Who We Are
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Principal Investigator
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Dr. Haldre Rogers
I am a tropical forest 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 services, with a focus on mutualisms and food web dynamics in tropical 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, and am now an Assistant Professor in the Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Department at Iowa State University in Ames, IA.
I am a tropical forest 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 services, with a focus on mutualisms and food web dynamics in tropical 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, and am now an Assistant Professor in the Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Department at Iowa State University in Ames, IA.
Post Docs
Dr. Hugo Thierry
Hugo received his PhD in Toulouse, France, studying the spatial
temporal dynamics of the interactions between agricultural practices and
pest population dynamics. He joined the Rogers Lab at the beginning of
2018. His work consists in developing spatially explicit models to study
population dynamics, ecosystem services and conservation biology. In
this project, his goal is develop management scenarios that effectively restore seed dispersal to the island of Guam.
Hugo received his PhD in Toulouse, France, studying the spatial
temporal dynamics of the interactions between agricultural practices and
pest population dynamics. He joined the Rogers Lab at the beginning of
2018. His work consists in developing spatially explicit models to study
population dynamics, ecosystem services and conservation biology. In
this project, his goal is develop management scenarios that effectively restore seed dispersal to the island of Guam.
Lab Manager
McKayla Spencer
McKayla completed her BS at University of Florida in 2012 and her MSc at Austin Peay State University in 2017 with a focus on viper physiology and behavior. Her interest have historically been in reptile ecology, behavior, and conservation. From 2013-2014 she was a member of the Brown Treesnake Research Team in Guam. She left Guam with a strong interest in pursuing research concerning invasive species impacts on native communities. She is excited to further her knowledge in community ecology with the Rogers Lab.
McKayla completed her BS at University of Florida in 2012 and her MSc at Austin Peay State University in 2017 with a focus on viper physiology and behavior. Her interest have historically been in reptile ecology, behavior, and conservation. From 2013-2014 she was a member of the Brown Treesnake Research Team in Guam. She left Guam with a strong interest in pursuing research concerning invasive species impacts on native communities. She is excited to further her knowledge in community ecology with the Rogers Lab.
Graduate Students
Ann Marie Gawel
Ann Marie is planning to study novel ecosystems and conservation in the Mariana Islands. Part of her PhD thesis will focus 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 is planning to study novel ecosystems and conservation in the Mariana Islands. Part of her PhD thesis will focus 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.
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. She will begin her dissertation work in the Mariana Islands looking at intraspecific trait variation in plant communities.
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. She will begin her dissertation work in the Mariana Islands looking at intraspecific trait variation in plant communities.
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 plans to study food web dynamics in the Mariana Islands, with a focus on insect food webs in the absence of birds as top predators.
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 plans to study food web dynamics in the Mariana Islands, with a focus on insect food webs in the absence of birds as top predators.
Nick Lyon
Nick started his MS at ISU in May 2016 and joined the Rogers Lab in August 2017. He is co-advised by Diane Debinski at Montana State. His interests are broadly focused in restoration ecology and conservation biology, with a strong emphasis on communication and collaboration with non-scientist partners. His research focuses on developing adaptive management strategies for active Midwestern pastureland aimed at controlling invasive tall fescue while also increasing habitat suitability for native pollinator species. He is also using species distribution modeling techniques to model the potential for range shifts of key floral resource plant species under different climatic scenarios.
Nick started his MS at ISU in May 2016 and joined the Rogers Lab in August 2017. He is co-advised by Diane Debinski at Montana State. His interests are broadly focused in restoration ecology and conservation biology, with a strong emphasis on communication and collaboration with non-scientist partners. His research focuses on developing adaptive management strategies for active Midwestern pastureland aimed at controlling invasive tall fescue while also increasing habitat suitability for native pollinator species. He is also using species distribution modeling techniques to model the potential for range shifts of key floral resource plant species under different climatic scenarios.
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.
Iza Bruen-Morningstar
Iza is an MS student finishing her degree this semester with Iowa State.
Iza is an MS student finishing her degree this semester with Iowa State.
Undergraduate researchers
Ethan
Ethan Rose is interested in understanding the spatial relationship between seeds and their dispersers.
Juan
Juan Carlos Mungaray is interested in conservation biology and herps.
Juan Carlos Mungaray is interested in conservation biology and herps.
Jillian
Jillian Kurovski is interested in arthropod ecology.
Sam
Samantha Allbee is interested in animal behavior and wildlife conservation.
Aryana
Aryana Miller is interested in data entry and statistics.
Ella
Ella McGuire is a George Washington Carver Academy Scholar. Ella is interested in sustainability and conservation, particularly regarding negative impacts of climate change on food systems and water in Asia.
Field Crew
See the Ecology of Bird Loss Project website to meet our Marianas-based field crew.
Alumni
Dr. Evan Fricke (postdoctoral researcher 2015-2018): currently a postdoc with SESYNC at University of Maryland
Sungju Nielsen (undergrad researcher 2017): currently a visiting undergraduate 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 an intern at Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona
Dr. Elizabeth Wandrag (collaborative postdoctoral researcher through Rice University and University of Guam 2013-2015): currently a Research Fellow with The Institute of Applied Ecology at University of Canberra
Miranda Salsbery ( undergrad researcher 2016-2017): currently a master's student at University of Nebraska
Anna Vymetal (undergrad researcher 2017): currently an undergrad at Iowa State University
Sungju Nielsen (undergrad researcher 2017): currently a visiting undergraduate 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 an intern at Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona
Dr. Elizabeth Wandrag (collaborative postdoctoral researcher through Rice University and University of Guam 2013-2015): currently a Research Fellow with The Institute of Applied Ecology at University of Canberra
Miranda Salsbery ( undergrad researcher 2016-2017): currently a master's student at University of Nebraska
Anna Vymetal (undergrad researcher 2017): currently an undergrad at Iowa State University
Lab Photos
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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