Lab Alumni

Graduate students & Lab Managers

• Michelle Jackson-Huaqui (PhD): Michelle defended her doctoral dissertation in May 2025. She Is currently a visiting Assistant Professor in Botany and Environmental Studies at Connecticut College. Congratulations Dr. Jackson-Huaqui! 

• Elsa Cousins (PhD): Elsa defended her doctoral dissertation in May 2022 and is currently an adjunct faculty member at UMass Amherst Environmental Conservation department and Holyoke Community College Environmental Science Department. Congratulations Dr. Cousins! 

• Adam Trautwig (PhD): Adam defended his doctoral dissertation in Fall 2021. He is currently working in the Seyfried lab at Emory University. Congratulations Dr. Trautwig!

• Sophie Argetsinger (MS): Sophie defended her masters in 2021. She currently works as the designer and illustrator for the Society of American Foresters. 

• Erin Coates-Connor (MS): Erin defended her masters in Spring 2019.  She is currently a regional health and safety admin for Aggregate Industries.

• Maddy Meadows-McDonnell (Lab Manager and Technician): Maddy is currently pursuing her PhD in the Natural Resources and the Environment program at the University of Connecticut. 

• Mercedes Harris (MS): Mercedes successfully defended her masters in Spring 2018. She is currently a environmental educator and program coordinator at the New York Botanical Garden. 

• Jason Aylward (MS): Jason is currently a research assistant at Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA.  

• Lauren Carley (Lab Manager and Technician): Lauren recently defended her doctoral dissertation as a PhD candidate in the University Program in Ecology at Duke University (April 2020). Congratulations Dr. Carley!

• Xiuling (Shelly) Zhao (Visiting Scholar; Environmental Conservation)

Postdocs 

• Christine Urbanowicz (Postdoc): Christine is currently a Science & Technology Policy fellow as part of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

• Joshua Rapp (Postdoc): Josh is currently an associate at Harvard Forest researching Sugar maple ecology and management.

• Dustin Haines (Postdoc): Dustin is currently the research coordinator of the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve.

• Julia Wheeler (Postdoc): Julia is now a research scientist in plant physiology at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 

• Jennifer Albertine (Postdoc and Lab Manager): Jennifer is a visiting lecturer in the department of environmental  studies at Mount Holyoke College. 

• Sydne Record (Postdoc): Sydne is an assistant professor of biology at Bryn Mawr College.

Undergraduate Researchers

• Jaymes Marburger (Kent State University, Class of 2020; REU program at Harvard Forest/Harvard University).

• Audrey Kaiser (Keene State University, Class of 2020; REU program at Harvard Forest/Harvard University).

• Rebecca Holdowsky (Class of 2018; Independent Study)

• Karina Martinez (CSUDH; Class of 2017; REU program at Harvard Forest/Harvard University)

• Patricia Murphy (Class of 2017; Independent Study)

• William Devore (Class of 2016; Independent Study)

• Orett Burke Jr (Class of 2015; Independent Study)

• Michael Salhany(Class of 2015; Independent Study)

• Natalie Gonzalez (Fullerton College; Class of 2017; REU program at Harvard Forest/Harvard University)

• Taylor Beaton (Class of 2014; Independent Study)