Research and Accomplishments
Learn about research undertaken by alum and where they are now.
2022
Willow Abshire Sims (MS, 2022)
Advisor: Nyree Zerega, Andrea Kramer
Internship: Mapping Diversity of Field Museum's Costa Rican Macrofungi Collections
Current Position:
Contact: willowabshiresims2021@u.northwestern.edu
Alexis Balog (MS, 2022)
Advisor: Andrea Kramer
Thesis: Solidago Altissima Management in Old Fields/Tallgrass Prairies of Chicagoland
Contact: alexisbalog2021@u.northwestern.edu
Ry'yan Clark (MS, 2022)
Advisors: Louise Egerton-Warburton
Jeremie Fant
Thesis: Mature White Oak Soil Moisture and Water Redistribution Patterns
in Fragmented Woodlands
Current Position:
Contact: ryyan.clark@u.northwestern.edu
Maria Camila Cortes-Bohorquez (MS, 2022)
Advisor: Nyree Zerega, Andrea Kramer
Internship:
Main: Started project related to educational material for the Putumayo Biocultural corridor.
Miscellaneous: support and assistance to the Andes - Amazon Program team.
Current Position:
Contact: mariacortes-bohorquez2022@u.northwestern.edu
Susan Deans (MS, 2022)
Advisor: Nyree Zerega, Andrea Kramer
Internship: Conservation Status and Floral Biology of Kauaʻi Endemic Hibiscus Species
Current Position: Field Technician at Kaua'i Plant Extinction Prevention Program.
Contact: susandeans2022@u.northwestern.edu
Jeremy Foster (MS, 2022)
Advisor: Jeremie Fant
Thesis: Advancing The Conservation of an Exceptional Species Extinct in The Wild Using Strategic Crosses and Pollen Storage; a Case of Brighamia Insignis (CAMPANULACEAE)
Current Position:
Contact: JeremyFoster2021@u.northwestern.edu
Maria Belem Giro (MS, 2022)
Advisor: Nyree Zerega, Andrea Kramer
Internship: Extending Zoo Pedigree Management Approaches to Two Magnolia species
Current Position:
Contact: mariagiromartin2022@u.northwestern.edu
Elena Loke (MS, 2022)
Advisor: Norman Wickett
Thesis: Incorporating Phased Alleles to Reconstruct a Recent and Rapid Radiation in Schiedea (Caryophyllaceae)
Amy Louison (MS, 2022)
Advisor: Nyree Zerega, Andrea Kramer
Internship: Great Basin Seed Collection Contract- Seeds of Success
Current Position:
Contact: amylouison2022@u.northwestern.edu
Logan Novak (MS, 2022)
Advisor: Greg Mueller
Thesis: SOIL FEEDBACKS AND ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI OF LINARIA VULGARIS INVASION
Current Position:
Contact: LoganNovak2021@u.northwestern.edu
Lea Richardson (PhD, 2022)
Advisor: Stuart Wagenius
Thesis: Investigating Impacts of Prescribed Fire on Flowering Phenology and Reproduction in Grassland Perennials
Current Position: PhD-Postdoctoral Researcher at California State University
Contact: LeaRichardson2020@u.northwestern.edu, lkr626@gmail.com
Daniel Sandacz (MS, 2022)
Advisor: Kayri Havens
Thesis: The Impact of Invasive Plant Removal on CIRSIUM PITCHERI and Its
Plant-Pollinator Network
Current Position: Restoration Ecologist I, Lake County Forest Preserves
Contact: dsandacz@lcfpd.org
2021
Bing Li (MS, 2021)
Major Adviser: Kay Havens-Young, Ph.D.
Thesis: Genetic and floral trait changes in oenothera organensis (onagraceae) during long-term ex situ cultivation
Contact: bingli2021@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD Student, University of Wisconsin Madison
Maya Bickner (MS, 2021)
Major Adviser: Patrick Herendeen, PhD
Thesis: Enigmatic gymnospermous seeds from the early cretaceous of Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, China, expand the diversity of seed plants
Contact: MayaBickner2021@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Research Assistant, Chicago Botanic Garden
Lindsey Gohd (MS, 2021)
Major Adviser: Louise Egerton-Warburton, PhD and Nyree Zerega, PhD
Thesis:The potential for soil carbon storage in breadfruit (Artocarpus spp.) agroecosystems: Considering the variation across cultivars and wild relatives
Contact: lindseygohd2020@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Intern at Trees That Feed Foundation
Adrienne Ernst (PhD, 2021)
Major Adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Effect of phylogenetic and functional diversity on invasion resistance in restored tallgrass prairies
Contact: AdrienneErnst2020@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Postdoctoral research associate in Karin Kettenring’s lab at Utah State University, focused on research in wetland ecology and restoration
Matt Wang (MS, 2021)
Internship: Using Soil and Demographic Data to Predict Susceptibility to Herbivorous Moths and Overall Health of Rare Cactus Populations. A Protocol. Capitol Reef National Park
Contact: matthewd.wang@gmail.com
Katie Wenzell (PhD, 2021)
Major Adviser: Jeremie Fant, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Do Pollinators Drive Divergence?: Connecting Floral Phenotypes, Pollinators, and Gene Flow to Understand Floral Trait Divergence in Castilleja
Contact: KWenzell@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Postdoctoral scientist, John Innes Center, Norwich, UK. Kelsey Byer's lab.
Jessica Prescott-Smith (MS, 2021)
Internship: Harbor Prairie South Vegetation Assessment for the Chicago Park District
Current Position: Natural Areas Chicago Park District
Karolina Kahle (MS, 2021)
Internship: Shoreline Invasive Species Tracking Internship - Chicago Botanic Garden
Contact: karolinakahle2021@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Wetland specialist at Gewalt Hamilton Associates
Robert Hevey (PhD, 2021)
Major Adviser: Pati Vitt, PhD
Dissertation: Seed Dormancy Break, Germination, and Seedling Establishment in the Genus Lespedeza Michx.
Contact: roberthevey2011@u.northwestern.edu
Samantha Danguilan (MS, 2021)
Thesis: Variation In Flowering Time Within and Amongst Individuals of Clytonia Virginica. An Early Spring Ephemeral Has Consequences Beyond Seedset
Advisor: Amy Iler
Kristen Manion (MS, 2021)
Thesis: Where Do Bees Build Their Nests? The Influence Of Land-Use History And Microhabitat On Nest Presence Of Ground-Nesting Bees
Advisor: Stuart Wagenius
2020
Alicia Foxx (MS, 2014; PhD, 2020)
Major Adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Thesis: Intraspecific variation in Elymus elymoides root traits and its influence on competitive outcomes
Dissertation: Implications of Within-Species Root and Shoot Trait Variation and Plasticity for Species Coexistence
Contact: aliciafoxx2014@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher at US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Gainesville, FL
Katherine Kucera (MS, 2020)
Major Adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Thesis: Producing mixed-source populations for restoration: Genetic changes from the wild to a seed production field and restoration site, with links to potentially adaptive genetic diversity
Current Position: Research Assistant Plants of Concern, Chicago Botanic Garden
Sam Kilgore (MS, 2020)
Major Adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Thesis: Investigating Germination and Establishment of Viola to Inform Reintroduction
Current Position: Land Stewardship Manager / Native Plant Specialist at The Conservation Foundation, Aurora, IL
Alifya Saify (MS, 2020)
Internship: Exploring the Effects of Soil Amendments in Big Marsh
Contact: alifya.saify@northwestern.edu
Current Position: Research analyst at Charles River Laboratories, Chicago, IL
Taran Lichtenberger (MS, 2020)
Major Adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Thesis: Mixing populations for restoration may improve productivity of plants that perform poorly in low-diversity settings
Contact: TLichtenberger@chicagobotanic.org
Current Position: Community Engagement Manager at Budburst, Chicago Botanic Garden
Emma Leavens (MS, 2020)
Major Adviser: Greg Mueller, Ph.D.
Thesis: Population Genetics and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Community of Comandra umbellata
Contact: emmaleavens2019@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Research Coordinator, Experimental Prairie, Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL
Diana Jerome (MS, 2020)
Major Adviser: Amy Iler, Ph.D.
Thesis: Early Snowmelt and Warming Independently Drive the Reproductive Phenology of Subalpine Wildflowers
Contact: DianaJerome2020@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD Student at The University of Edinburgh
Andrea Gruver (MS, 2020)
Major Adviser: Paul CaraDonna, Ph.D.
Thesis: Big City Bees: investigating the effects of urbanization on wild bee communities in Chicago, IL
Contact: AndreaGruver2019@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Research Analyst at aQity Research & Insights
Anita Cisternas Fuentes (PhD, 2020)
Major Adviser: Jeremie Fant, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Plant Breeding System and Primary Pollinator as a Proxy to Estimate Inbreeding and
Inbreeding Depression
Contact: AnitaCisternasFuentes2019@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Clemson University
Matthew Evans (MS, 2020)
Major Adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Thesis: An Assessment of Bernal Pool Soil Seed Banks for Invaded Oak-Hickory Woodland Habitat Restoration
Contact: MatthewEvans2020@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Managing Ecologist, Woodlands, Chicago Botanic Garden
Lucas Chamberlain (MS, 2020)
Major Adviser: Louise Egerton-Warburton, Ph.D.
Thesis: Quantifying Soil Carbon Sequestration Following the Conversion of an Abandoned Field to Sustainable Agriculture
Contact: LucasChamberlain2020@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Environmental Science instructor, SAE Institute, Chicago
2019
Kat Andrews (MS, 2019)
Thesis: Precipitation frequency negatively impacts plant survivorship, growth, phenology, and herbivory in Oenothera harringtonii
Contact: katherineandrews2018@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Director of Cultivation, Standards and Practices at Cresco Labs
Marie Faust (MS, 2019)
Thesis: Pollinator mediated reproductive consequences of altered co-flowering under climate change depend on abiotic context
Contact: mariefaust2019@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Science Outreach Specialist for NEON (National Ecological Observatory Network), Boulder, CO.
Kris Bonefont (MS, 2019)
Thesis: Ecological strategies of species persisting in a naturally fragmented landscape
Contact: bonefont@nmsu.edu
Current Position: Programmer, Landscape data commons project, New Mexico State University and Jornada Experimental Range
Jessa Finch (PhD, 2019)
Dissertation: Gene flow and regeneration niche of Asclepias in the Midwest U.S.
Contact: jfinch@chicagobotanic.org
Current Position: Research Botanist at Native Plant Trust, Framingham MA
Lynnaun Johnson (PhD, 2019)
Dissertation: Investigating Specificity and Diversity of Orchid Mycorrhizal Fungi of Vanilla planifolia and Dendrophylax lindenii
Contact: Lynnaun_Johnson@rush.edu
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center
Christopher Mann (MS, 2019)
Contact: Christopher.Mann@outlook.com
Current Position: U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station
Drake Mullett (MS, 2019)
Thesis: Context dependency of plant-plant antagonisms in response to nutrient availability
Contact: drakemullett2018@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD student, Plant Biology and Conservation Northwestern University
2018
Micah Melczer (MS, 2018)
Contact: MicahMelczer2018@u.northwestern.edu
Lauren Price (MS, 2018)
Internship: Predicting current and future ranges for Sclerocactus glaucus using MaxEnt modeling
Contact: LaurenPrice2019@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Terrestrial Implementation Coordinator, Bureau of Land Management, National Operations Center
Nathan Lamb (MS, 2018)
Major adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Thesis: Low Restoration Potential of Soil Seed Banks in Buckthorn-Invaded Oak Woodlands
Contact: nathanglamb@gmail.com
Current Position: Heronswood Garden Curator/Assistant Director, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe
Lauren Audi (MS, 2018)
Thesis: Genetic Augmentation Reduces Mate Limitation in Two Rare Asteraceae Species
Contact: laudi@amnh.org
Current Position: Lab Manager, Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History
Chen Ning (MS, 2014; PhD, 2018)
Major adviser: Gregory Mueller, Ph.D.
Thesis: Functional Response of Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Community to Nitrogen Deposition on Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii) Plantation in South-central China
Dissertation: Structure, Diversity, and Function of Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Communities in Native and Introduced Pines of South China
Contact: chenning2012@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Professor, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, China
Mary Patterson (MS, 2018)
Contact: marypatterson2017@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Botanist, US Forest Service, Truckee, CA
Lauren Umek (MS, 2007; PhD, 2018)
Thesis: Seasonal variation of key soil characteristics in a tallgrass prairie along a restoration gradient
Dissertation: Impacts of Restoration and Management on Plant Communities and Belowground Processes in the Chicago Region
Contact: lumek@u.northwestern.edu
Current position: Urban Ecologist and Program Manager, Department of Cultural and Natural Resources, Chicago Park District
Jordan Wood (MS, 2018)
Major adviser: Jeremie Fant, PhD
Thesis: Conservation genetics and ex situ management for living collections of endangered plants
Contact: jordanwood@u.northwestern.edu
Christopher Woolridge (MS, 2018)
Thesis: Northward bound: should southern-sourced seeds be preferentially used in restoration efforts?
Contact: ChristopherWoolridge2017@u.northwestern.edu
Current position: Conservation Land Management Program Manager, Chicago Botanic Garden
Jacob Zeldin (MS, 2018)
Thesis: Functional composition in prairie plant communities: implications for invasion resistance, restoration, and conservation
Contact: jzeldin@chicagobotanic.org
Current position: Research Ecologist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Rui Zhang (PhD, 2018)
Dissertation: Molecular Systematics, Evolutionary Ecology and Biogeography of Ectomycorrhizal Genus Suillus (Boletales, Basidiomycota)
Contact: RuiZhang2015@u.northwestern.edu
Kaiyue Zhou (MS, 2018)
Thesis: Biogeochemical cycling in a green roof ecosystem
Contact: KaiyueZhou2017@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Technical Product Manager, BD Biosciences
2017
Kelly Ksiazek-Mikenas (MS, 2011; PhD, 2017)
Major adviser: Jeremie Fant, Ph.D. (MS) Krissa Skogen, Ph.D. (PhD)
Thesis: Patterns of Pollen Limitation and Seed Set on Chicago Green Roofs
Dissertation: The Potential of Green Roofs to Provide Habitat for Native Plant Conservation
Contact: kellyksiazek2011@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Assistant Professor in Biology and Environmental Studies Program Director, Elmhurst College
Elliot Gardner (PhD, 2017)
Dissertation: Evolutionary transitions: phylogenomics and pollination of Artocarpus (Moraceae)
Contact: egardner@mortonarb.org
Current position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, National Tropcial Botanical Garden and Florida International University
Rebecca Barak (MS 2012; PhD 2017)
Major Adviser: Krissa Skogen, Ph.D. (MS) Daniel Larkin, Ph.D. (PhD)
Thesis: Assessing restoration potential of native forbs from cheatgrass-dominated habitats
Dissertation: Using trees to seed prairies: Incorporating phylogenetic information to guide tallgrass prairie restoration
Contact: RebeccaBarak2011@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Conservation Scientist, Chicago Botanic Garden
Kristina Fahey (MS 2017)
Internship: Status and Habitat Analysis of the Federally Endangered Fritillaria genteri, Bureau of Land Management, Medford, OR.
Contact: KristinaFahey2017@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Biological Science Technician at Chihuahuan Desert I&M Network, National Parks System, Las Cruces, NM
Jessica Ross (MS 2017)
Thesis: Characterizing the diversity of lignin-degrading fungi in a dry seasonal tropical forest
Contact: JessicaRoss2014@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Citizen Science Coordinator, University of Wisconsin Arboretum
Alexandra Seglias (MS 2017)
Major adviser: Andrea Kramer, PhD/Kayri Havens-Young, PhD
Thesis: Germination Ecology of forb species native to the Southwest United States: Implication for restoration
Contact: alexandra.seglias@botanicgardens.org
Current Position: Seed Conservation Research Assistant, Denver Botanic Gardens
Website: alexseglias.wordpress.com
Abigail White (MS 2017)
Major adviser: Andrea Kramer, PhD
Thesis: Restoring species diversity: identifying gaps in the United States native seed industry and using conservation genetics to understand why a vulnerable native thistle is missing from commercial production
Contact: abbeyboweswhite@gmail.com
Current Position: Middle School teacher, Forest Bluff School, Lake Bluff, IL
2016
Daniel Bruzzese (MS 2016)
Major adviser: Krissa Skogen, PhD
Thesis: Host use and allopatry in the diversification of the Microlepidopteran genus Mompha
Contact: dan.bruzzese@gmail.com
Current position: PhD program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Notre Dame
Website: https://danielbruzzese.wordpress.com/
Benjamin Cooper (MS 2016)
Thesis: Revealing patterns of evolution in Oenothera sect. Calylophus (Onagraceae) using target enrichment
Peter DeJongh (MS 2016)
Internship: Raptor nesting and cheatgrass monitoring. Bureau of Land Management, Casper, WY.
Current Position: Wildlife Biologist, Bureau of Land Management, California Desert District
Ryan Disney (MS, 2016)
Internship: A report on the effects of harvest timing and frequency on a native prairie bioenergy crop, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
Contact: RyanDisney@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Chief Botanist at Red Arrow Farm
Claire Ellwanger (MS 2016)
Major adviser: Jeremie Fant, PhD
Thesis: Conservation Genetics of the federally threatened orchid: Platanthera leucophaea
Current Position: Eastern Washington Area Geneticist at U.S. Forest Service, Wanatchee, WA
Claire Malley (MS, 2016)
Thesis: Methods in Orthology Detection and Application to the Moss Phylogeny
Contact: cmalley@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD Student, George Mason University
2015
Adrienne Basey (MS, 2015)
Major adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Thesis: restoration ecology, conservation genetics, plant conservation
Contact: Adrienne.Basey@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Associate Scientist at Metro, Portland Oregon
Magdalena Eshleman (MS, 2015)
Major adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Thesis: A comparison of intraspecific variation in early life history characteristics of native Colorado Plateau forbs
Contact: maggieeshleman@gmail.com
Current Position: Biologist, CH2M in Tucson, Arizona
Paul Hartzog (PhD, 2015)
Major adviser: Daniel Larkin, Ph.D.
Dissertation: The effects of restoration and plant community change on denitrification and investigations into denitrification measurement techniques
Contact: paulhartzog2014@u.northwestern.edu
Current position: Consultant, Beghou Consulting
Elizzabeth Kaufman (MS, 2015)
Contact: ElizabethKaufman2015@u.northwestern.edu
Internship: Gunnison Sage-grouse Habitat Assessment Report: Crawford Population 2013-2015, Bureau of Land Management, Montrose, CO.
Current position: Plant Ecologist, Pollinator Partnership
Emily Lewis (MS, 2015)
Major adviser: Krissa Skogen, Ph.D.
Thesis: Pollination biology and Onagraceae
Contact: EmilyLewis1456@gmail.com
Current position: Natural Resources Field Crew, Palouse Conservation District; Pullman, Washington.
Theresa Melhem (MS, 2015)
Major adviser: Nyree Zerega, Ph.D.
Thesis: Diversity and origins of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus, Lam.) in the Western Ghats of South India
Contact: TheresaMelhem2012@u.northwestern.edu
Nora Talkington (MS, 2015)
Major adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Thesis: Sprorobolus airoides propagation from invaded and uninvaded Russian knapweed sites
Contact: NoraTalkington2012@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Botanist, Navajo Natural Heritage Program, Window Rock, AZ
Rebecca Tonietto (MS, 2009; PhD, 2015)
Thesis: Chicago bees: green roofs, parks and prairies
Dissertation: The effects of habitat restoration on wild bee communities
Contact: RebeccaTonietto2008@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Michigan, Flint
Christopher Warneke (MS, 2015)
Thesis: Host preferences of biocontrol weevils for a threatened thistle and an invasive week: implications for management and conservation
Contact: warneke@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD student at Michigan State University in Department of Plant Biology
Christopher Warneke (MS, 2015)
Thesis: Host Preferences of Biocontrol Weevils Fora Threatened Thistle And An Invasive Weed: Implications For Management and Conservation
Advisor: Kayri Havens
2014
Anna Braum (MS, 2014)
Major Adviser: Jeremie Fant, Ph.D.
Thesis: Investigating the drivers of floral trait polymorphism in Castilleja coccinea (L.) Sprengel (Orobanchaceae)
Contact: AnnaBraum2013@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Research Assistant with Plants of Concern program at Chicago Botanic Garden
Alicia Foxx (MS, 2014)
Thesis: Intraspecific variation in Elymus elymoides root traits and its influence on competitive outcomes
Contact: aliciafoxx2014@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD student in Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University
Stephanie Frischie (MS, 2014)
Major Adviser: Andrea Kramer, Ph.D.
Internship: Inventory and biogeography of peanut (Arachis spp., Fabaceae Lindl.) crop wild relatives in the Parapeti river basin and Inao National Park, Bolivia.
Contact: stephaniefrischie@gmail.com
Current Position: Agronomist / Native Plant Materials Specialist, Xerces
Robert Hevey (MS, 2014)
Major Adviser: Louise Egerton-Warburton, Ph.D.
Thesis: Ectomycorrhizal community recovery in Quercus savanna following restoration from a Rhamnus catharticainvasion
Contact: RobertHevey2011@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD Student in Plant Biology and Conservation at Northwestern University
Kristen Laricchia (MS, 2014)
Major Adviser: Nyree Zerega, Ph.D. and Norman Wickett, Ph.D.
Thesis: Transcriptome analysis of domesticated breadfruit and its wild relatives
Contact: kristenlaricchia2014@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Associate Computational Biologist at the Broad Institute, MacArthur Lab
Anne Nies (MS, 2014)
Major Adviser: Pati Vitt, Ph.D.
Thesis: Excess and limitation of soil resources in Illinois communities of Cypripedium Candidum (Orchidaceae), the unexpected relationship between soil character, mycorrhizal colonization and photosynthesis
Contact: annenies2010@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: FAS Account Manager, Donlen Corporation
Chen Ning (MS, 2014)
Major Adviser: Gregory Mueller, Ph.D.
Thesis: Functional Response of Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Community to Nitrogen Deposition on Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii) Plantation in South-central China
Contact: chenning2012@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD Student in Plant Biology and Conservation at Northwestern University
Corey Palmer (MS, 2014)
Major Adviser: Louise Egerton-Warburton, Ph.D.
Thesis: The prairie underground: soil recovery in Chicago wilderness restoration
Contact: CoreyPalmer2013@u.northwestern.edu
Maria Wang Mei Hua (MS, 2014)
Major Adviser: Nyree Zerega, Ph.D.
Thesis: Diversity and origins of an underutilized tropical fruit tree, cempedak (Artocarpus integer, Moraceae), and its wild relative bangkong (Artocarpus integer var. silvestris)
Contact: MariaWang2013@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD student, University of Sheffield, UK
Laney Widener (MS, 2014)
Major Adviser: Jeremie Fant, Ph.D.
Thesis: Reproductive Isolation and Genetic Divergence In The Castilleja Affinis Subspecies Complex
Contact: laneywidener2014@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Botanical Coordinator, New England Wild Flower Society
2013
Lindsay Darling (MS, 2013)
Thesis: Genetic diversity and population structure of three tree species across and urban to remnant landscape gradient
Contact: LindsayDarling2013@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Research Assistant for the Oak Recovery Program, Morton Arboretum
Nikhilesh Desai (MS, 2013)
Major Adviser: Louise Egerton-Warburton, Ph.D.
Thesis: Mycorrhizal community structure among Quercus oleoides in the seasonally dry tropical forest
Contact: NikhileshDesai2012@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Botanic Specialist, Portland Parks and Recreation Urban Forestry, Portland, Oregon
Joshua Drizin (MS, 2013)
Thesis: Hygroscopic awns of two prairie grasses Andropogon gerardii and Sorghastrum nutans
Contact: JoshuaDrizin2012@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Artist
Katherine Muller (MS, 2013)
Major Adviser: Stuart Wagenius, Ph.D.
Thesis: Observational and experimental approaches to understanding the relationship between a long-lived perennial and its specialist aphid in fragmented habitat
Contact: KatherineMuller2013@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD student, Plant Biology at the University of Minnesota
Matthew Rhodes (MS, 2013)
Major Adviser: Krissa Skogen, Ph.D.
Thesis: Spatial genetic structure and nonrandom pollination success in Oenothara harringtonii (Onagraceae)
Contact: mailto:mkrhodes@email.arizona.edu
Current Position: PhD student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at University of Arizona
Ricardo J. Rivera (MS, 2013)
Major Adviser: Krissa Skogen, Ph.D.
Thesis: Quantitative genetics in a fragmented landscape, a study of heritable floral traits in Oenothera harringtonii (Onagraceae)
Contact: rikijota@gmail.com
Current Position: PhD student at University of Wisconsin/Madison in Department of Forestry and Wildlife Ecology
Website: rjriv.com
Karen Taira (MS, 2013)
Major Adviser: Stuart Wagenius, Ph.D.
Thesis: Does style persistence measure pollen limitation in perennial Helianthus species?
Contact: KarenTaira2012@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Program Manager at The Lurie Garden, Millennium Park, Chicago
Erin Vander Stelt (MS, 2013)
Major Adviser: Daniel Larkin, Ph.D.
Thesis: Isoetes butteri Engelm.: Genetic, environmental, and ecological characteristics of Illinois populations
Current Position: Environmental Analyst at Merjent. Holland, MI Contact: ErinVanderStelt2013@u.northwestern.edu
Colby Witherup (MS, 2013)
Major Adviser: Nyree Zerega, Ph.D.
Thesis: Genetic diversity of Bangladeshi jackfuit Artocarpus heterophyllus (Jackfruit, Moraceae)
Contact: c-witherup@northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD Student in Plant Biology and Conservation at Northwestern University
2012
Rebecca Barak (MS, 2012)
Major Adviser: Krissa Skogen, Ph.D.
Thesis: Assessing restoration potential of native forbs from cheatgrass-dominated habitats
Contact: RebeccaBarak2011@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD student in Plant Biology and Conservation at Northwestern University
Laura Briscoe (MS, 2012)
Major Adviser: Norman Wickett, Ph.D.
Thesis: Untangling Tylimanthus: Using Molecules and Morphology to Better Understand the Liverwort Family Acrobolbaceae E.A. Hodgson (Marchantiophyta)
Contact: LauraBriscoe2012@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Collections Manager of Cryptogams at the New York Botanical Garden
Wesley Glisson (MS, 2012)
Thesis: Habitat requirements and restoration targets for secretive marshbirds in southeastern Wisconsin
Current Position: Research Scientist, USGS Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Idaho
Byron Tsang (MS, 2012)
Thesis: Environmental factors affecting woodland legume restoration
Contact: byron.tsang@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Ecologist with the Chicago Park District's Department of Cultural and Natural Resources
2011
Emily Booth (MS, 2011)
Major Adviser: Krissa Skogen, Ph.D.
Thesis: Potential effects of climate change on Penstemon palmeri at Zion National Park, Utah, U.S.A.
Contact: embooth@utexas.edu
Current Position: PhD student in Plant Biology-Integrative Biological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin
Website: https://mlebth.github.io/
Christine Dumoulin (MS, 2011)
Major Adviser: Stuart Wagenius, Ph.D.
Thesis: Modeling breeding system effects on reproductive tradeoffs and persistence in habitat fragments
Contact: christinedumoulin2008@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Kate Gallagher (MS, 2011)
Major Adviser: Stuart Wagenius, Ph.D.
Thesis: Plant performance in prairie restoration: does seed source matter?
Contact: meegankgallagher@gmail.com
Current Position: PhD program, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Campbell Lab
Website: http://sites.uci.edu/mkgallagher/
Melissa (Gray) Petruzzello (MS, 2011)
Major Adviser: Krissa Skogen, Ph.D.
Thesis: The effects of floral density manipulation on the pollination and reproductive success of Penstemon pachyphyllus
Contact: MelissaGray2011@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Assistant Editor in Plant and Environmental Science at Encyclopedia Britannica - Greater Chicago Area
Kelly Ksiazek (MS, 2011)
Major Adviser: Jeremie Fant, Ph.D.
Thesis: Patterns of Pollen Limitation and Seed Set on Chicago Green Roofs
Contact: kellyksiazek2011@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: PhD student in Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University
Amy Price (MS, 2011)
Major Adviser: Daniel Larkin, Ph.D.
Thesis: Genetics and ecology of Phragmites Australis invasion in Chicago area wetlands
Contact: Please contact program assistant for permission
Current Position: Data Manager/Protocol Monitor EMMES Corporation
Melissa Tienes Siska (MS, 2011)
Major Adviser: Pati Vitt, Ph.D.
Thesis: Population Sex Ratios and Gender Switching in Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
Contact: MelissaTienes2010@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Assistant Director at High Touch, High Tech
2010
Duane Ambroz (MS, 2010)
Major Adviser: Jim Tang, PhD
Thesis: Soil organic carbon and plant diversity in urban soils
Contact: duane.ambroz@illinois.gov
Current Position: District Heritage Biologist, Northwest Illinois, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Courtney Gill (MS, 2010)
Major Adviser: Pati Vitt, Ph.D.
Thesis: The effects of temperature change and competition on the early growth rates of three north temperate grassland species
Contact: CourtneyGill2009@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Research Assistant for the Chicago Wilderness Sites for 100 Years project
Steven Hanson (MS, 2010)
Major Adviser: Nyree Zerega, Ph.D.
Thesis: Soil aggregate carbon storage in restored tallgrass prairies: A comparative analysis between a formerly cultivated site located on native prairie soil and an artificially created landscape
Contact: StevenHanson2009@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Environmental Protection Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Glen Madeja (MS, 2010)
Major Adviser: Kayri Havens-Young, Ph.D.
Thesis: Transforming gardening motivations into conservation efforts
Contact: gmadeja@comcast.net
Current Position: Executive Director of the Frances Willard Historical Association
Rachel Olson Sullivan (MS, 2010)
Major Adviser: Pati Vitt, Ph.D.
Thesis: Predicting the effects of climate change on the geographic distribution of plant-pollinator interactions
Contact: RachelOlson2010@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: GIS and Database Steward for the Grants Branch of the Division of Bird Habitat Conservation for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Elizabeth Riley Donovan (MS, 2010)
Major Adviser: Daniel Larkin, Ph.D.
Thesis: Comparison of three common wetland assessment methods
Contact: elizabeth.donovan4@gmail.com
Current Position: Biologist in the Office of Pesticide Programs Environmental Fate and Effects Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2009
Melissa Custic (MS, 2009)
Major Adviser: James R. Ault, PhD
Thesis: Temperature germination cues of alien and native herbaceous California Sage Scrub (CSS) and Chaparral Species
Contact: mcustic@mortonarb.org
Current Position: Chicago Regional Trees Initiative Coordinator, Morton Arboretum
Jonathan De Long (MS, 2009)
Thesis: The influence of endophytic partners on patterns of weediness in a native Australian orchid: Microtis media (R. Br.)
Contact: mailto:jonathan.delong@manchester.ac.uk
Current Position: Post doctoral researcher, Richard Bardgett lab, Manchester, England.
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/jonathanrdelong/home
Diane Huebner (MS, 2009)
Major Adviser: Nyree Zerega, Ph.D.
Thesis: A molecular, morphological and experimental assessment of the conservation status of the American sea-rocket (Cakile edentula, Brassicaceae)
Contact: dchuebner@alaska.edu
Current Position: PhD student, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Douglas Lynch (MS, 2009)
Major Adviser: Francesca McInerney, PhD
Thesis: Bundle sheath extension changes along light and precipitation gradients: implications for water use efficiency
Contact: douglaslynch2009@northwestern.edu
Current Position: NSF-IGERT LEAP doctoral fellow at the University of Illinois, Chicago
Tracy Misiewicz (MS, 2009)
Major Adviser: Nyree Zerega, Ph.D.
Thesis: Investigating the evolutionary history, biogeography and pollination biology of the genus Dorstenia(Moraceae)
Contact: tracymisiewicz@yahoo.com
Current Position: Science Project Specialist, The Organic Center, Washington, DC
Benjamin Staehlin (MS, 2009)
Major Adviser: Jeremie Fant, Ph.D.
Thesis: Climate change impacts on a native endemic thistle, Cirsium pitcheri
Contact: b-staehlin@northwestern.edu
Current Position: Restoration Supervisor, Chicago Audubon Society
Rebecca Tonietto (MS, 2009; PhD, 2015)
Major Adviser: Jeremie Fant, Ph.D. (MS) Daniel Larkin, Ph.D. (PhD)
Thesis: Chicago bees: green roofs, parks and prairies
Dissertation: The effects of habitat restoration on wild bee communities
Contact: RebeccaTonietto2008@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Smith Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, Saint Louis University
2008
Alona Banai (MS, 2008)
Major Advisers: Pati Vitt, Ph.D. and Jeremie Fant, Ph.D.
Thesis: Molecular and morphological evidence of hybridization between the federally threatened Lespedeza leptostachya with common congener L. capitata
Contact: alonabanai@gmail.com
Current Position : Partnership Marketing Coordinator of Chicago Area Runners Association
Rosemary Bush (MS, 2008)
Major Adviser: Francesca McInerney, PhD
Thesis: Variations in leaf wax n-Alkane Chain Length and Carbon Isotope Fractionation: Applications for Chemotaxonomy and Paleoecology
Contact: RosemaryBush2016@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Post-doctoral associate at University of Notre Dame's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences in the laboratory of Professor Melissa Berke
Eva Dubey Danon (MS, 2008)
Thesis: Ecological Education for Urban Youth: Promoting Environmental Literacy Through Place-Based Education
Contact: eddanon@gmail.com
Current Position: Science Teacher in Portland, Oregon
Joseph Gawronski-Salerno (MS, 2008)
Major Adviser: Louise Egerton-Warburton, Ph.D.
Thesis: Alterations to arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal colonization resulting from site variation in woodlands and prairies in a restoration context
Current Position: Science Information Architect for United States Drug Testing Laboratories
Rachel Gross Lawent (MS, 2008)
Major Adviser: Louise Egerton-Warburton, PhD
Thesis: The effect of prescribed fire history on below ground processes in tallgrass prairie
Contact: Please contact program assistant for permission
Current Position: Senior Tax Accountant, Marcum, LLP
Andrea Southgate (MS, 2008)
Major Adviser: Stuart Wagenius, Ph.D.
Thesis: The influences of population size on the effect of inbreeding and outbreeding of early plant traits in the prairie native Echinacea angustifolia (Asteracae)
Contact: AndreaSouthgate2008@u.northwestern.edu
2007
Lauren Umek (MS, 2007)
Thesis: Seasonal variation of key soil characteristics in a tallgrass prairie along a restoration gradient
Contact: lumek@u.northwestern.edu
Current Position: Program Manager, Department