Current Lab Members
Jackie Billotte is an Ag. Bio. PhD student who started Fall 2020, working with me and Rich Reading of the Butterfly Pavilion (as co-chairs) on tarantula behavior, and conservation.
Liana McIssac is a GDPE MS student working on the effects of biological control of tamarisk on the trees and surrounding vegetation.
Matt Wallace is a GDPE MS student working on the role of admixture in adaptation to challenging environments. He's so pro-active that he got a job with USDA APHIS even before he finished his coursework!
Liana McIssac is a GDPE MS student working on the effects of biological control of tamarisk on the trees and surrounding vegetation.
Matt Wallace is a GDPE MS student working on the role of admixture in adaptation to challenging environments. He's so pro-active that he got a job with USDA APHIS even before he finished his coursework!
Former Lab Members
Chrissy Alba (PhD 2010). Chrissy first did a postdoc with Petr Pysek in the Czech Republic, then with Luke Flory in Florida, and now is permanently based as a research scientist at the Denver Botanical Garden. Yay Chrissy!
Ellyn Bitume (Postdoc (USDA NIFA) 2014-2016) Ellyn studied rapid evolution of beetles feeding on Tamarix. Currently with the Forest Service on Hawaii working on biological control of weeds. ALSO, co-PI with me on a USDA NIFA grant (May 2017-April 2020). Woot!! google scholar page
Amy Blair (PhD 2007). Amy studied the role of hybridization in biological invasions using invasive Centaurea (Asteraceae). Additionally, Amy worked on the potential for allelopathy in C. stoebe (aka C. maculosa, spotted knapweed). She started a postdoc in Bernd Blossey's lab May 2008, and then took a job at Saint Ambrose University in 2009. She's head of the department there now!!
Jacqueline Buenrostro (MS 2022). Jacqueline worked on elm leaf beetle and elm flea weevil in urban areas, including evaluating the role of predators and parasitoids in their abundance. She's now working for Xerxes. Wow, so cool.
Eliza Clark (PhD 2024) She worked on the evolutionary ecology of range expansion in a biological control agent. She was awareded a USDA Pre-Doctoral Fellowship while here, then went on to a postdoc at CU Boulder and was awarded an NSF postdoctoral fellowship. Go, Eliza!
Lily Durkee (PhD 2024). She was largely supported by an NSF predoctoral fellowship. She worked with the Tribolium system, focused on evolutionary and genetic rescue, and also Colias butterfly genomics. A really amazing thing about Lily is that she has written two novels. Here's one of them. Lily was awarded an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship. Go, Lily!!
Stacy Endriss (PhD 2017) Stacy worked with Andrew Norton and me on the evolutionary and chemical ecology of Verbascum thapsus. Stacy's research was supported by the coveted NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant. (in one of the last years of that great program) She went on to a postdoc at Cornell University, and now has a faculty position at Virginia Tech in invasion biology and outreach. Go Stacy Go!
Christa Fettig (PhD 2014) Christa studied black henbane ecology as well as Verbascum thapsus ecology and population genetics. She taught at the University of Colorado, Boulder for a bit then took some time off to be a mom. So so many congratulations on your family!
Enakshi Ghosh (Postdoc then research scientist 2024-2025, partly in my lab, partly in others). Enakshi works on insect immunity, plant-insect-parasitoid interactions, and rapid evolution and is now an Assistant Professor at Virgina Tech!
Rebecca Hufft (Postdoc 2008) Becky studied the evolutionary response of organisms to heterogeneous or changing environments with a focus on evolution of plants in novel environments and the evolution of species interactions. Becky worked with NEON, Inc. and is Associate Director of Applied Conservation at the Denver Botanic Gardens.
Marcel Jardeleza (PhD 2025, MS 2020) Marcel's PhD focused on the effects of Brown Tree Snake invasion on Guam, and she is now doing a postdoc with the USGS evaluating data on palm weevils to understand their invasion of Hawaiian Islands.
Javad Karimzadeh (visiting scientist 2019) Javad's expertise is in insect ecology and tri-trophic interactions - such a great scientist. He's now back in Iran
Mike Koontz (MS 2015) Mike worked with the Tribolium system to tease apart the effects of propagule size and number of propagules in the invasion of a new habitat. While at CSU Mike was awarded a competitive NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. He went on to UC Davis for his PhD, then came back to CO, working as a research scientist at CU Boulder, then with a start up, and then with USGS.
Sabrina Kumschick, (Postdoc 2010) Sabrina focused on the evolution of resource use in an invasive plant. She joined us from Wofgang Nentwig's lab in Switzerland, and is now working at the Center for Invasion Biology with Dave Richardson in South Africa.
Peter Leipzig-Scott (MS 2015) Peter worked on population and community impacts of biological invasion, with a focus on Verbascum thapsus. Peter then did a second masters in science education, also in GDPE with Meena Balgopol.
Casandra Lloyd, (MS 2004 co-chaired by Dr. Andrew Norton and myself. Cassie worked on leafy spurge/gall fly coevolution. She went on to do a PhD at University of California, Riverside, and now is teaching high school science, inspiring students every day!
Daniel MacKinnon, (MS 2008) Dan studied the host use and population genetics of an inadvertently introduced biological control agent (Brachypterolus pulicarius on Linaria dalmatica and L. vulgaris). Dan is a Natural Resources Specialist for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
Robin Marrs, (PhD 2006). Robin explored the population genetics of biological invasions, particularly Centaurea diffusa and C. stoebe using microsatellites. Robin is teaching grade school these days and loves it, and those families are so lucky to have her!
Laure Olazcuaga (Postdoc 2020-2023) Laure worked on rapid evolution using Tribolium. She is now a research scientists at INRAE applying her quantitative genetic and experimental evolution skills to feeding the world.
Steven Rauth, (PhD 2009) Steve worked on the population genetics of two prospective biological control agents of garlic mustard (Ceutorhynchus alliariae and C. roberti and C. scrobicolis). He took a bunch of time to be a dad.
Ashley Schulz is a forest entomologist who did a postdoc in my lab and is now an Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University. Go Ashley!
Marianna Szucs (Postdoc then research scientist 2010-2017) Marianna collaborated on the roles of demography and genetics in the founding of new populations, and then led a USDA AFRI project on the role of hybridization in host-plant interactions between a biological control agent and tansy ragwort. She is now a faculty member at Michigan State in Entomology focused on Biological Control.
Kathryn Turner (Postdoc 2015-2017) Kathryn worked with me and John McKay on an NSF funded ancient (herbarium) DNA project Kathryn went on to an Eberly College of Science Research Fellowship at the Pennsylvania State University, and is now on the faculty at Idaho State University! Woohoo!!
Megan Vahsen (MS 2017) Megan worked on the role of timing and genetics in establishment of new populations, using Bromus tectorum as well as Tribolium castaneum. Megan did a PhD at University of Notre Dame and is now an assistant professor at University of Georgia. Go Megan!
Hannah Wilbur, (MS 2013) Works remotely from Colorado as Open Space Manager for the Town of Ipswich in the greater Boston area.
Ellyn Bitume (Postdoc (USDA NIFA) 2014-2016) Ellyn studied rapid evolution of beetles feeding on Tamarix. Currently with the Forest Service on Hawaii working on biological control of weeds. ALSO, co-PI with me on a USDA NIFA grant (May 2017-April 2020). Woot!! google scholar page
Amy Blair (PhD 2007). Amy studied the role of hybridization in biological invasions using invasive Centaurea (Asteraceae). Additionally, Amy worked on the potential for allelopathy in C. stoebe (aka C. maculosa, spotted knapweed). She started a postdoc in Bernd Blossey's lab May 2008, and then took a job at Saint Ambrose University in 2009. She's head of the department there now!!
Jacqueline Buenrostro (MS 2022). Jacqueline worked on elm leaf beetle and elm flea weevil in urban areas, including evaluating the role of predators and parasitoids in their abundance. She's now working for Xerxes. Wow, so cool.
Eliza Clark (PhD 2024) She worked on the evolutionary ecology of range expansion in a biological control agent. She was awareded a USDA Pre-Doctoral Fellowship while here, then went on to a postdoc at CU Boulder and was awarded an NSF postdoctoral fellowship. Go, Eliza!
Lily Durkee (PhD 2024). She was largely supported by an NSF predoctoral fellowship. She worked with the Tribolium system, focused on evolutionary and genetic rescue, and also Colias butterfly genomics. A really amazing thing about Lily is that she has written two novels. Here's one of them. Lily was awarded an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship. Go, Lily!!
Stacy Endriss (PhD 2017) Stacy worked with Andrew Norton and me on the evolutionary and chemical ecology of Verbascum thapsus. Stacy's research was supported by the coveted NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant. (in one of the last years of that great program) She went on to a postdoc at Cornell University, and now has a faculty position at Virginia Tech in invasion biology and outreach. Go Stacy Go!
Christa Fettig (PhD 2014) Christa studied black henbane ecology as well as Verbascum thapsus ecology and population genetics. She taught at the University of Colorado, Boulder for a bit then took some time off to be a mom. So so many congratulations on your family!
Enakshi Ghosh (Postdoc then research scientist 2024-2025, partly in my lab, partly in others). Enakshi works on insect immunity, plant-insect-parasitoid interactions, and rapid evolution and is now an Assistant Professor at Virgina Tech!
Rebecca Hufft (Postdoc 2008) Becky studied the evolutionary response of organisms to heterogeneous or changing environments with a focus on evolution of plants in novel environments and the evolution of species interactions. Becky worked with NEON, Inc. and is Associate Director of Applied Conservation at the Denver Botanic Gardens.
Marcel Jardeleza (PhD 2025, MS 2020) Marcel's PhD focused on the effects of Brown Tree Snake invasion on Guam, and she is now doing a postdoc with the USGS evaluating data on palm weevils to understand their invasion of Hawaiian Islands.
Javad Karimzadeh (visiting scientist 2019) Javad's expertise is in insect ecology and tri-trophic interactions - such a great scientist. He's now back in Iran
Mike Koontz (MS 2015) Mike worked with the Tribolium system to tease apart the effects of propagule size and number of propagules in the invasion of a new habitat. While at CSU Mike was awarded a competitive NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. He went on to UC Davis for his PhD, then came back to CO, working as a research scientist at CU Boulder, then with a start up, and then with USGS.
Sabrina Kumschick, (Postdoc 2010) Sabrina focused on the evolution of resource use in an invasive plant. She joined us from Wofgang Nentwig's lab in Switzerland, and is now working at the Center for Invasion Biology with Dave Richardson in South Africa.
Peter Leipzig-Scott (MS 2015) Peter worked on population and community impacts of biological invasion, with a focus on Verbascum thapsus. Peter then did a second masters in science education, also in GDPE with Meena Balgopol.
Casandra Lloyd, (MS 2004 co-chaired by Dr. Andrew Norton and myself. Cassie worked on leafy spurge/gall fly coevolution. She went on to do a PhD at University of California, Riverside, and now is teaching high school science, inspiring students every day!
Daniel MacKinnon, (MS 2008) Dan studied the host use and population genetics of an inadvertently introduced biological control agent (Brachypterolus pulicarius on Linaria dalmatica and L. vulgaris). Dan is a Natural Resources Specialist for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
Robin Marrs, (PhD 2006). Robin explored the population genetics of biological invasions, particularly Centaurea diffusa and C. stoebe using microsatellites. Robin is teaching grade school these days and loves it, and those families are so lucky to have her!
Laure Olazcuaga (Postdoc 2020-2023) Laure worked on rapid evolution using Tribolium. She is now a research scientists at INRAE applying her quantitative genetic and experimental evolution skills to feeding the world.
Steven Rauth, (PhD 2009) Steve worked on the population genetics of two prospective biological control agents of garlic mustard (Ceutorhynchus alliariae and C. roberti and C. scrobicolis). He took a bunch of time to be a dad.
Ashley Schulz is a forest entomologist who did a postdoc in my lab and is now an Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University. Go Ashley!
Marianna Szucs (Postdoc then research scientist 2010-2017) Marianna collaborated on the roles of demography and genetics in the founding of new populations, and then led a USDA AFRI project on the role of hybridization in host-plant interactions between a biological control agent and tansy ragwort. She is now a faculty member at Michigan State in Entomology focused on Biological Control.
Kathryn Turner (Postdoc 2015-2017) Kathryn worked with me and John McKay on an NSF funded ancient (herbarium) DNA project Kathryn went on to an Eberly College of Science Research Fellowship at the Pennsylvania State University, and is now on the faculty at Idaho State University! Woohoo!!
Megan Vahsen (MS 2017) Megan worked on the role of timing and genetics in establishment of new populations, using Bromus tectorum as well as Tribolium castaneum. Megan did a PhD at University of Notre Dame and is now an assistant professor at University of Georgia. Go Megan!
Hannah Wilbur, (MS 2013) Works remotely from Colorado as Open Space Manager for the Town of Ipswich in the greater Boston area.
