CV

2017 - present Ph.D in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas (expected Spring 2022)

2021 Graduate Training in Chemical Biology Certificate, University of Kansas

2013 - 2017 B.S. in Biology and Chemistry, magna cum laude, The College of William and Mary

• • American Chemical Society Certified Degree: Biochemistry Track; Phi Beta Kappa

2017 - present Graduate Researcher, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas.

• • Evolution and diversification of medusozoan venoms

2018 Visiting Researcher, Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History.

• • Description of stinging snot in the Upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea xamachana), leading to the discovery of cassiosomes (see In the News for media coverage)

2014-2017 Independent Research, The College of William and Mary.

• • Feeding and early development of problematic Chesapeake Bay flatworm

  • Work featured in William and Mary News and Daily Press

2015 - 2017 Hollings Undergraduate Summer Scholar, National Systematics Lab, Smithsonian Institution, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

• • Survey of pore-forming toxins in cnidarians

  • Work featured in William and Mary News; YouTube feature with NOAA Education: https://youtu.be/mJzI5yrqxqo

2015 REU Student Researcher, University of North Florida.

• • • • Molecular analysis of an unknown biosynthetic cluster in marine bacteria

2021 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas. Spring. [Online].

2020 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas. Spring.

2019 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Intro. to Organismal Biology, University of Kansas. Fall.

2018 Visiting Researcher Fellowship, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

2017 - 2022 Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Kansas (https://graduate.ku.edu/2017-chancellors-fellows)

2015-2016 Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholar, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

2015 National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Scholar in Coastal Biology, University of North Florida.

2020 Doctoral Student Research Fund, Graduate Studies, University of Kansas. $1,500

2020 Summer Graduate Research Scholarship, Graduate Studies, University of Kansas. $5,000

2019 Ida H. Hyde Spring Scholarship for Women in Science, University of Kansas. $2,000

2018 Ida H. Hyde Fall Scholarship for Women in Science, University of Kansas. $2,000

2018 Lerner-Gray Grant for Marine Science, American Museum of Natural History. $1,900

• • “Analysis on the role of nematosome-containing mucus of the Upside-Down Jellyfish Cassiopea xamachana.”

2018 Graduate Studies Research Support Award, University of Kansas. $2,000

2018 EEB Graduate Student Organization Summer Travel Award, University of Kansas. $350

2015 Grant-In-Aid of Research, Sigma Xi. $500

• • “Effects of historical and current food availability on the development of Stylochus ellipticus in the Chesapeake Bay.”

2015 Mary E. Ferguson Memorial Research Grant, The College of William and Mary. $355

2021 Best Student Oral Presentation, First Congress of the European Venom Network (virtual).

2021 Finalist, Ray Huey Best Student Presentation Session, Division of Ecology and Evolution, Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology (virtual).

2019 Finalist, 3MT Competition, University of Kansas.

2017 Honorable Mention, National Research Graduate Fellowship. National Science Foundation.

2017 John H. Nelson Scholarship, University of Kansas.

2017 Alumni Association Student Academic Prize: Organismal Biology, The College of William and Mary.

2017 Benjamin Stoddert Ewell Service Award, The College of William and Mary.

2016 Best Student Poster Presentation, Division of Zoology, Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology.

2014 – 2015 Marine Science Undergraduate of the Year, Marine Technology Society.

2013 Zoo Aide Lifetime Achievement Award, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

2011 Science of Evolution Award, Sigma Xi.

2011 Friends of Stone Labs, The Ohio State University.

2020 - 2021 Student Representative, Graduate Admissions Committee, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas

2020 - 2021 Awards Committee, Graduate Student Organization, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas.

2019 – 2020 Co-President, Graduate Student Organization, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas.

2019 – 2020 Co-Organizer, Member of Scientists Exploring non-Academic caReer CHoices (SEARCH) Symposia, University of Kansas. Website: https://bit.ly/2wRnMZl

** Due to COVID-19, moved to virtual format for Fall 2020

2018 – 2019 Co-chair, Women in STEMM Mentoring Program, Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equality, University of Kansas.

2018 – 2019 Co-chair, Fundraising, Graduate Student Organization, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas.

2018 Co-Organizer, Member of Scientists Exploring non-Academic caReer CHoices (SEARCH) Symposia, University of Kansas. Website: https://bit.ly/33seWxr

2018 Mentor, Women in STEMM Mentoring Program, Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equality, University of Kansas.

2017 – 2019 Co-chair, Outreach Committee, Graduate Student Organization, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas (2 terms).

2014 – 2017 President’s Aide, President Taylor Reveley, The College of William and Mary.

2016 – 2017 Vice President, Mortar Board, The College of William and Mary.

• • Featured article: William and Mary News

  • Featured video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id1pZTU49xc

2016 Parliamentarian, Executive Board, Phi Sigma Pi: Gamma Psi Chapter, The College of William and Mary.

2016 Collegiate Representative, Williamsburg Farmer’s Market Executive Board, The College of William and Mary.

2015 Philanthropy Chair, Phi Sigma Pi: Gamma Psi Chapter, The College of William and Mary.

2015 Project Leader, Sustainability Summit, Committee on Sustainability, The College of William and Mary.

2012 Gold Award Recipient, The Girl Scouts of America.

• • Featured in This Week Community News

• Klompen, A.M.L., Cartwright, P. “Venom variation in functionally distinct tissues of Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus through a nematocyst-enriched transcriptome.” September 2021, First International Congress of the European Venom Network. Oral presentation (virtual).

*** Awarded Best Student Oral Presentation Award ***

• Klompen, A.M.L., Kayal, E., Collins, A.G., and Cartwright, P. "Why are box jellyfish so toxic? Phylogenetic and selection analysis of an expanded family of putatively pore-forming jellyfish toxins across medusozoans (Cnidaria: Medusozoa)." January 2021, Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology. Oral presentation (virtual).

*** Finalist for Division of Ecology and Evolution (DEE) Raymond B. Huey Awards ***

• Klompen, A. M. L., Sanders, S. M., and Cartwright, P. “Hazardous Hydroids of Hydractinia: Variation in venom expression and nematocyte distribution in functionally distinct tissues of a hydractiniid hydrozoan” Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology. Austin, Texas, USA. January 2020. Oral presentation.

• Klompen, A. M. L., Ames, C. L., Badhiwala, K., Muffet, K., Reft, A., Kumar, M., Field, L. D., Collins, A. G., Robinson, J. T., and Vora, G. J. “Description of novel nematosome-like structures in the mucus of the upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea.” Cnidofest. St. Augustine, Florida, USA. September 2018. Poster presentation. Full program, pg. 33.

• Klompen, A. M. L, S. Saunders, and P. Cartwright. Influences of functional variation on venom expression in hydractiniid hydrozoans, Gordon Research Conference: Venom Evolution, Function and Biomedical Applications, Mount Snow, VT, USA. August 2018. Poster presentation.

• Klompen, A. M. L, S. Saunders, and P. Cartwright. Influences of functional variation on venom expression in hydractiniid hydrozoans. European Evolutionary and Development Biology, Galway, Ireland. June 2018. Poster presentation.

*** Awarded Third in Student Poster Competition ***

• Klompen, A. M. L, S. Saunders, and P. Cartwright. Influences of functional variation on venom expression in hydractiniid hydrozoans. Cnidaria Satellite Meeting - European Evolutionary and Development Biology, Galway, Ireland. June 2018. Oral presentation.

• Klompen, A. M. L., E. J. Alpert, A. J. Reft, and J. D. Allen. Do G̦ötte's larvae feed? Culturing indirect developing polyclad flatworms. Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 2017. Poster presentation.

*** Awarded Best Student Poster Award, Division of Invertebrate Biology ***

• Klompen, A. M. L., E. Kayal, and A. G. Collins. Survey of CaTX-like Toxin Genes in Various Cnidarian Species. XII Congress of the Pan-American Section of the International Society on Toxicology, Miami, Florida, September 2016. Poster presentation.

• Klompen, A. M. L., E. Kayal, and A. G. Collins. Survey of CaTX-like Toxin Genes in Various Cnidarian Species. 11^th International Marine Biotechnology Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, August 2016. Poster presentation.

• Klompen, A. M. L., E. Kayal, and A. G. Collins Survey of Pore Forming-like CaTx Toxins of Various Species of Cnidaria. NOAA Hollings Undergraduate Scholars Research Symposium, August 2016. Oral presentation.

• Klompen, A. M. L., and A. Lane. Evaluation of the putative nocardiopyrone biosynthetic gene cluster from a marine-derived actinomycete. 251^st American Chemical Society National Conference and Exposition, San Diego, California, March 2016. Poster presentation.