Zoology Graduate Student Roster
Below are listed current Ph. D. and M.S. students, their research interests, and their contact information.
Albin, Amy (Furman)
M.S. Topic: Neuromorphology and chemosensory differences between herbivorous and carnivorous land snails
Advisor: James Atkinson
furman@msu.edu
Anderson, Carlos
Ph.D. Topic: Speciation by reinforcement in digital organisms
Advisor: Barry Williams
carlosja@msu.edu
Ballew, Nicholas
Ph.D. Topic: Effects of recreational angling on the rapid evolution of fish populations
Advisor: Gary Mittelbach
ballewn1@msu.edu
Benson-Amram, Sarah
Ph.D. Topic: Social Complexity and General Intelligence in Spotted Hyenas
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
bensonam@msu.edu
Califf, Katy
Ph.D. Topic: Genetic diversity in two species of hyena: influence of sociality and implications for mechanisms of mate choice
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
califfka@msu.edu
Celi, Jorge
Ph.D. Topic: Hydrological Controls of riverine ecosystems of the Napo River (Amazon
Basin): Implications for the Management and Conservation of Diversity
Advisor: Stephen Hamilton
celijorg@msu.edu
Chari, Sudarshan
Advisor: Ian Dworkin
charisud@msu.edu
Chen, Rui
Ph.D. Topic: The impacts of digested animal manure on benthic algal biomass
Advisor: Jan Stevenson
chenrui1@msu.edu
Coefield, Sarah
Advisor: John Giesy
coefield@msu.edu
Cohen, Rachel
Ph.D. Topic: The effects of testosterone on reproductive behavior in female green anole lizards
Advisor: Juli Wade
cohenra2@msu.edu
Curren, Leslie
Ph.D. Topic: Sexual selection in spotted hyenas, a role reversed species
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
currenle@msu.edu
Dantzer, Benjamin
Ph.D. Topic: Hormone-mediated maternal effects and the hormonal mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity and behavioral syndromes in a natural population of North American red squirrels in the Yukon, Canada (Kluane Red Squirrel Project)
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
dantzer@msu.edu
Das, Lauri
Ph.D. Topic: Behavior and life history of Peromyscus as mechanisms behind climate-driven geographic range changes and resulting community dynamics
Advisor: Barbara Lundrigan
daslauri@msu.edu
Davis, Jennifer A.
Advisor: Richard Snider
davisj63@msu.edu
DeNieu, Michael
Advisor: Ian Dworkin
denieumi@msu.edu
Desotelle, Micaleila
Ph.D. Topic: Food web patterns and nutrient cycling in river ecosystems
Advisor: Stephen Hamilton
desotell@msu.edu
Dreyer, Austin
Advisor: Alexander Shingleton
dreyerau@msu.edu
Flies, Andrew
Ph.D. Topic: Immune function and pathogen resistance in spotted hyenas
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
fliesand@msu.edu
Forsythe, Patrick
Ph.D. Topic: Early life analysis of the sources and magnitude of mortality in lake
sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
Advisor: Kim Scribner
forsyt29@msu.edu
He, Nana
Advisor: R. Jan Stevenson
henana@msu.edu
Heinlein, Julianne
Advisor: R. Jan Stevenson
heinlei2@msu.edu
Hennard, Sarah
Advisor: Richard Snider
hennards@msu.edu
Hunt, Seth
Ph.D. Topic: Sediment nutrient effects on oxygen demand in streams
Advisor: R. Jan Stevenson
huntseth@msu.edu
Johnson, Jean
Ph.D. Topic: Do female house wrens manipulate paternal care by increasing testosterone levels in their eggs?
Advisor: Thomas Getty
john2597@msu.edu
Keeley, Louis
Advisor: Richard Snider
keeleylo@msu.edu
Kelley, Sheridan
Advisor: Barbara Lundrigan
kelley71@msu.edu
Kinsman, Lauren
Ph.D. Topic: Phosphorus cycling in shallow aquatic ecosystem sediments
Advisor: Stephen Hamilton
kinsmanl@msu.edu
Kjelvik, Melissa
Advisor: Gary Mittelbach
kjelvikm@msu.edu
LaCroix, Suzanne
Ph.D. Topic: Ontogeny and morphology of feeding performance in coyotes (Canis latrans)
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
lacroixs@msu.edu
McGuire, Jeanette
Ph.D. Topic: Male reproductive success and the evolution of longevity in turtles
Advisor: Kim Scribner
mcguir35@msu.edu
Meyer, Justin
Ph.D. Topic: The role of enemies in evolutionary diversification; studied with microbes
Advisor: Richard Lenski
meyerju3@msu.edu
Miller, Stephanie A.
Advisor: R. Jan Stevenson
mill1571@msu.edu
Morrison, Emily B.
Ph.D. Topic: Effects of tropical forest restoration on avian foraging behavior
Advisor: Catherine Lindell
ebmorris@msu.edu
Moscarella, Rosa
Ph.D. Topic: Phylogeography, Genetic Structure and Morphology of expanding populations of the white-footed mouse in the Northern Great Lakes region
Advisor: Barbara Lundrigan
moscarel@msu.edu
Novitski, Linda
Ph.D. Topic: Microcystis in midwestern rivers, analyzing population dynamics of an algal taxon with toxin-forming potential
Advisor: R. Jan Stevenson
novitski@msu.edu
Ramirez, Mercedes
M.Sc. Topic: The role of vision in the honey bee dance language
Advisor: Fred Dyer
ramir107@msu.edu
Reid (Litchfield), Lisa
M.S. Topic: A survey of captive elephant (Loxidanta africana) diets and common feeding practices
Advisor: Richard Snider
litchf10@msu.edu
Rober, Allison
M.S. Topic: Effects of Grazing on Algal Productivity in Northern Wetlands
Advisor: R. Jan Stevenson
roberall@msu.edu
Schrader, Jessica (St. John)
Ph.D. Topic: Plasticity in the circadian system of the brain across reproductive state in female rodents
Advisor: Laura Smale
stjohnj4@msu.edu
Seston, Rita
Ph.D. Topic: Utilizing the belted kingfisher and great blue heron as receptor species in an ecological risk assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in the Tittabawassee River floodplain, MI, USA
Advisor: John Giesy
sestonri@msu.edu
Shaw, Kathryn
Ph.D. Topic: The causes and consequences of individual differences in behavior in spotted hyenas
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
shawkat4@msu.edu
Smith, Jennifer E.
Ph.D. Topic: Cooperative partnerships in the fission-fusion society of the spotted hyena
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
smith780@msu.edu
Stricker, Gregory
Ph.D. Topic: Maternal behavior of spotted hyenas
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
strick55@msu.edu
Swanson, Eli
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
swans171@msu.edu
Taylor, Ryan
Ph.D. Topic: Reproductive polymorphisms in red squirrels
I am investigating the evolution of alternative strategies in red squirrels in response to the frequency and degree of variation in selection pressures due to resource availability.
Advisor: Kay Holekamp
rwtaylor@msu.edu
Thomas, Mridul
Advisor: Elena Litchman
thomasmr@msu.edu
Townsend-Mehler, John
Ph.D. Topic: Comparing individual foraging decisions in honeybees and bumblebees
Advisor: Fred Dyer
townse96@msu.edu
Tran, Mark
Ph.D. Topic: "The Use of Betaines as Foraging Cues in Marine Fish"
Advisor: Richard Hill
tranmark@msu.edu
Wiley, Anne
Advisor: Peggy Ostrom
wileyann@msu.edu
Wiser, Michael
Advisor: Richard Lenski
wisermic@msu.edu
Wyatt, Kevin H.
Ph.D. Topic: Regulation and function of algae in high latitude wetlands
Advisor: R. Jan Stevenson
wyattkev@msu.edu