Catherine N. Duckett

Catherine N. Duckett (born 1961) is the Associate Director of the Office for the Promotion of Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics, [1] and formerly the Program Manager of the Ocean Biogeographic Information System at Rutgers University, [2] as well as a former Associate professor of Biology at University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras. She is also a prominent systematic entomologist, specializing in the phylogeny of flea beetles, and an adjunct professor [ [http://sciencewomen.rutgers.edu/profiles/?a=display&f=facultyprofile&id=355 Rutgers: Women in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics- Faculty Profile ] ] at Rutgers. [2]

Research

Duckett works primarily in systematics, the study of biological diversity and its classification. This involves analyzing the genetic relationship between species and the description and documentation of new taxonomic and morphological features. [2] She works on the taxonomy and systematics of the Chrysomelidae or the leaf beetle, with a focus on the phylogeny of flea beetles (Alticini: Galerucinae). In the past she has focused on the Oedionychines (like Alagoasa aurora) with Karl Kjer at Rutgers. Besides phylogeny, she is interested in the evolution of mimicry, evolution of larval morphologies, and host-plant use patterns. [2] She and her collaborators have described seven different species of Flea beetle and one new genus (Etapocanga) [Duckett, C. N.1994. (1995) Etapocanga , a new genus of Alticinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from the Amazon basin, with descriptions of two new species. Journal of the New YorkEntomological Society 102 (3):344-349.] as new to science, [Duckett, C.N. Prathapan, K.D. & Konstantinov, A.S. Notes on identity, new synonymy and larva of Ivalia Jacoby (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) with description of a new speciesZootaxa 1363: 49-68. Konstantinov, A. S. and C. N. Duckett. 2005.A description of four new species of Clavicornaltica Scherer from Continental Asia. Zootaxa, 1037: 49-64;Duckett, C.N. and J. D. Daza*. 2004. A new species of Flea beetle in genus Alagoasa Bechyné (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) from Highland Costa Rica. Coleopterists Bulletin. 58: 84-96;Duckett, C. N. 2003. A New Species of Flea Beetle, Genus Pedilia Clark (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae) from Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. Zootaxa. 158:1-8.] [ [http://mcz-28168.oeb.harvard.edu/mcz/FMPro?-DB=Image.fm&-Lay=web&-Format=images.htm&Species_ID=35214&-Find Chrysomelidae: Pedilia sirena Duckett, 2003 ] ] . Duckett and collaborators have also described the first immatures known in three genera including Ivalia Jacoby [Duckett, C.N. Prathapan, K.D. & Konstantinov, A.S. Notes on identity, new synonymy and larva of Ivalia Jacoby (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) with description of a new speciesZootaxa 1363: 49-68. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/byauthor/d.html ] . [Duckett, C.N. & L. A. Moura*. 2002. First descriptions of immature stages of Yingaresca holoscercia (Bowditch) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae) and notes on their biology. Coleopterists Bulletin 56: 161-169. http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1649%2F0010-065X(2002)056%5B0161%3AFDOISO%5D2.0.CO%3B2;Duckett, C.N. & S. Casari. 2002. First Descriptions of Larval Stages of Walterianella bucki Bechyné (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Alticini) and Notes on Life History. Coleopterists Bulletin. 56:170-181.] [Casari, S. A. and C.N. Duckett .1997 (1998) A description of immature stages of two species ofPseudolampsis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and a new combination in the genus. Journal ofthe New York Entomological Society. 105: 50-64.]

Duckett and collaborators have also published systematic hypotheses about the evolution of Chrysomelidae [Duckett, C. N., J.J. Gillespie*, K. M. Kjer. 2004.Relationships among the subfamilies of Chrysomelidae inferred from small subunit ribosomal DNA and morphology, with special emphasis on the relationship among the Flea Beetles and the Galerucinae. Invited Chapter, New Contributions in Chrysomelidae Biology SPB Academic Publishers, P. Jolivet, M. Schmitt, and J.Santiago-Blay (eds),The Hague, The Netherlands,pp 3-18; Gillespie, J. J*., K. M. Kjer, C N. Duckett, D. W. Tallamy. 2003. Convergent Evolution of Cucurbitacin Pharmacophagy in Spatially Isolated Rootworm Taxa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae; Galerucinae, Luperini). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 29:161-175.] , and flea beetles [Duckett, C.N. and Karl M. Kjer. 2003. Cladistic analysis of the Oedionychines of Southern Brazil (Galerucinae: Alticini) based on two molecular markers. In: Special Topics in Leaf Beetle Biology: Proccedings of 5th international symposium on the Chrysomelidae. D.G. Furth (Ed), Pensoft Publishers, Sofia- Moscow, pp. 117-132.] [Duckett, C.N. 1999.A preliminary cladistic analysis of the subtribe Disonychina with specialemphasis on the series Paralactica (Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini). Advances inChrysomelidae Biology 1. M. L. Cox, Ed. Backhyus Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands. pp.105-136] as listed on her curriculum vitae. [3]

Women's studies

Duckett works alongside Joan W. Bennett at the Office for the Promotion of Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics at Rutgers University. The organization is unique in its online catalog of influential women scientists and researchers from fields spanning from physics to anthropology. [1] Notably, the site includes a "my story" section, where the women have submitted biographies including both personal anecdotes and their career histories. [ [http://sciencewomen.rutgers.edu/profiles/?a=search&f=members&s=stories Rutgers: Women in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics- Our Stories ] ] Duckett's own story is posted [ [http://sciencewomen.rutgers.edu/profiles/?a=display&f=girlgeeks&id=355 Rutgers: Women in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics- Girl Geeks/My Story ] ]

Awards

-1996 & 2002, "Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers."

-1999, Universidad de Puerto Rico Recinto de Río Piedras, “Reconocimiento por Excelencia Académica y Productividad”.

-1989-1990, Fulbright-Hays Fellowship to Venezuela to conduct field and museum studies. [3]

Education

-1987-1993, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York., Ph.D. Entomology.

-1985-1987, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, M.A. Biology.

-1979-1983, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, B.A. with Honors.

ources

1. the Office for the Promotion of Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics [http://sciencewomen.rutgers.edu/]

2. Rutgers Profile [http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~insects/duckett.htm]

3. Curriculum Vitae [http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~insects/duckett/cv.htm]

References