Organizers

Kylea is a 5th year PhD candidate working with Dr. Sarah Emery & Dr. Natalie Christian. As a west coast girl, she received her BS at the University of Oregon. Her fungal forward research explores the “mycobiome” where multiple fungal symbionts are interacting within a host plant, which have further cascading implications for both fungal and plant communities as well as entire ecosystem functions. Her current dissertation research builds on ideas of the mycobiome to ask how resource addition in the form of nitrogen deposition changes root fungal endophyte communities within native dune building grass, Ammophila breviligulata, on the shores of Lake Michigan. Kylea is also excited about using pedagogy to empower students, increase science literacy, and break down the various learning barriers students face when entering STEM. While this will be her first MEEC, she is honored to lead the efforts of hosting such an impactful conference at the University of Louisville. She is particularly looking forward to highlighting graduate student and undergraduate research and providing inclusive spaces for long-term connections among researchers to be built. Outside of science, you’ll likely find her at the stadium (or local pub) cheering on her favorite sports teams.

Pronouns: she/her
Email: kylea.garces@louisville.edu
Twitter: @Lil_LichenLady
Website: https://kyleagarces.weebly.com

Rose is a 3rd year PhD candidate in Dr. Perri Eason’s lab. She has a bachelor’s in zoology from Juniata College and a master’s in primate behavior and ecology from Central Washington University. Her current work focuses on how anthropogenic influences and geographical isolation have affected the social behaviors of green monkeys in the Caribbean. While being passionate about her research, she is also driven to make the sciences more accessible through her teaching and conversations with the general public. Rose is looking forward to helping develop a great MEEC conference and learning more about the research being conducted throughout the Midwest! When not in the field or teaching, Rose loves to relax with a good video game or challenging hike.  

Pronouns: she/her
Email: rose.amrhein@louisville.edu

Morghan is a 2nd year PhD student in Dr. Linda Fuselier's lab. Her current research focuses on the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on bryophyte (mosses and friends) community assembly at karst cave entrances. In addition to bryophytes, Morghan is also very interested in science communication, science pedagogy and environmental policy. She is passionate about lifting the veil of mystery that surrounds science and technology and empowering students and women of all backgrounds in their education and scholarship. She serves as a co-chair of the MEEC Programming Committee and maintains the website for MEEC 2023. Outside of the lab and the cave, Morghan enjoys hiking, crocheting, gardening, and cuddling with her cats. 

Pronouns: she/her
Email: morghan.mccool@louisville.edu
Twitter: @McMorghan
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/morghan-mccool/

Noelle is a 2nd year PhD student working with Dr. Natalie Christian. After receiving her master’s degree in medical mycology from the University of Manchester and investigating genetic variation in Candida albicans as a lab tech at the University of Michigan, she shifted back to her initial introduction to research - fungal ecology. She is interested in the various roles fungal endophyte communities have in their host plants, and how this may influence secondary metabolite production. She is also interested in bridging the subjects of history and science through organizations such as botanical gardens, which can provide context and communicate the importance of environmental policies and science communication. Noelle attended MEEC as an undergraduate student and is excited to attend again as a graduate student. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and hopes to learn how to play the harp by the end of her PhD…it’s going very slowly. 

Pronouns: she/her
Email: noelle.visser@louisville.edu

Shayna is a 2nd year PhD student if Dr. Alycia Lackey’s lab. Her research focuses on how populations are responding to climate change. Specifically, she will be investigating how temperature fluctuation impacts Spotted Salamander health and fitness. She is also passionate about ensuring that science is inclusive to anybody, no matter their background or identity. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Biology from Washington University in St. Louis. Shayna has not attended many conferences yet, but is excited to help plan and attend MEEC! Outside of academia, Shayna enjoys doing anything outside, cooking, and playing with her cat.

Pronouns: she/her
Email: shayna.rosenbloom@louisville.edu
Twitter: @shaynerdori

Aysha is a 1st year PhD student in Dr. Sarah Emery’s lab. She is studying fungal and bacterial communities in conservation agricultural soils. She also works full time as the Water and Soil Health Scientist at American Farmland Trust, helping to run on-farm trials, compiling and analyzing data, and communicating directly with farmers and project managers in encouraging the use of conservation agriculture. She received her Masters of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies: Sustainability from the University of Louisville, and her Bachelors of Science in biology from Bryn Mawr College in PA. This will be Aysha’s first MEEC conference. When Aysha is not researching other people’s farms, she is running her own small farm (with 38 beehives and growing), running a farmer’s market, being a mother, reading, and backpacking.

Pronouns: she/her
Email: aysha.tapp-ross@louisville.edu 

 Jonathan is a 3rd year PhD student in Dr. James Alexander’s lab. His dissertation research involves aquatic population ecology specifically investigating the relationship between freshwater mussels and fish. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Thomas More University. Jonathan attended and presented at many conferences during his undergraduate career. This will be his first MEEC conference and is looking forward to assisting with planning the conference and learning about research across the Midwest. When not doing research or teaching, Jonathan enjoys outdoor activities, sports, and gaming. 

Pronouns: he/him
Email: jonathan.frommeyer@louisville.edu
Twitter: @J_Fro17

Mallory is a 1st year PhD student working with Dr. Rachel Pigg. Her dissertation research investigates habitat connectivity in Louisville by collecting data from tick, snake, and small mammal populations from various parks and other established natural areas. She was born and raised in California where she received her BS in Biology from California Polytechnic State University- San Luis Obispo. Mallory was very involved in undergraduate research and has attended other conferences to present her undergraduate thesis research. This will be her first MEEC conference, but is very excited to help organize the conference and meet other grad students from all over and see what awesome research they are doing.  When not doing research she enjoys reading, camping, traveling, and planning her next backpacking adventure.

Pronouns: she/her
Email: mallory.harmel@louisville.edu

Bre is a 2nd year PhD student working with Dr. Dae-Sung Hwangbo. They received their B.S in Biology from Bellarmine University here in Louisville. Using Drosophila melanogaster, their dissertation research investigates how circadian clocks operating in peripheral tissues synchronize with environmental cues to control sleep and feeding behaviors. Outside of research, Bre is passionate about implementing critical pedagogy in their mentorship and teaching practices to empower students. As a trained molecular geneticist, Bre is excited to collaborate with and learn from folks outside their discipline. Outside of the lab and classroom, Bre enjoys reading, watching foreign films, and hiking. 

Pronouns: they/she
Email: breanna.beard@louisville.edu
Twitter: @brebeaa

Pronouns: she/her
Email: emma.throneburg@louisville.edu
Twitter: @emmathroneburg

Alissandra is a 3rd year PhD candidate in Dr. Perri Eason's lab. She received her B.S.A. in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin. Her current research focuses on how the Urban Heat Island Effect influences native bee and spring ephemeral phenology. She excited about science communication and diversity in STEM. When not in the field, she enjoys reading, watching horror films, and birding.

Pronouns: she/her
Email: alissandra.ayala@louisville.edu
Twitter: @AlissandraAyala

Shannon is a 2nd year PhD student in Dr. Sarah Emery’s lab. She studies plant community and trait response to stress and disturbance in coastal ecosystems. Currently, she is investigating how burial disturbance and climatic and nutrient stress interact to drive above- and belowground plant trait and community response in foredune and interdunal wetland ecosystems. She earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Southern Mississippi, and M.S. in Biology from Virginia Commonwealth University. This will be Shannon’s first MEEC. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her dog, hiking, playing Stardew Valley, making terrible puns, and is currently knitting her first sweater.

Pronouns: she/her
Email: shannon.walker@louisville.edu