 @ 7:30 pm

Illinois Mycological Association presents

*"All is not what it may seem: How convergent evolution may be a source of your frustration."*
Presented by Britt Bunyard, PhD

Monday, July 6, 2015
7:30 -- 9:00 pm

Location:
Kendall College
900 N. North Branch Street, Chicago, Illinois 60642
(Detailed directions to Kendall College can be found below.)


This presentation is for all audiences, and no prior knowledge of mycology or biology will be needed to thoroughly enjoy it. Sometimes things in Nature look similar because they're closely related. Sometimes not. In the fungal world, many different forms and shapes have seemingly evolved repeatedly and this is a source of wonder and beauty for most of us. For scientists it can be a source of frustration. Come enjoy a beautiful presentation and learn about some of the most amazing and strange denizens of our planet: the Mushrooms.

Britt Bunyard is the founder, Publisher, and Editor in Chief of the mycology journal Fungi which has the largest circulation of any mycological publication in North America. He also has worked as a full-time Biology professor in Ohio and Wisconsin, teaching a broad range of undergraduate and graduate courses in Evolution, Microbiology, Mycology, Invertebrate Zoology, Biochemistry and Environmental Science.The main focus of Britt's research interests has centered on the coevolution of macrofungi and Diptera, the true flies. Bunyard has coauthored (2012) the recent book Mushrooms and Macrofungi of Ohio and Midwestern States: A Resource Handbook. published by The Ohio State University Press. Other scholarly achievements include publication of scientific papers in 16 different international research journals, two book chapters, one patent, articles in popular science magazines, and one full-length book of travel essays from living in Southeast Asia. Britt has served as Editor-in-Chief of NAMA's journal McIlvanea and newsletter The Mycophile, and as a Subject Editor for the Entomological Society of America's journal Annals of the Entomological Society of America. Britt gives several invited lectures in North America and abroad each year and regularly takes part in many mycological events and forays. He is married and has three children, plus assorted livestock roaming around the farm.


DETAILED DIRECTION TO KENDALL COLLEGE:

Directions:

From northbound I-90/94, take Exit 51A at W. Lake, go west to 2nd right onto N. Halsted. Go 0.9 miles to N. North Branch Street.

From the north, take Exit 49A off I-90/94 W. Division St. eastbound, then go south for 0.8 miles to N. North Branch St. Turn left, continue past the main building to the parking lot. The meeting will usually be in the auditorium, but check at the entrance.

By CTA, take the Blue Line to Grand Ave. From intersection of Grand, Halsted, and Milwaukee, go north on Halsted by CTA bus #8 or on foot. Turn left to N. North Branch: about 0.6 miles from subway stop.

PARKING AND ENTERING THE BUILDING:
• There is free parking on the north side of the school-NOT in the front of the school.
• You will need to pass security as you enter the building.
• Our meeting room may be subject to change. Please ask about the room number as you enter.

http://www.illinoismyco.org/home


The IMA is comprised of mycologists and laypeople from all walks of life who share a common interest in the study of mushrooms. Individual members often have specific areas of interest and expertise, including mushroom foraging, taxonomy, cultivation, mycoremediation, medical mycology, and edible, poisonous, and medicinal fungi.

If you are new to mushrooming, joining a mushroom club will give you the opportunity to learn about the fungal diversity found during the annual cycle in Chicagoland and how to identify species properly and safely. Whether you're an experienced mycophile or are new to the Kingdom of Fungi, we welcome your knowledge and companionship.

For non-IMA-members, there is a $5 suggested donation to attend our lecture series events. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Please join us! Membership in the IMA is only $20 per year and includes participation in our monthly members-only forays. While our lecture series is open to the public, forays into the woods are limited to members only. This is because the IMA is a scientific and educational nonprofit that holds a scientific collector's permit to pick wild mushrooms for research and education. That's why only club members can come on forays. Club members also receive a great digital monthly newsletter with articles, recipes, research, art and information on additional events. You can become an IMA member at any IMA lecture series event, or by clicking here http://www.illinoismyco.org/home