Current IGERT Students
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Karen Adair
I grew up in Oregon and recieved my B.S. in biology from
the University of Denver. This summer I completed my M.S.
in biology at NAU looking at soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria
and archaea populations on the C. Hart Merriam Elevational
Gradient located on the San Francisco Peaks. I am interested
in characterizing soil microbial communities and linking
processes mediated by microorganisms to functional genes
in the environment.
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Helen Bothwell
She completed her BS in Biological Aspects of Conservation
with a double major in art from the University of Wisconsin,
Madison. Helen is studying genetic sinks in the cottonwood
populations from Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Nevada. She
will then overlay that data with ecosystem processes at the
landscape level, analyzing processes such as fire history,
insect populations and drought impacts. She is interested
in communicating these results to the community, perhaps
as an instructor, while keeping up with her disc golf career
and painting. |
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Bala Chaudhary
Bala's
personal website
My research revolves around the ecology of arbuscular mycorrhizal
(AM) fungi in natural ecosystems. Specifically, I am interested
in the diversity, assemblage, and biogeography of AM fungal
communities, their feedbacks with plant communities, and
AM fungal ecosystem functions such as the enhancement of
soil stability. I first became infected with AM fungi as
an undergraduate at the University of Chicago and then realized
their important role in ecosystem management while working
as a restoration consultant in southern California. In 2003,
I came to NAU to pursue graduate studies with Dr. Nancy Johnson.
I also coach the NAU women's ultimate frisbee team.
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Benjamin Duval
I am a PhD student working with Dr. Bruce Hungate in the
Department of Biological Sciences, NAU. Bruce's work focuses
on biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling, especially with
regard to climatic change. Some of his most interesting
work has been with responses of ecosystems to elevated
CO2, and showing that these systems are constrained in
their ability to "soak up" excess
carbon because of limitations of other nutrients. My work
is expanding on this idea, that iron and molybdenum (two
nutrients needed for ecosystems to capture and use nitrogen)
become limiting as increasing carbon binds these nutrients
in plant tissues and soil organic compounds. The take home
message is that while elevated CO2 will certainly increase
global temperatures, there are other ecosystem changes
related to increased CO2 that will happen faster, and will
be just as profound.
I received my B.A. in Biology from The College of Wooster
where I completed a thesis on coyote behavior and went
to Africa to work on lion social evolution. I completed
my M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at New Mexico
State University under Dr.Walter Whitford working on projects
spanning soil science, entomology, and mammal ecology.
Walt's influence on my work will be felt for the rest of
my career as a scientist. Personally, I enjoy hiking, fishing,
canoeing, and generally just enjoying the vibe of Flagstaff
with my dog, and I play guitar in a local band.
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Luke Evans
He received his BS in Biology from Dartmouth College and
his MS from NAU in 2007. He is studying cottonwood hybridization
and the effects on a bud-galling mite. He poses the question:
How do cottonwood genetic variations affect arthropod evolution?
He is working with Dr. Tom Whitham and a 15-year genetic
database to develop some answers to that question. He enjoys
road trips of all kinds and this summer spent a month in
New Zealand at the 2007 Evolution Conference. |
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Tabitha Graves
Tabitha's personal website
She comes to the IGERT program from the University of Montana Wildlife program where she received her Masters in 2002 for her thesis on Spatial and temporal response of grizzly bears to recreational use on trails. More recently she has been part of the Northern Divide Grizzly Bear Project in northwestern Montana. Her dissertation on spatial ecology of grizzly bear stems from research in that 8 million acre study area and will use genetic data to link habitat and connectivity with bear abundance. Tabitha studies with Forestry professor Dr. Paul Beier and plays mandolin and participates in West African dance in her free time. |
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Suzanne Hagell
Suzanne's personal
website
I recently moved to Flagstaff after graduate work at the
City University of New York. My current research interests
are in conservation biology, specifically how animal behavior
can be used in conservation planning. For the past year I’ve
been assisting wildlife conservation efforts in Nicaragua
and will be continuing there with the IGERT program. My dissertation
looks at the conservation status, ecological role, and dispersal
of spider monkeys across forest fragments. The multi-disciplinary
nature of the IGERT program allows me to integrate management
and conservation techniques from the School of Forestry with
molecular genetics. This will produce a more innovative dissertation
and will make my work in Nicaragua more effective. There
is a lot of work to be done in Nicaragua. We are always looking
for more volunteers to chase monkeys!
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Brenda Harrop
My interest in microbiology began in Dr. Maribeth Watwood’s
laboratory at Idaho State University where I was excited
by bioremediation and wanted to learn more about microbial
ecology and environmental microbiology. In Dr. Watwood’s
lab here at NAU, I help undergrads with various projects
including phage/bacteria interactions in wastewater and soils
and toluene degraders. For my thesis, I am characterizing
microbial communities associated with decomposing leaf litter
in Fossil Creek. I started this project before the dam was
decommissioned and am excited to continue studying Fossil
Creek. My PhD project will explore the role of microbes in
ecosystem functioning. I will look at biogeochemistry and
try to link microbial community structure and function through
genes involved in nitrogen cycling. As part of the IGERT
program, I’m excited to continue my studies and contribute
to the Fossil Creek story.
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Robert Miranda
He comes to NAU from San Antonio, Texas with both his BS
and MS in Biology. He is interested in how environmental
chemicals act as endocrine disruptors in amphibians. Robert
is working with Drs. Nishikawa and Propper on this research
while developing his database from field samples both Flagstaff
and Phoenix. By integrating chemistry and molecular biology
disciplines, he plans to study the relationship of environmental
chemicals to amphibian development and behavior. Robert plays
at the local disc golf course and enjoys outdoor sports of
all kinds. |
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Dave Smith
As a PhD student, I plan on studying the theory and mechanisms
driving community evolution. Consequently, I am interested
in group dynamics, particularly interaction that perpetuates
the cohesiveness of groups in nature. Part of my research
will examine the genetic basis of species interaction and
how selection has changed the genetic makeup among interacting
species. I am excited to be part of the IGERT program.
Working with so many different people, each with their
own interests will certainly open my eyes to more ways
the world operates. I am looking forward to taking what
I learn in these other disciplines and applying them to
my own studies. I am confident it will make my research
that much stronger and applicable to a much broader audience.
In what little spare time I have, I enjoy biking, running
and visiting my family in Texas and Spain. |
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Katie Stumpf
IGERT furthers her interests in microclimate and nest predation
in the willow flycatcher, Empidonax trailii. Her Masters
in Biology was completed at NAU and focused on determining
a strong influence between microclimate and predation. She
plans to tie that data together with a habitat restoration
component. She will examine the genetic link to microclimate
using blood samples collected during five years of fieldwork.
Katie expects to continue her field work along the Colorado
River for the next three summers. She has worked, and played,
in bird habitats from Hawai’i to Costa Rica, Panama,
and Ecuador. |
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Amy Welty-Bernard
She has an educational background that ranges from a BA
in French literature to a Masters in Biology and Geology.
She studied both biology and geology on a Colorado River
backwater nutrient-cycling project and worked at the Center
for Microbial Genetics and Genomics at NAU, investigating
bacterial/mineral interface. Her IGERT mentor is Dr. Egbert
Schwartz. Her project will look at aluminum resistance in
microbial communities. She has an adorable three-year daughter,
and manages to successfully balance family and career. |
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