Zach Gompert, Associate Professor

Zach is broadly interested in evolutionary biology and population genetics. His current empirical research focus is on hybridization and speciation, the genetic basis  and evolution of complex or quantitative adaptive traits, the evolution of ecological interactions, and the causes and consequences of fluctuating selection and contemporary evolution. His research involves genomic analyses of natural and experimental populations. He also develops statistical models and computer software for evolutionary genomic analyses.

Lauren Lucas, Research Scientist & Instructor

Lauren is interested in biology education and evolutionary biology. Her current work focuses on the evolution of butterfly wing patterns and the ecological causes and evolutionary consequences of temporally fluctuating selection in Lycaeides butterflies.

Anthony Reis, PhD Student

Anthony is interested in population genetics and evolutionary biology with specific research interests in understanding and predicting  species’ response to climate change. He is currently working on predictive models of butterfly communities in the Sierra Nevada.

Bhagya Amarasinghe, PhD Student

Bhagya is interested in evolutionary biology, biogeography and population genetics, with specific interest on hybridization and speciation. Her current work focuses on the causes and history of diversification and speciation in Lycaeides butterflies.

Brian Kissmer, PhD student

Brian is broadly interested in evolutionary biology and population genetics, with specific research interests in advancing understanding of the factors that determine the predictability and repeatability of adaptive evolution. His current work uses experimental evolution in  Callosobruchus maculatus seed beetles to address these questions.

Alia Donley, MS student

Alia has a general interest in evolutionary biology, with specific interests in using ancient DNA to understand patterns of hybridization and climate adaptation over time. Her current work uses museum genomics in Lycaeides and other butterflies to test the causes of recent and ongoing evolutionary change in nature.

Natalie Yoho, Undergraduate Researcher

Former Students and Postdocs

Linyi Zhang, Postdoc (2020-2021), Assistant Professor at George Washington University in fall 2023

Amy Springer, PhD student (2016-2023), now a Research Scientist and Lab Manager for the Wisconsin Fishery Research Unit

Tara Saley, PhD Student (2017-2019), now an Engineering Consultant at Environmental Resources Management in Salt Lake City

Samridhi Chaturvedi, PhD Student (2014-2019), Assistant Professor at Tulane University

Alex Rego, MS student (2016-2019); now a Post-doctoral Researcher at Stockholm University

Jacqueline Peña, MS student (2017-2019); now a PhD student in Jill Anderson’s lab at the University of Georgia

Daniel Johnson, Undergraduate Researcher and NSF REPS scholar (2019-2022); now a research scientists with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Kenen Goodwin, Undergraduate Researcher (2017-2020); now a PhD student at Oregon State University

Zach Valois, Undergraduate Researcher (2013-2015),

Peter Nelson, Undergraduate Researcher (2013-2015)

Robert Olsen, Undergraduate Researcher (2014-2015)

Alberto de Rosa, Graduate Researcher (2014-2015)