Dr. Sean T. Giery, University of Wyoming President's Distinguished Scholar and Associate Research Professor: I received my Ph.D. from North Carolina State University before doing a postdoc at the University of Connecticut followed by three years as an Eberly Research Fellow at Pennsylvania State University. The core of my research explores the ecological origins and evolutionary consequences of diversity using a wide range of tools and approaches—from stable isotopes and genomic data to large-scale field experiments.

Jeremy Fuller, Research Scientist: Lab manager for the Giery and Zimova research groups at the University of Wyoming. Jeremy oversees and implements various shared research projects, organizes and collects piles of data, helps coordinate various field studies, and dutifully keeps both labs running smoothly.

Alyssa Meyer, M.S. Student: Alyssa has a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Binghamton University. Her research interests lie at the intersection of behavioral and evolutionary ecology with a focus on adaptation in rapidly changing environments. She is particularly interested in how amphibians are responding to climate change, both behaviorally and morphologically, and how these changes affect amphibian populations. Her work ultimately aims to inform conservation strategies that preserve biodiversity and support ecosystem resilience.

Elizabeth Shaffer, M.S.: Elizabeth is pursuing an M.S. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She is researching the effects of fish presence in vernal pools on various processes via amphibian linkages: terrestrial leaf litter decomposition, terrestrial predator visitations to the ponds, and effects on the amphibian community composition in and around the ponds. In her free time, she can be found skating or spending time with friends.

Update: Elizabeth successfully defended her M.S. Thesis! Well done Elizabeth!

Umair Ahmad, Ph.D. Student: Umair is a member the Miles Lab at OU. He has a BS and MS in Zoology from the University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Pakistan. His research investigates the impact of climate change and wildfires on host-parasite relationships. Umair brings expertise in molecular techniques, conservation, ecology, and multivariate analysis to the group. He’s directly contributing to several ongoing projects and training undergraduates in molecular techniques. In addition to receiving several academic fellowships, he recently received the BIOS Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, and serves as President of the BIOS Graduate Society.

Emma Sielski, Undergraduate Research Assistant: Emma is a sophomore majoring in Biological Sciences. Her current work in the Giery lab includes extracting, quantifying, and assessing genomic DNA from tissue samples. Outside of the lab, Emma holds several leadership positions including Director of Public Relations for Ohio University's chapter of the National Biological Honors Society, and Vice President of Phone a Friend. Emma has also won a spot in the OU’s Diabetes Institute Summer Interprofessional Research Experience (DISIRE). There she’ll be expanding her research skills and advancing towards a career in research.

Update: Emma will be staring her MD/PhD at The Ohio State University in Columbus this Fall. Well done Emma!

Liam Feeney, Undergraduate Researcher: Liam is majoring in Wildlife and Conservation Biology and minoring in Environmental and Plant Biology. In the Giery lab, he is one of the current PACE interns who helps assist the graduate and Ph.D students with their projects. This year he'll be analyzing the breeding phenology of Wood Frogs in Ohio and West Virginia vernal pools. Outside of the lab, Liam enjoys spending time outside, and photographing wildlife.

Ellie Faber, Undergraduate Researcher: Ellie is an undergraduate student in the Honors Tutorial College at OU. In summer 2024 she’ll be leading a new project to characterize the ectoparasite community of Common Wall lizards in Cincinnati, Ohio. Stay tuned!

Update: Ellie is now a PhD student the University of Virginia. Well done Ellie!

Makenna Koogler, Undergraduate Researcher: Majoring in Wildlife & Conservation Biology, Makenna is a PACE intern in the Giery lab for the 2024-2025 year. Her primary duties will be assisting data collection and species surveys to see how climate change is affecting vernal pools and the amphibians that reside within them. Outside of the lab, Makenna is a member of the HIKE club executive board and has spent the last two summers working at wildlife rehabilitation centers in Dayton, Ohio. 

Grace Smith, Undergraduate Researcher: Grace is a Sophomore that is majoring in Wildlife and Conservation Biology with a minor in Environmental and Plant Biology. She also loves the outdoors and participates in skiing, hiking, camping, and rock climbing. Her love for the environment fuels her passion in biology and ecology. In her career she plans to work on restoration of habitats, wildlife management, and ecological research. 

James Watson, Undergraduate Researcher: Primarily interested in tropical ecology and conservation, James is now a MS student studying False Gharial in Malaysia with Dr. Indraneil Das!! Before that, James spent his senior year at Appalachian State University conducting a mesocosm experiment investigating growth and survival differences among spotted salamander color morphs.

Mister Bug, Assistant to the Professor: A founding member of the Giery lab. Enthusiastic about vertebrates…and worms. He’s also skilled at finding salamanders and reasons to delay bedtime.