Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis: Ph.D. Graduates


Name Date Thesis Advisor Current Position
Addison, Brianne 2009 Maternally derived
antibodies in avian eggs and
offspring: ecology, life
history, and development		 Ricklefs Lecturer, University of Western Sydney
Santiago Alarcon, Diego 2008 Blood Parasites of New
World Doves, with special
emphasis on the Galapagos
Dove		 Parker/ Ricklefs Faculty, Institute for Ecology, Xalapa,  Mexico
Allen, Teresa 2010   Bourne US Army Corps of Engineers
Aly, Haytham 2009   Taylor Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University School of Medicine
Arango-Caro, Sandra 2002 Edge-effects on tree
regeneration in the
Columbian Andes		 Loiselle Lecturer, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia
Arminsen, Javier 2007   Spingola Postdoctoral Fellow, Cambridge, UK
Avalos, Gerardo 1999 Photosynthetic acclimation
of canopy branches and
seedlings of lianas to light
changes in a tropical dry
forest		 Mulkey Professor in Conservation Biology, University of Costa Rica
Azpiroz, Adrián 2008 The effects of habitat loss on
community structure and
reproductive success of
pampas grassland birds		 Blake  
Baiao, Patricia 2008 Mechanisms underlying
phenotypic variation in the
Red-Footed Booby (Sula
sula)		 Parker Director of Amazon Program, Conservation International, Brazil
Baker, Beatriz 2010 Coexistence of sympatric
taxa of Chamaecrista
section Xerocalyx		 Marquis Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Arizona
Barber, Nicholas 2009 Tritrophic interactions in
forests: Direct and indirect
interactions between birds,
insect herbivores, and oaks		 Marquis Assistant Professor, Northern Illinois University
Barrantes, Gilbert 2000 Ecology and evolution of
Phainoptila melanoxantha
(Bombycillidae, Aves) in the
highlands of Costa Rica and
western Panama		 Loiselle Professor in Biology, University of Costa Rica
Beilstein, Mark 2007 Phylogeny and trichome
evolution in the plant family
Brassicaceae		 Kellogg,
Al-Shehbaz		 Assistant Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona
Boege, Karina 2004 Ontogenetic variation in
plant resistance:
Consequences for plants,
herbivores and their natural
enemies		 Marquis Assistant Professor, Institute of Ecology, UNAM in Mexico
Boege-Tobin, Deborah 2005 Ranging patterns and
habitat utilization of
northern river otters, Lontra
oronate c, in Missouri:
Implications for the
conservation of a
reintroduced species		 Tang-Martinez Bourne Assistant Professor, Biology, University of Alaska-Homer

Bollmer, Jennifer

 2008 Distribution of MHC variation
in Galápagos endemic birds		 Parker Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin
Bowser, Gillian 1998 Genetics, geographics, and
prairie dogs: A landscape
model of prairie dog
(Cynomys ludovicianus)
dispersal		 Loiselle
Blake		 Assistant Dean of Sustainability and Strategic Planning, Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University 
Cadena, Daniel 2006 Biogeography of Buarremon
brush-finches (Aves,
Emberizinae): Integrating
ecology, evolution, and
systematics		 Loiselle
Ricklefs		 Assistant Professor, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
Camara, Paulo 2008 A taxonomic, phylogenetic
and developmental study on
the moss genus Taxithelium
Mitt. (Pylaisiadelphaceae)		 Kellogg,
Magill		 Instructor, University of Brasilia, Brazil
Carlsen, Monica 2011 Understanding the origin
and rapid diversification of
the genus Anthurium
Schott (Araceae),
intergrating molecular
phylogenetics, morphology,
and fossils 		 Stevens, Croat Missouri Botanical Garden
Carnevali, Germán 1996 Systematics, phylogeny, and
twig epiphytism in
Cryptocentrum(Orchidaceae)		 Berry
Sork		 Director, Herbarium Yucatan (Mexico)
Chanderbali, Andre 2001 Contributions to the
oronatec of Lauraceae. I.
Phylogeny and historical
biogeography of Lauraceae:
Evidence from the
chloroplast and nuclear
genomes and II. A
monograph of Endlicheria
(Lauraceae)		 Renner 
van derWerff		 Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Florida - Gainsville
Cohen, Alan 2007 The role of antioxidants in
the physiology, ecology, and
life histories of wild birds		 Ricklefs Assistant Professor, Dept of Family Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada 
Congdon, Elizabeth 2007 Natal dispersal and new
group formation in
capybaras (Hydrochoerus
hydrochaeris) in a
seasonally flooded savanna
of Venezuela		 Tang-Martinez Instructor, Biology Department, Georgia Southern University

Cornelius, Cintia

 2006 Genetic and demographic
consequences of human-
driven landscape changes on
bird populations: A case
study using Aphrastura
spinicauda (Furnariidae) in
the temperate rainforest of
South America		 Blake Faculty, Universidade do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
Durães, Renata 2008 Spatial and Temporal
Dynamics of Lekking
Behavior and Female Mate
Choice in the Blue-crowned
Manakin (Lepidothrix
oronate, AVES: Pipridae)		 Loiselle Post-doctoral Fellow, University of California Los Angeles
Dutra, Huberto 2011 Effects of the exotic shrub
Lonicera maackii on the
plant animal interactions in
the invaded habitat		 Marquis Teaching Faculty, Life University
Dwyer, Rodney 2002 Contemporary pollen
movement in shortleaf pine,
Pinus echinata Mill		 Sork Associate Professor, Virginia commonwealth
Ettling, Jeff 2013 Spatial ecology, genetic diversity and population structure of Armenian Vipers, Montivipera raddei, in two different landscapes Parker Curator of Herpetology & Aquatics, St. Louis Zoo
Escalona, Tibisay 2003 Maternal effects on
reproductive success in a
river turtle (Podocnemis
unifilis) in southern
Venezuela		 Loiselle Post-Doctoral Fellow, Iowa State University
Fair, Jeanne 2000 The ecological and
physiological costs of
contaminants to birds:
Consequences for individuals
and populations		 Ricklefs Los Alamos National Laboratory, Environmental Science Group
Fallon, Sylvia 2003 Historical biogeography and
community ecology of avian
malaria in the Lesser
Antilles		 Ricklefs Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, D.C.
Feria, Teresa (Paty) 2007 Understanding the
geographic distribution of
species: An evaluation of
different methods for
modeling species
distributions and a test of
the niche characteristics
hypotheses		 Loiselle Assistant Professor, Biology, University of Texas-Pan American (2008)
Fernandez, Juan 2002 Genetic diversity and mating
system in a fragmented
population of the Andean oak Quercus humboldtii
Bonpl. (Fagaceae)		 Sork Laboratoire d’Ecologie, Systematique et Evolution, Universite Paris Sud
Fuentes-Soriano, Sara 2010

Phylogenetic Relationships
and Character Evolution in
Physarieae (Brassicaceae)

 Kellogg
Al-Shehbaz		 Missouri Botanical Garden
Goerck, Jaqueline 1999 Ecology, Evolution, and
biogeography of Drymophila
antbirds (Thamnophilidae,
Aves) in the Neotropics		 Loiselle Program Manager for BirdLife International, Brazil
Graham, Catherine 2000 Individual, species and
community level responses
of birds to forest
fragmentation in southern
Mexico		 Blake Associate Professor of Biology, SUNY Stony Brook
Guo, Liang   2011 Phospholipase D- and
Phosphatidic Acid-Mediated
Signaling in Plant Response
to Abscisic Acid and Reactive
Oxygen Species		 Wang Postdoctoral Fellow, UMSL
Hansen, Erpur 2003 Ecophysiological constraints
on energy provisioning rate
by diving seabird parents		 Ricklefs Director of Ecology Division, South Icelandic Nature Institute
Hernandez, Edgar Javier 2012 The effect of photoperiod on
regulation of key
components of the life cycle
in the bumble bee Bombus
impatiens L. (Hymenoptera:
Apidae).		 Hunt  
Hochwender, Cris 1997 Defense and tolerance in
Asclepias syriaca L.
(Asclepiadaceae)		 Marquis Associate Professor, Biology Department, University of Evansville, Indiana
Holbrook, Kimberly 2006 Dissertation: Seed dispersal l
imitation in a Neotropical nutmeg, Virola flexuosa
(Myristicaceae): an
ecological and genetic
approach		 Loiselle AAAS fellowship
Hong, Yueyun 2007 Functional Characterization
of Phospholipase Da3 and e
in Arabidopsis thaliana		 Wang Professor, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
Hong-Wa, Cynthia 2012 Diversification and
coexistence in the
Madagascar olive (Noronhia,
Oleaceae)		 Stevens  
Houshmandi, Sean 2005 The Role of Puf3 Protein
Interactions in the
Regulation of mRNA Decay
in Yeast Saccharomyces
cerevisiae		 Olivas Account Manager at STEMCELL Technologies St. Louis, MO
Huang, Shing-Fan 2002 Phylogeny and historical
biogeography of Acer		 Ricklefs Raven Department of Science Education, National Hsinchu Teachers College, Hsinchu, Taiwan
Huyvaert, Kate 2004 Social and genetic dynamics
of extra-pair mating in
Waved Albatrosses
(Phoebastria irrorata)		 Parker Assistant Professor, Colorado State University

Jimenéz, Ivan

 2005 Understanding vertebrate
frugivores through foraging
theory: fruit-patch use, diet
composition and the
abundance of curassows
(Aves: Cracidae)		 Blake Assistant Curator, Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis
Kenfack, David 2008 Systematics and evolution
of Carapa (Meliaceae-
Swietenioideae)		 Stevens Coordinator of African Program, Center for Tropical Forest Science, Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University
Khan, Bibi Rafeiza 2010 Elucidating matrix protein
import and b-oxidation
pathways in plant
peroxisomes		 Zolman Postdoctoral Fellow, Nobel Foundation, Ardmore OK
Kozlowski, Corrine 2010

Avian developmental
endocrinology:
The effects and role of yolk
hormones, sibling dynamics,
and life-history

 Ricklefs Endocrinologist, St. Louis Zoo
Kyllo, Damond 2001 The effects of light and a
common mycorrhizal
network on growth and
community structure of
understory shrubs, Piper
and Psychotria, in a
Neotropical forest		 Marquis Post Doctoral Visiting Scientist, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
Lee, Danielle 2010 An investigation of
behavioral syndromes and
individual differences in
exploratory behavior of
prairie voles, Microtus
ochrogaster		 Tang-Martinez Urban Outreach Consultant, SCOPE, St Louis MO
Levin, Iris 2011 Host-Parasite Interactions in
Galapagos Seabirds		 Parker Visiting Assistant Professor, Grinnell College
Lill, John 1999 The influence of adjacent
trophic levels on life history
evolution in Psilocorsis
quercicella (Lepidoptera:
Oecophoridae)		 Marquis Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University
Loayza, Andrea 2009 Closing the seed dispersal
loop for Guettarda
viburnoides (Rub.):
Connecting patterns of
avian seed dispersal with
population growth in a
Neotropical savanna		 Loiselle Bat Conservation International
Lohmann, Lucia 2003 Phylogeny, classification,
morphological diversification
and biogeography of
Bignonieae (Bignoniaceae,
Lamiales)		 Kellogg Stevens Associate Professor, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
Lopez-Leban, Florencia 2009 The Role of Puf3p and Puf4p
in the Regulation of mRNA
Decay in Yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae		 Olivas  
Lorea-Hernandez, Francisco 1996 A systematic revision of the
Neotropical species of
Cinnamomum Schaefer
(Lauraceae)		 Van der Werff
Richardson		 Institute of Ecology, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Magombo, Zacharia 2002 Systematic and
biogeographic studies of the
moss family Diphysciaceae
M. Fleisch. (Muscii)		 Kellogg Magill Manager, National Herbarium, Malawi
Maldonado-Coelho, Marcos 2010 Systematics and evolution
of neotropical fire-eye
antbirds (Thamnophilidae,
Aves): Integrating voice,
morphology and molecules		 Blake/
Ricklefs		 Postdoctoral Fellow, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil

Malizia, Lucio

 2005 Diversity and distribution of
tree species in subtropical
Andean forests		 Blake Raptor Research Foundation
Martinez-Gomez, Juan 2007 The relationship of genetic
distance with pre- and
postmating isolation,
geographic overlap and
fitness in the estrildid
finches (Aves: Estrildidae)		 Ricklefs Faculty, Instituto de Ecologia, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Matson, Kevin 2006 Comparative immune
function in wild birds		 Ricklefs Post-Doctoral Fellow, Groningen University, The Netherlands
Miller, Melanie 2012 Analysis of the Condition-
Specific Regulation of Puf3p
Activity and Puf3p=Mediated
Regulation of mRNA
Translation in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae		 Olivas Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University in St. Louis
Nicastro, Peter 2004     Express Scrips
Nielsen, Charlotte 2004 Intraspecific nest parasitism
in wood ducks: Ecological
and evolutionary
perspectives		 Parker Waterfowl Research Scientist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Norris, Jeffrey 2011 Urban development in Costa
Rica: the direct and indirect
impacts on local and
regional avian assemblages		 Bourne Curator, Missouri Botanical Garden
Ortiz-Gentry, Rosa 2010 Phylogeny, classification,
and morphological
diversification in
Menispermaceae (moonseed
family)		 Kellogg
Van de Werff		 Curator, Missouri Botanical Garden
Paz y Miño, Guillermo 1998 Sibling recognition and
effects of odor cues in prairie voles, Microtus ochrogaster		 Tang-Martinez Professor, Worcester State College

Perez-Eman, Jorge

 2002 Molecular Phylogenetics and
Biogeography of the genus
Myioborus (Aves: Parulinae)		 Blake Ricklefs Assistant Professor, National University, Caracas, Venezuela.
Perez-Salicrup, Diego 1998 Effects of liana cutting on
trees and tree seedlings in a
tropical forest in Bolivia		 Sork Post-Doctoral Fellow, Harvard Forest, Harvard University
Peters, Carlotta 2009  Functional Characterization
of Non-Specific
Phospholipase C (NPC) in
Arabidopsis thaliana		 Wang Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Missouri – Columbia
Pisat, Nilambari 2009   MacDiarmid Washington University Dept of Genetics
Preston, Jill 2007 Duplication, conservation
and diversification of MADS-
box transcription factors
involved in grass
inflorescence and floral
development		 Kellogg Assistant Professor, University of Vermont
Price, Michelle 2002 A systematic study of the
moss genus Holomitrium
Brid. (Dicranaceae, Musci). 
A study of taxonomy,
biogeography and phylogeny		 Kellogg Magill Curator, Cryptogamic Herbarium, Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville de Genève
Ramírez, Ivón 1996 Systematics, phylogeny,
and chromosome number
evolution of Cryptanthus
(Bromeliaceae)		 Richardson Associate Director, Herbarium Yucatan (Mexico)
Randrianasolo, Armand 1998 Systematics and evolution
of three Malagasy genera of Anacardiaceae: Micronychia
Oliv., Protorhus Engl. And
Rhus section Baronia
(Baker) H. Perrier		 Miller Associate Curator, Missouri Botanical Garden
Razafimandimbison, Sylvain 2000 Tribal delimitation of the
tribe Naucleeae (Rubiaceae):
Inference from molecular
and morphological data sets
and a revision of Breonia A.
Rich. (Naucleeae)		 Richardson
Kellogg		 Bergius Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden
Renjifo, Luis Miguel 1998 Effects of landscape matrix
on the composition and
conservation of forest bird
communities		 Loiselle Director, Conservation Biology Program, Humboldt Institute Colombia
Reynel, Carlos 1995 Systematics of Neotropical
Zanthoxylum (Rutaceae)
with an account on the
wood anatomy of the genus		 Richardson Professor in Forestry Conservation, National Agrarian University, Peru
Rivera-Parra, Jose Luis 2013 Galapagos seabirds' lice community: host species interactions and parasite evolution Parker  
Rodríguez-Ferraro, Adriana 2008 Community ecology and
phylogeography of bird
assemblages in arid zones of
northern Venezuela		 Blake  

Rougès, Mercedes

 2004 Bird community dynamics
along an altitudinal gradient
in subtropical montane
forests		 Blake Research Associate and Education Coordinator, Laboratorio de Investigaciones Ecológicas de las Yungas, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina.
Rueda, Ricardo 1993 Systematics and evolution
of the genus Petrea
(Verbenaceae)		 Gentry
Richardson		 Vice-Chancellor, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León
Ryder, Brandt 2008 Understanding coordinated
display in a lek breeding
bird: function, maintenance
and fitness		 Blake Postdoctoral Fellow, National Zoo, Smithsonian Institution
Sari, Eloisa 2012 Colonization history and
origin of the Galapagos
flycatcher (Myiarchus
magnirostris) and its
parasites.		 Parker  
Scherrer, Frederick 2008   Spingola Monsanto Corporation
Servat, Grace 2006 The role of local and regional
factors in the foraging
ecology of birds associated
to Polylepis woodlands		 Loiselle Tropical Biology Instructor, Boston University and Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador
Stowe, Kirk 1997 Experimental evolution of
resistance in Brassica rapa:
Correlated responses of life
history traits, tolerance and
realized defense to selection
for foliar glucosinolate
content		 Marquis Assistant Professor, Beacon College
Svensson-Coelho, Maria 2012 Community organization of avian malaria parasites in lowland Amazonia: prevalence, diversity, and specialization in a local assemblage Ricklefs Post-Doctoral Fellow, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
Sweeney, Patrick 2007 Systematics and Floral
Evolution in the Plant Genus
Garcinia (Clusiaceae)		 Kellogg
Stevens		 Collections Manager, Yale University Herbarium, Peabody Museum of Natural History
Tori, Wendy 2008 Sexual selection in an
exploded lekking bird: the
White-crowned Manakin
(Pipra pipra)		 Loiselle Assistant Professor, Earlham College
Ulbricht, Randi 2008 Identification of new mRNA
targets of Puf protein-
mediated decay in yeast		 Olivas Postdoctoral Fellow, Vanderbilt University
Ungerer, Justin 2010 Transcriptional regulation of
nitrogenase and
identification of a fructose
transport System in
Anabaena variabilis		 Thiel Postdoctoral Fellow, National Renewable Energy Lab
Valdespino, Carolina 1999 The reproductive system of
the fennec fox (Vulpes
zerda)		 Asa Professor, Instituto de Ecologia, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Vicentini, Alberto 2007 Pagamea Aubl. (Rubiaceae),
from species to processes,
building the bridge		 Stevens Faculty, INPA, Manaus, Brazil
Villegas, Ana Cristina 1997 Intraspecific variation in
clonal growth and its
demographic consequences
for the tropical terrestrial bromeliad, Aechmea
magdalenae		 Kelly Program Officer for the Andes-Amazon Initiative, Moore Foundation
Wiener, Eric 2001 Tree regeneration in an
experimental tropical
secondary rain forest		 Sork Associate Professor, Environmental Science, Ramapo College, NJ

Whiteman, Noah

 2006 Evolutionary epidemiology of
endemic Galápagos birds
and their parasites		 Parker Assistant Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona
Won, Hyosig 2004 Phylogenetic and
biogeographic study of
Gnetum (Gnetales)		 Renner Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Korea
Zahalak, Marta 2002   Thiel  
Zapata, Felipe 2010 Phylogenetics and
diversification of Escallonia
(Escalloniaceae)		 Stevens Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California - Berkeley
Zhu, Guanghua 1995 Sytematics of Dracontium L.
(Araceae)		 Croat
Grayum
Richardson		 Deceased, Formerly Assistant Curator, Flora of China Project, Missouri Botanical Garden