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People
Marjorie Weber (PI)
I am an evolutionary ecologist, interested in how ecological interactions impact phenotypic evolution and diversification across evolutionary scales. My research focuses on interactions between plants and arthropods, and evaluates hypotheses that link plant-arthropod interactions with macroevolutionary pattern. I work in many systems, including ant-plant and ant-mite mutualisms, plant defense against herbivory and disease, and plant-pollination interactions. I am particularly interested in understanding the role that species interactions play in the evolution of bizarre phenotypes, such as the fascinating structures found on plants that attract and retain arthropod bodyguards.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Email: weberm11(at)msu.edu
I am an evolutionary ecologist, interested in how ecological interactions impact phenotypic evolution and diversification across evolutionary scales. My research focuses on interactions between plants and arthropods, and evaluates hypotheses that link plant-arthropod interactions with macroevolutionary pattern. I work in many systems, including ant-plant and ant-mite mutualisms, plant defense against herbivory and disease, and plant-pollination interactions. I am particularly interested in understanding the role that species interactions play in the evolution of bizarre phenotypes, such as the fascinating structures found on plants that attract and retain arthropod bodyguards.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Email: weberm11(at)msu.edu
Susan Gordon (Lab Manager)
I am broadly interested in plant-animal interactions, especially mutualisms, and I’m excited to get involved in plant-mite mutualism projects in the Weber lab. Before joining the lab I earned an HBSc at the University of Toronto where I studied the patterns and impacts of beaver herbivory, as well as ant-plant seed dispersal mutualisms.
Email: gordo188(at)msu.edu
I am broadly interested in plant-animal interactions, especially mutualisms, and I’m excited to get involved in plant-mite mutualism projects in the Weber lab. Before joining the lab I earned an HBSc at the University of Toronto where I studied the patterns and impacts of beaver herbivory, as well as ant-plant seed dispersal mutualisms.
Email: gordo188(at)msu.edu
Carina Baskett (PhD Student - Co-advised with Doug Schemske)
I am fascinated by the evolutionary ecology of biotic interactions. My big questions are, how does variation in the abiotic environment influence biotic interaction strength? And how do biotic interactions impact evolutionary processes (adaptation, speciation, diversification) differently from the abiotic environment? My dissertation addresses these questions by testing the “biotic interactions hypothesis” to explain the latitudinal diversity gradient, which states that biotic interactions are stronger at lower latitudes, and their coevolution leads to rapid diversification. I work on plant-insect interactions (herbivory and pollination) and bacteria-bacteriophage systems.
Website: http://baskett.weebly.com/
Email: baskettc(at)msu.edu
I am fascinated by the evolutionary ecology of biotic interactions. My big questions are, how does variation in the abiotic environment influence biotic interaction strength? And how do biotic interactions impact evolutionary processes (adaptation, speciation, diversification) differently from the abiotic environment? My dissertation addresses these questions by testing the “biotic interactions hypothesis” to explain the latitudinal diversity gradient, which states that biotic interactions are stronger at lower latitudes, and their coevolution leads to rapid diversification. I work on plant-insect interactions (herbivory and pollination) and bacteria-bacteriophage systems.
Website: http://baskett.weebly.com/
Email: baskettc(at)msu.edu
Erika LaPlante (Masters student)
I am an evolutionary ecologist interested in plant defense interactions and uncovering the genetic mechanisms that underlie mutualistic adaptations. Before joining the Weber lab, I earned my B.S. at the University of Arizona in Soil, Water and Environmental Science. As an Undergraduate Researcher at the University of Arizona and eventually a Research Assistant at the University of California, Berkeley, I studied Drosophila melanogaster to quantify the benefit-to-cost ratio of specific molecular substitutions in Capillary Feeder (CAFE) assay experiments. I also studied Arabidopsis thaliana to identifying plant genes involved in resistance to an herbivorous insect, Scaptomyza flava through performing Scaptomyza flava choice test experiments for host plant preference.
Email: laplan23[at]msu.edu
I am an evolutionary ecologist interested in plant defense interactions and uncovering the genetic mechanisms that underlie mutualistic adaptations. Before joining the Weber lab, I earned my B.S. at the University of Arizona in Soil, Water and Environmental Science. As an Undergraduate Researcher at the University of Arizona and eventually a Research Assistant at the University of California, Berkeley, I studied Drosophila melanogaster to quantify the benefit-to-cost ratio of specific molecular substitutions in Capillary Feeder (CAFE) assay experiments. I also studied Arabidopsis thaliana to identifying plant genes involved in resistance to an herbivorous insect, Scaptomyza flava through performing Scaptomyza flava choice test experiments for host plant preference.
Email: laplan23[at]msu.edu
Abby Sulesky (Undergraduate student)
I am a junior studying Environmental Microbiology and Environmental Science and Management, with a minor in Sustainability Studies, and am currently completing an independent research project studying fungal defense in the seeds of pokeweed plants. I have always loved biology and nature and am excited for the opportunity to expand my research experience in the Weber lab. In the future I plan to focus my career on bioremediation with microbes to clean up pollutants in our waters and soils.
I am a junior studying Environmental Microbiology and Environmental Science and Management, with a minor in Sustainability Studies, and am currently completing an independent research project studying fungal defense in the seeds of pokeweed plants. I have always loved biology and nature and am excited for the opportunity to expand my research experience in the Weber lab. In the future I plan to focus my career on bioremediation with microbes to clean up pollutants in our waters and soils.
Coming soon...
Ash Zemenick (NSF Postdoctoral Fellow - starting 2017)
I am a community ecologist interested in plant-arthropod interactions, and their role in structuring microbial communities. For my PhD I worked to disentangle how the structure of plant-flower visitor interactions varies for different types of flower visitors, and the implications of varying structure for floral microbe communities. During my post doc, I will be studying how plant-mite interactions directly and indirectly influence leaf microbial communities and subsequent invasibility by pathogens. I will also be working on building a repository of introductory biology teaching material that humanizes the field of biology and biologists. It will include how biological research applies to current societal problems and highlight what it is like to be a biologist. The materials will be composted of examples provided by biologists that self-identify as being part of underrepresented group(s) in STEM (e.g. in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, income, nationality, immigrant status, cognitive and physical ability, etc.).
I am a community ecologist interested in plant-arthropod interactions, and their role in structuring microbial communities. For my PhD I worked to disentangle how the structure of plant-flower visitor interactions varies for different types of flower visitors, and the implications of varying structure for floral microbe communities. During my post doc, I will be studying how plant-mite interactions directly and indirectly influence leaf microbial communities and subsequent invasibility by pathogens. I will also be working on building a repository of introductory biology teaching material that humanizes the field of biology and biologists. It will include how biological research applies to current societal problems and highlight what it is like to be a biologist. The materials will be composted of examples provided by biologists that self-identify as being part of underrepresented group(s) in STEM (e.g. in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, income, nationality, immigrant status, cognitive and physical ability, etc.).
Eric LoPresti (NSF Postdoctoral Fellow - starting 2017)
I did my PhD on the ecology of plants with "external defenses" and will continue in this vein for my post-doc. I will be studying the ecology and evolutionary history of sand entrapment at a small scale in the genus Abronia and at a large scale across the plant phylogeny. I will also be looking at the effects on mandibular structure of the insect herbivores which eat these plants.
I did my PhD on the ecology of plants with "external defenses" and will continue in this vein for my post-doc. I will be studying the ecology and evolutionary history of sand entrapment at a small scale in the genus Abronia and at a large scale across the plant phylogeny. I will also be looking at the effects on mandibular structure of the insect herbivores which eat these plants.
Honorary member:
Eloise Wolf (Co-advised with Bradburd Lab)
Lou's research is primarily focused on understanding how to use her hands to put things into her mouth. Recently, she had a major research breakthrough: the discovery of her own feet (work not yet published). She also has a side project investigating a fundamental longstanding question in science: How much drool can one physically produce at one time?
Lou's research is primarily focused on understanding how to use her hands to put things into her mouth. Recently, she had a major research breakthrough: the discovery of her own feet (work not yet published). She also has a side project investigating a fundamental longstanding question in science: How much drool can one physically produce at one time?
