Graduate Awards & Fellowships
Advancing our understanding of the natural world
The Bell Museum promotes graduate student research at the University of Minnesota to examine biological diversity and advance our understanding of the natural world. Natural History awards in the amount of $2,500 per student support projects related to the study of field biology, whole organisms, museum collections, and science education. Graduate Fellowships provide stipend, tuition and fringe benefits for students pursuing advanced degrees in programs related to the study of natural history.
Fellowships are commensurate with the stipend, tuition and benefits of the applicant’s graduate program. Depending on availability of funds, fellowships may provide 12-month, 9-month, single semester, or summer support. Awards and fellowships are highly competitive and current offerings are described below. Applicants are encouraged to carefully consider the following guidelines, consult with academic advisors when preparing proposals, and indicate the awards for which they wish to be considered. Past recipients are encouraged to apply for natural history awards and summer fellowships in subsequent years. Students from underrepresented backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.
Natural History Awards
Dayton Bell Museum Fund provides graduate student fellowship for research in the field of natural history by funding travel, supplies, equipment & fellowships as directed by the Museum Director.
James W. Wilkie Fund for Natural History supports graduate study fellowships in field biology research in honor of the outstanding accomplishments of James W. Wilkie in wildlife photography and natural history.
Frank McKinney Fellowship in Avian Ethology supports the study of whole organisms with a preference for avian behavior in honor of Professor Frank McKinney.
Joyce Davenport Fellowship in Natural History supports graduate student projects that involve collaboration with Bell Museum curators.
Zoological Society Fund provides support to graduate students pursuing environmental education for projects related to natural history and to students advised by Bell Museum curators. Educators are encouraged to follow these guidelines for curriculum development.
Applications
The annual deadline for natural history award applications is noon March 22.
Applications are reviewed by a committee consisting of Bell Museum curators and external faculty members. Applications will be evaluated based on merits of the research proposal including clarity and logical flow of objectives and supporting background information, novelty and feasibility of study design, contributions to broader impacts, and rationality of budget justification. Award decisions are announced in April.
Questions about the application process may be directed to Kate Sigurdson at ksigurds@umn.edu.
Applications for natural history awards should include the following components compiled into a single pdf in the following order:
- Research Proposal including title and description of the project to be performed.
- Format: Maximum 2-pages, single-spaced, 12 point font, with one inch margins.
- Proposals should concisely place the research in a broad context and explain why it is significant in terms that can be understood by readers who are not specialists in the field of inquiry. They should clearly explain what observations will be made, what hypotheses will be tested, and outline how data will be analyzed.
- In addition to proposed research, applicants should include a brief statement about how their work contributes to broader impacts (the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes such as [but not limited to] mentorship, outreach, public engagement, and other activities advancing diversity, equity, access, and/or inclusion).
- If the proposed project is associated with a Ph.D. dissertation or Master’s thesis, the proposal should indicate how the proposed project relates to the larger body of work as a whole.
- If the project involves collection of new specimens, plans for obtaining permits and depositing voucher specimens in the museum should be clearly described.
- Literature cited and a maximum of two tables and two figures (no page limit).
- Budget justification describing how the funds will be used
- Format: one page maximum
- Applicants can request support for research or off-campus training opportunities in support of research, but not for travel to conferences.
- If the proposed project is part of a larger study, please include an explicit statement (short paragraph) of how specifically the Bell funds will be used. Also describe other available or potential sources of funds if they are needed to complete the proposed activity.
- If you have received prior support from Bell Awards, please include a brief statement indicating how these funds were used.
- Curriculum vitae
- List activities relevant to your research, publications, presentations, academic accomplishments, degrees awarded, and grants and fellowships received including amounts of funding and titles of funded proposals. Maximum two-pages, single-spaced, 12-point font, one-inch margins.
- Name and email address of the academic advisor.
- Applicants are expected to consult with their advisors during preparation of their proposal; we recommend giving advisors at least two weeks to review drafts. Advisors will be emailed a link to a form to attest to a statement indicating they have read and support the application.
Graduate Fellowships
Natural History Summer Fellowships support graduate students on who require summer stipend and fringe benefits to continue Ph.D. dissertation research and Master’s thesis projects. Fellowships are available to students conducting research related to any aspect of natural history.
Charles H. Bell Avian Conservation Fund provides summer support for research in the field of avian conservation in the broad sense. The Bell Museum has a long history of promoting avian research and conservation beginning with ornithologist and founding director T.S. Roberts who published the first comprehensive review of Minnesota birds. This legacy is maintained through a fund established by Charles Bell in 1964 supporting research in bird conservation.
Dayton Bell Museum Fund provides graduate student fellowship for research in the field of natural history by funding travel, supplies, equipment & fellowships as directed by the Museum Director.
Simons Foundation Canada Fellowship in Systematic Biology supports graduate students who are affiliated with the Bell Museum through an academic advisor and who have completed a year of graduate study. This is a 9 month fellowship.
Applications
The annual deadline for graduate fellowship applications is noon March 22.
Applications are reviewed by a committee consisting of Bell Museum curators and external faculty members. Applications will be evaluated based on merits of the research proposal including clearly stated objectives and supporting background information, novelty and feasibility of study design, contributions to broader impacts, and rationality of budget justification. Priority will be given to applicants who have not received previous Bell Fellowships. Award decisions are announced in April.
Questions about the application process may be directed to Kate Sigurdson at ksigurds@umn.edu.
Applications for fellowships should include the following components compiled into a single pdf in the following order:
- Research statement describing the proposed project.
- Format: Maximum 3 pages, single-spaced, 12 point font, with one inch margins.
- This statement should consist of sections describing research goals and objectives, experimental design and methodology, and the intellectual merit of the research.
- The statement should concisely place the research in a broad context and explain why it is significant in terms that can be understood to readers who are not specialists in the field of inquiry.
- In addition to proposed research, applicants should include a brief statement about how their work contributes to broader impacts (the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes such as [but not limited to] mentorship, outreach, public engagement, and other activities advancing diversity, equity, access, and/or inclusion).
- If the project involves collection of new specimens, plans for obtaining permits and depositing voucher specimens in the museum should be clearly described.
- Literature cited and a maximum of two tables and two figures (no page limit).
- Budget justification describing need for funding
- Format: one page maximum
- Please include a brief statement of how this fellowship will help you towards completing your degree – include the number of years in your current graduation program, expected completion date, what has already been achieved and your expected outcomes if you are successful in obtaining the fellowship.
- Applicants should describe other potential sources of support for the coming year.
- If you have received prior support from Bell Awards or Fellowships, please include a brief statement indicating how these funds were used.
- Curriculum vitae
- List activities relevant to your research, publications, presentations, academic accomplishments, degrees awarded, and grants and fellowships received including amounts of funding and titles of funded proposals.
- Maximum two-pages, single-spaced, 12-point font, one-inch margins.
- Current electronic transcript of graduate coursework.
- Name and email address of the academic advisor.
- Applicants are expected to consult with their advisors during preparation of their proposal; we recommend giving advisors at least two weeks to review drafts. Advisors will be emailed a link to a form to attest to a statement indicating they have read and support your application.
2023 Recipients of Natural History Awards
Davenport Fund
Anya Auerbach (2023)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Modularity and rates of morphological evolution in an adaptive radiation of birds (Vangidae)
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Zheng Oong (2023)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
What are the processes underlying divergence on the Thai-Malay Peninsula?
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Dayton Fund
Brooke Kern (2023)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
Is low hybrid fitness driving selection for reproductive isolation between subspecies?
Advisor: David Moeller
Minyoung Son (2023)—Earth and Environmental Sciences, CSE
Heterochrony in a dwarf ceratopsian dinosaur species
Advisor: Peter Makovicky
Yi Fang Tan (2023)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Assessing Genetic Diversity and Gene Flow in An Endangered Shorebird Population
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
McKinney Fund
Andrew Hallberg (2023)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Exploring How Flight Calling Influences Bird-Building Collisions in an Urban Area
Advisor: Robert Blair
Simone Maddox (2023)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Quantifying the Role of Urban Tolerance on Avian Brain Volume
Advisor: Keith Barker
Wilkie Fund
Mariana Cardenas (2023)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Lichens and bryophytes in primary succession after deglaciation: facilitators or inhibitors of vascular plant colonization?
Advisor: Daniel Stanton
Viviana Londono (2023)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
In the bank? Do tropical dry forests rely on soil seed banks for regeneration?
Advisor: Jennifer Powers
Maria Park (2023)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Influences of tree community composition on environmental stress, resource availability, and ecosystem function
Advisor: Jeannine Cavender-Bares
Mauricio Ramirez (2023)—Entomology, CFANS
Phylogeny of the subfamily Stactobiinae (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae)
Advisor: Robin Thomson
Aarcha Thadi (2023)— Ecology, Evolution, Behaviour, CBS
Understanding behavioral adaptations to an extreme environment in the lava cricket Caconemobius fori
Advisor: Marlene Zuk
Zoological Society Fund
Sutirtha Lahiri (2023)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Inferring effects of fragmentation on wet grassland birds using museum and field-based surveys
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Jose Vasquez (2023)— Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Does sound-producing structure morphology affect song pulse rate in crickets?
Advisor: Mingzi Xu
2023 Natural History Fellowships
Charles H. Bell Avian Conservation Fund
Sutirtha Lahiri (2023)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Inferring effects of fragmentation on wet grassland birds using museum and field-based surveys
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Simons Fund
Anya Auerbach (2023)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Comparing Patterns of Diversification in Adaptive Radiations
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Dayton Fund
Michael Chiappone (2023)—Earth and Environmental Sciences, CSE
Characterizing Transport in Hadrosauroid Dinosaurs: An Experimental Approach to Fluvial Taphonomy
Advisor: Peter Makovicky
Brie Ilarde (2023)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
The role of morphological integration in an island adaptive radiation of rodents
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Sutirtha Lahiri (2023)—Earth and Environmental Sciences, CSE
Deciphering evolution through growth and development: Heterochrony in ceratopsian dinosaurs
Advisor: Peter Makovicky
Nora Loughlin (2023)—Earth and Environmental Sciences, CSE
Assessing the changes in North American mammalian functional biodiversity gradients since Last Glacial Maximum
Advisor: David L Fox
Geoffrey Miller (2023)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Humans as the top dog: What is the role of risk in shaping patterns of movement and distribution in wild urban canids?
Advisor: James Forester
Emma Roback (2023)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Addition by subtraction: loss-of-function alleles underlying repeated cave adaptation
Advisor: Suzanne McGaugh
Zheng Oong (2023)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Avian Biogeography in the Indomalayan Realm: Diversification across a complex and dynamic region
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Aarcha Thadi (2023)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Understanding behavioral adaptations to an extreme environment in the lava cricket Caconemobius fori
Advisor: Marlene Zuk
Past Recipients of Natural History Awards
Davenport Fund
Brie Ilarde (2022)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
The role of morphological integration in an island adaptive radiation of rodents
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Zheng Oong (2022)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Is there intra-island diversification of Philippine birds?
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Anya Auerbach (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Patterns of morphological evolution in adaptive radiations of Malagasy birds
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Brie Ilarde (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
The role of morphological integration in an island adaptive radiation of rodents
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Clemon Dabney (2020)—Plant & Microbial Biology, CBS
Characterizing genomic diversity in wartime hemp with herbarium records
Advisor: George Weiblen
Sean Keogh (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Investigating differential pathways to adaptation in freshwater mussels (Order: Unionoida)
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Thomas Radomski (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Geographic ranges: models, reality, and shrinking the gap between the two
Advisor: Kenneth Kozak
Sam Weaver (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Exploring the potential for hybridization to promote adaptation to climate change in a high-elevation specialist salamander species
Advisor: Kenneth Kozak
Samuel Weaver (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Exploring the role of environmental selection in shaping patterns of local adaptation and gene flow between two hybridizing species of plethodontid salamanders
Advisor: Ken Kozak
Sean Keogh (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Testing for morphological convergences and their adaptive significance in lampsiline freshwater bivalves (Unionidae)
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Evan Whiting (2018)—Earth Sciences, CSE
Exploring the responses of lizard communities to rapid climate change 56 million years ago
Advisor: David Fox
Zacky Ezedin (2018)—Plant & Microbial Biology, CBS
Tropical plant systematics
Advisor: George Weiblen
Carmen Martin (2017)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Comparing diversification rates of continental and island radiations of muroid rodents
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Dakota Rowsey (2017)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Arrested morphological evolution versus independent diversification in two sympatric clades of murine rodents
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Danielle Drabeck (2017)—Conservation Sciences, CBS
Molecular and functional characterization of a coevolutionary arms race
Advisor: Sharon Jansa & Tony Dean
David Birlenbach (2017)—Earth Sciences, College of Science & Engineering
Identifying early rodent substrate preferences using modern rodent ecomorphology
Advisor: David L. Fox
Jessie Tanner (2017)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Shaping female preference functions: the effect of biologically relevant noise on receiver error rates
Advisor: Mark Bee
Dayton Fund
Lang DeLancey (2022)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Linking Evolutionary History with Ecological Function: Ectomycorrhizal Fungi as Mediators of Soil Carbon Release
Advisor: Peter Kennedy and Sarah Hobbie
Sally Donovan (2022)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
How does canopy diversity influence soil organic carbon in forested urban parkland?
Advisor: Sarah Hobbie
Brooke Kern (2022)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
Which traits influence the magnitude of hybridization between Clarkia xantiana subspecies?
Advisor: David Moeller
Talia Michaud (2022)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
Have ectomycorrhizal fungi exacerbated nitrogen limitation among conifers under climate change?
Advisor: Peter Kennedy
Geoffrey Miller (2022)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Resources versus risk: Do resources or humans drive the distribution of urban wild canids?
Advisor: James Forester
Janine Mistrick (2022)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Effects of food abundance and macroparasite infection on spatial overlap and viral prevalence in a wild rodent population
Advisor: Meggan Craft
Maria Park (2022)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Seeing Trees: Effects of tree community composition on ecosystem functioning
Advisor: Jeannine Cavender-Bares
Chris Wojan (2022)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
How does habitat type influence the spatial arrangement of larval Ixodes scapularis? Species, the Pirate Perch
Advisor: Meggan Craft
Michelle Boone (2021)—Entomology, CFANS
An assessment of population genetic diversity in declining bumble bee species
Advisor: Sujaya Rao
Emily Briggs (2021)—Anthropology, CLA
Rebuilding the community: A restorative methodology for reuniting Indigenous ancestors with their homeland
Advisor: Katherine Hayes
Tessa Durnin (2021)—Entomology, CFANS
Investigating hidden diversity in winter-emerging Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera)
Advisor: Leonard C. Ferrington, Jr.
Sean Keogh (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
The relationship between form and function across phylogenetic and ecological scales in freshwater mussels
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Brooke Kern (2021)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
How do shifts in mating system influence reproductive isolation and speciation in plants?
Advisor: David Moeller
Janine Mistrick (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Effects of food abundance and macroparasite infection on viral transmission in a wild rodent population
Advisor: Meggan Craft
Taz Mueller (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Untangling the influence of host genotype, phenotypic variation, and environment on microbial community assembly of foliar endophytes in Clarkia xantiana
Advisor: David Moeller
Eduardo Pérez Pazos (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Unraveling the ecological context for the establishment of anomalous symbiosis in the ectomycorrhizal fungal genus Rhizopogon
Advisor: Peter Kennedy
Alexandra Pesano (2021)—Integrated Biosciences, UMD
Determining Geographic and Phylogenetic Origins of Dark Morph Red-tailed Hawks in Eastern North America
Advisor: Matthew Etterson
Joseph Rabaey (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
The Effect of Morphometry and Catchment Properties on Pond Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Advisor: James Cotner
Tyler Seidel (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Are the world’s smallest flowering plants “water trees” or something more?
Advisor: Jacques Finlay
Laura Toro (2021)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
How do shifts in mating system influence reproductive isolation and speciation in plants?
Advisor: Jennifer S. Powers
Tessa Cicak (2020)—Anthropology, CLA
Examining the role of competition in primate dietary morphology and isotopes
Advisor: Kieran McNulty
Elihuruma Kimaro (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Patterns and correlates of forest structure, composition and functional trait of mature and regenerating forest patches in the Greater Gombe Ecosystem, Tanzania
Advisor: Jennifer Powers
Thomas Lake (2020)—Plant & Microbial Biology, CBS
Does adaptive genetic differentiation facilitate or impede future plant invasions?
Advisor: David Moeller
Mara McPartland (2020)—Geography, Environment & Society, CLA
Reconstructing drought in northern Minnesota using dendrochronology
Advisor: Scott St. George
Janine Mistrick (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Role of host spatial overlap in predicting viral disease incidence in experimentally manipulated wild rodent populations
Advisor: Meggan Craft
Jamie Mosel (2020)—Natural Resource Science & Management, CFANS
Drought, forest management, and climate adaptation in North-Central Minnesota
Advisor: Rebecca Montgomery
Taz Mueller (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Quantifying the impact of eco-evolutionary forces on the biogeography and community assembly of fungal endophytes in Clarkia xantiana
Advisor: David Moeller
Rachel Pain (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Estimating natal origins and migratory patterns of raptors using stable isotope analysis during fall migration in Duluth, Minnesota
Advisor: Ruth Shaw and Jessica Hellmann
Eduardo Pérez-Pazos (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Characterizing fungal diversity in Southeast Madagascar
Advisor: Peter Kennedy
Tyler Seidel (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
The diversity and nutritional value of aquatic resources in urban landscapes
Advisor: Jacques Finlay
Pu Wang (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Developing a microbial experimental evolution module for public science education: evolving multicellularity using Pseudomonas hypermutators in predator-prey interactions
Advisor: Michael Travisano
Amy Waananen (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Temporal outcrossing in a fragmented environment
Advisor: Ruth Shaw
Alexander Shephard (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Nutritional variability and the development of tolerance to evolutionarily novel toxins
Advisor: Emilie Snell-Rood
Amy Waananen (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Spatial and temporal drivers of pollen movement in a fragmented landscape
Advisor: Diane Larson, Daniel Cariveau
Anthony Massaro (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
The geography of cooperation
Advisor: Michael L. Wilson
Gladys Ariadna Mondragon Botero (2019)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
Tropical dry forest plant community structure and diversity across an environmental gradient
Advisor: Jennifer Powers
Julia Brokaw (2019)—Entomology, CFANS
Maximizing the potential of prairie restoration and management for ground-nesting bees
Advisor: Daniel Cariveau
Taz Mueller (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Unraveling host genotype by environment effects on endophyte community structure across the geographic range of Clarkia xantiana
Advisor: David Moeller
Thomas Gable (2019)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Documenting a rare predation behavior before it disappears: how wolves hunt freshwater fish
Advisor: Joseph Bump
Tom Radomski (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Toward understanding the geographic range of a rare salamander
Advisor: Kenneth H. Kozak
Zachary Sperstad (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Genome size evolution in freshwater suckers and its consequence on phenotypic and life history evolution (Cypriniformes: Catostomidae)
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Anna Peschel (2018)—Conservation Biology, CFANS
Predicting the adaptive capacity of Chamaecrista fasciculata to climate change in the tallgrass prairie
Advisor: Ruth G. Shaw
Christina Marie Smith (2018)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
Plant response to water availability and drought in a changing world
Advisor: Jennifer Powers
Jamie Mosel (2018)—Natural Resources Science and Management, CFANS
Adaptive silviculture and forest responses to climate change stressors
Advisor: Rebecca Montgomery
Katharine Zlonis (2018)—Integrated Biosciences, UMD
Conservation genomics at the southern range margin of a low arctic species: Primula mistassinica (Primulaceae)
Advisor: Briana Gross
Laura Toro-Gonzalez (2018)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
The role of ectomycorrhizae and arbuscular mycorrhizae in plant survival and performance in tropical dry forests and their applicability in restoration projects
Advisor: Jennifer S. Powers
Monica Watson (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Evolution of virulence of fungal entomopathogens as a consequence of migration of lepidopteran hosts
Advisor: Georgiana May & Kathryn Bushley
Pu Wang (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Investigating the possibility of experimentally evolving multicellular protozoans
Advisor: Michael Travisano
Rebekah Mohn (2017)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
Graduate recruiting fellowship
Advisor: Ya Yang
McKinney Fund
Anya Auerbach (2022)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Morphological evolution in three co-occurring adaptive radiations of Malagasy birds
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Aarcha Thadi (2022)—Ecology, Evolution, Behaviour, CBS
Extreme environments impacting the evolution of reproductive behavior in the Hawaiian lava cricket
Advisor: Marlene Zuk
Amy-Charlotte Devitz (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Quantifying behavioral syndromes and the effects of microplastic pollution in small mammals along an urbanization gradient
Advisor: Emilie Snell-Rood
Shanta Hejmadi (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Revealing global patterns of community assembly in diurnal birds of prey
Advisors: F. Keith Barker
Shivona Bhojwani (2020)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Can created wetlands in rice landscapes support waterbirds? Using hydropattern as a habitat restoration template
Advisor: Susan Galatowitsch
Saumya Gupta (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Toward a mechanistic understanding of the effects of noise on animal communication
Advisor: Mark Bee
Keiffer Williams (2019)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
A descriptive model for tooth replacement in a highly terrestrial fish, Alticus arnoldorum (Blenniiformes: Blenniidae)
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Lisa Brouellette (2019)—Integrated Biosciences Graduate Program, UMD
Analysis of the migratory diet of several raptor species using dna metabarcoding
Advisor: Matthew Etterson
Amy Waananen (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Towards a mechanistic understanding of how pollinators mediate connectivity of fragmented habitats
Advisor: Dan Cariveau & Diane Larson
Corrie Nyquist (2018)—Entomology, CFANS
Assessing chironomid longevity in thermally variable Icelandic streams
Advisor: Leonard Ferrington
Thomas Gable (2018)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Do beavers buffer moose populations from wolf predation?
Advisor: Joseph Bump
Amanda Gorton (2017)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Examining the genomic basis of local adaptation in common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)
Advisor: David Moeller & Peter Tiffin
Amod Zambre (2017)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Comples signal evolution: are there environment mediated tradeoffs between signal components?
Advisor: Emilie Snell-Rood
Anna Peschel (2017)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Perish or persist: can prairie plants adapt to climate change in a fragmented ecosystem?
Advisor: Ruth G. Shaw
James Miksanek (2017)—Entomology, CFANS
Edge effects and ant-mediated biotic resistance to an introduced generalist parasitoid, Aphelinus certus, in Minnesota prairies
Advisor: George Heimpel
Josh Egan (2017)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Ecological and evolutionary processes in the origins of species richness gradients
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Kaitlin Kimmel (2017)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Changes in functional trait means and variation in response to elevated CO2 and nitrogen deposition
Advisor: Forest Isbell
Wilkie Fund
Aidan Harrington (2022)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
The role of ecological novelty in the establishment of allopolyploid plants
Advisor: Dave Moeller
Taryn Mueller (2022)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
The five drivers: unpacking community assembly of foliar endophytes in Clarkia xantiana
Advisor: David Moeller
Nick Partington (2022)—Natural Resources Science and Management, CFANS
Investigating biodiversity and carbon storage in the fragmented Big Woods of Minnesota
Advisor: Lee Frelich; Matt Russell
Joseph Rabaey (2022)—Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Respiratory Quotients in Aquatic Systems: Improving Our Assessment of Freshwater Carbon Cycling
Advisor: James Cotner
Hailey Shanovich (2022)—Natural Resources Science and Management, CBS
Nuts about bugs: Documenting natural enemies of native and international hazel-associated insects
Advisor: Marcella Windmuller-Campione; Andrew David
Lauren Agnew (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals: can bee traits predict sensitivity to toxins?
Advisor: Emilie Snell-Rood
Zacky Ezedin (2021)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
Developing the tree flora of the Wanang 50-hectare plot, Papua New Guinea
Advisor: George Weiblen
Lata Kalra (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Identifying the rules of perceptual organization in animal communication
Advisor: Mark Bee
Evin Magner (2021)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
Comparing and Characterizing the Colored Nectars of Endemic Flowering Species from the Island of Mauritius
Advisor: Clay Carter, Adrian Hegeman
Geoffrey Miller (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Risky business: how do urban red foxes perceive risks due to people, places and the prevailing predator?
Advisor: James Forester
Jamie Mosel (2021)—Natural Resource Science & Management, CFANS
Forest Management and Climate Adaptation in North-central Minnesota
Advisor: Matthew Russell
Amy Waananen (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Examining the role of fugitive dust on plant reproduction in a fragmented landscape
Advisor: Ruth Shaw
Zacky Ezedin (2020)—Plant & Microbial Biology, CBS
Describing the tree flora of the Wanang 50-hectare plot in Papua New Guinea
Advisor: George Weiblen
Rebekah Mohn (2020)—Plant & Microbial Biology, CBS
Exploring the macroevolutionary impact of chromosome variation on Australian sundews
Advisor: Ya Yang
Aaron Morris (2019)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Savanna elephant carrion ecology
Advisor: Joseph Bump
Anna R. Peschel (2019)—Conservation Biology, CFANS
Testing predictions of adaptation to climate change in the minnesota tallgrass prairie
Advisor: Ruth G. Shaw
Alexander Shephard (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Hormesis as a form of phenotypic plasticity enhancing survival to evolutionarily novel stressors: is reduced fecundity a cost?
Advisor: Emilie Snell-Rood
Megan Kobiela (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Predicting evolutionary responses to anthropogenic change: life history tradeoffs and stress tolerance in monarchs exposed to road salt
Advisor: Emilie Snell-Rood
German Vargas Gutierrez (2017)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
Understanding the responses of tropical dry forest trees to experimental drought and nutrient addition
Advisor: Jennifer Powers
Naomi Rushing (2017)—Plant and Microbial Biology, CBS
The spatial and temporal scale of local adaptation in prairie restoration
Advisor: Ruth Shaw
Zoological Society Fund
Sutirtha Lahiri (2022)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Global patterns and correlates of grassland bird vulnerability
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Tyler Muller (2022)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Evaluating Pre-Pleistocene Gulf Coast Allopatric Vicariance Models with a Widespread Lowland Fish Species, the Pirate Perch
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Tom Radomski (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Harnessing genomics to understand geographic range limits.
Advisor: Kenneth H. Kozak
Keiffer Williams (2020)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Does habitat variation influence adhesion morphology and performance in marine sculpins (Cottidae)?
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Shanta Hejmadi (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Evolutionary history, community assembly, and extinction risk in diurnal birds of prey
Advisor: F. Keith Barker
Janine Mistrick (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Pilot study on the influence of habitat type on the pathogen prevalence in wild rodents in minnesota
Advisor: Sharon Jansa, Meggan Craft
Shanta Hejmadi (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
A new framework for integrating evolutionary history and community assembly in risk assessment and conservation in raptors (Accipitriformes and Falconiformes).
Advisor: Keith Barker
Rebekah Mohn (2018)—Plant & Microbial Biology, CBS
Dissecting North American sundew (Drosera) evolution
Advisor: Ya Yang
Samuel Weaver (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Exploring patterns of environmentally mediated gene flow and adaptation along an elevational gradient between two hybridizing species of Plethodontid salamanders
Advisor: Ken Kozak
Past Recipients of Natural History Fellowships
Charles H. Bell Avian Conservation Fund
Zheng Oong (2022)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Avian Biogeography in Southeast Asia: Diversification across a complex and dynamic region
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Simone Maddox (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Examining the Effect of Urban Tolerance on Avian Forebrain Morphology
Advisor: Keith Barker
Ismael E. Ramirez (2020)—Entomology, CFANS
Saving Darwin’s Finches: Assessing the specificity of Conura annulifera, a promising biological control agent against the invasive vampire fly in the Galapagos Islands.
Advisor: George E. Heimpel
Tyler Imfeld (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Can adaptive radiation explain the macroevolution of global biodiversity?
Advisor: Keith Barker
Shanta Hejmadi (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Evolutionary history and extinction risk in raptors (Falconiformes and Accipitriformes): A new framework for integrating phylogeny and community assembly in risk assessment.
Advisor: Keith Barker
Annie Hawkinson (2017)—Natural Resources Science and Management, CFANS
The effect of season of prescribed burning on avian and plant communities in Minnesota lowland brushland habitat
Advisor: Rebecca Montgomery
Dayton Fund
Julia Brokaw (2022)— Entomology, CFANS
Impact of tallgrass prairie seed mix design and management on ground-nesting bees
Advisor: Daniel Cariveau
Brie Ilarde (2022)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
The role of morphological integration in an island adaptive radiation of rodents
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Geoffrey Miller (2022)— Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Humans as the top dog: What is the role of risk in shaping patterns of movement and distribution in wild urban canids?
Advisor: James Forester
Juliana Velez Gomez (2022)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Addressing conservation problems using Artificial Intelligence and Statistical Data Integration
Advisor: John Fieberg
Abby Guthmann (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Impacts of cattle on ungulate resource use in shared, species-rich savannah habitat
Advisor: Craig Packer
Viktor Josef Radermacher (2021)—Earth and Environmental Sciences, CSE
Macroevolution of the ornithischian dental battery
Advisor: Peter Makovicky
Tom Radomski (2021)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
How does a salamander experience climate change?
Advisor: Kenneth H. Kozak
Kavindya Pathirana (2021)
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Anya Auerbach (2020)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Graduate Recruiting Fellowsip
Advisor: Sushma Reddy
Evan T. Whiting (2020)—Earth & Environmental Sciences, CSE
Biogeography and dental ecomorphology of lizards and snakes: exploring modern patterns and the fossil record
Advisor: David L. Fox
Anna Peschel (2019)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Investigating the adaptive capacity of tallgrass prairies to climate change
Advisor: Ruth G. Shaw
Eric Middleton (2019)—Entomology, CFANS
Floral plantings in agroecosystems: preserving insect pollinators and predators, and increasing biological control of pests
Advisor: Ian MacRae
Samuel Weaver (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Can hybridization facilitate adaptation? exploring patterns of local adaptation and gene flow between two hybridizing species of plethodontid salamanders.
Advisor: Ken Kozak
Uday Thapa (2019)—Geography, CLA
Investigating long-term climate history of eastern Nepal’s Koshi River using tree rings
Advisor: Scott St. George
Zheng “Oz” Oong (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Graduate recruiting fellowship
Advisor: Sushma Reddy & Keith Barker
Sean Keogh (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Graduate recruiting fellowship
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Amanda Gorton (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Adaptation in ragweed across timescales of environmental change
Advisor: Peter Tiffin
Dakota Rowsey (2017)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Putting Adaptive Radiation to the Test: Multi-Clade Evolution on an Oceanic Island
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Simons Foundation Canada Fellowship in Systemic Biology
Sean Keogh (2022)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Leveraging comparative and experimental evidence to investigate form, function, and adaptation in freshwater mussels
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Zacky Ezedin (2021)—Plant & Microbial Biology, CBS
Floristics and anatomy of poorly known trees at the Wanang Forest Dynamics Plot in lowland Papua New Guinea
Advisor: George Weiblen
Sam Weaver (2020)—Ecology Evolution and Behavior, CBS
Can hybridization facilitate adaptation to climate change? Exploring patterns of local adaptation and gene flow between two hybridizing species of plethodontid salamanders.
Advisor: Ken Kozak
Tyler Imfeld (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Can adaptive radiation explain the macroevolution of global biodiversity?
Advisor: Keith Barker
Dakota Rowsey (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
The roles of ecological opportunity and incumbency in the macroevolution two island-endemic rodent clades
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Marta P Lyons (2017) – Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Advisor: Ken Kozak
Erin L Treiber (2016) – Plant Biology, CBS
Phylogenetics of Cecropieae (Urticaceae) and the evolution of an ant-plant mutualism in Cecropia
Advisor: George Weiblen
Joshua P Egan (2015) – Conservations Sciences, CFANS
Evolutionary and ontogenetic patterns of diet and support for tropical niche conservatism in the origins of the latitudinal diversity gradient in clupeiforms (anchovies, herrings, and relatives)
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Peter J Hundt (2014) – Conservations Sciences, CFANS
Evolution of diet, trophic morphologies and habitat transitions in the combtooth blennies (Ovalentaria: Blenniidae)
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Bailey D Mckay (2011) – Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Nature’s genes in space and time: using DNA to uncover the history and formation of biodiversity
Advisor: Scott Lanyon
Michael V Hirt (2009) – Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Systematics, Gill Raker Morphology, and Pharyngeal Arch Development of Suckers (Cypriniformes: Catostomidae)
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Wendy L Clement (2008) – Plant Biology, CBS
Phylogeny and pollination ecology of Castilleae (Moraceae)
Advisor: George Weiblen
Zoological Society Fund
Anna Peschel (2017)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Restoration in an era of climate change: how will adaptive evolution affect prairie conservation?
Advisor: Ruth G. Shaw
Charles H. Bell Avian Conservation Fund
Tyler Imfeld (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Can adaptive radiation explain the macroevolution of global biodiversity?
Advisor: Keith Barker
Shanta Hejmadi (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Evolutionary history and extinction risk in raptors (Falconiformes and Accipitriformes): A new framework for integrating phylogeny and community assembly in risk assessment.
Advisor: Keith Barker
Annie Hawkinson (2017)—Natural Resources Science and Management, CFANS
The effect of season of prescribed burning on avian and plant communities in Minnesota lowland brushland habitat
Advisor: Rebecca Montgomery
Dayton Fund
Anna Peschel (2019)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Investigating the adaptive capacity of tallgrass prairies to climate change
Advisor: Ruth G. Shaw
Eric Middleton (2019)—Entomology, CFANS
Floral plantings in agroecosystems: preserving insect pollinators and predators, and increasing biological control of pests
Advisor: Ian MacRae
Samuel Weaver (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Can hybridization facilitate adaptation? exploring patterns of local adaptation and gene flow between two hybridizing species of plethodontid salamanders.
Advisor: Ken Kozak
Uday Thapa (2019)—Geography, CLA
Investigating long-term climate history of eastern Nepal’s Koshi River using tree rings
Advisor: Scott St. George
Zheng “Oz” Oong (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Graduate recruiting fellowship
Advisor: Sushma Reddy & Keith Barker
Sean Keogh (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Graduate recruiting fellowship
Advisor: Andrew Simons
Amanda Gorton (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
Adaptation in ragweed across timescales of environmental change
Advisor: Peter Tiffin
Dakota Rowsey (2017)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Putting Adaptive Radiation to the Test: Multi-Clade Evolution on an Oceanic Island
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Simons Foundation Canada Fellowship in Systemic Biology
Tyler Imfeld (2019)—Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, CBS
Can adaptive radiation explain the macroevolution of global biodiversity?
Advisor: Keith Barker
Dakota Rowsey (2018)—Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, CBS
The roles of ecological opportunity and incumbency in the macroevolution two island-endemic rodent clades
Advisor: Sharon Jansa
Zoological Society Fund
Anna Peschel (2017)—Conservation Sciences, CFANS
Restoration in an era of climate change: how will adaptive evolution affect prairie conservation?
Advisor: Ruth G. Shaw