Mariah Meek – Principal Investigator
I am a conservation biologist and molecular ecologist, interested in understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes that generate and maintain diversity within and among populations. I got my PhD at University of California, Davis with Dr. Bernie May and did a post-doc as a Smith Fellow with Dr. Cliff Kraft and Dr. Matt Hare at Cornell University. The primary motivation for my work is to apply this fundamental understanding of biology to solve pressing problems in conservation and management.
Outreach: Dr. Meek is a member of the IUCN North American Conservation Genetics Specialist Group, the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network Genetic Composition Working Group, Vice President of the Society for Conservation Biology Conservation Genetics Working Group, and a member of the Interagency Ecological Program Salmonid Genetics Project Work Team.
Dr. Meek is on the editorial board of Conservation Science and Practice.
Dr. Meek was recently awarded a Society for Conservation Biology Early Career Conservationist award.
Teaching at MSU:
- IBIO 341 Fundamentals of Genetics
- IBIO 801 Professional Development for Graduate Students
Mariah Meek CV 2020 – Google Scholar Profile
Email: mhmeek[at]msu.edu Twitter: @mhmeek
Post-docs
Nadya Mamoozadeh
My research focuses on the use of genetic tools to study population- and species-level relationships in marine and freshwater fishes. The primary motivation for this work is to improve our understanding of evolutionary processes in aquatic environments, and to provide practical information for management and conservation. Find out more about my work on my website.
Email: mamooz [at] msu.edu
Tasha Thompson
I am a geneticist studying the molecular and evolutionary basis of adaptive variation in wild species. I am particularly interested in improving our understanding of the mechanisms that underpin life history diversity in Pacific salmon in order to inform the conservation and management of that diversity.
Email: thom1961[at]msu.edu
Charlene Tarsa – Lab Manager
I am interested in conservation biology and the effects of climate change on populations. I completed my M.A. in Biology at Buffalo State College studying the metagenomic diversity of fungal communities in and outside of ant nests, and I am excited to study conservation genomics and diversity in the Meek lab.
Graduate Students
Sara Hugentobler – PhD Student
My research interests center around the population dynamics and genetics of aquatic species, as well as overall species diversity in aquatic environments. Specifically, I am interested in the mechanisms of population divergence and the barriers to gene flow. I am primarily concerned with how these patterns and processes are relevant for conservation and management.
Miranda Wade – PhD Student
I study conservation genetics and am interested in small population conservation. My research centers around discovering impacts on populations from fragmentation, especially due to anthropogenic change. I hope to use my research to help inform future management actions and to create public outreach programs.
Undergraduate Students
Gregorio Martinez
I am an undergraduate senior majoring in Genomics and Molecular Genetics at MSU. I would say my research in the Meek lab has been fueled by my passion for fly fishing and an admiration for Brook Trout beauty. My future research goals are quite broad; they range from gaining more field and lab research experience in aquatic fishes, to acquiring more knowledge in clinical research on microbial diseases and/or the genetic health of individuals.
Arianna Troia
I am an undergraduate senior at MSU studying Zoology with a double concentration in Ecology, Evolution, & Organismal Biology and Animal behavior & Neurobiology. After graduation, I hope to pursue a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. I joined the Meek Lab because I have a passion for conservation. My research interests focus on understanding the sustainability of a species from a genetic perspective and how this knowledge is applied to conservation.
Lab Affiliates
Kyle Jaynes – PhD student
I am currently a PhD student in Sarah Fitzpatrick’s Lab in the department of Integrative Biology and interdisciplinary program of Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior at Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University. I am a biologist driven by questions linking ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation biology – and most fascinated with amphibians and reptiles. Explore my website for more info: https://kylejaynes.weebly.com/.
Ellery and Asa- Budding Ecologists
Ellery and Asa are interested in the many wonders of the natural world. Ellery is going to be a tiger scientist, but she also has a strong interest in caterpillar ecology. Asa is going to be a tree scientist, but is also collecting a lot of data on the chemical ecology of pretty much anything he can fit in his mouth.
Chai – Lab Mascot
Chai’s research interests are in the behavioral ecology of small mammals, with a particular focus on trying to understand the adaptations that allow squirrels to successfully avoid canine predation.
Lab Alumni
Torél Beard – Former Undergraduate Researcher
Torél was an undergraduate researcher in the Meek lab from 2018-2019. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Zoology at MSU in May 2019 and was awarded the MSU Outstanding Academic Achievement & Promise in Zoology Award. Torél is currently a Lab Technician at MSU. His research interests are in the genetics and evolution of behavior, and has plans to attend graduate school to pursue a PhD in evolutionary biology.
Sierra Kaszubinski – Former MS Student
Sierra got her Master’s in the Meek lab in 2020, co-advised with Dr. Eric Benbow, and was a Department of Defense SMART Scholar. She is now a Forensic Scientist at the DoD Defense Forensic Science Center.
Shannon O’Leary – Former Post-doctoral Scholar
Dr. Shannon O’Leary is now an Assistant Professor at St. Anselm College. Check out her website! Dr. O’Leary studies how spatial heterogeneity in the landscape results in environmental pressures that shape genetic diversity among populations.
