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Dr. Kimberly Komatsu (she/her) - lead investigator
Dr. Komatsu is an ecologist who investigates how community dynamics are being altered by human-caused global change in ecosystems around the world, including grasslands, forests, and agro-ecosystems. Her research focuses on plant competitive dynamics, plant-herbivore interactions, and the legume-rhizobia mutualism. She utilizes long-term experiments, observational data collection, and broad scale data synthesis to uncover the consequences of climate change, nutrient pollution, and biodiversity loss. CV Google Scholar email Rachael Brenneman (she/her) - PhD student
Rachael is a PhD student interested in studying global change in grasslands, especially as it pertains to rangeland management and conservation. Understanding how our grasslands are changing is vital to finding the balance between conservation and proper management for grazing. email Elise Grabda (she/her) - PhD student
Elise's research interests are focused on understanding the impacts of climate change and anthropogenic stressors on community assemblages, ecosystem functioning, and the mechanisms which enhance resilience to those stressors. Specifically, how ecosystem functions in grasslands are enhanced by biodiversity across trophic levels and through time. email Kelly Clark (she/her) - PhD student
Kelly's research interests include investigating plant soil-microbe interactions and how they influence community dynamics in various ecosystems. Currently, she is interested in legume/rhizobia relationships and how rhizobia can influence invasions. CV email Kai DeLeon (he/him) - MS student
Kai is a master’s student who is interested in connecting biogeochemical cycles to population dynamics through the lens of the decomposer community. He is currently studying how decomposition drives nutrient cycling in the nutrient limited longleaf pine savanna. CV email Maya Parker-Smith (she/her) - lab manager
Maya is interested in the ecological drivers of change in tallgrass prairies. She completed her master's degree at the University of Missouri in 2022 where she studied how seed predation can affect restorative efforts in prairies. She hopes to delve further into how ecosystem management can mediate anthropogenic impacts in grasslands. email Jonathan Bean (he/him) - undergraduate researcher
Hey everyone, my name is Jonathan Bean. I am an undergraduate here at UNCG studying biology with a minor in chemistry. I am excited to get some hands-on experience learning lab techniques and to further my knowledge on the impacts of climate change. My lab interests lean more towards the realm of pathology and disease ecology, and I hope my time with the Community Dynamics Lab will strengthen my knowledge of the impacts climate change has on disease. Miles Bellion (he/him) - undergraduate researcher
Hello! My name is Miles Bellion, I am an undergraduate Biology major, Chemistry minor here at UNCG with a concentration in Environmental Biology. I’m excited to learn more lab techniques and to continue my research which looks into how nitrogen based microplastics impact plant growth and germination. Silver Caldera (she/her) - undergraduate researcher
My research interests are based around genetics. Understanding how the DNA and genes of bacteria can not only help themselves survive but also increase the survivability of other organisms. Amia Cox (she/her) - undergraduate researcher
Hi, I am Amia! I am a junior pursuing a Biology degree with an environmental concentration! I haven't yet found my specific area of research; but, a few areas I find most intriguing surround wildlife, ecology, and biodiversity. I’m interested in how different organisms work together and rely on each other to contribute to the many phenomena that go unnoticed on our Earth. I am also interested in natural remedies, primarily provided by plants, and how they can benefits organisms in the wild and us! Micah Monroe (he/him) - undergraduate researcher
Hello! I’m Micah. I am a senior biology major with a chemistry minor at UNCG, currently on the pre-med track. As an aspiring physician, I am very interested in the intersection between genetics and ecology and how they relate to medicine. Outside of the lab, you can usually find me in the EUC with friends, listening to music, or on a nature walk. Airelle Newkirk (she/her) - undergraduate researcher
Hi, my name is Airelle Newkirk and I am currently a junior at UNCG I am majoring in Biology and have an interest in medicine, I hope to attend Physician Assistant school after undergrad. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be involved in undergraduate research, so far it has been a fun experience. Madeline Wild (she/her) - undergraduate researcher
My name is Madeline Wild and I am a junior! I'm majoring in biology and am on the pre-med track. I joined the Community Dynamics Lab to further my knowledge about the environment and to also learn good lab techniques and practices that I can use for years to come. I have really enjoyed this opportunity so far and can not wait to learn more! You?
If you are interested in joining our lab as a graduate student (masters or PhD), postdoc, or technician, please get in touch! |
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Past Graduate Students, Postdocs, and Technicians
Olivia Kjuka (MS student) Millie Ortiz (MS student) Zachary Bunch (MS student) Sarah Gora (lab manager) Sarah Alley (beanDIP and GMDR technician) Shelley Bennett (lab manager) Dr. Amy Hruska (post-doctoral fellow) Dr. Tim Ohlert (graduate research fellow) Dr. Smriti Pehim Limbu (graduate research fellow) Dr. Alyssa Young (graduate research fellow) Caitlyn Dittmeier (communications fellow) Dr. Kathryn Bloodworth (lab manager) Dr. Benton Taylor (post-doctoral fellow) Past Teacher Externs Jessica White (South River High School) Kimberly Cox (Baltimore County Public Schools) |
Past Undergraduate Interns
UNCG undergraduates: Caden Brady, Lynn Dabliz, Samantha Esparza, Atlas Pratt-Brown, Elliot Turbeville, Malak Darwish, Andrew Turner, Sarah Hill, Yasmeen Wilks, Penelope Slaughter, Elizabeth Fridle, Ryan Hargrove, Cailin Nazworth, Erin Walls, Samuel Awe, Youseph Sabek, Alexis Dodd, Stephanie Besa, Holly Cha, Leslie DeCuesta, Layla Eglin, ZaNay Forney, Elijah Resuello, Caroline Ferguson, Zion York, Zoe Edmonson, Maleak Whitaker, Kimberly Gonzales, Brianna Worley, Milan Toomer, Special Puri, Jayda Gresham, Wudeh Saidykhan, Kyla Grant Smithsonian Interns: Nadeeah Flemming (McDaniel), Calisa Myrie (Howard U), Mia Gaughan (Vassar), Annika Munson (U Chicago), Elizabeth Blake (U Michigan), Marcela Morassi (U Texas, Austin), Rachael Brenneman (Eastern Mennonite), Skye Austin (Shenandoah U) Julia Smith (U Chicago), Ashley Boyette (Bryn Mawr), Alitzel Villanueva (Middlebury), Nicole Esch (North Carolina State), Brian Pfau (Seattle Pacific) |
Fall 2026: (back row) Emily Castro-Torres, Amia Cox, Taliyah Ragland, Jonathan Bean, Kelly Clark, Elise Grabda, Maya Parker-Smith, Micah Monroe, Kim Komatsu, Omar Diab, (front row) Zander Sullivan, Airelle Newkirk, Miles Bellion, Silver Caldera (not pictured: Madeline Wild)
Fall 2025: (back rows) Samantha Esparza, Caden Brady, Sarah Hill, Cailin Nazworth, Atlas Pratt-Brown, Elise Grabda, Madeline Wild, Kelly Clark, Kim Komatsu, (front row) Maya Parker-Smith, Silver Caldera (not pictured: Elliot Turbeville, Ryan Hargrove, Airelle Newkirk, Lynn Dabliz)
2023: Brianna Worley, Kim Komatsu, Rachael Brenneman, Milan Toomer, Zoe Edmonson, Zachary Bunch, Zion York, Elise Grabda, Millie Ortiz, Zaria McKoy, Kimberly Gonzalez, Special Puri, Holly Cha, Elijah Resuello
(not pictured: Maleak Whitaker, Ryan Hargrove, Caroline Ferguson, Jacques Mokoko)
2020: Amy Hruska, Kim Komatsu, Skye Austin, Shelley Bennett, Marcela Morassi, Sarah Alley, Rachael Brenneman
2018: Kim Komatsu, Nicole Esch, Kathryn Bloodworth, Ben Taylor
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Spring 2026: (back row) Kim Komatsu, Olivia Kjuka, Kelly Clark, Elisa Grabda, Kai DeLeon, Jonathan Bean, Caden Brady, Malak Darwish, (front row) Samantha Esparza, Rachael Brenneman, Maya Parker-Smith, Taliyah Ragland, Sarah Hill, Atlas Pratt-Brown, Andrew Turner
2024: (back rows) Elise Grabda, Kim Komatsu, Leslie DeCuesta, Atlas Pratt-Brown, Airelle Newkirk, Ryan Hargrove, Silver Caldera, Yoseph Sabek, Caroline Ferguson, Kelly Clark, Stephanie Besa, Madeline Wild, (front row) Millie Ortiz, Layla Elgin, Zanay Forney, Rachael Brenneman (not pictured: Elliot Turbeville, Elijah Resuello, Alexis Dodd, Samuel Awe, Caden Brady, Erin Walls, Sarah Hill)
2022: Kim Komatsu, Zachary Bunch, Sarah Gora, Wudeh Saidykhan, Kyla Grant, Zion York, Jayda Gresham, Milan Toomer, Rachael Brenneman
2019: Alitzel Villanueva, Amy Hruska, Kim Komatsu, Kathryn Bloodworth, Ashley Boyette, Ben Taylor
2017: Kathryn Bloodworth, Kim Komatsu, Jessica White, Brian Pfau
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