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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 Zachary Bunch (he/him) - MS student
Zachary is a Master's student with broad interests within the scope of ecology. These interests include: global change ecology, biodiversity, pollinators and plant-pollinator interactions, grassland/rangeland ecosystems, insect ecology and invasive species. Zachary also has an interest in science outreach/education and believes that science dies when adequate science education dies. email Millie Ortiz (she/her) - MS student
Millie is a Master’s student with many ecological interests. Her current interests are grassland ecosystem functions and how the invertebrate community is impacted by the ecosystem they live in. She believes that it is crucial to understand the various ecosystems, their functions, and how they may be changing. 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 Zion York (she/her) - undergraduate researcher
I am a Biology major wanting to concentrate in Ecology. I am interested in Botany and entomology. I am joining this lab to learn and experience a new way of learning and navigating my academic career and interests. Holly Cha (she/her) - undergraduate researcher
My name is Holly Cha, and I'm an undergraduate at UNCG. I am currently a Sophomore, and my major is Biology. My interests are aligned with the medical field, and I hope to one day attend medical school. Undergraduate research is interesting to me and something that I have wanted to be a part of, and I was lucky enough to have a chance with this lab. Elijah Resuello (he/him) - undergraduate researcher
My name is Elijah Resuello. I am a 4th-year student pursuing a Biology degree with a minor in Chemistry. I decided to join the Community Dynamics lab to dive into more hands-on learning concerning human impact on our environment and planet. After graduating, I want to look abroad for opportunities with the experience I'll gain from this lab. Zoe Edmonson (she/her) - undergraduate researcher
My name is Zoe Edmonson and I'm a senior at UNCG. I am a biology major with a minor in chemistry in hopes of pursuing the medical field. With this research, I hope to learn more about how to better care for our planet and the organisms living in it, in hopes to make an impact on the environment with my work in the future. Kimberly Gonzales (she/her) - undergraduate researcher
Hello, everyone! My name is Kimberly, I am a senior majoring in biology with a minor in business. My future goals include going to Dental school. I haven’t done research of any kind, but I very much enjoy it when we do projects in any lab. That is what drew me to the community dynamics research lab because I want to learn more about what goes into research and the different dynamics that impact our ecosystem. Maleak Whitaker (he/him) - undergraduate researcher
Maleak Whitaker, a senior student leader pursuing a degree in Biology, aspires to become an educator. Embracing a passion for education, I have joined the Community Dynamics Research Group to explore novel avenues of learning and to navigate through my academic journey. This experience not only allows me to delve deeper into the realms of science but also provides a platform to offer valuable insights on enhancing the educational experiences of fellow and future scientific learners. 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
Sarah Gora (head technician) Sarah Alley (beanDIP and GMDR technician) Shelley Bennett (head technician) Dr. Amy Hruska (post-doctoral fellow) Dr. Tim Ohlert (graduate research fellow) Smriti Pehim Limbu (graduate research fellow) Alyssa Young (graduate research fellow) Caitlyn Dittmeier (communications fellow) Kathryn Bloodworth (graduate research fellow) Dr. Benton Taylor (post-doctoral fellow) Past Teacher Externs Jessica White (South River High School) Kimberly Cox (Baltimore County Public Schools) |
Past Undergraduate Interns
Brianna Worley (UNCG) Milan Toomer (UNCG) Special Puri (UNCG) Jayda Gresham (UNCG) Wudeh Saidykhan (UNCG) Kyla Grant (UNCG) 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 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
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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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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