Past Student/Postdoc Spotlights

Marina De León is from the East Coast and is currently a PhD student at UC Davis working with Dr. Jonathan Eisen. Tell us about your project! The invasive, pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is destroying amphibian populations across the world. Understanding Bd epidemiology and treatment options is imperative to saving many species from extinction.…

Autumn Anglin is from Colorado and Florida but currently lives in Oregon and is active with the Willamette Valley Mushroom Society (WVMS) as a member of the WVMS funga citizen science study group. Autumn is a ceramicist as well as a graphic designer, book illustrator, photographer, and web designer. Tell us about your project! We…

Abbey Neat is from Pasadena, California and is currently conducting research at Oregon State University with Dr. Posy Busby! Tell us about your project! I am studying fungal endophytes found in conifer leaf litter. When a tree drops its leaves, its fungal microbiome travels with the leaves as they fall to the ground and will…

Kate Hickman grew up in Sedalia, Missouri and Provo, Utah and is currently working at Utah Valley University with Dr. Geoffrey Zahn! Tell us about your project! We’re analyzing samples taken from mangroves to assess potential interactions between fungi and bacteria. Our aim is to provide information that leads to more effective nursery practices with…

Jacob Steenwyk grew up Pasadena, California, and is currently a graduate student at Vanderbilt University, working with Dr. Antonis Roka! Tell us about your project! My research focuses on the extensive loss of cell-cycle and DNA repair genes in an ancient lineage of bipolar budding yeasts. Which awards do you like to brag about? My…

If you are interested in being featured in a future MSA student and postdoc spotlight, please fill out this form with your information! Madeline Lueck is our student spotlight for the month of November! Madeline grew up in East Bay Area, California, and is currently a graduate student at Washington State University, Tri-Cities, working with…

Gary Olds is currently doing research at the Denver Botanical Gardens with Dr. Andrew Wilson. Tell us about your project! My project, “Applying a Modified Metabarcoding Approach for the Sequencing of Macrofungal Specimens,” explores laboratory techniques in taking the efficiency (time, labor, and cost) of environmental DNA sequencing and applying that to the historically slower…

Magnolia Morelli grew up in Salt Lake City, UT, and is currently doing research at Utah Valley University with Geoffrey Zahn. Tell us about your project! I am currently planning a research trip to Costa Rica to study mycophagy within primates. I will be collecting data at La Selva Biological station over the course of…

Nicole Colón-Carrión grew up in Puerto Rico and is currently doing research at the University of Arizona with Dr. Elizabeth Arnold. Tell us about your project! In my dissertation research I seek to understand how climate changes impact plant-fungal associations, with a focus on two main environments: wild tropical forests and agricultural systems. Specifically, my work…

Terry J Torres Cruz grew up in Costa Rica. She is currently doing research at Penn State-State College with Dr. David Geiser.  Tell us about your project!  My thesis project aims to describe a potential new plant-fungal mimicry system and the potential involvement of insects in this interaction. What awards would you like to brag…