Alumni

Dr. Jennifer Deitloff, Ph.D. 2008: Jenn received her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Adams and Valenzuela co-advised). Her research examined the behavioral interactions of Pletodon salamanders in Ohio in an effort to understand the ecological factors allowing their coexistence. Jenn is currently a postdoctoral researcher with Dr. Craig Guyer at Auburn University.

Dr. Erin Myers, Ph.D. 2008: Erin received her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Adams and Janzen co-advised). Her research examined the molecular phylogenetics and shape variation in the eye-bar patterns of map turtles (genus: Graptemys) in an effort to elucidate the role of eye-bar patterns in sexual selection and speciation in this genus. Erin is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Houston.

Dr. Michael Collyer, Postdoc 2004-2007: Mike is a quantitative evolutionary ecologist interested in understanding patterns of phenotypic change. While in the lab, Mike and Dean developed methods for quantifying and comparing patterns of phenotypic change. Mike is currently an assistant professor at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Dr. Melinda Cerney, Ph.D. 2005: Melinda received her Ph.D. in Human Computer Interaction (Adams and Vance co-advised), and was the first graduate of that program. In her research she developed methods for assessing biomechanical motion, and developed such routines for immersive virtual reality environments. Melinda is currently employed at Microsoft.

Dr. Tibisay Escalona, Ph.D. 2003 (Univ. Miss. St. Louis): Tiby completed her Ph.D. at the University of Missouri, St. Louis under the direction of Dr. Louiselle (Adams co-advised). Her research examined maternal effects, nesting behavior, and reproductive patterns in the freshwater river turtle Podocnemis unifilis in Venezuela. Tiby is currently an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Iowa State University.

Saad Arif, M.S. 2005: Saad completed his M.S. degree in EEB in 2005. For his M.S. research Saad examined the ecological processes regulating the distributions of two woodland salamanders (Plethodon cinereus & P. hubrichti). Saad is currently a Ph.D. student at SUNY Stony Brook.

Kara Butterworth, M.S. 2003: Kara completed her Master's degree in BCB in 2003 (Wendel and Adams co-advised). For her M.S. research Kara examined the origin of 'fuzz' wild and domesticated cotton plants. She compared cell origination, development, and size and shape across various genetic and polyploid lines. Kara is employed at the University of California Riverside.

Jennifer Donnelly, Jennifer Donnelly, M.S. 2003: Jennifer (Poppet) completed her Master's degree in EEB in 2003. For her research she examined patterns of skull allometry (size vs. shape) in a population of guanacos in southern Chile. Because skulls collected in the field for mortality estimation are often damaged, Jennifer investigated the degree to which missing data could be statistically imputed in a study of skull size as an estimator of age in the guanaco (Lama guanicoe), and whether skulls in this species are sufficient, in the absence of other data, for estimation of juvenile mortality. Poppet is currently pursuing a Ph.D. under the direction of Dr. J. Dekker (Iowa State University).

Aspen Garry, M.S. 2003: Aspen completed her Master's degree in EEB in 2003 (Adams and Naylor co-advised). For her M.S. research Aspen examined patterns of shape variation through the fossil record. Using a phylogeny of extant shark species, Aspen compared estimates of shark tooth shapes through the phylogeny to the shapes of known fossil shark teeth, to determine whether current approaches can accurately predict values along the nodes of a phylogeny. Aspen is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Colorado.

Julie Perrett, B.S. 2006: Julie completed her B.S. in 2006 at Iowa State University. For her undergraduate research, she examined the heritability of head shape in several Plethodon species, using a large data set of mothers and offspring and parent-offspring quantitative genetics design.

Mary West, B.S. 2006: Mary completed her B.S. in 2006 at Iowa State University. She conducted an undergraduate honors thesis in Dr. Adams' laboratory, which examined patterns of morphological change between two Plethodon species in West Virginia (P. cinereus and P. nettingi) were consistent with what was expected under interspecific competition models. Mary is currently a student in veterinary medicine at Iowa State.

Kate Weigert, B.S. 2007: Kate completed her B.S. in 2007 at Iowa State University. Her project in the Adams lab explored the relationship between cranial morphology and aggressive behavior in several populations of Plethodon cinereus from a broad geographic area in the eastern United States. Kate is currently attending medical school.

Nicole Seda, B.S. 2007: Nicole completed her B.S. in 2007 at Iowa State University. She conducted an undergraduate honors thesis in Dr. Adams' laboratory, which examined patterns of morphological diversification in 5 species of southern Plethodon salamanders. Nicole is currently attending veterinary medical school.