Principle Investigator
Assistant Professor
Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology & Translational Data Analytics InstituteThe Ohio State University
Pronouns: he/him/his
I am an evolutionary biologist and use a multidisciplinary approach to study the patterns and processes of diversification in mammals. I am engaged in very integrative research program that spans molecular, ecological, and behavioral studies. I earned my MSc under Eric Gese in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Utah State University and my PhD under George James Kenagy in the Department of Biology and the Burke Museum of Natural History at the University of Washington. I did postdoctoral research with Adam Leaché in the Department of Biology at the University of Washington and with Michael Nachman in the Department of Integrative Biology and the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at UC Berkeley.
I also worked for 5 years for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on endangered species issues in Montana and Southern California in between my MSc and PhD programs.
I am deeply committed towards improving diversity in STEM. My experiences as a URM biologist in academia and government has inspired me to pass along and assist others with similar backgrounds through a career in biology.
318 W. 12th Ave, 300 Aronoff Lab, Columbus, OH 43210+1-614-292-2204
@drdrebiologic
Postdocs
Pronouns: she/her/hers
I’m interested in population genomics and evolutionary ecology, with a particular interest in studying wildlife species of conservation concern. My current research is focused on identifying patterns of local adaptation in Douglas squirrels across an ecological gradient. This research aims to identify adaptive loci based on correlations between genotypes and environmental data. I am also using genomic methods to explore how the environment and host genetics shape the gut microbiome in two tree squirrel species across the Pacific Northwest. I completed my PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2019 where I studied the landscape genomics and plague dynamics in prairie dogs. @rachael_giglioPhD Students
Pronouns: he/him/his
I am interested in the ecomorphology of rodents. My research is focused on exploring the divergence of skull features of squirrels, particularly those features contributing to bite force. With this focus, I am exploring the potential difference in these traits between red squirrel and Douglas squirrel, two closely related species with narrow ranges of co-occurrence and hybridization in the American west. Additionally, I am looking into potential population-level differences for these skull traits within each squirrel species. Both species have wide geographic distributions encompassing many different forest types, where individual populations are expected to consume cones of varying hardness from different species of trees. I completed my MSc in 2018 at Illinois State University.Pronouns: he/him/his
I’m interested in using phylogenetic comparative methods in small mammal systems to address questions related to macro-evolutionary trends and ecological specialization. Specifically I focus on environmental drivers of phenotypic diversity in squirrels and the ecological function of venom in the North American short-tailed shrew. I completed my BSc in 2018 at The Ohio State University.Pronouns: she/her/hers
I am interested in the use of genetic and genomic techniques to answer ecological and evolutionary questions in wildlife, and to aid in conservation. My research is focused on patterns of genomic introgression in ecologically different Tamiasciurus hybrid zones. By comparing these different hybrid zones I aim to improve our understanding on how the ecological context determines the location of hybrid zones, the permeability of the species boundary and the genes involved in speciation. I completed my MSc in 2018 at Leiden University in the Netherlands.Undergraduate Students
Pronouns: he/him/his
I'm interested in bioinformatics. My current research is focused on analyzing the cecal microbiome variation in hybrid pine squirrels (Tamiasciurus) in the Pacific Northwest. I am currently towards my dual BSc degrees in Mathematics and Linguistics.Pronouns: she/her/hers
I’m interested in zoonotic disease pathology and how it relates to nutrition, immunology, and public health. My current research is focused on analyzing the cecal microbiome variation between mainland and island pine squirrels (Tamiasciurus) in the Pacific Northwest. I am currently towards my dual BSc degrees in Animal Sciences and Evolution and Ecology.