Lab Members
Current Graduate Students
KATELYN SCHUMACHER: Landscape Genetics of the Northern Flying Squirrel in the Central Appalachians. Katelyn is using microsatellites to study the geographic distribution of genetic variation across the landscape in the mountains of the central Appalachians. Her work will be incorporated into reforestation plans for spruce and fir in the region.
Katelyn came to UNCW from the Central Michigan University Honors Program, where she recently earned a B.S. in Biology - Natural Resources. She also worked as a Research Assistant in the Applied Technology in Conservation Genetics Laboratory at CMU under Dr. Bradley J. Swanson from 2005-2009.
Katelyn at the tip of the World!
ANNE-MARIE HODGE: Intraguild Interactions among Carnivores in the Tropical Andes. Anne-Marie is studying the genetics, feeding ecology and intraguild interactions of carnivores at a mid-elevation site in Ecuador. She is also conducting anthropological surveys to document patterns of wildlife use and sources of human-carnivore conflict in and around her study site.
Anne-Marie completed her Bachelor's degree in Zoology, with a minor in Anthropology, at Auburn University in 2009 (war eagle!). Her undergraduate honors thesis was on patterns of behavior and reproductive success of the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) in captivity.
Anne-Marie on the Colorado River
KAI CURRY-LINDAHL: : Alpha and Beta Diversity in Mammals Along a Unique Elevational Gradient in the Tropical Andes of Ecuador. Kai is going to be using a camera-trap array to evaluate the biodiversity of large and medium-sized mammals along the steep elevational slope of Sumaco Volcano. He will be focusing on the mammalian community of the cloud forest, and will use his data along with that from the transitional forest of Wildsumaco to compare levels alpha diversity (species richness) and beta diversity (the turnover in the community composition from one elvation to another).
Kai is originally from Belgium and spent time growing up in Sweden and the UK. He received his undergraduate degree from UNCW in 2010.
Kai participating in a friendly question and answer session
BRIT GARNER : Ancient DNA analysis of sea lion subfossils from Kodiak Island, Alaska; Conservation genetics of the Cheat Flat-spired Three-toothed Land Snail. Brit is working on 2 projects, one using ancient DNA to examine the historical biogeography and temporal changes in genetic variation in sea lions, and a second project using microsatellite analysis to look at the genetic population structure of one of the rarest snails in the world, Triodopsis platysayoides. This specis of snail occurs in only one canyon in the world (the Cheat River Canyon of WV).
Brit's major advisor is Dr. Marcel van Tuienen, and I serve as her secondary advisor. Brit came to UNCW from the University of Florida where she gained extensive experience in both fieldwork and conservation genetics/ phylogeography.
Principle Investigator
Dr. Brian Arbogast Systematics, Biogeography and Conservation Genetics of Vertebrates
Brian, Denali NP, AK
Lab Alumni
CHRISTOPHER CALLAHAN: Systematics and Biogeography of Whales and their Ectoparasites.
M.A., Biology, Humboldt State University, 2008. Christopher used analysis of DNA and museum specimens to examine how whale lice (crustacean ectoparasites) made the evolutionary jump to colonize gray whales. Christopher is currently teaching at College of the Redwoods in Eureka, California.
NICK KERHOULAS: Systematics and Biogeography of Mesoamerican Flying Squirrels.M.A., Biology, Humboldt State University, 2008. Nick used DNA data obtained from skin samples of museum specimens to examine the evolutionary relationships and biogeographic history of flying squirrels from the highland forests of Mexico and Central America. Nick is currently a PhD student at the University of Alaska working with Dr. Link Olson.
DR. JESSICA BLOIS: M.A., Biology, Humboldt State University, 2005., PhD, Stanford University 2009. Jessica's Master's thesis was on the Conservation Genetics of the Sonoma Tree Vole
Jessica recently completed her PhD in Liz Hadly’s lab at Stanford University, and is currently a post-doctoral fellow in the lab of Jack Williams at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Jessica in the field!
