People
Current Lab Members - Staff and Post Docs
Kristen Ruegg, Principal Investigator
Education:
2008-2010: Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University
2002-2007: Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
2000 -2002: M.S., San Francisco State University
1994-1998: B.A., Robert D. Clark Honors College, University of Oregon
Link to CV: CV (Updated Spring 2021)
Research Interests: Conservation genomics, population genomics, landscape genomics, migratory birds, speciation, climate change.
Other Interests: Hiking with my family, gardening, yoga, reading (non-scientific novels), mountain and road biking, cross country skiing, and painting
Christen Bossu, Research Scientist II
Education:
2015-2017: Postdoctoral Fellow, Stockholms Universitet, Sweden
2014-2015: Researcher, Uppsala Universitet, Sweden
2012-2014: Postdoctoral Fellow, Uppsala Universitet, Sweden
2006-2012: Ph.D., Yale University
2003-2006: M.S., University of Tennessee, Knoxville
1998-2002: B.S. Honors, Purdue University
Research interests: Speciation genomics, conservation genomics of migratory birds, and hybridization.
Other Interests: Hiking, kickboxing, paddle boarding, gardening, reading, traveling.
Amanda Carpenter, Lab and Collections Manager
amanda.carpenter@colostate.edu
Education:
2013-2016: B.S. in Biology, University of Wisconsin-Platteville
2018-2020: MSc in Biology, University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Research Interests: Cryptic speciation, population genomics, hybridization, systematics, bird banding and field work.
Other Interests: Keeping house plants, road tripping, hiking, camping, horror movies.
Sheela Turbek, Postdoc
Education:
2015-2021: Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder
2009-2013: B.A. in Biology and Spanish, Bowdoin College
Research interests: Population genomics, speciation, seasonal migration, climate change, conservation.
Other Interests: Hiking, trail running, reading, salsa dancing, growing plants
Marius Somveille, Postdoc
Education:
2011–2015: Ph.D. in Ecology, University of Cambridge, UK
2009–2011: M.S. in Ecology, Biodiversity & Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, France
2006–2009 : B.S. in Biology, Université Paris-Sud, France
Research Interests: My research interests include animal migration, macroecology, movement ecology, population genomics, conservation, and climate change.
Luz E. Zamudio Beltrán, UNAM Postdoc
Education:
Current: Postdoc Fellow, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, FES Zaragoza, Mexico City, Mexico
2016: Ph.D. Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
2011: M.S. Biological Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
Research Interests: I have worked on analyzing the geographic structure in Middle American hummingbird species based on molecular data, and conducted Phylogenetic studies with implication in Taxonomy. My main interests are focused on Evolutionary Biology, Phylogeography, Phylogenetics and Systematics.
Other Interests: Painting, mountaineering, climbing, scuba diving, and traveling.
Current Lab Members - Graduate Students
Marina Rodriguez, PhD Candidate
marina.rodriguez@rams.colostate.edu
Education:
2019: M.S., Colorado State University, Fish Wildlife and Conservation Biology
2012: B.S., Colorado State University, Fish Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Applied Statistics & English
Research Interests: My prior research has involved using telomere length to better understand how different environmental stressors influence life-history trade-offs in birds, as well as exploring the factors associated with blood parasitism in a high elevation bird community. My current research will focus on the adaptive divergence of migratory birds due to factors associated with their wintering grounds.
Other Interests: My hobbies include mountaineering, playing and watching basketball, birding, and reading.
Erica Robertson, PhD Student
Education:
2020: B,S,m George Washington University
Research Interests: I’m interested in understanding how local adaptation and genetic variation can provide species reliance to changes due to climate change. My work focuses on Rosy Finches.
Other Interests: Rock climbing is my major passion in life, and I partake in all kinds with an emphasis on alpine climbing. I generally love being outside so backpacking, skiing, hiking are also common activities. Besides those things I am also an artist and a coffee aficionado.
Holden Fox, MS Student
Education:
2018-2021: B.A. in Biology, Lewis and Clark College
Research Interests: Evolution, Biodiversity, and Genomics.
Other Interests: Rock climbing and birding.
Genaro Rodríguez Otero, UNAM MS Student
Education:
2019: B.S. in Biology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
Research interests: I am interested in avian biology in general, but what I like the most is avian ecology and evolution applied to conservation. For my MS project I will be comparing the ecological niche between genetically distinct populations of Cardellina pusilla and between breeding and wintering ranges of each population (based on the Genoscape of the species).
Other interests: I enjoy birding, painting, playing football, listening to music, hiking and camping.
Wendoly Rojas Abreu, UNAM PhD Student
Education:
2019: M.S., Biological Sciencies. Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxacala, México
2015: B.S., Biology. Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, México
Research interests: I have worked on Behavioral Ecology using birds as a study model. I am currently interested in the generation of phylogenetic hypotheses, and understanding how genetics, environment and geography may explain the evolution of morphological and behavioral characteristics of American Robin.
Other interests: I like camping, dancing, taekwondo and enjoy walking and reading.
Current Lab Members - Student Researchers
If you'd like to join our amazing team of undergraduate volunteers and work study students, please learn more here!
Tomas Dardis, Undergraduate Researcher
Education:
Current Majoring in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology with a concentration in Wildlife Biology
Research Interests: My interests include migratory species, conservation genomics, and climate change.
Other Interests: In my free time, I enjoy hiking, snowboarding, mountain biking, fly fishing, wildlife watching, and trying to bird watch to expand my life list .
Sophie Deitch, Undergraduate Researcher
sophie.deitch@colostate.edu
Education:
Current Majoring in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology with a concentration in Wildlife Biology
Research Interests: I’m interested in the health, development, and behavior of nestlings and fledglings, especially in threatened migratory species.
Other Interests: Outside of school, I enjoy bird watching, hiking, collecting houseplants, playing the cello, and traveling with my friends and family.
Adrian Pullaro, Undergraduate Researcher
A.Pullaro@colostate.edu
Education:
Current Majoring in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology with a concentration in Wildlife Biology
Research Interests: Behavioral ecology, population dynamics, avian intelligence, and adaptation.
Other Interests: I love a good cup a tea. I'm also an active member of CSU's hacky sack club, and enjoy butterflies, woodworking/metalworking, and photography.
Liz Carlsen, Undergraduate Researcher
ecarlsen@colostate.edu
Education:
Current Majoring in Biological Sciences
Research Interests: I'm interested in how genetics impacts everything around us, from its impacts on conservation to adaptability in our changing world to how it relates to behavior.
Other Interests: Most things outdoors! Whether it be snowshoeing around Rocky or rock climbing with the Alpine Club, I'm always happy up in the mountains
Past Lab Members
Former Graduate Students
Matthew DeSaix, PhD Student
Taylor Bobowski, M.S. Student
Kelly Barr, PhD Student co-advised with Tom Smith
Rafael Hernandez, UNAM Postdoc
Michaela Brinkmeyer, M.S. Student, Boise State (Co-advised with Julie Heath)
Caitlin Miller, M.S. Student
Ingrid A. Tello-López, M.S. Student
Former Undergraduate Students
Keith Mauerman, Undergraduate Researcher
Aashi Jivan, Undergraduate Researcher
Noelle Mason, Undergraduate Researcher
Ian Rivera Matos, Undergraduate Researcher
Alyssa Hood, Undergraduate Researcher
Jojo Norris, MURALS Academy Undergraduate Student
Shiraz Dahamsha, MURALS Academy Undergraduate Student
Aliyah Latham, Undergraduate Work Study Student
Westley Landry-Murphy, Undergraduate Work Study Student
Wynn Webster, Undergraduate Work Study Student
Alex Polich, Undergraduate Work Study Student
Persephone Jordano, MURALS Academy Undergraduate Student
Former Other Staff
Christine Rayne, former Lab & Collections Manager
Teia Schweizer, former Lab & Collections Manager
Jasmine Rajbhandary, former Collections Coordinator