Who We Are
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Principal Investigator
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Dr. Haldre Rogers
I am a community ecologist and conservation biologist, motivated by a desire to understand and effectively address environmental problems. My research investigates the impact of biodiversity loss on ecosystem functions and services, with a focus on mutualisms and food web dynamics in forest ecosystems. I finished my PhD in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington in 2011, then moved on to a Huxley Fellowship in the Department of BioSciences at Rice University in Houston, TX, then Assistant and Associate Professor positions in the Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Department at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. In August 2022, I moved to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.
I am a community ecologist and conservation biologist, motivated by a desire to understand and effectively address environmental problems. My research investigates the impact of biodiversity loss on ecosystem functions and services, with a focus on mutualisms and food web dynamics in forest ecosystems. I finished my PhD in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington in 2011, then moved on to a Huxley Fellowship in the Department of BioSciences at Rice University in Houston, TX, then Assistant and Associate Professor positions in the Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Department at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. In August 2022, I moved to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.
Post Docs
Dr. Claudia Nuñez-Penichet
Claudia joined the Rogers Lab in January of 2025 as a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow. Her research interests include diverse questions in distributional ecology, invasive species, dispersal ecology, and biodiversity patterns. Claudia’s work focuses on the use of quantitative ecology approaches to understand species distributional potential, invasion dynamics, and potential effects of invaders on native and cultivated species. Before joining Virginia Tech, Claudia earned her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Kansas in 2023, where she also worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher in 2024.
Google Scholar, ResearchGate
Claudia joined the Rogers Lab in January of 2025 as a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow. Her research interests include diverse questions in distributional ecology, invasive species, dispersal ecology, and biodiversity patterns. Claudia’s work focuses on the use of quantitative ecology approaches to understand species distributional potential, invasion dynamics, and potential effects of invaders on native and cultivated species. Before joining Virginia Tech, Claudia earned her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Kansas in 2023, where she also worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher in 2024.
Google Scholar, ResearchGate
Graduate Students
John Bender
John joined the Rogers Lab in August 2021 after receiving his B.S. in Integrative Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his masters at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. John has been working in the CNMI since 2015 on a variety of projects involving restoration ecology. His research interests include community ecology, food web dynamics, and species translocations. John is currently the conservation biologist for Pacific Bird Conservation where he works on species translocations in the CNMI with the Division of Fish and Wildlife.
John joined the Rogers Lab in August 2021 after receiving his B.S. in Integrative Biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his masters at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. John has been working in the CNMI since 2015 on a variety of projects involving restoration ecology. His research interests include community ecology, food web dynamics, and species translocations. John is currently the conservation biologist for Pacific Bird Conservation where he works on species translocations in the CNMI with the Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Abir Jain
Abir joined the Rogers Lab in August 2022 after receiving his B.Sc. in Zoology from the University of Mumbai and M.Sc. in Wildlife Science from the Wildlife Institute of India. His interests are in natural history, seed dispersal ecology, species interactions, global change, and science communication. For his PhD, he is studying the plant-seed disperser interactions across elevational gradients in the Appalachian forests to find out if seed dispersers can enable fleshy-fruiting plants to track climate change. Previously he studied fragmentation effects on plant-frugivore interactions in lowland tropical rainforests of India’s eastern Himalaya. 
Zia Crytser
Zia Crytser joined the Rogers Lab as a Master’s student in August 2024 after earning her B.S. in Integrative Biology from the University of Guam. Since 2017, she has worked with the Ecology of Birds Loss Project, examining the ecological roles of fanihi (Mariana fruit bat) and såli (Micronesian starling). For her Master’s, Zia is studying trophic shifts in vertebrates and arthropods across the Marianas using stable isotope analysis. She is dedicated to fostering inclusive science by integrating indigenous knowledge and collaborating with underrepresented communities. |
Staff Members
Brian Berg
Brian joined the Rogers lab in July 2023 after working as a research assistant and lab manager at Temple University. He received his B.S. in Biological Sciences from Marquette University in 2021. Outside of lab he enjoys the outdoors, sports, and history. |
Undergraduate Researchers
Baxter Beamer
My name is Baxter Beamer, I am a senior majoring in Wildlife Conservation and an undergraduate researcher in the Rogers Lab. I am working with Abir on the Appalachian Forests Frugivory project using camera trapping and focal watches to document avian frugivory interactions in Appalachia. Outside of the lab, I am the president of the Bird Club at Virginia Tech and the Conclave and Conference Chair at The Wildlife Society at Virginia Tech. I spend most of my free time out in the field exploring the natural beauty southwest Virginia has to offer.
My name is Baxter Beamer, I am a senior majoring in Wildlife Conservation and an undergraduate researcher in the Rogers Lab. I am working with Abir on the Appalachian Forests Frugivory project using camera trapping and focal watches to document avian frugivory interactions in Appalachia. Outside of the lab, I am the president of the Bird Club at Virginia Tech and the Conclave and Conference Chair at The Wildlife Society at Virginia Tech. I spend most of my free time out in the field exploring the natural beauty southwest Virginia has to offer.
Nate Salzberg
Nate Salzberg a junior studying Wildlife Conservation with an interest in plant-animal interactions. Outside of his work as an undergrad, Nate enjoys hiking, working out and gardening.
Nate Salzberg a junior studying Wildlife Conservation with an interest in plant-animal interactions. Outside of his work as an undergrad, Nate enjoys hiking, working out and gardening.
Alex Loria
Alex Loria is a senior in Wildlife Conservation, hoping to work with tropical bird conservation. Their other interests include Lego, herps, and reading. 
Christina Navarro
Christina is a junior in Wildlife Conservation minoring in Entomology. She is interested in arthropod conservation and ecology. Her favorite subjects are aquatic entomology, pollination ecology, and community interactions. She enjoys research and plans to pursue a graduate degree to further study insects 
Miles Dillah
Miles Dillah is majoring in Wildlife Conservation with a minor in Animal & Poultry Science. He has an interest in the genetics and social structures of Pacific island birds. Outside of the lab, he enjoys reading & playing video games. 
Cole Sullivan-Fielding
Cole Sullivan-Fielding is freshman in Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech, and an undergrad researcher in the Invasive Species Seed Dispersal Project focusing on interactions between frugivores and invasive plants around Blacksburg. He loves mammals, herps, and birds, and his hobbies outside of wildlife include hiking, training mixed martial arts, making art, and teaching . Emma Hildebrand
Emory Harned Lily Martin Mackenzie Bullerwell Princess Star Robert Chapman Visiting Post Docs |
Dr. Luís Felipe Daibes
Luís is a visiting researcher from Brazil, he is a post-doc fellow from the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and received a grant to join Roger’s lab from July through September 2023. His research interests focus on seed dispersal and recruitment limitations and patterns of seed rain across fragments of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
Luís Felipe Daibes de Andrade - Research Supported by FAPESP
Luís Felipe Daibes (researchgate.net)
Luís is a visiting researcher from Brazil, he is a post-doc fellow from the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) and received a grant to join Roger’s lab from July through September 2023. His research interests focus on seed dispersal and recruitment limitations and patterns of seed rain across fragments of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
Luís Felipe Daibes de Andrade - Research Supported by FAPESP
Luís Felipe Daibes (researchgate.net)
Field Crew
See the Ecology of Bird Loss Project website to meet our Marianas-based field crew.
Alumni
Jerilyn Jean Calaor
Jerilyn joined the Rogers Lab in August 2018 after receiving her B.S. in Biology at the University of Guam. Her interests are in community ecology, conservation biology, and invasion biology. For her PhD, she is studying arthropod food web dynamics in the Mariana Islands. Her dissertation evaluates impacts of bird loss on arthropod communities, assesses shifts in predator diets, and explores the role of spider mesopredators.
Jerilyn joined the Rogers Lab in August 2018 after receiving her B.S. in Biology at the University of Guam. Her interests are in community ecology, conservation biology, and invasion biology. For her PhD, she is studying arthropod food web dynamics in the Mariana Islands. Her dissertation evaluates impacts of bird loss on arthropod communities, assesses shifts in predator diets, and explores the role of spider mesopredators.
Martin Kastner
Martin Kastner, PhD student. My background is in restoration ecology and endangered species recovery, and I worked with såli crew on Guam for three years. I started off searching for and monitoring wild nests and then helped in an effort to design and install predator-proof nest boxes for the species.
Martin Kastner, PhD student. My background is in restoration ecology and endangered species recovery, and I worked with såli crew on Guam for three years. I started off searching for and monitoring wild nests and then helped in an effort to design and install predator-proof nest boxes for the species.
Dr. Harmony Yomai
Harmony received her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and is currently a postdoctoral researcher associate at Virginia Tech. Her background is in plant reproduction evolutionary processes and island biogeography. She currently studies the cascading effects of bird loss on plant-pollinator dynamics in the Marianas.
Harmony received her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and is currently a postdoctoral researcher associate at Virginia Tech. Her background is in plant reproduction evolutionary processes and island biogeography. She currently studies the cascading effects of bird loss on plant-pollinator dynamics in the Marianas.
Ann Marie Gawel
Ann Marie studies novel ecosystems and conservation in the Mariana Islands. Part of her PhD thesis focuses on seed dispersal in non-native vertebrates in a system that has lost its native vertebrates (the island of Guam). She is also addressing social science questions in her thesis focused on how public perceptions and misperceptions affect conservation goals. She has a BA from the University of Chicago and MSc from the University of Guam. She joined the Rogers lab in August 2016 after working for four years as a regulatory biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Outside of her research, she enjoys hiking and outrigger-canoe-paddling.
Ann Marie studies novel ecosystems and conservation in the Mariana Islands. Part of her PhD thesis focuses on seed dispersal in non-native vertebrates in a system that has lost its native vertebrates (the island of Guam). She is also addressing social science questions in her thesis focused on how public perceptions and misperceptions affect conservation goals. She has a BA from the University of Chicago and MSc from the University of Guam. She joined the Rogers lab in August 2016 after working for four years as a regulatory biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Outside of her research, she enjoys hiking and outrigger-canoe-paddling.
Christiana Quinata
Christiana joined the lab after working for several years as a biologist for the Department of the Navy in Guam. She received her B.S. in Biology from Regis University. Her interests are in ecology, conservation and food web dynamics nuanced by introduced species and habitat modification in the Mariana Islands. The things that excite her in conservation work are applying scientific research through natural resource management and interacting with stakeholders involved.
Christiana joined the lab after working for several years as a biologist for the Department of the Navy in Guam. She received her B.S. in Biology from Regis University. Her interests are in ecology, conservation and food web dynamics nuanced by introduced species and habitat modification in the Mariana Islands. The things that excite her in conservation work are applying scientific research through natural resource management and interacting with stakeholders involved.
Brittany Cavazos
Brittany joined the Rogers Lab in August 2016 after receiving a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice University. For her PhD she is interested in conservation biology and community ecology. More specifically, she plans to study mutualistic interactions, functional diversity, and intraspecific trait variation, as well as how these change under environmental stressors.
Brittany joined the Rogers Lab in August 2016 after receiving a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice University. For her PhD she is interested in conservation biology and community ecology. More specifically, she plans to study mutualistic interactions, functional diversity, and intraspecific trait variation, as well as how these change under environmental stressors.
Emily Ernst
Emily is a PhD candidate at Iowa State who started under Kirk Moloney in August 2015 and joined the Rogers lab as a co-advised student in January 2019. Her dissertation focuses on the role of invasive grasses in changing fire regime dynamics in the southwestern United States. She is examining how abiotic factors affect invasion success and plans to analyze the risk of invasion in a spatial context.
Emily is a PhD candidate at Iowa State who started under Kirk Moloney in August 2015 and joined the Rogers lab as a co-advised student in January 2019. Her dissertation focuses on the role of invasive grasses in changing fire regime dynamics in the southwestern United States. She is examining how abiotic factors affect invasion success and plans to analyze the risk of invasion in a spatial context.
Grace Hogye (Undergraduate Researcher and Summer EBL Field Technician May 2023 - Fall 2024)
Claire Heh (Undergraduate Researcher and Summer Field Technician Fall 2024-Summer 2024)
Anna Pletch (Undergraduate Researcher and Summer Field Technician Summer 2023- Spring 2024)
Natalie Dombrowksi (undergraduate researcher 2020 - 2022)
Dr. Hugo Thierry (PostDoc 2017-2020)
Dr. Hernani F. M. Oliveira (PostDoc 2019-2020)
Kamy Erikson (undergraduate researcher 2019)
Jillian Kurovski (undergraduate researcher, now a graduate student at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay)
Ethan Rose (undergraduate researcher, now a graduate student at Michigan State University)
Mckayla Spencer (Lab manager 2017 - 2019): currently the Inter-agency Python Management Coordinator for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Ella McGuire (undergraduate researcher 2019): Currently an undergraduate at Iowa State University
Paola Soto-Mendez (undergraduate researcher 2019): Currently an undergraduate at Iowa State University
Gino Savaria (undergraduate researcher 2019): Currently doing research in the Yukon Territory
Nick Lyon (masters student 2017-2019): currently a data scientist at NCEAS
Juan-Carlos Mungaray (undergrad researcher 2017-2018): currently a biologist in Guam
Dr. Evan Fricke (postdoctoral researcher 2015-2018): currently a researcher at MIT
Sungju Nielsen (undergrad researcher 2017): currently a real estate agent in Hawaii
Alex Karnish (undergrad researcher 2016-2018): currently a PhD student in Judith Bronstein's lab at Arizona State University
Courtenay Ray (lab manager 2016-2017): currently a PhD student in Ben Blonder's lab at Arizona State University
Andrea Colton (undergrad researcher 2016-2017): currently a graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Elizabeth Wandrag (collaborative postdoctoral researcher through Rice University and University of Guam 2013-2015): currently a lecturer at York University in the UK
Dr. Miranda Salsbery ( undergrad researcher 2016-2017): recently finished her PhD at the University of Nebraska
Anna Vymetal (undergrad researcher 2017)
Claire Heh (Undergraduate Researcher and Summer Field Technician Fall 2024-Summer 2024)
Anna Pletch (Undergraduate Researcher and Summer Field Technician Summer 2023- Spring 2024)
Natalie Dombrowksi (undergraduate researcher 2020 - 2022)
Dr. Hugo Thierry (PostDoc 2017-2020)
Dr. Hernani F. M. Oliveira (PostDoc 2019-2020)
Kamy Erikson (undergraduate researcher 2019)
Jillian Kurovski (undergraduate researcher, now a graduate student at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay)
Ethan Rose (undergraduate researcher, now a graduate student at Michigan State University)
Mckayla Spencer (Lab manager 2017 - 2019): currently the Inter-agency Python Management Coordinator for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Ella McGuire (undergraduate researcher 2019): Currently an undergraduate at Iowa State University
Paola Soto-Mendez (undergraduate researcher 2019): Currently an undergraduate at Iowa State University
Gino Savaria (undergraduate researcher 2019): Currently doing research in the Yukon Territory
Nick Lyon (masters student 2017-2019): currently a data scientist at NCEAS
Juan-Carlos Mungaray (undergrad researcher 2017-2018): currently a biologist in Guam
Dr. Evan Fricke (postdoctoral researcher 2015-2018): currently a researcher at MIT
Sungju Nielsen (undergrad researcher 2017): currently a real estate agent in Hawaii
Alex Karnish (undergrad researcher 2016-2018): currently a PhD student in Judith Bronstein's lab at Arizona State University
Courtenay Ray (lab manager 2016-2017): currently a PhD student in Ben Blonder's lab at Arizona State University
Andrea Colton (undergrad researcher 2016-2017): currently a graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Elizabeth Wandrag (collaborative postdoctoral researcher through Rice University and University of Guam 2013-2015): currently a lecturer at York University in the UK
Dr. Miranda Salsbery ( undergrad researcher 2016-2017): recently finished her PhD at the University of Nebraska
Anna Vymetal (undergrad researcher 2017)
Lab Photos
Rogers Lab Fall 2019- Lab Retreat
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Rogers Lab Spring 2019- End of Semester Gathering
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Rogers Lab Fall 2018- End of Semester Gathering
Rogers Lab Spring 2018- End of Semester Gathering
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Rogers Lab Fall 2018- Lab Retreat
Rogers Lab Spring 2017- End of Semester Gathering
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