About me

Minsoo Dong (26)
Msc student. Evolution, Ecology and Systematics, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany

Current positions
Visiting scientist, Senckenberg Nature Museum, Franckurt, Germany
Entomology research group, Institute of Zoology & Evolutionary Research, Jena, Germany
Insect species assistant identification committee member (BRIC: Biological Research Information Center, POSTECH, Korea)
Antwiki (https://antwiki.org/) Editor

Previous positions:
NIBR (National Institute of Biological Resources, Korea) Research Specialist
Insect Taxonomy Lab. (Kangwon National University, Korea)
Advisory committee. DASARI Research Institute of BioResources, Daejeon, Korea


I am a naturalist with a deep interest in ants. My fascination with these creatures initially began with taxonomy but has since expanded to encompass a broader exploration of morphology. I am particularly intrigued by the relationship between kinematic locomotion, ecology, behavior, embryology, genomics, and morphology, and how these factors interrelate. To investigate this, I intend to employ methods such as geometric morphometry (landmarking) and pose estimation to quantify locomotion and examine its connection to muscle structure and external shape.

My research focuses on the striking morphological similarities between Neotropical fungus-growing ants and oriental cryptic hypogeic ants, specifically Proatta and Dacatria. These similarities are so remarkable that they cannot be easily explained by convergent evolution alone. By studying these ants, I hope to uncover new insights into the factors that influence the development of ant morphology. I strongly believe that comprehending the relationships between morphology, ecology, behavior, and locomotion can have wide-ranging applications in evolutionary biology. Furthermore, I am keen on exploring additional areas of study, such as the convergent evolution of desert ants, the taxonomy of male ants, and the global adaptive radiation of Apaenogaster.
Education
2023~
MSc student in Evolution, Ecology and Systematics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
2016-2020
B.Sc in Agriculture, Kangwon National University, Korea
Special Education
2023
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan, Research Intern
2020
EEB (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology) P3 honorable mention student, Princeton University, USA
2011-2014
 Science Education Institute for The Gifted, Incheon National University, Korea
Award
2020
Second place in the student competition of KYE session, Entomological Society of America
2020
The Best Graduate Student, Director of the Rural Development Administration
2019
The Best Poster Presentation Award, Korean journal of Applied Entomology
2018
The Best Insect Photography Award, Korean journal of Applied Entomology
2017
The Best Poster Presentation Award, The Entomological Society of Korea
2017
Talent Award of Korea, Deputy Prime Minister of Korea (Link) $2420
2015
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, 1st  Prize (group), Prudential Foundation of Korea
Publication
2023
G. Fiorentino, J. Lattke, A. Troya, C. Sosiak, M. Dong, P. Barden. Deep time extinction of largest insular ant predators and the first fossil Neoponera (Formicidae: Ponerinae) from Miocene age Dominican amber. BMC Biol 21, 26. (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01488-9)
2022
D-J. Lee, M. Dong, K-K. Kim, N-H. Ahn, B-W. Lee, Y-S. Bae. The first record of the myrmecophilous tineid moths, the genus Ippa Walker (Lepidoptera, Tineidae) from Korea. Korean Journal of Applied Entomology: Vol.61 No.3 pp.497-502
2020
M. Dong. The Encyclopedia of Korean ants. Beagle-school (Seoul, Korea), 232pp Link
2020
M. Dong & S.K. Kim. “A Taxonomic Study on the Genus Strumigenys Smith, 1860 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Korea with a description of new species” Asian Myrmecology 12, e012001 
(doi: 10.20362/am.012001)
2020
M.G. Baek, T.W. Kang, S.J. Kwon, M.C. Kim, S.K. Kim, W.K. Kim, Y.H. Kim, T.W. Kim, M. Dong (Part "Formicidae"), S.W. Park, Y.C. Jeon, K.S. Jeong, J.C. Jeong, D.S. Choi The Insect atlas of Yang-Pyeang. Yangpyeang Insectarium (Yang-Pyeang, Korea)
2017
M. Dong. The Ants of Korea. Nature&Ecology (Seoul, Korea), 352pp Link
Unpublished paper
2015
M.S. Dong "Discussion of the Korean unrecorded Myrmecophilus Ant Cricket, Myrmecophilus sp."
2014
M.S. Dong  "Guidance for the identification of the genus Lasius in South Korea"
2012
M.S. Dong "The Ant Fauna of Mt. Gyeyang-san, Korea"
Oral Presentation
2019
Morphological comparison of the monotypic ant genera Dacatria and Proatta with a brief ecological note of Dacatria templaris / KYE session, Entomological Society of America, November 12
2019
Current status of fossil ants in Korea  in Korean journal of Applied Entomology, October 24-25.
2018
Importance of ant male genitalia in Formicidae in The Entomological Society of Korea, June 7.
Poster Presentation
2020
Taxonomic study on Aphaenogaster lepida with closely resembling species, A. tipuna. Korean journal of Applied Entomology, May 25
2019
Review of genus Aphaenogaster Mayr, 1853 from Korea. ANet (International Network for the Study of Asian Ants) November 11-15
2018
Morphological comparison of the male genitalia of Formica fusca group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Korea. Korean journal of Applied Entomology, October 24
2018
The guests of Korean ants: A First Record of genus Scydmaenus from Korea. The Entomological Society of Korea, June 7
2018
First record of gyne fossil Aphaenogaster (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) from Eastern Palaearctic Region. Korean journal of Applied Entomology
2017
First Record of Myrmecophile Millipede from Korea. Korean journal of Applied Entomology, October 26-27
2017
Taxonomic study and comparison of Strumigenys kumadori with closely resembling species, S. lewisi in Korea. The Entomological Society of Korea, June 1-2
Research Experience
2022
Research Assistant, Discovery of invertebrate species from unexplored habitats / NIBR (National Institute of Biological Resources), Korea 
2020 
Research Assistant, Species distribution modeling on invasive ant species (Anoplolepis gracilipes and Paratrechina longicornis) and developing diagnosis method on the sister species / APQA (Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Korea)
2020 
Research Assistant, Study of environmentally important species / NIBR (National Institute of Biological Resources), Korea
2018-2019
Research Assistant, Research of Ecological Risk Assessment and Import Permission Required Unintroduced Species / National Institute of Ecology, Korea
2017-2019
Research Assistant, Insect Mediated Relevance Study of fire blight / Chungbuk National University, Korea
2018
Research Assistant, Natural Resources Research / Korea national park research institute, Korea
2018-2019
Research Assistant, Diffusion Modeling for Two Invasive Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta, S. geminata) in Korea /APQA (Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Korea)
2017-2019
Research Assistant, Development of customized quarantine pest management technology for each country of asparagus / Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry, Korea
Invited lecture
2024
Invited talk in the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Germany (1 hour)
2023
(Internal seminar) Phyletic museum, 30 minutes
2022
(Seminar) Lecture for undergraguate studenss, Cheonbuk National University, Korea, 1 hour
2020
(Seminar) Super-macro photography and 3D visualization in entomology,  KYE, 1 hour
2020
For expert group, Korea Insect Pet Contest, Seoul, Korea
2019
For middle school students,  Gong-Hang Middle School, Incheon, Korea, 2 hours
2019
For children, Boramae Park, Seoul, Korea, 1 hour
2019
For citizens, Gwacheon National Science Museum, Korea, 1 hour
2018
For citizens, National Ecological Institute, Korea, 2 hours
2017
For citizens, Gwacheon National Science Museum, Korea, 1 hour
Consulting & Outsourcing
2019
EBS Documentary "ANTS: The Secret Empire 1~2 Link". 18~19. Feb. 2019
2018
EBS Documentary "The World of Millimeter 1~2 Link". 4~5. Jun. 2018
2019
Outsourcing: Pesticide research on Tapinoma melanocephalum, Pharmcle Co., Ltd. 2019
Exhibition
2019~2020
Providing pictures and specimens for the ant exhibition held in Gwacheon National Science Museum, Korea
Conference
2020
SACNAS conference: Attended as a mentee on 1-1 mentoring program: Mentor: Prof. Corrie Moreau, Cornell University
Media coverage
TV
2018 YTN science "Young Ecologist" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTsJFo1p-s0)
Web
2019 Maeil Business News, Korea (https://www.mk.co.kr/news/society/view/2019/01/1240/)
 
2018 Dong-a Science, Korea  (http://dongascience.donga.com/news/view/22222)
 
2017 Neighborhood Scientist (http://www.astronomer.rocks/news/articleView.html?idxno=83385)
 
2017 Gangwon People's Daily (http://www.kado.net/?mod=news&act=articleView&idxno=885616)
 
2017 Gangwon Daily (http://www.kwnews.co.kr/nview.asp?s=601&aid=217081000083)
 
2017 Gangwon People's Daily (http://www.kado.net/?mod=news&act=articleView&idxno=863779)
 Magazine
2018 Children's Science Dong-A (https://m.post.naver.com/viewer/postView.nhn?volumeNo=16849400&memberNo=9406188&vType=VERTICAL)
 
2018 KNU Magazine (College Magazine)
 
2018 Science Dong-A
Radio
2023 Kimoujoon Audio Magazine “Look at this bug” (https://youtu.be/OWo1hwp92_o?si=z4ATStBs-Nt6qvaS)
2017 MBC (Chuncheon) (https://chmbc.co.kr/programme/5D80Ht0hBUpHgIGj-dhSJ)
Field Experience
2023
Indonesia (Sulawesi, Borneo, Sumatra), March 02-17
2022
Kenya, Oct 08-15
2022
USA (Oregon) July 04-11
2022
Singapore
2020
Peru (Iquitos, Amazon), February 20 – March 01
2020
Taiwan (Taipei), February 10-15
2019
Thailand (Bangkok), November 11-15
2019
Russia (Vladivostok), August 26-29
2019
Laos (Vientian), May 26-31
2019
Japan (Tsushima), June 05-09
2018
Japan (Okinawa), November 14-17
Volunteer Work
2018~2020
Mentor of Citizen Science (Earth Love Explorer), Children's Science Dong-A, Link
2013~2014
Insect Docent in NIBR (National Institute of Biological Resources), Korea
Military Service
2020~2022
Secretary of Lieutenant general, Korea Military Academy Service Supporting Corps, Seoul, Korea 
Skills
 
Basic phylogenetics: Biopython, R (basic), Mega, RAxML
Geometric morphometrics: MorphoJ, Geomorph (basic)
Macro photography and video editing: Adobe Photoshop (proficient), After Effects, Premiere pro, Zerene stacker, Helicon focus
Scientific 3D visualization and animating, computer graphic: Z-brush (proficient), Adobe Substance Painter, Autodesk Maya (proficient), Unity, Octane render, Amira (basic), Blender (proficient)
Basic machine learning and programming: Python (basic), SLEAP (pose tracking), Computer vision (object detecting)
‌‌Drone control, Scientific drawing,

Mentoring in Citizen Science for kids

In ANet with Prof. Seiki Yamane 

In ANet with Dr. Meenakshi,  Dr. Himender and Dr.. Akihiro

‌Presentation in Korean journal of Applied Entomology

‌Best Poster Presentation Award‌

In KNU Magazine

Best Insect Photography Award

Talent Award of Korea

Competition winning in KYE session, ESA 

Field work in Peruvian amazon

Field work in Okinawa, Japan

Presentation in Citizen Science