On October 8, 2026, United Squirrels Co-Founder and President Elsa (Ning) Ding delivered an invited research talk at Vanderbilt University titled “Adaptation: Molecular, Ecological, and Career.” She explored how adaptation has shaped both her scientific interests and her career, connecting molecular research with wildlife behavior and urban ecology.
Drawing on her work on single-nucleotide polymorphisms and cold-adapted enzyme design, alongside her current research on squirrel cognition and behavior, Elsa discussed how living systems respond to changing environments across biological scales.
She also shared a field observation of a squirrel foraging at night under building lights while an owl perched nearby. The observation prompted a discussion with Professors Carl Johnson and Lin Meng about how artificial light at night may influence urban wildlife activity, circadian rhythms, and seasonal physiology.
