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Alexander Abair
Received Ph.D in Summer 2022

  • Major Advisor: Pam Soltis
  • Research Interests: Plant systematics and phylogenomics with a focus on the mint family (Lamiaceae)

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Sarah Allen
Received Ph.D. in 2017

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Prabha Amarasinghe
Received Ph.D.

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David Anderson
Received Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Jamie Gillooly
  • Research Interests: Physiology, climate change, theoretical ecology

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Carson Arends
Received M.S. (Spring 2022)

  • Major Advisor: Hannah Vander Zanden
  • Interests: Conservation Biology, Stable Isotope Ecology, and Niche Partitioning of Sea Turtles in St. Joe Bay, FL

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Ian Ausprey
Ian Ausprey
Received Ph.D. (Spring 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Scott Robinson
  • Interests: Avian ecology, tropical biology, landscape ecology, conservation biology

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Leslie S. Babonis
Received Ph.D. in 2011

  • Major Advisors: David H. Evans, Martin J. Cohn
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, Whitney Lab for Marine Bioscience
  • Research Interests: Evolution, development, and the origin of novelty
  • Contact: babonis@whitney.ufl.edu
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Kevin Baldwin
Received Ph.D. in 1999

  • Major Advisor: Lou Guillette
  • Current Position: Professor of Biology, Monmouth College
  • Research Interests: I am primarily interested in how parasites affect the physiology and behavior of their hosts. I am also interested in how psychotropic pharmaceuticals (e.g., SSRI’s) affect the behavior of aquatic organisms. Teaching duties include Human Anatomy and Physiology, Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, Parasitology, and non-majors Biology (among others). I have also taught Honors courses on Corn and the Mississippi River.
  • Link: Monmouth College  •  Haldeman-Thiessen Science Center
  • Contact: kbaldwin@monmouthcollege.edu

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Michael Belitz

Received Ph.D. (Summer 2023)

  • Email: mbelitz@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Butterfly conservation, biogeography, and spatiotemporal modeling.
  • Advisor: Robert Guralnick

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Meghan Bentz
Meghan Bentz
Received Master of Science in 2017

  • Major Advisor: Marta Wayne
  • Research Interests: Host-parasite interactons, disease ecology, microbiology
  • Link: Bentz Research

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Gabriela Blohm
Received Ph.D. in 2017

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Dimitri Blondel
Received Master of Science in 2006 and Ph.D. in 2013

  • Major Advisors: Steve Phelps, Colette St. Mary, H. Jane Brockmann
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, Duke University
  • Research Interests: Behavioral ecology, mechanisms of social behavior, behavioral endocrinology, science education, conservation biology. Study systems: prairie voles, meerkats.
  • Contact: Dimitri.Blondel AT Duke period edu

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Lucas Boatwright
Received Ph.D. in 2018

  • Major Advisor: William Barbazuk
  • Research Interests: Non-model transcriptome assembly, differential expression and functional annotation

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Nicole Botteri
Nicole Botteri
Received Ph.D. in Fall of 2014

  • Major Advisor: Louis Guillette
  • Research Interests: Developmental and reproductive physiology

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Frank Bouchard
Received Ph.D. in 2012

  • Major Advisor: Marta Wayne
  • Current Position: National Ecological Observatory Network Tower Technician at Battelle Ecology
  • Research Interests: Conservation biology, remote sensing, long-term data, environmental change, biogeochemistry, carbon cycling
  • Contact: fabouchard@gmail.com

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David Boyd
Received M.S. (Fall 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Larry Page
  • Interests: Systematics and biogeography of Southeast Asian freshwater fishes

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Laura Brenskelle

Pronouns: she/her/hers
Received Ph.D. (Fall 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Robert Guralnick
  • Research Interests: Biodiversity informatics and scientific data management

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Caitlin Campbell
Caitlin Campbell
Pronouns: she/her
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2023)

  • Email: caitlincampbell@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Animal migration and aeroecology, quantitative modeling, bat conservation, stable isotope ecology
  • Advisor: Hannah Vander Zanden
  • Link: Caitlin Campbell

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Vincent Cannataro
Received Ph.D. in Spring 2016

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Sarah Carey
Sarah Carey
Received Ph.D.

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Nathan Catlin
Nathan Catlin
Received Ph.D. (Fall 2020)

  • Major Advisor: William Barbazuk
  • Research Interests: Comparative genomics, phylogenomics, polyploidy

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Carol Chaffee
Received Ph.D. in 2013

  • Major Advisor: Marta Wayne
  • Current Position: Biology 101 Coordinator & Full-time Lecturer, California State University Fullerton
  • Research Interests: Population genetics, especially the effects of reproductive mode on gene flow; biology education & student learning
  • Contact: cchaffee@fullerton.edu

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Tania Chavarria
Tania Chavarria
Received Ph.D. in 2018

  • Major Advisor: Rebecca Kimball
  • Research Interests: Population genetics and adaptive variation in Mangrove Warblers in Costa Rica

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Shweta Chhajed
Shweta Chhajed
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2022)

  • Major Advisor: Sixue Chen
  • Research Interests: Glucosinolate metabolism, stomatal defense, guard cell signalling, plant pathogen interaction proteomics, metabolomics and plant molecular biology

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Stephanie Cinkovich
Received Ph.D. in 2018

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Paul Corogin
Paul Corogin
Received Ph.D. in 2015

  • Major Advisor: Walter Judd
  • Research Interests: Systematics of vascular plants; biology of the genus Sideroxylon in North America

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Ondi Crino
Received Master of Science in 2008

  • Major Advisor: Steve Phelps
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate at Deakin University
  • Research Interests: Stress physiology, animal behaviour, avian ecology, endocrinology, Australian ecology, surfing, and the lindy hop
  • Link: Ondi Crino, PhD
  • Contact: ondicrino@gmail.com

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Tim Crombie
Received Ph.D. in 2015

  • Major Advisor: David Julian
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, UF Department of Biology
  • Research Interests: Stress physiology, evolution and phenotypic variation

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Andrew Crowl
Andrew Crowl
Received Ph.D. in 2017

  • Major Advisor: Nicoletta Cellinese
  • Research Interests: Plant phylogenetics and Mediterranean biogeography

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Lori Cruze
Received Ph.D. in 2011

  • Major Advisor: Louis J. Guillette, Jr.
  • Current Position: Assistant Professor, Wofford College
  • Research Interests: Evolution, development, and reproductive physiology
  • Contact: cruzel@wofford.edu

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Katrina Cuddy
Katrina Cuddy
Received Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: David Oppenheimer
  • Research Interests: Cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, actin dynamics, membrane trafficking, protein-protein interactions

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Lisa David
Received Ph.D. (May 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Sixue Chen
  • Research Interests: Plant molecular biology, guard cell signaling networks, plant pathogen interactions, proteomics, and metabolomics

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Zachary Emberts
Zachary Emberts
Received Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Colette St. Mary
  • Research Interests: Conflict between natural and sexual selection, mate choice, and male-male competition.

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Nathaniel Evans
Received Ph.D. in 2017

  • Major Advisor: Gustav Paulay
  • Research Interests: Evolutionary history of marine invertebrates, especially crustaceans. Systematics, biogeography, speciation and morphological evolution
  • Link: Nathaniel Evans

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Jessica Farrell
Received Ph.D. Spring 2022

  • Office: Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience · St. Augustine, FL
  • Major Advisor: David J Duffy
  • Interests:Sea turtle fibropapillomatosis and eDNA detection of endangered species and their wildlife pathogens. Immunohistochemical and molecular analysis of oncological tumours and wildlife infectious diseases. Population genetics for marine wildlife conservation.

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Linda Fink
Received Master of Science in 1984 and Ph.D. in 1989

  • Major Advisor: H.J. Brockmann
  • Current Position: Duberg Professor of Ecology, Sweet Briar College
  • Research Interests: Ecology, insect biology, conservation biology
  • Link: Sweet Briar College

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Adania Flemming
Received Master of Science 2018

  • Major Advisor: Larry Page
  • Research Interests: Systematics, biogeography, speciation, and biology of fishes & invertebrates

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Pauline Fontaine
Received Ph.D. from UF in 2017

  • Major Advisor: Keith Choe
  • Current Position: Post-Doc at University of Florida, Department of Biology
  • Research Interests: Animal Biology
  • Contact: pfontaine@ufl.edu

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Nicolas Garcia
Nicolas Garcia
Received Ph.D. in 2015

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Mike Gil
Received Ph.D. in Fall 2015

  • Major Advisor: Craig Osenberg
  • Current Position: NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow
  • Research Interests: Community and behavioral ecology, conservation, and mass science communication
  • Link 1: Mike Gil, Ph.D.
  • Link 2: SCI ALL
  • Contact: mikegil@sciall.org

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Thomas Gillespie
Received Master of Science in 2000 and Ph.D. in 2004

  • Major Advisor: Colin Chapman
  • Current Position: Associate Professor, Emory University
  • Research Interests: Disease Ecology, Tropical Biology, Conservation Biology
  • Link: Gillespie Lab | Home
  • Contact: thomas.gillespie@emory.edu

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Grant Godden
Grant Godden
Received Ph.D. in 2014

  • Major Advisor: Pamela Soltis
  • Current Position: Visiting Research Associate, Michigan State University
  • Research Interests: Plant Genomics
  • Contact Information: goddengr@msu.edu

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Juan Pablo Gomez-Echeverri
Received Ph.D. in Spring 2016

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Elizabeth Gordon
Received Master of Science in 2018

  • Major Advisor: David Julian
  • Research Interests: Human physiology, fetal microbiome

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Harlan Gough
Harlan Gough
Received Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Akito Y. Kawahara
  • Research Interests: Evolutionary biology and population genetics

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Marissa Gredler
Marissa Gredler
Received Ph.D. in 2015

  • Major Advisor: Martin Cohn
  • Research Interests: Developmental genetics and morphogenesis

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Ayress Grinage
Ayress Grinage
Received M.S.

  • Major Advisor: Lucas Majure
  • Research Interests: Sabal palms, monocot systematics, speciation, tropical conservation

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Travis Guy
Received Master of Science in 2017

  • Major Advisor: Todd Palmer
  • Research Interests: Community ecology, anthropogenic effects on ecosystems, and conservation management

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Rebecca Hale
Received Ph.D. in 2006

  • Major Advisors: Colette St. Mary and Craig Osenberg
  • Current Position: Associate Professor, University of North Carolina Asheville
  • Research Interests: Life history evolution, parental care evolution, maintenance of polymorphisms.
  • Link: rebecca.e.hale
  • Contact: rhale@unca.edu

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Kin-Lan Han
Received Ph.D. in Summer 2016

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Natya Hans
Natya Hans
Received Ph.D. (Spring 2022)

  • Major Advisor: John (Gordon) Burleigh
  • Interests: Computational Biology, Macroevolutionary modeling, Phylogenetics and Genomics

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Arianna Harrington
Arianna Harrington
Received Master of Science in Spring 2015

  • Major Advisor: Jonathan Bloch
  • Research Interests: Paleontology, comparative anatomy, evolutionary morphology

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Justin Havird
Received Master of Science in 2008

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Alexandra Hernandez
Pronouns: she/her/ella
Received Ph.D. (Fall 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Joseph Ryan
  • Research Interests: Evolution of marine invertebrates, phylogenetics, and bioinformatics

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Ana Herrera
Received Ph.D. in 2013

  • Major Advisor: Martin Cohn
  • Research Interests: Developmental biology

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Fabiany Herrera
Received Ph.D. in 2014

  • Major Advisor: Steven R. Manchester
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Chicago Botanic Garden
  • Research Interests: The evolutionary origin of the tropical rainforests and angiosperm plant lineages. Paleobiogeographic and paleoclimatic history of the Cenozoic, especially in the Neotropics and North America. Integrated paleobotanical and neobotanical studies of plant diversity and evolution. The study of mesofossils from the early Cretaceous of Asia to improve understanding of the timing of events in seed plant evolution.
  • Contact: fherrera@chicagobotanic.org

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Joan Herrera
Received Ph.D. in 1998

  • Major Advisor: Larry McEdward
  • Current Position: Instructor of Biological Sciences University of South Florida St. Petersburg
  • Research Interests: Larval ecology and life history evolution, systematics of echinoderms, and natural history collections
  • Link: http://www.usfsp.edu/biology/our-faculty/
  • Contact: jcherrera@mail.usf.edu

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Richard Hodel
Received Ph.D. in 2018

  • Major Advisor: Douglas Soltis
  • Current Position: Postdoc in the Knowles Lab | Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan
  • Research Interests: Phylogeography, population genetics and conservation genetics of neotropical mangroves (Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, Rhizophora mangle)
  • Link: Richard Hodel
  • Contact: hodelr@umich.edu

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Lauren Holian
Lauren Holian
Degree Program: _

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Sharon Holte
Received Ph.D. in 2018

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Peter Houlihan
Peter Houlihan
Received M.S. in 2018

  • Major Advisor: Akito Kawahara
  • Research Interests: Behavioral ecology, Evolutionary processes, Biogeography, Tropical ecosystems and conservation
  • Link: Peter R. Houlihan

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Cody Howard
Cody Howard
Received Ph.D.

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Angkana Huang
Angkana Huang
Received Ph.D. (Fall 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Derek Cummings
  • Research Interests: Evolutionary dynamics of infectious diseases in relation to human interventions

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Ping Huang
Ping Huang
Received Ph.D. in Spring 2016

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Tongyi Huang
Received Ph.D. in 2019

  • Major Advisor: Jeremy Lichstein
  • Research Interests: Terrestrial ecosystem dynamics

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Indah Huegele
Indah Huegele
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2023)

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Ellen Humbel
Ellen Humbel
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Received Ph.D.

  • Email: ehumbel@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Courtship behavior, signal complexity, and the evolution of coloration and vision in jumping spiders
  • Advisors: Rebecca Kimball, Lisa Taylor

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Lianne Jacobson
Received Ph.D. in 2018

  • Major Advisor: Craig Osenberg
  • Research Interests: The evolution of coloniality and the growth dynamics of corals

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Johanna Jantzen
Johanna Jantzen
Received Ph.D.

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Jing Jiao
Received Ph.D. in 2018

  • Major Advisor: Craig Osenberg
  • Research Interests: Spatial and Theoretical Ecology

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Christopher Johns
Received Ph.D. in 2018

  • Major Advisor: Akito Kawahara
  • Research Interests: Phylogenomics, plant-insect interactions, insular biogeography, tropical biodiversity conservation
  • Link: Chris A. Johns
  • Contact: johns.chris.a@gmail.com

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Lindsay Johnson
Received M.S.

  • Major Advisor: Charles Baer
  • Research Interests: Evolutionary and Population Genetics

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Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson
Received Ph.D. in 2019

  • Major Advisor: Karen Bjorndal
  • Research Interests: Ecology of sea turtles, role of sea turtles in new habitats

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Harrison Jones
Received Ph.D.

  • Major Advisors: Todd Palmer, Scott Robinson
  • Research Interests: Avian mixed-species foraging flocks in fragmented landscapes, behavioral ecology, conservation behavior, ornithology, and tropical ecology

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Gregory Jongsma
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2022)

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Joanna Joyner-Matos
Received Ph.D. in Zoology, 2007

  • Major Advisor: David Julian
  • Current Position: Associate Professor of Biology, Eastern Washington University
  • Research Interests: Ecophysiology and stress physiology
  • Link: Joanna Joyner-Matos

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Barry Kaminsky
Received Master of Science in Spring 2016

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Rachel Keeffe
Rachel Keeffe
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2022)

  • Interests: Morphology, evolution, systematics, amphibians
  • Major Advisor: David Blackburn

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John Kilmer
John “Andy” Kilmer
Received Ph.D. in 2014

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Taliesin Joaquin Kinser
Taliesin Joaquin Kinser
Received Ph.D.

  • Email: tkinser@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Phylogenetic diversity, climate change impacts on plant biodiversity patterns, conservation
  • Advisor: Doug Soltis

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Bonnie Kircher
Bonnie Kircher
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Spring 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Martin Cohn
  • Research Interests: Evolutionary Developmental Biology

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Rebecca Koll
Received Ph.D. in 2019

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Leslie Kollar
Leslie Kollar
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Fall 2020)

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Hope Klug
Received Ph.D. in 2007

  • Major Advisor: H. Jane Brockmann
  • Current Position: UC Foundation Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee — Chattanooga
  • Research Interests: Evolutionary and Behavioral Ecology, Parental Care, Mating Dynamics, Evolutionary Traps
  • Web: Klug Lab
  • Contact: hope-klug@utc.edu

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Christopher Krieg
Christopher Krieg
Degree Program: Ph.D.

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Ambuj Kumar
Ambuj Kumar
Received Ph.D. in Summer 2016

  • Major Advisor: Rebecca Kimball
  • Research Interests: Molecular Dynamics and Evolution

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Jacob Landis
Received Ph.D. in Summer 2016

  • Major Advisor: Pamela Soltis
  • Current Position: NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California Riverside | Department of Botany and Plant Sciences
  • Research Interests: Evolutionary Genomics of barley
  • Link: Jacob B. Landis
  • Contact: jlandis@ucr.edu

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Alexis Lanza
Degree Program: Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Elaine Seaver
  • Research Interests: Larval development in marine invertebrates; environmental effects on development

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Francisca Leal
Francisca Leal
Received Ph.D. in 2018

  • Office:
  • Email: fleal@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Evolutionary developmental biology
  • Advisor: Martin Cohn

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Kelsey Lewis
Kelsey Lewis
Degree Program: Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Martin Cohn
  • Research Interests: Evolutionary developmental biology, developmental biology
  • Link: Kelsey Lewis

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Chuwei Lin
Chuwei Lin
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Summer 2022)

  • Interests: Proteins involved in stomata movement during stresses
  • Major Advisor: Alice Harmon

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Xiaoxian Liu
Degree Program: Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Douglas Soltis
  • Research Interests: Plant evolution, polyploidy, and alternative splicing

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Melania C. Lopez-Castro
Received Ph.D. in 2013

  • Major Advisor: Karen A. Bjorndal
  • Current Position: Coordinator of the Sea Turtle Conservation Program. Pronatura Peninsula de Yucatan, A.C.
  • Research Interests: Sea turtle biology and conservation.
  • Contact: melanialopez0980@gmail.com

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Elias Lunsford
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Summer 2022)

  • Interests: Navigation behavior of fishes, sensory biology, and neuroethology
  • Major Advisor: James Liao

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Lucas C. Majure
Received Ph.D. in 2012

  • Major Advisors: Douglas E. Soltis, Walter S. Judd
  • Current Position: Biologist of New World Succulents, Desert Botanical Garden
  • Research Interests: Biogeography, floristics, morphological plasticity in plants, polyploidy, reticulate evolution, systematics, with special interests in Cactaceae, Melastomataceae, and the Caribbean Flora.
  • Link: Majure Lab
  • Contact: lmajure@dbg.org

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Blaine Marchant
Blaine Marchant
Received Ph.D. in 2018

 

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Peter May
Received Ph.D. in Zoology in 1985

  • Major Advisor: Carmine Lanciani
  • Current Position: Professor, Biology Dept., Stetson University
  • Research Interests: Vertebrate natural history, insect ecology
  • Link: Volusia Naturalist
  • Contact: pmay@stetson.edu

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Shannon McCauley
Received Master of Science in 1997

  • Major Advisor: Karen Bjorndal
  • Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga
  • Research Interests: Freshwater community ecology
  • Link: McCauley Lab
  • Contact: shannon.mccauley@utoronto.ca

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Simon McClung
Received Master of Science in 2017

  • Major Advisor: Michelle Mack
  • Research Interests: Forest Ecosystem Ecology

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Sarah McGrath
Sarah McGrath-Blaser
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2023)

  • Email: sarah.mcgrath@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Herpetology, Microbial Ecology, Disease Ecology
  • Advisor: Ana Longo

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William McKendree
Received Ph.D. in 1991

  • Major Advisor: Rob Ferl
  • Current Position: Program Manager, USAF
  • Research Interests: Application of biological molecules, organisms, and systems to the detection of materials.
  • Contact: william.mckendree@us.af.mil

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Wenbin Mei
Wenbin Mei
Received Ph.D. in Spring 2016

  • Major Advisor: William Barbazuk
  • Research Interests: Comparative genomics, alternative splicing, phylogenomics

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Paula Mejia-Velasquez
Paula Mejia-Velasquez
Received Ph.D. in 2015

  • Major Advisor: Steven Manchester
  • Research Interests: Paleobotany and paleopalynology

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Anthony Melton
Anthony Melton
Degree Program: Ph.D.

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François Michonneau
François Michonneau
Received Ph.D. in 2014

  • Major Advisor: Gustav Paulay
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral researcher at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience at the University of Florida
  • Research Interests: Systematics, evolution and ecology of marine invertebrates
  • Link: François Michonneau

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Patrick Milligan
Patrick Milligan
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Fall 2020)

  • Major Advisor: Todd Palmer
  • Research Interests: Carbon dynamics and plant physiology in East African savannas
  • Link: Savanna Ecology

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Mrinal Mishra
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Fall 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Michael Miyamoto
  • Research Interests: Molecular Systematics, Phylogenetics and Bioinformatics

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Iwan Molgo
Received Ph.D. in 2018

  • Major Advisors: Pamela Soltis, Douglas Soltis
  • Research Interests: Systematics of Vascular plants and polyploidy in the Callisia graminea complex

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Luis Montalvo
Received Ph.D.

  • Office: FMNH · Dickinson Hall
  • Email: ldmontalvo@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Community ecology, avian ecology, landscape ecology
  • Advisor: Scott Robinson

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Jenna Moore
Jenna Moore
Degree Program: Ph.D.

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Vanessa Muhl
Vanessa Muhl
Degree Program: M.S. (Summer 2022)

  • Interests: Cell & molecular biology. Cell & molecular adaptations of different organism, such as C. teleta and C. elegans , to environmental stressors; and its effect on physiological activities.
  • Major Advisor: David Julian

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Andre Naranjo
Degree Program: Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Pamela Soltis
  • Research Interests: Comparative Phylogeography, Conservation and Population Genetics

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Felicity Newell
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Spring 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Scott Robinson
  • Research Interests: Avian ecology, tropical ecology, forest ecology

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Patrick Norby
Received Master of Science 2017

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Jessica A. Oswald
Received Ph.D. in 2014

  • Major Advisor: David Steadman
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Florida
  • Research Interests: Ornithology, historical diversity and distributions, paleontology, phylogenetics, hybridization
  • Link: http://jessicaoswald.weebly.com/
  • Contact: oswaldj3@gmail.com

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Danielle Palow
Danielle Palow
Received Ph.D. in 2011

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Akanksha Pandey
Degree Program: Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Edward Braun
  • Research Interests: Phylogenetics

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John Yong Park
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Fall 2020)

  • Major Advisor: Jeremy Lichstein
  • Research Interests: Terrestrial ecosystem, forest ecosystem, global climate change, phenology, near-surface remote sensing, plant functional traits, image processing, pattern recognition

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James Peniston
Pronouns: he/him/his
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Summer 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Robert Holt
  • Research Interests: Evolutionary and ecological theory, more specifically the origin and maintenance of biodiversity over long time scales

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Joe Pfaller
Joe Pfaller
Received Ph.D. in 2016

  • Major Advisor: Karen Bjorndal
  • Research Interests: Ecology and evolution of rafting crabs; biology and conservation of sea turtles; epibiosis of marine vertebrates
  • Contact: jpfaller@ufl.edu

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John Pfeiffer
Received Ph.D. in 2019

  • Major Advisor: Larry Page
  • Research Interests: Evolution, Biogeography, Freshwater Bivalves
  • Contact: jpfeiffer@ufl.edu

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Catalina Pimiento
Received Ph.D. in 2015

  • Major Advisor: Bruce MacFadden
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Zürich
  • Research Interests: Macroecologist. Interested in the ecology of sharks in deep time. Particularly nursery habitats, long-term diversity dynamics, environmental constraints, biogeography, body size, extinction and conservation. Also interested in formal and informal science education, educational technology, blended teaching and learning, and public outreach.
  • Link: Dr. Catalina Pimiento Hernandez

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Tania Pineda Enriquez
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Spring 2022)

  • Interests: Evolution, Phylogenetic and Systematics of ophiuroids (brittle stars)
  • Major Advisor: Gustav Paulay

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Jorge Piño
Jorge Pino
Received Ph.D in 2015

  • Major Advisor: Steven Phelps
  • Current position: Professor at Universidad Autonoma de Chiriqui
  • Research Interests: Tropical ecology, neotropical mammalogy and phylogeography
  • Contact: jorge.pino@unachi.ac.pa
  • Link: Jorge Pino

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Jerald Pinson
Jerald Pinson
Degree Program: Ph.D.

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Jeanette Pirlo
Jeanette Pirlo
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Summer 2022)

  • Research Interests: Proboscidean evolution and paleoecology, paleoecology reconstruction, broadening representation in natural history careers
  • Major Advisor: Bruce MacFadden

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Trey Polvadore
Trey Polvadore
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Spring 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Malcolm Maden
  • Research Interests: Vertebrate wound healing and regeneration

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Fan Qiu
Fan Qiu
Received Ph.D. in 2015

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Moein Rajaei
Moein Rajaei
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Spring 2022)

  • Research Interests: Genomics and Bioinformatics
  • Major Advisor: Charles Baer

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Kimberly Reich
Received Ph.D. in 2009

  • Major Advisor: Karen Bjorndal
  • Current Position: Assistant Professor Palm Beach Atlantic University
  • Research Interests: Stable isotope, sea turtle, manatee, and coastal ecosystem ecology.
  • Contact: Kim_reich@pba.edu

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Julian Resasco
Received Ph.D. in 2013

  • Major Advisor: Doug Levey
  • Current Position: NSF Postdoctoral Fellow University of Colorado
  • Research Interests: Corridors, habitat fragmentation, community ecology, conservation biology
  • Link: Julian Resasco
  • Contact: jresasco@colorado.edu

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Elise Richardson
Elise Richardson
Degree Program: M.S. (Summer 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Nick Keiser
  • Research Interests: Behavioral disease ecology, entomology, wildlife ecology, conservation biology, vector borne diseases

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Lindsey Riibe
Lindsey Riibe
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Fall 2021)

  • Major Advisor: Emily Sessa
  • Research Interests: Systematics, biogeography and plant conservation

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Anand Roopsind
Received Ph.D. in 2017

  • Major Advisor: Francis Putz
  • Research Interests: Tropical Forest Management and Conservation

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Lauren Rowan
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Summer 2021)

  • Major Advisor: David Reed
  • Research Interests: Evolution, biogeography, and conservation

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Juliette Rubin
Juliette Rubin
Pronouns: she/her
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2023)

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Arthur Rudolph
Arthur Rudolph
Degree Program: Ph.D.

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F. Javiera Rudolph
F. Javiera Rudolph
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Spring 2022)

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Nick Ruktanonchai
Nick Ruktanonchai
Received Ph.D. in 2014

  • Major Advisor: David L. Smooth
  • Current Position: Research Fellow, University of Southampton
  • Contact: nrukt00@gmail.com

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Ruslandi Ruslandi
Received Ph.D. in Summer 2016

  • Major Advisor: Francis Putz
  • Research Interests: Tropical Forest Ecology and Management
  • Contact: r.ruslandi@ufl.edu

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Miguel Salinas Saavedra
Miguel Salinas Saavedra
Degree Program: Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Mark Martindale
  • Research Interests: Experimental Embryology, Evo-Devo and cell biology

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Sayran Saber
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Spring 2022)

  • Research Interests: Quantitative evolutionary biology
  • Major Advisor: Charles Baer

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Verity Salmon
Received Ph.D. in 2016

  • Major Advisor: Edward Schuur

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Mark Sandfoss
Mark Sandfoss
Degree Program: Ph.D.

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Daniel Sasson
Received Ph.D. in 2013

  • Major Advisor: H. Jane Brockmann
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate, Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience
  • Research Interests: Evolution, behavioral ecology, sexual selection
  • Link: Daniel A. Sasson
  • Contact: dsasson@ufl.edu

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Ayush Saxena
Ayush Saxena
Degree Program: Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Charles Baer
  • Research Interests: How quantitative traits evolve in experimental lines of C.elegans and other organisms

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Horst Schwassmann
Received Ph.D. in 1962

  • Major Advisor: Arthur Hasler
  • Current Position: Retired Professor Emeritus, University of Florida
  • Research Interests: Sensory Physiology, electric fishes, Amazon estuary
  • Contact: hoschwassmann@att.net | tel: (352) 373-7926

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Maria Claudia Segovia
Maria Claudia Segovia
Received Ph.D. in 2014

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Samantha Shablin
Samantha Shablin
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2023)

  • Email: samanthashablin@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Disease ecology, behavioral ecology, herpetology
  • Advisor: Nick Keiser / Ana Longo

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Coleman Sheehy III
Pronouns: he/his
Received Master of Science in Zoology in 2006

  • Major Advisor: Harvey B. Lillywhite
  • Current Position: Research Assistant Professor, University of Florida
  • Research Interests: Ecology, evolution, and systematics of reptiles and amphibians
  • Contact: coleman3@ufl.edu

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Philip Shirk
Degree Program: Ph.D.

  • Major Advisor: Craig Osenberg
  • Research Interests: Vertebrate responses to anthropogenic changes, herpetology

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Laura Sirot
Received Ph.D. in 2004

  • Major Advisor: H. Jane Brockmann
  • Current Position: Associate Professor, The College of Wooster
  • Research Interests: Sexual Selection, Reproductive Molecules, Applied Animal Behavior
  • Link: Sirot Lab
  • Contact: lsirot@wooster.edu

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Martijn Slot
Received Ph.D. in 2013

  • Major Advisor: Kaoru Kitajima
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
  • Research Interests: Plant ecophysiology, Tropical forest ecology, Plant reproduction, Climate Change
  • Link: Martijn Slot, Plant ecophysiologist
  • Contact: slotm@si.edu

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MacKenzie Smith
MacKenzie Smith
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2023)

  • Office: FMNH · Dickinson Hall
  • Email: mackenziesmith@ufl.edu
  • Interests: The fossil flora of the Clarno Formation of Oregon which spans from about 50-35 million years ago to reconstruct the local environment and make inferences about global climate
  • Advisor: Steven Manchester

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Luciano Soares
Luciano Soares
Received Ph.D. in 2018

  • Major Advisor: Karen Bjorndal
  • Research Interests: Hybridization in sea turtle populations

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Graduate Student Kylee Soltez
Kylee Soltez
Pronouns: she/her
Received M.Sc. (Summer 2023)

  • Email: ksoltez@ufl.edu
  • Interests:The habits and host range of the fungal plant pathogen Colletotrichum camelliae. I am specifically looking at the survival of this pathogen on defoliated tea leaves, its potential appearance on other hosts surrounding tea plants, and the phylogenetic relationships between the Colletotrichum species found in these studies
  • Advisor: Doug Soltis

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Gabriel Somarriba
Gabriel Somarriba
Received M.Sc. (Spring 2023)

  • Office: FMNH · 273 Dickinson Hall
  • Email: gabe.somarriba@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Evolutionry biology, systematics, taxonomy, art in science, teaching, demonstrating the importance of natural history information in areas dominated by molecular methods
  • Advisor: Larry Page

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David Sparks
David Sparks
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Spring 2022)

  • Research Interests: Ichthyology, behavior, biomechanics, morphology, sensory systems, comparative biology, interactions between domains of knowledge
  • Major Advisor: Jimmy Liao

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Kelly Speer
Kelly Speer
Received Master of Science in 2015

  • Major Advisor: David Reed
  • Research Interests: Biogeography of small mammals, host-parasite coevolution, and conservation

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Robert Spielbauer
Received M.S. in 2019

  • Major Advisor: Steven Manchester
  • Research Interests: Paleobotany, Evolutionary Biology, and Phylogenetics
  • Contact: spielbar@ufl.edu

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Spoelhof, Jonathan
Jonathan Spoelhof
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Summer 2020)

  • Major Advisor: Pam Soltis, Doug Soltis
  • Research Interests: Autopolyploidy and the consequences of whole-genome duplication in plants

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Ryan St. Laurent
Ryan St. Laurent
Received Ph.D. in Spring 2021

  • Major Advisor: Akito Kawahara
  • Current Position: Postdoc, Smithsonian (Fall 2021)
  • Research Interests: Lepidoptera systematics, phylogenetics, and natural history; primarily interested in Bombycoidea, Mimallonidae, and Notodontidae.
  • Link: Ryan St. Laurent
  • Contact: ryanstlaurent93@gmail.com

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Adrian Stier
Received Ph.D. in 2012

  • Major Advisor: Craig Osenberg
  • Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara
  • Research Interests: My research examines the processes that drive the, biodiversity, recovery and resilience of harvested ecosystems.
  • Link: ADRIAN STIER
  • Contact: adrian.stier@gmail.com

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Rebecca Stubbs
Received Ph.D. in 2018

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Gregory Stull
Gregory Stull
Received Ph.D. in 2017

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Kelly Sweitzer (Jones)
Received Master of Science in 2006

  • Major Advisor: Marta Wayne
  • Current Position: Science Teacher at Davidson Middle School
  • Research Interests: Eight years as a science educator and 2 years as science coach/coordinator. Mother of 2 beautiful girls and wife to a sweet and loving husband.
  • Contact: Kmjucf@gmail.com

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Lanlan Tang
Received Ph.D. in 2015

  • Major Advisor: Alice Harmon, Keith Choe
  • Current Position: Post Doctoral Associate; Institute on Aging, UF
  • Research Interests: Aging and geriatric research
  • Link: Lanlan Tang, Ph.D.
  • Contact: lanlantang@ufl.edu

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Oscar Tarazona
Oscar Tarazona
Received Ph.D. in Summer 2015

  • Major Advisor: Martin Cohn
  • Research Interests: Evolutionary developmental biology

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Emilie-Kate Tavernier
Emilie-Kate Tavernier
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2023)

  • Email: e.tavernier@ufl.edu
  • Interests: I am studying bryophyte dioecy and sexual dimorphism. Specifically, I am comparing the molecular evolution of two moss species, Physcomitrella patens and Ceratodon purpureus, to view how dioecy has evolved.
  • Advisor: Stuart McDaniel

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Julia Tejada Lara
Julia Tejada Lara
Received Master of Science in 2015

  • Major Advisor: Bruce MacFadden
  • Research Interests: Vertebrate Paleontology

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Shamindri Tennakoon
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Summer 2022)

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George Tiley
Received Ph.D. in 2017

  • Major Advisor: John Burleigh
  • Research Interests: Molecular Evolution, Genome Evolution, Computational Phylogenetics

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Kathryn Totten
Received M.S. in 2018

  • Major Advisor: Marta Wayne
  • Research Interests: Parasite host co-evolution

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Luke Trimmer-Smith
Luke Trimmer-Smith
Degree Program: Ph.D.

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Scarlett Tudor
Scarlett Tudor
Received Ph.D. in 2018

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Judit Ungvari-Martin
Judit Ungvari-Martin
Received Ph.D. in Spring 2016

  • Major Advisor: Scott Robinson
  • Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center
  • Research Interests: Ecology and evolution of tropical bird communities
  • Link: Judit Ungvari Martin
  • Contact: jungvari@gmail.com

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Hannah Vander Zanden
Received Ph.D. in 2012

    • Major Advisor: Karen Bjorndal
    • Current Position: Assistant Professor University of Florida
    • Research Interests: Animal migration, stable isotopes, ecology, sea turtles, individual specialization
    • Link: Vander Zanden Lab
    • Contact: hvz@ufl.edu

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Carrie Vath
Carrie Vath
Received Ph.D. in 2014

  • Major Advisor: Scott Robinson
  • Current Position: Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean of Students Affairs, Montana Tech University
  • Research Interests: Student success, academic policy, enrollment management
  • Contact: Cvath@mtech.edu

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Clayton Visger
Received Ph.D. in 2017

  • Major Advisor: Doug Soltis
  • Research Interests: Autopolyploidy in Angiosperms

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Natasha Vitek
Natasha Vitek
Received Ph.D. in 2019

  • Major Advisor: Jonathan Bloch
  • Research Interests: Intra-lineage morphological evolution

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Jieying “Jane” Wang
Received Master of Science in 2017

  • Major Advisor: Bernard Hauser
  • Research Interests: Reproductive Biology

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Zhuolun Wang
Received Ph.D. (Spring 2023)

  • Email: doro5hy@ufl.edu
  • Interests: I am interested in plant biology, and I also have some confidence in my computer programming skills.
  • Advisor: Bernard Hauser

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Lucille Watkins
Graduated with M.S. in 2018

  • Major Advisor: Jamie Gillooly
  • Research Interests: Flora/fauna interactions under changing climate conditions, ecological disturbance and wildlife epidemiology

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Thales West
Thales West
Received Ph.D. in Fall 2016

  • Major Advisor: Francis Putz
  • Current Position: Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Germany
  • Research Interests: Interdisciplinary Research on Coupled Human-Natural Systems
  • Link: Thales A.P. West’s Magical Mystery Page

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Niyomi Wijewardena
Niyomi Wijewardena
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Summer 2022)

  • Resrach Interests: Host-parasite interactions, Biogeography, Systematics, Molecular evolution and Population genetics
  • Major Advisor: David Reed

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Emily Woodruff
Emily Woodruff
Graduated with Ph.D. in 2018

  • Major Advisors: Jonathan Bloch, Martin Cohn
  • Research Interests: Evolution and development, paleontology, and phylogenetics of mammals.

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Cedric Worman – Deceased (1973 – 2014)
Received Master of Science in 2004 and Ph.D. in 2012

  • Major Advisor: Robert Holt
  • Last Position: Assistant Professor at Francis Marion University
  • Research Interests: Community ecology, conservation biology, evolution, nutritional ecology, mammalian behavior, primatology, restoration ecology, tropical ecology.

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Joni Wright
Joni Wright
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Summer 2022)

  • Research Interests: Evolutionary Neurophysiology, Physiological Ecology, and Renal Physiology
  • Major Advisor: Rebecca Kimball
  • Link: Joni Wright

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Natalie Wright
Received Master of Science in 2009

  • Major Advisor: David Steadman
  • Current Position: Postdoc Fellow, University of Montana
  • Research Interests: Avian ecology, evolution, and functional morphology
  • Link: Natalie A. Wright
  • Contact: nataliestudiesbirds@gmail.com

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Qingyuan Xiang
Qingyuan Xiang
Received Ph.D. (Summer 2023)

  • Email: qingyuanxiang@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Stomatal disease triangle, single cell metabolomics and network analysis
  • Advisor: Sixue Chen

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Yanagitsuru, Yuzo
Yuzo Yanagitsuru
Received Ph.D. in 2017

  • Major Advisor: James Liao
  • Research Interests: Fish swimming, sensory biology, biomechanics

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Nicole Yetke
Nicole Yetke
Received M.S. (Spring 2023)

  • Email: nyetke@ufl.edu
  • Interests: Predator ecology, herpetology, food web dynamics, ecotoxicology, wetland ecology, wildlife conservation, crocodilians, canids, human-wildlife interactions, use of domestic/working dogs for conservation, public engagement and education about predators and conservation, animal behavior, movement, habitat use, and their influence on ecosystem function
  • Advisor: Amanda Subalusky

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Amy Zanne
Received Master of Science in 1998 and Ph.D. in 2003

  • Major Advisor: Colin Chapman
  • Current Position: Associate Professor, George Washington University
  • Research Interests: Plant and microbe ecophysiology, macroecology, and macroevolution; Plant and microbe functional traits and structure function relationships; Woody decay; Controls on plant carbon pool sizes and flux rates
  • Link: Welcome to the Zanne Lab!
  • Contact: aezanne@gmail.com
  • Twitter: @AmyZanne

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Rosana Zenil-Ferguson
Received Ph.D. in Spring 2016

  • Major Advisor: José Miguel Ponciano
  • Current Position: Postdoc at University of Idaho
  • Research Interests: Chromosome Number and Genome Size Evolution, Phylogenetic Comparative Methods, Statistics
  • Link: Rosana Zenil-Ferguson

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Tong Zhang
Tong Zhang
Received Ph.D. in Spring 2016

  • Major Advisor: Sixue Chen
  • Research Interests: Guard cell redox signaling

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Min Zhao
Min Zhao
Degree Program: Ph.D. (Summer 2022)

  • Research Interests: Birds phylogenetics and biogeography
  • Major Advisor: Rebecca Kimball

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