Former Postdocs
Dr. Nicole Chodkowski
Postdoctoral Fellow, Cornell University
2018-2020
I am an active learning initiative (ALI) postdoc working to transition the Entomology, Herpetology and Plant Evolution courses from being taught as traditional lecture courses to active learning classrooms. I am helping to restructure the courses by creating modules/activities that give students both conceptual and practical skills in broad ecological and evolutionary topics like phylogeny and evolution, biogeography, and diversity using specific examples relevant to each course. I am interested in studying how implementing active learning strategies improve student learning of ecological and evolutionary concepts.
2018-2020
I am an active learning initiative (ALI) postdoc working to transition the Entomology, Herpetology and Plant Evolution courses from being taught as traditional lecture courses to active learning classrooms. I am helping to restructure the courses by creating modules/activities that give students both conceptual and practical skills in broad ecological and evolutionary topics like phylogeny and evolution, biogeography, and diversity using specific examples relevant to each course. I am interested in studying how implementing active learning strategies improve student learning of ecological and evolutionary concepts.
Dr. David Hembry
Postdoctoral Fellow, Cornell University
2018-2019 David received his bachelor's degree in Biology from Harvard University and completed a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management with Dr. Rosemary Gillespie at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on the role of species interactions, particularly mutualism and parasitism, in evolution. In the O'Grady Lab, David is working on the macroevolution and assembly of the Hawaiian insect fauna, as well as the ecology of interactions between Hawaiian Drosophila and yeasts. Before coming to Cornell, David conducted research on coevolution and diversification in a brood pollination interactions between leafflower plants (Phyllanthaceae: Phyllanthus s. l.) and leafflower moths (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae: Epicephala), particularly in the South Pacific (French Polynesia), the southern United States, and East Asia, and co-organized a NIMBioS working group on the dynamics of species interaction networks (2015-2019). |
Dr. Kari Roesch Goodman
Postdoctoral Fellow, UC Berkeley
2010-2013
Kari's work in the lab focused on species formation and diversification in several independent lineages of Hawaiian flies. She compared phylogenetic and biogeographic patterns among larger and smaller radiations, to better understand the factors that may promote or constrain diversification. Her ongoing work combines tools from phylogenetics, population genetics and animal communication to examine what promotes speciation and diversification in evolutionary radiations.
Kari is currently a postdoctoral fellow on Rosemary Gillespie's Dimensions in Biodiversity Grant.
2010-2013
Kari's work in the lab focused on species formation and diversification in several independent lineages of Hawaiian flies. She compared phylogenetic and biogeographic patterns among larger and smaller radiations, to better understand the factors that may promote or constrain diversification. Her ongoing work combines tools from phylogenetics, population genetics and animal communication to examine what promotes speciation and diversification in evolutionary radiations.
Kari is currently a postdoctoral fellow on Rosemary Gillespie's Dimensions in Biodiversity Grant.
Dr. Karl Magnacca
Postdoctoral Fellow, UC Berkeley
2006-2007
Karl came to the lab with a strong background in Hawaiian arthropods. He is an expert on the native Hawaiian bees (Hylaeus). While in my lab, Karl worked on taxonomy of the endemic Hawaiian Drosophilidae. He completed revisions of the ateledrosophila, nudidrosophila and modified mouthparts species groups. He was also involved in a large synthesis of ecological information for all Hawaiian drosophilids. Karl has since focused on picture wing taxonomy and phylogeny and has continued to study Hawaii's native bees.
Karl is currently employed doing survey work for the state of Hawaii and the US Army.
2006-2007
Karl came to the lab with a strong background in Hawaiian arthropods. He is an expert on the native Hawaiian bees (Hylaeus). While in my lab, Karl worked on taxonomy of the endemic Hawaiian Drosophilidae. He completed revisions of the ateledrosophila, nudidrosophila and modified mouthparts species groups. He was also involved in a large synthesis of ecological information for all Hawaiian drosophilids. Karl has since focused on picture wing taxonomy and phylogeny and has continued to study Hawaii's native bees.
Karl is currently employed doing survey work for the state of Hawaii and the US Army.
Dr. Brian Ort
Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Scientist, UC Berkeley
2007-2013
Brian entered the lab with a background in population genetics and is specifically interested in the causes and consequences of barriers to gene flow among natural populations via physical barriers that prevent dispersal, by interspecific interactions such as competition, or by differences in selective regimes in different locations.
His work in the lab focused on using a DNA sequencing approach to investigate the microbial community composition in several habitats used by Hawaiian Drosophila for oviposition and larval development. Differences in microbial community composition may have played an important role in habitat switching by the flies, thereby contributing to the formation of reproductive barriers to gene flow among incipient species.
2007-2013
Brian entered the lab with a background in population genetics and is specifically interested in the causes and consequences of barriers to gene flow among natural populations via physical barriers that prevent dispersal, by interspecific interactions such as competition, or by differences in selective regimes in different locations.
His work in the lab focused on using a DNA sequencing approach to investigate the microbial community composition in several habitats used by Hawaiian Drosophila for oviposition and larval development. Differences in microbial community composition may have played an important role in habitat switching by the flies, thereby contributing to the formation of reproductive barriers to gene flow among incipient species.
Former Graduate Students
Dr. Natalie Stauffer-Olsen
Natalie was co-advised with Dr. Vince Resh. She worked on the mayfly genus Baetis in Northern California. She used a combination of traditional survey methods and DNA barcoding to provide tools for the biological assessment of changing aquatic habitats to help guide restoration efforts and management decisions. She examined a number of population parameters, including genetic diversity, migration rate and effective population size will expand our understanding of how species resist various disturbances (e.g., water level, pollution, changes in community composition) and inform our management decisions.
Dr. Lisa Marrack
Lisa worked on nearshore coastal ecosystem
resilience in the face of multiple anthropogenic stressors including sea level
rise, nutrient loading, and invasive species. Specifically, two
Hawaiian ecosystems at the interface of groundwater and marine hydrologic
systems - coral reefs and brackish anchialine pools.
Lisa is currently a science teacher at the Santa Catalina School in Monterey, California.
Lisa is currently a science teacher at the Santa Catalina School in Monterey, California.
Jessica Craft
Jessica worked on the evolution and biogeography of Scaptomyza (subgenus Elmomyza) and the use of Hawaiian drosophilids as proxies for ecosystem health. She took a MS degree in 2014.
Dr. Gordon Bennett
PhD Student (2005 - 2012)
Gordon's research focused on the systematics, biogeography, and coevolution of native Hawaiian leafhoppers (Cicadellidae: Nesophrosyne) and their endosymbionts. Gordon discovered over 100 new species of Nesophrosyne as part of his dissertation research and also examined the evolution of the primary (Sulcia) and secondary (a novel taxon) endosymbionts in the endemic Hawaiian species.
Gordon is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Nancy Moran's lab at UT Austin. He will start as an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii Manoa in fall 2015.
Personal Website
Gordon's research focused on the systematics, biogeography, and coevolution of native Hawaiian leafhoppers (Cicadellidae: Nesophrosyne) and their endosymbionts. Gordon discovered over 100 new species of Nesophrosyne as part of his dissertation research and also examined the evolution of the primary (Sulcia) and secondary (a novel taxon) endosymbionts in the endemic Hawaiian species.
Gordon is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Nancy Moran's lab at UT Austin. He will start as an Assistant Professor at the University of Hawaii Manoa in fall 2015.
Personal Website
Dr. Richard Lapoint
PhD Student (2005 - 2011).
Rick's PhD research examined the diversification of the antopocerus-modified tarsus-ciliated tarsus (AMC) clade of Hawaiian Drosophila using phylogenetic and population genetic methods at several different temporal and biogeographic scales.
Rick completed a a PERT postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Noah Whiteman's lab at the University of Arizona in 2014. He is currently a Research Scientist at NCBI.
Rick's PhD research examined the diversification of the antopocerus-modified tarsus-ciliated tarsus (AMC) clade of Hawaiian Drosophila using phylogenetic and population genetic methods at several different temporal and biogeographic scales.
Rick completed a a PERT postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Noah Whiteman's lab at the University of Arizona in 2014. He is currently a Research Scientist at NCBI.
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 Above: Lab group, summer 2008. Gordon Bennett, Rick Lapoint, Sophie Bridgers, Kelly Tran.
Left: Kauai collecting trip, January 2010. Norma Pantoja, Gordon Bennett, Rick Lapoint, Brian Ort. |
Former Undergraduates & Visiting Scholars
Roxanne Bantay
Undergraduate Researcher
2011-2012 Roxanne investigated the microbial community profiles of Drosophila plant feeding substrates in Hawaii. |
Dr. Pavla Bartosova
Visiting Scientist
2009 |
Sophie Bridgers
Undergraduate Researcher
2007-2009 |
Roger Cheng
Undergraduate Researcher
2006 |
Daniel Crowser
Undergraduate Researcher
2008-2009 Dan worked with Gordon Bennett on the endemic Hawaiian Nesophrosyne. Bach Cuc (Daisy) Doan
Reihaneh Fakourfar
Undergraduate Researcher
2006-2007 |
Kristina Dizon
Kristina is a third year undergraduate student majoring in Conservation & Resource Studies. Her research interests lie within marine and aquatic biodiversity, evolution, and ecology. From a general perspective, she is interested in understanding the relationship between aquatic and marine invertebrates and how their presence affects their respective environments on a larger scale. Growing up in San Diego, California for a great portion of her life has fueled her appreciation for aquatic organisms, which in turn has inspired her to join the O'Grady Lab Group.
Aimee Ellison
Undergraduate Researcher
2006-2008 |
Alex Gidaya
Undergraduate Researcher
2008-2010 Alex workied on the systematics and population genetics of Hawaiian Drosophilidae under the guidance of graduate student Rick Lapoint. Alex is currently in medical school. Maia KapurUndergraduate Researcher
2011-2013 Maia has worked on the Hawaiian fungal diversity project and the California aquatic insect project. She is currently doing graduate work in marine biology at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. |
Aalyia Ichino
Undergraduate Researcher
2010 Kristen KuUndergraduate Researcher
2011-2014 Kristen studied the fungal diversity associated with Hawaiian Drosophila and their endemic host plants. She currently works for the Marine Mammal Center in Marin. Jackline Lasola
Undergraduate Researcher
2009-2010 |
Jessica Leu
Undergraduate Researcher
2010-2012 Jessica worked on the Comparative Phylogenetics of Hawaiian Diptera Project, where she is focusing on the endemic Ephydridae, or shore flies. |
Sonty Man
Undergraduate Researcher
2006 |
Joel Nitta
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Elaine Owen
Undergraduate Researcher
2009-2010 |
Norma Pantoja
Undergraduate Researcher
2009-2010 Norma worked on microbial symbionts in Hawaiian Drosophila and published papers on Wolbachia and fungal associates. |
Kaylee Pollett
Undergraduate Researcher
2010 |
Linan Sun
Undergraduate Researcher
2007 |
Crystal Teng
Undergraduate Researcher
2010-2012 Crystal was part of the Comparative Phylogenetics of Hawaiian Diptera Project and used mitochondrial and nuclear DNA in order to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships in the Hawaiian crane flies (Limoniidae) and shore flies (Ephydridae). Crystal currently in pharmacy school in southern California. |
Alex Title
Undergraduate Researcher
2010 Ivonne Verduzco
I'm from a small desert area in Southern California called the Coachella Valley, and I lived there my whole life before coming to Berkeley. I'm a third year studying Molecular and Cell Biology with an emphasis in Developmental Genetics, with the goal of being able to apply my genetics knowledge in the medical field when I enter medical school. Although I want to eventually become a doctor, the field of genetics has always intrigued me and being in Dr. O'Grady's lab seemed like a wonderful way to get to expand my genetics knowledge. In my free time I enjoy reading random books, watching Lost, exploring new areas near and far, playing volleyball with my friends, and discovering new music!
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Kelly Tran
Undergraduate Researcher
2008-2010 Graduated Fall 2009, B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology Kelly studied the phylogenetic relationships of diversification in Pacific Mycodrosophila. The goal of this study was to use molecular phylogenies to better understand biogeographic patterns that have led to a diverse fauna in the Pacific. Kelly is currently in Optometry School |
Saya Wai
Undergraduate Researcher
2010-2012 Saya worked on the Comparative Phylogenetics of Hawaiian Diptera Project. She has generated data for several groups, including Campsicnemus, Scatella and Dicranomyia. |
Sue Wang
Undergraduate Researcher
2010-2012 Sue was part of the Comparative Phylogenetics of Hawaiian Diptera Project. She used nuclear and mitochondrial genes to construct a phylogeny of the endemic Dolichopodidae (Campsicnemus and Eurynogaster). |
Jeffrey Wong
Undergraduate Researcher
2011 Jeffrey worked with postdoc Brian Ort and graduate student Richard Lapoint to generate a phylogeny of the genus Scaptomyza, including both Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian species. |
Jonathan Wong
Undergraduate Researcher
2011 Jonathan worked with graduate student Gordon Bennett to characterize a secondary endosymbiont of the native Hawaiian leafhoppers. |
Yifei Wu
Undergraduate Researcher
2007 Ellen Young
Undergraduate Researcher
2008-2009 Ellen worked on the population genetics of the endemic Hawaiian plant genus Pipturus. |
Kirstie Yoon
Undergraduate Researcher
2013-2014 Kirstie is examining the evolutionary history of the endemic Hawaiian Asteiidae. Angela Yu
Undergraduate Researcher
2007-2008 |