Graduate Students

• Phylogenomics
• Systematics (Taxonomy)
• Evolutionary Biology
• Biogeography
• Ethnobotany
• Ecology
• Biodiversity Conservation
• Morphology and herbarium studies

• Disease ecology
• Vector ecology

I study the evolutionary history of polyploid plants, with a particular focus on ferns. My research uses genomics and phylogenetics to investigate how polyploidy shapes diversification, adaptation, and species relationships. Currently, I am working on the fern family Cystopteridaceae as a model system to understand these processes.

My current research is focused on the detection of winter ticks and arterial worms to inform moose management. Broadly, I am interested in wildlife conservation and management, community ecology, and disease ecology.

• Plant Molecular Biology
• Plant Reproduction
• Floral Genetics
• Metabolite Profiling
• Gene Validation

My current projects include investigating how Pogonomymrex ants respond to drought conditions and hybridization between species across the landscape. Generally, how genetics and the environment interact to influence animal behavior and evolution

My research focuses on the impacts of climate change on plant phenology and floral microbiomes. Broadly, I am interested in understanding how species interactions are shaped by the context they happen in.

I am interested in vector and disease ecology, with my PhD focused on mosquito population genetics, hybridization, and blood-feeding patterns. My research aims to better understand the transmission dynamics of diseases such as West Nile virus.

Beatriz' research focus on how ecological modeling can serve as a tool to understand the effects of global change drivers on the composition and structure of tropical forests, and how these changes influence broader socio-ecological systems. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Campinas (Brazil), where she collaborated with the AmazonFACE project to identify species in the study area with known uses for food, medicine, or materials, and to evaluate their potential future distributions under climate change scenarios.

Other reseach interests: mathematical modeling, nature's contribution to people, socio-ecological systems.

My current research is rooted in Conservation Biology. I have four ongoing projects that fall under the umbrella of Museum genomics but take two different directions: 1. Documenting Biodiversity Loss through extinct species and 2. Conservation of at-risk species. I use extinct species and museum genomic methods to understand why species went extinct and to inform ongoing and future conservation efforts. I currently use the Xerces blue and Lotis blue butterflies. The second branch of my research works with both contemporary and museum samples of extant species to inform ongoing conservation efforts. I work with the Hermes copper and Sand mountain blue butterflies in this context.

Areas of Interest:

• Museum genomics
• Conservation
• Evolutionary genomics and ecology

Her research centers on engineering silk-like and hagfish intermediate filament proteins to create biomaterials tailored for specific applications. She designs proteins with defined mechanical properties and biological functions, with projects ranging from developing matrices that support neural regeneration to creating sustainable alternatives to synthetic polymers.

My research primarily focuses on transgenerational immunity and its impact on neonatal physiology using Children’s pythons (Antaresia childreni). I am also interested in describing reptilian humoral immunity by comparing the kinetics of the response between taxa.

I am a PhD student in the French lab. My research interests include reptile physiology and life-history, and how climate change and human impacts alter physiological function. I plan to measure metabolic rate in side-blotched lizards both out in the field and in the lab to determine the costs of tail regeneration and the impact of urban development on energy allocation. Reptiles are consistently underrepresented in conservation research, so I hope to improve our understanding of reptile physiology to aid conservation efforts.

I will be studying integrated pest and pollinator management in alfalfa seed production. More broadly, I am interested in pollination ecology, agricultural entomology, and bees.

I study native mason bees, and I am interested in how herbivory affects pollinator foraging preferences.

• Past projects include the examination of the cephalic morphology of limaxivorous snakes.
• Current areas of interest include using microCT to look comparatively at the vascular morphology of snake skin.

My research interests center on snake biology, with a focus on their conservation, as well as the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. I’m also passionate about ecology, anatomy, and morphological adaptations in reptiles.

My research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of nectar sugar biosynthesis and secretion. My current project uses transcriptional and biochemical approaches to study nectar production in blueberry. My long-term goal is to investigate how nectar metabolites influence plant–pollinator interactions and regulate yield.

I am interested in the evolutionary relationships and biogeography of insects, specifically the wasp family Sapygidae.

• Pollinator Extension
• Solitary bees
• Berry pollination
• Mason bee adult plasticity
• IPPM

• Plant- animal interactions
• Seed dispersal
• Plant ecology
• Chemical ecology
• Science communication

• Sensory perception and cognition in non-human animals
• Olfactory communication in mammals
• Adaptive value of social behaviors
• Neuroethology
• Behavioral ecology
• Science communication

• Biogeochemistry
• Stream Ecology
• Aquatic Carbon Cycling
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Freshwater Salinization

• Plant-pollinator-microbe interactions
• Microbial ecology
• Chemical ecology
• GC-MS
• Biocontrol

Quantifying dispersal of Osmia bee species in commercial and wildland environments using novel DNA extraction methods of larval cocoons

My research focuses on the diversity, evolution, and conservation of native bees in the desert Southwest. I study the genus Perdita, using molecular tools such as DNA barcoding, ultraconserved elements (UCEs), and whole-genome sequencing to address questions in phylogenomics, phylogeography, and conservation genomics. My dissertation integrates biodiversity surveys, evolutionary analysis, and population genomics to better understand bee diversity and inform conservation of understudied taxa.

• Molecular ecology
• Conservation genomics
• Phylogenomics and systematics
• Phylogeography
• Biodiversity surveys using traditional and molecular approaches

I am currently studying the nematode microbiota and am interested in interactions between commensal bacteria, hosts, and parasites.

Passionate about entomology since childhood, I initially focused my interest on beetles before turning my attention to wasps. What fascinates me most about insects is their incredible diversity, whether genetic, behavioral, or taxonomic. After earning a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Geneva and a master's degree in animal conservation and sustainable agriculture from the University of Neuchâtel, I spent three years deepening my experience in entomology through positions at ETH Zurich and the University of Hong Kong, as well as several internships in different countries. These opportunities allowed me to study insects from many angles, both in the field and in collections. I am currently working on the wonderful Scoliidae family, which has fascinated me for several years. These parasitoid wasps of beetles exhibit striking sexual dimorphism, play key ecological roles, and show fascinating evolution, but remain largely understudied. This leaves many captivating questions unanswered, which I am eager to explore.

• Ecology
• Evolution of Plant Reproduction

I love all things in nature and science. Current project on aphid taxonomy with future plans to continue teaching. Learning Lives Forever.

• Pedagogy
• Entomology
• Evolution
• Genetics

My research focuses on the molecular underpinnings of pain modulation. I am studying enkephalinergic projections in the brain and their role in regulating pain, with an emphasis on sex differences and translational implications. In the future, I plan to explore circuit-level mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for chronic pain.

• Neuroscience
• Neuropharmacology
• Receptor-mediated signaling
• Pain research

I am interested in investigating how the abiotic and biotic environment shape plant traits. I currently study how the combined effects of drought stress and herbivore diet breadth shape traits influencing resistance to herbivory in a native annual forb species.

My background and areas of interest are in conservation biology, species management (invasive and indigenous) and climate change science amongst Small Island Developing States (SIDS). I am going to be doing research in the French Lab, focusing on the climate stress factors impacting the Bahamian Rock Iguanas in the Bahamas for implementation of policy and biological management.

• Wildlife Conservation
• Computational Biology

• Cyanobacteria formations in freshwater bodies
• Human Anatomy in all it's glorious complexities
• Anything Biology related, I would love to hear about it!

• Hybridization
• Herbivory
• Pollination
• Evolution and ecology
• Plant insect interactions
• Knitting

• Population Genetics
• Ecology
• Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management
• Conservation Biology

• Cartilage regeneration
• Protein structure and engineering
• Biomaterials

• Characterization of solitary bee silk and cocoons
• Recombinant expression of fibrous proteins
• Protein-based biomaterial formation and characterization

I study the impacts of climate change on wild bee social behavior. Specifically, I am investigating the physiological and transcriptomic mechanisms underlying temperature-induced behavior change.