ESF Team Takes Third at Annual Wildlife Society Quiz Bowl

12/04/2014

Team fares well against 21 other colleges

Did you ever wonder how many needles a red pine has? Or where a field mouse fits in a food web? If you did, you could ask someone in ESF's chapter of The Wilderness Society because they know their wildlife facts. In fact, they're third in the nation.

Every year the Wildlife Society holds a national quiz bowl at their annual conference held in Pittsburgh Pa. Akin to wildlife Jeopardy!, teams answer facts ranging from plant taxonomy to wildlife management. This year 21 universities participated in the event including teams from the University of Michigan, Purdue University and Texas A & M.

The University of Maine knocked ESF out in the third round after some intense gameplay. ESF beat the University of Maine the last two years, and according to team captain Peter Iacono, have become our unofficial rivals.

"While there is competition between us, it's all in good fun and it allows us to focus and have a friendly rivalry" Iacono said.

Competing in the quiz bowl, is a team effort.

"It is very much a group effort," said Iacono. A senior in wildlife science, Iacono has been an active member of the team for a few years. The team is rounded out by Thea Cooper from conservation biology, Russel Winter from wildlife science, and Kim Savides also from wildlife science.

The annual Wildlife Society conference brings together a lot of professionals from different fields including researchers, ecologists and foresters. The event gives students the opportunity to network and exchange ideas.

"A lot of professionals came up to ESF and congratulated us on a good job" Iacono said. Although ESF didn't place first, it gave much needed exposure to both our school and our students, according to Iacono.

Due to increased interest in the team, prospective members will need to tryout. Students who would like to join the team are encouraged to contact Lacono at pciacono@syr.edu or club advisor Dr. Jonathan Cohen, Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, at jcohen14@esf.edu.

Tom Howson '15