Graduate Research
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
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Ajayi, Benjamin
I research how plant variation reflects evolutionary diversification and the reconstruction of plant genes' evolutionary histories using molecular systematics and morpho-anatomy
Office: 4055 KIN Building
Email: baa23a@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Austin R. Mast
Alcantara, Fatima
Email: falcantara@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Nora Underwood
Second Major Professor: Dr. Brian D. Inouye
Ales, Penelope
Email: pales@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Nora Underwood
Second Major Professor: Dr. Brian D. Inouye
Anthony, Laura
I am interested in the ecophysiology of habitat-forming deep-sea corals. My dissertation research focuses on the environmental drivers that affect the reproductive biology of several reef-forming deep-sea corals around the globe.
Office: 2024 King Building (4295)
Email: lanthony@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Sandra D. Brooke
Second Major Professor: Dr. Don R. Levitan
Atkins, Erica
Office: 4023 King Building (4295)
Email: eatkins@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Darin Rokyta
Awiaga, Collins
Office: 4055 KIN Building
Email: cawiaga@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Darin R. Rokyta
Baughman, Donaven
My research focuses on the impacts of predators and environmental factors on the physiological processes and allocation of energy to various important life history characteristics (e.g., growth, predation defense, and reproduction) of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica). The goal of my work is to inform the future management of wild oysters and improve aquaculture outcomes by understanding the impacts of biotic (predators) and abiotic (environmental) factors on individual oysters and how these impacts may scale-up to alter population dynamics and oyster harvest outcomes.
Email: dbaughman@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Joel Trexler
Second Major Professor: Dr. Daniel Okamoto
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Blanchette, Allie
I am interested in studying how species interactions and human activities play into the resilience of marine ecosystems. There's also a special place in my heart for farmer damselfish.
Email: ablanchette@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Andrew Rassweiler
Broussard, Emilie
Email: ebroussard@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Darin R. Rokyta
No grad students
Dawdy, Ashley
I am primarily interested in the behavioral ecology of elasmobranchs, particularly species of conservation concern. My past research used active and passive acoustic telemetry to investigate movement and habitat use patterns in coastal sharks. I am currently investigating social and mating behavior in the critically endangered smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) in the Florida Keys, and the habitat use of cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus) in Apalachicola Bay, FL. This work contributes to the delineation of essential fish habitat and informs the building of successful species conservation plans.
Email: adawdy@bio.fsu.edu
Homepage: https://marinelab.fsu.edu/people/students/gradcurrent/
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Dean Grubbs
Dittmar, Abigail
I use a combination of mathematical models and field-based experiments to study mechanisms of plant resistance to insect herbivory. I am especially interested in how individual-level interactions scale up to affect the spatial structures of populations and communities and how spatiotemporal variability can shape population and community dynamics. My research lies at the intersection of basic and applied science and I work in both natural and agricultural systems.
Email: adittmar@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Nora Underwood
Second Major Professor: Dr. Brian D. Inouye
Domen, Adin
I have a general interest in marine ecology, however my current work consists of identifying oyster-based habitat preference in economically important fishes and crustacean species in Apalachicola Bay, FL.
Office: Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory Building
Email: and18h@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Sandra D. Brooke
Second Major Professor: Dr. Joel Trexler
Dubel, Alexandra
Email: adubel@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Andrew Rassweiler
No grad students
Field, Laurel
Laurel’s research focuses on the implementation, tracking, management, and socio-ecological aspects of area-based marine conservation tools. She is also interested in the development of sustainable marine food systems and the compatibility of marine conservation and mariculture goals in ocean spaces.
Office: 4004 KIN Building
Email: lcf22a@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Sarah Lester
Fuqua, Emily
My research interests are based in applied ecophysiology. I am interested in how anthropogenic changes to the environment, such as increasing ocean temperature and increasing anoxic zones, affect an organism’s physiology, and in turn, how physiological changes affect ecology and population dynamics. My PhD research will focus on Eastern oyster health in the Apalachicola Bay system, and my goal is to assist fisheries managers and conservationists in restoring and preserving a healthy oyster population in Apalachicola Bay.Â
Email: efuqua@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Sandra D. Brooke
Second Major Professor: Dr. Don R. Levitan
Genter, Sarah-Kate
Email: skg23a@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Thomas E. Miller
Goodman, Adam
Email: ag24bc@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Andrew Rassweiler
Gutierrez, Daniel
I am interested in the evolution of complex social behavior. I study cooperative behavior in Lance-tail Manakins aiming to understand the drivers of behavioral variation in male-male displaying partnerships.
Office: 4004 King Life Science Building Building
Email: dag23@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Emily H. DuVal
Hawkins, Morgan
My research focuses on the morphological and behavioral differences that exist between cultured and wild sourced bivalves. These differences lead to large post-release mortalities, effecting the success of restoration aquaculture. My work helps to identify and correct those differences at the FSUCML Shellfish Restoration and Research hatchery, helping to optimize restoration aquaculture for the Florida bay scallop.
Email: mehawkins@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Sandra D. Brooke
Second Major Professor: Dr. Janie L. Wulff
Horacek, Joseph
Email: hhoracek@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Jeroen Ingels
Second Major Professor: Dr. Scott J. Steppan
No grad students
Medina, Melanie
I'm interested in reproduction and mate choice of simulataneous hermaphrodites and how this reproductive strategy is a potential mechanism for the maintenance of variation in marine gastropods such as sea slugs.
Email: mrmedina@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Don R. Levitan
Muschett-Bonilla, Annais
My research investigates reproductive strategies in elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, rays, and sawfish). My goal is to understand variation in maternal investment between closely and distantly related species, along with variation at an individual level. The physiological mechanisms that drive the mode of embryonic nourishment in these species are being investigated, along with studies attempting to highlight the biochemical content and nutrient composition of fluids used to nourish embryos in various species. Finally, after attempting to understand how and to what extent mothers nourish their embryos, my research aims to determine the effects of maternal investment on the mother and assess potential costs of large maternal investment in these species.
Email: amuschettbonilla@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Dean Grubbs
No grad students
Ochoa, Carlie
I study the proximate mechanisms of speciation in North American chorus frogs. I'm broadly interested in the neural and genomic basis for population-level differences in mating traits that drive macroevolutionary processes.
Office: 242 BRF Building
Email: cba21@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Emily C. Lemmon
Paniagua Montoya, Monica
I am interested in how differences among conspecific individuals impact interactions, population dynamics and community level processes. In particular, I am interested in the tritrophic interactions of plants, herbivores, and enemies of herbivores.
Email: mpaniagua@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Nora Underwood
Second Major Professor: Dr. Brian D. Inouye
No grad students
Robertson, Miles
I am interested in the mechanisms that drive epidemics. I use mathematical models and computer simulations to analyze such disease systems.
Email: mrobertson@bio.fsu.edu
Homepage: https://www.codingetc.com
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Michael Cortez
Ruckman, Sarah
I am interested in the genetics of adaptation and what hinders that process. I use Drosophila to understand the genetics of behavior and how other traits, like color patterns, could hinder behavioral adaptation.
Office: 4055 King Building
Email: sruckman@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Kimberly A. Hughes
Schumm, Matthew
My interests include population dynamics and evolution and plasticity in life-history and metabolic trait distributions (mostly in marine and aquatic organisms), along with development of new quantitative modeling approaches. A current focus of research is eco-evolutionary impacts of harvest on populations. I am also a Masters in STEM Teaching candidate at FSU. Pronouns: he/him.
Email: mschumm@bio.fsu.edu
Homepage: https://sites.google.com/view/mschumm
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Kimberly A. Hughes
Schuster, Simone
Email: ses24d@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Josh Breithaupt
Second Major Professor: Dr. Austin Mast
Soltis, Grace
Email: gs22n@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Nora Underwood
Second Major Professor: Dr. Brian D. Inouye
Torrence, Kathleen
Email: kgt14@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Scott J. Steppan
No grad students
No grad students
Whalen, Niall
Email: nwhalen@bio.fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Gregory M. Erickson
Second Major Professor: Dr. Jonathan H. Dennis
No grad students
Young, Alaina
Tom Miller, Tara Stewart Merrill, and R. Dean Grubbs labs: Evolution and Ecology Area Master's Thesis Student studying Elasmobrach Parasitology
Office: 4055 King Building
Email: aayoung@fsu.edu
Area: Ecology & Evolution
Major Professor: Dr. Tom Miller
Second Major Professor: Dr. Tara Stewart-Merrill