|
Dr. Jenn Weber
Assistant Professor Southern Illinois University, Carbondale email: [email protected] Co-founder: DiversifySTEM Associate Editor: International Journal of Plant Sciences Google Scholar Research Gate I have a deep affection for nature. I love to be outside - to flip over rocks for salamanders, go camping in new places, and hike to great vistas. It gives me great joy to experience wild places, whether alone, with family & friends, or students. Aside from nature, I also love traveling to new places (near or far), walking through art galleries, and trying new cuisines. Some of my favorite times are spent sharing coffee or beer and good conversation. Much of my time is spent chasing around the youngest member of the lab, who happens to be an expert at dissecting flowers and chasing squirrels.
To learn more about my research, please visit Research. CVweber_23.pdf |
|
Graduate students
Leidy Laura Arias Martinez, PhD student
Leidy believes that plants are fundamental in ecosystems, and are an important group to understand ecosystem dynamics, restoration processes, conservation and the necessary actions against climate change. She loves: life, plant genetics, plant phenotyping, plant molecular biology, plant taxonomy, Leidy also enjoys: dinosaurs, working out, astrophysics and more! She received her BS in biology and her MS from the Universidad del Valle Colombia. |
Kaya Young, MS student
Originally from Iowa, Kaya completed her BS in Biology at Simpson College in the spring of 2024 where she worked as a member of the Simpson College Ecological Research program examining the impact of photoperiod and aquatic nitrate levels on Nymphaea odorata growth. Kaya has always loved plants and is interested in paleobotany, dendrology, pollination ecology, the impact of climate change, and conservation. She is determined to discover the complex inner workings of individual ecosystems to best accomplish restoration and conservation. One day she hopes to be a naturalist, conduct impactful research to ultimately improve environmental legislation, and do extensive community outreach, especially in educating young children about the natural world. |
Taylor Simmonds, PhD student (SUPERB fellow)
I have helped on projects with a variety of species, some of my favorites include spotted salamanders, alligator snapping turtle, arctic wood frogs, siren, bladderwort, and Triodanis. I hope to keep adding more species to this list!
|
Keegan McConnell, MS (2024, SIUC)
Originally from Peoria, Illinois, Keegan graduated with his BS in Plant Biology here at SIUC in 2022. He returned the following school year to pursue his MS. He is interested in pollination, hybridization, and plant responses to climate change and pathogens. His previous research involves determining the effects of increasing carbon dioxide levels and temperatures on disease progression in corn and wheat as well as investigating the potential of wasps as pollinators. Keegan is currently a biological science technician at the USDA in Arkansas. |
Kate Tillotson, MS (2023, SIUC)
Originally from Virginia, Kate completed her BS in Conservation Bio at the University of Mary Washington. There she worked with Sarracenia and Long Leaf Pine restoration. Before her MS she worked in the Alleghany National Forest of PA as a biologist and taught native plant ID in VA in the GWNF. You can find her rock climbing across the country when she isn't in the lab. During her graduate work at SIUC she served as the President of the Plant Biology Student Association and as an active member of the Illinois Native Plant Society.
|
Morgan Tackett, MNS (2021, SEMO)
Morgan is from Troy Missouri. She graduated from SEMO with an undergraduate degree in microbiology, cell and molecular biology and biotechnology in 2019. Hobbies include traveling, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family. One day she hopes to be a genetics professor. Currently Morgan is in a PhD program in Biomedical Sciences at Oklahoma State University.
|
Colette Berg, MNS (2018, SEMO)
Colette did her undergraduate degree at Fordham U. After that she worked at the NYBG William & Lynda Steele Herbarium. Originally she hails from The Mitten. Colette enjoys the great outdoors, traveling, and art. She is currently in a PhD program in the Fishman Lab at the University of Montana.
|
Beth Ansaldi, PhD (2016, Fordham U)
Dr. Ansaldi is a Project Analyst at Emergent Solutions.
|
The Lab Community
2023-2024
|
The lab continued to thrive as students defended research, obtained grants, published papers, moved on to graduate programs, jobs, and all kinds of exciting things. Some major projects moved forward this year and it was honestly difficult to celebrate all the lab achievements of this stellar group. But we managed some parties both on and off campus, and judging by the smiles, we did a decent job of keeping our little lab community happy and appreciated!
Left to Right: Kaleigh White, Dr. Weber, Sarah Lukavsky, Keegan McConnell (MS), Leidy Laura Arias Martinez (PhD student), Taylor Simmonds (PhD Student), Dr. Neubig |
2021-2022
|
Another set of unusual years as the pandemic persisted and we worked to get the lab up and running at SIUC. It didn't take long, however, to have a great group and community in the lab. Lots of new faces and new projects this year as students learn everything about our study system and projects from scratch.
Our very first lab social was very delayed, but was outdoors (of course) and involved the famous Bucky Fuller Dome at SIUC. Top row: Kate Tillotson (MS student), Taylor Simmonds (PhD Student), Morgan Cribelar Bottom row: Makaila Ballah, Julia Beckner, Sarah Lukavsky, Dr Weber, Maisie Brown (lab manager) Always with safety in mind, we charged ahead and made significant progress on a lot of projects our first two years at SIUC. Bottom: Morgan, Makaila, Sarah, and Kate begin learning different species of Triodanis using a key and vouchered specimens. |
2020
|
This was certainly an unusual year - a pandemic and a big move for Dr. Weber from Southeast Missouri State U to Southern Illinois U! But we still managed to have a good time. Lots of students graduated and moved on to bigger and better things. As you can see we had a few lab parties before the pandemic hit, and we're so glad we did!
First up was a Spiderman themed party for long-time lab member Cody Bohnert - he helped with just about every project in the lab during his time at SEMO. Top: Emily LaCroix, Amara Covington, Taylor Simmonds (MS student), Morgan Tackett (MNS student), Cody Bohnert, Dr Weber, Shaina Duncan, Hayden Gray, Olivia Lopez, Julian Johnson, Aline Takanashi. And to celebrate lots of lab successes, we headed out to local video game pub and let off a little steam! Bottom: Cody Bohnert, Dr Weber, Olivia Lopez, Aline Takanashi, Hayden Gray, Shaina Duncan, Taylor Simmonds (MS student: mesmerized by video games), Josh Stokes. |
2019
|
Hayden Gray**, Julian Johnson***, Tom Manes, Oliva Lopez***, Morgan Tacket (MNS student), Amara Covington**, Deepa Thapa***, Shaina Duncan, Aline Takanashi**
Not pictured: Emily LaCroix*, Cody Bohnert** Student projects: *climate-induced shifts in flowering time, **population ecology of a hybrid zone, ***molecular phylogeny of Triodanis
|
2018
Left-most photo: Mannette Morehouse*,Cody Bohnert**, Cole Bearden***, Colette Berg (MNS student), Brittany Hadj Romdhane***, Jenn Weber (PI), Lexie Stacey*, Naomi Burr*, Jason Vernon***, Julian Johnson***. Right-most photo: Baylee McLaughlin (honorary lab member)
Student projects: *climate-induced shifts in flowering time, **population ecology of a hybrid zone, ***molecular phylogeny of Triodanis
2017
From the left-most photo: Mannette Morehouse*, Jason Vernon***, Cole Bearden***, Cody Bohnert**, Colette Berg (MNS student), Erin Cordell*, Lexie Stacey*
Student projects: *climate-induced shifts in flowering time, **population ecology of a hybrid zone, ***molecular phylogeny of Triodanis