Michael Zirpoli
"More about Morels"
Michael Scott Zirpoli is a mycologist and science educator living and working in Olympia, Washington. Michael is currently working as a researcher, lab assistant and teaching assistant at The Evergreen State College. Michael's personal research work has been funded by grants from The Stuntz Foundation and The Puget Sound Mycological Society and in 2018 he was the recipient of The Mike Beug Scholarship. Michael is passionate about education and preserving Evergreen's legacy in the Mycological community. Working with Paul Przybylowicz, Michael helped to build The Evergreen Culture Collection isolating over 150 unique fungi from natural settings, providing the school with an invaluable resource for future mycology work. During the course of his time at Evergreen Michael became enamored with morels and has spent close to four years tirelessly studying them in both the lab and in the field.
Michael's current research is focused on morels, studying their taxonomic distribution, ecology, biology and their potential for cultivation. His work has involved DNA analysis, cultural analysis, field collection of over 150 unique specimens, and attempts at indoor and outdoor cultivation. Michael will be presenting on the taxonomic distribution of morels with a focus on North American morels, especially those found in Wisconsin. He will share tips and tricks for hunting morels learned from his time in the field in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and will compare and contrast habitat and distribution between the PNW and the Midwest.
Michael Scott Zirpoli is a mycologist and science educator living and working in Olympia, Washington. Michael is currently working as a researcher, lab assistant and teaching assistant at The Evergreen State College. Michael's personal research work has been funded by grants from The Stuntz Foundation and The Puget Sound Mycological Society and in 2018 he was the recipient of The Mike Beug Scholarship. Michael is passionate about education and preserving Evergreen's legacy in the Mycological community. Working with Paul Przybylowicz, Michael helped to build The Evergreen Culture Collection isolating over 150 unique fungi from natural settings, providing the school with an invaluable resource for future mycology work. During the course of his time at Evergreen Michael became enamored with morels and has spent close to four years tirelessly studying them in both the lab and in the field.
Michael's current research is focused on morels, studying their taxonomic distribution, ecology, biology and their potential for cultivation. His work has involved DNA analysis, cultural analysis, field collection of over 150 unique specimens, and attempts at indoor and outdoor cultivation. Michael will be presenting on the taxonomic distribution of morels with a focus on North American morels, especially those found in Wisconsin. He will share tips and tricks for hunting morels learned from his time in the field in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and will compare and contrast habitat and distribution between the PNW and the Midwest.
