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Principal Investigator
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Dr. Sarah Knutie
She/Her/Hers Assistant Professor of EEB at UConn Faculty Affiliate at the UConn Institute for Systems Genomics, USFQ & GSC, National Geographic Explorer, Faculty Advisor for the UConn chapter of ESA SEEDS, Secretary for SICB DEDE division E-mail: sarah.knutie AT uconn.edu, Twitter: @SarahKnutie Research interests: Disease ecology & evolution, environmental change, ecoimmunology, microbiomes, animal behavior, Google Scholar Education: Post-doc: Integrative Biology, University of South Florida (2014-2017), PhD: Biology, University of Utah (2009-2014), MS: Biology, University of Tulsa (2007-2009), BS: EEB, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (2001-2006) Favorite things: trips to Minnesota to visit her niece, traveling with her partner, and all things (indoor) cats. First gen college student, neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+ proud. |
Post-Doctoral Researchers
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Dr. Ashley Love
She/Her/Hers NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow Starting Fall 2024: Assistant Professor of Biology at Miami University Ashley completed her dissertation at Oklahoma State University in 2019 working with Dr. Sarah DuRant. Her research aims to understand the factors that contribute to individual variation in disease susceptibility and disease transmission. Her dissertation explored how infection and perceived risk of infection alter behavioral, nutritional, and physiological responses relevant to disease susceptibility and transmission in songbirds. Her recent research in the DuRant lab focused on disease-mediated maternal effects and explored whether diseases experienced by females prior to mating and egg laying can shape offspring immunity and responses to infection. In the Knutie lab, Ashley is exploring how diet and gut microflora shape host defensive strategies and host-parasite interactions in box-nesting birds. Some of her favorite hobbies include birding, playing video games, hiking, reading, and spending time with her dog! Ashley's Website! |
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Dr. Heather Skeen
She/Her/Hers UConn Research and Teaching Scholar Heather is the EEB Research and Teaching Scholar working with the Knutie and Hird Labs. She completed her PhD at the University of Chicago in 2022 where she focused on characterizing microbiota of Nearctic-Neotropical migratory birds and analyzing temporal trends in blood pathogen prevalence of Catharus thrushes. Heather’s work integrates the use of museum collections and active field work to identify mechanisms which influence the ecology and evolution of host-associated microorganisms. During her postdoc she is focusing on using the immune system to better understand bird-microbiome interactions and evolution. |
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Dr. Ryan Shannon He/Him/His Post-doctoral Researcher Ryan completed his Ph.D. in 2022 under the advisement of Dr. Matthew Bolek at Oklahoma State University. Ryan’s dissertation focused on the diversity of blood parasites infecting amphibians and reptiles using gene sequencing to characterize mixed infections of trypanosomes and apicomplexans. In the Knutie lab, he is assisting with multiple projects involving gene expression, genetic sex determination of birds, and molecular detection of avian pox. Ryan enjoys hiking, birding, and playing video and board games. |
Graduate Students
Order in which they started
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Sydney Horan
She/They PhD Student in EEB NSF GRFP Honorable Mention Sydney graduated with a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB) in 2020, where she conducted research in the lab of Dr. Doug Woodhams. At UMB, her research explored mitigation strategies against amphibian fungal pathogens— specifically Bsal, a novel emergent disease of salamanders. During her PhD, she plans to explore what and how environmental factors influence the evolutionary ecology of avian host-ectoparasite relationships across space and time with the Nest Parasite Community Science Project. In her free time, Sydney enjoys digital art, video games, photography, and listening to music. Sydney's Website -- Google Scholar Page -- 46 Questions |
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Sila Inanoglu She/Her/Hers Starting Fall 2024: PhD Student in EEB NSF Graduate Research Fellow UPDATED BIO PENDING |
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Lorraine Pérez-Beauchamp She/Her/Hers Starting Fall 2024: Master's Student in EEB NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2024-2026) NSF REU Fellow (2023) UPDATED BIO PENDING Presentation and Publication: Pérez-Beauchamp, L. L., Contreras, J., Goldberg, K., Mena, G., Soldo, A., Chaves, J. A., & Knutie, S. A. Cigarette tobacco reduces the survival of an invasive parasite that affects Darwin’s finches. Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology, Seattle, WA, 2024. Awarded: Best Student Poster Presentation in Division of Ecoimmunology and Disease Ecology Publication: in Biological Invasions. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-024-03278-6 |
Post-Baccalaureate Technicians
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Jailene Contreras She/Her/Hers Jailene graduated with a degree in Biology from the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL). She has worked on various projects in the Galápagos Islands, including biological control of Philornis downsi and behavior of landbirds in agricultural zones on Santa Cruz Island. This research has awakened her research interest in the ecology and conservation of terrestrial ecosystems. In 2023, Jailene joined Dr. Knutie's lab as a field technician to study the effects of urbanization on the effect of P. downsi on Darwin's finches on San Cristobal Island, Galápagos. She also conducted an independent project on how nest construction influences the effect of parasitism on Geospiza spp. finches. |
Undergraduate Students
Order in which they started in the lab
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Carrie Sleath She/He Undergraduate Researcher in EEB Carrie is currently a sophomore majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Connecticut. Her main interests are population ecology, urbanization, and wildlife conservation. In the Knutie lab, Carrie has been a member of the Nest Parasite Community Science crew since Spring of 2024. During the summer 2024, Carrie will be conducting field research on the effect of egg incubation temperature on interactions between Eastern bluebirds and nest ectoparasites. Outside of the lab, Carrie enjoys hiking, reading, writing, and cooking. |
Bios coming soon: Carissa Leung and Solace Barata
Prospective Members
Please contact Sarah Knutie (sarah.knutie AT uconn.edu) if any of the opportunities below interest you.
Updated 24-July-24
Our research currently focuses on the eco-evo dynamics between birds and their parasites. Our research systems include: 1) Darwin's finches and their invasive avian vampire flies (Philornis downsi) in the Galapagos Islands, and 2) box-nesting birds (bluebirds, swallows) and their nest ectoparasites throughout the Eastern US. Although I enjoyed my work on frog-parasite-microbiome interactions, we are not currently working with this system.
Generally, I'm looking for personnel who want to work on our existing host-parasite systems above but want to take the research in a new direction with their skills and knowledge.
Post-docs:
I do not currently have funding for a post-doc position. However, I'd be happy to collaborate on/sponsor an NSF PRFB proposal for the 2024 deadline, especially if you are interested in the effect of hybridization of Darwin's ground finches on resistance to invasive parasites in the Galápagos Islands.
I'd be open to other project ideas as well, especially in population ecology or genetics using existing tissue samples or our long-term data set. Please contact me to discuss possible projects!
Graduate students:
I am generally not considering applications for graduate students until fall 2027. However, I'd consider:
- advising a student who has a experience and interest in bird-parasite interactions and will be applying for the NSF GRFP in 2024.
- co-advising a student with experience in ecological modeling and interested in PhD research on spatial and temporal dynamics of our ongoing, long-term, host-parasite-environment dataset.
UConn undergraduate students:
We are now considering undergraduate students to join our Nest Parasite Community Science Crew and work study students. For the former, please fill out this inquiry form by August 10, 2024. I will post the 2024 work study advertisement when it is available.
Field technicians: We are not considering applications for field tech positions at this time.
Past Lab Members
(we miss you!!!)
Post-doctoral Researcher
Dr. Johanna Harvey (2017-2019), Currently a Fellow at the AMNH
Graduate Students
Alex Soldo (2022-2024), M.S. in EEB
Alyssa McGurer (2022-2023), B.S. in EEB and M.S. in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
Mia Nahom (2018-2022), B.S. in EEB and M.S. in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, SURF Awardee, Currently a Computational Biology Research Assistant, Computational Biology Core, UConn
Jessica Gutiérrez (2019-2021), M.S. in EEB, Currently a Biological Science Laboratory Technician, USDA
Amanda Deguire (2019-2020), M.S. in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
Post-bacc Lab Personnel
Gabrielle "Gabby" Solomon (2020-2022), NSF REPS fellow, Currently a M.S. student at Villanova University
UConn Lab and Field Technicians
Gabriela Mena (2022-2023), Galapagos Field Technician
Katia Goldberg (2023), Galapagos Field Technician
Isabela Vargas (2022), Galapagos Field Technician
Mackenzie Watkins (2018-2019), B.S. in EEB
Taylor Verrett, M.S. (2018-2019), Currently a PhD student at the University of Oklahoma
Suzannah Tupy (2020-2021), B.S. in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
Victoria Simons (2021), B.S. in Wildlife Biology, M.S. from Colorado State University; Currently the Station Biologist at Itasca Biological Station
Kiley Chernicky (2018), B.S. in Biology, Currently a Master's Student at DePaul University
Shelby Simon (2018), B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Currently a Master's Student at the University of Georgia
UConn Nest Parasite Community Science Crew Member
Hannah Brewer, (2023-2024), B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Animal Science, Currently a Field Technician at Itasca Biological Station.
Heather Bjerke, (2021-2024), B.S. in Pathology.
Caroline Webb, (2020-2023), Lead Undergrad Researcher, B.S. in Environmental Science, Currently a Master's student at UConn
Mahima Mehta, (2020-2022), Lead Undergrad Researcher, IDEA Awardee, B.S. in MCB, Currently a Master's student at UConn Public Health
Rachel Bahouth (2019-2021), Lead Undergrad Researcher, SURF Awardee, B.S. in Biology
Vel Johnston (2022), Undergraduate in EEB
Jenna Bartholomew, (2021-2022), Undergraduate in NRE
Emily Cowan, (2021-2022), Undergraduate in EEB
Sharan Ghai (2018-2019), B.S. in Biology
Amelia Mascolo (2019-2020), B.S. Biology
UConn Honor's Students and Independent Undergraduate Researchers
Anita Amiti (2022-2024), B.S. in Biological Sciences, SURF Awardee
Heather Bjerke (2021-2024), B.S. in Pathology, IDEA Awardee
Eliza Cochrane (2021-2023), B.S. in Natural Resources, SURF Awardee, Currently a PhD student at Oklahoma State University
Patrick Sheridan (2022-2023), B.S. in EEB, Honor's Student
Kunzika (2022-2023), EEB Research Fellow
Bryanna Caicedo (2020-2022), B.S. in Biology, EEB Research Fellow
Alyssa Addesso (2017-2020), B.S. in MCB, IDEA Awardee
Lauren Albert (2017-2019), B.S. in EEB, SURF Awardee, Currently a PhD student at Indiana University
UConn Undergraduate Research Students
Shantae McIntyre (2021-2023), B.S. in Biology
Kylee Brown (2020-2022), B.S. in NRE
Xingya Zhao (2021-2022), B.S. in EEB, Currently a Master's student at Columbia University
Joseph El-Achkar (2021-2022), B.S. in Biology
Catherine Goncalves (2019-2021), B.S. in Biology
Alyson Tomaszewski (2021), B.S. in Psychology
Jada Williams (2021), Undergraduate in Animal Science
Jada Bygrave (2020), B.S. in Natural Resources
Jamie Kurowski, (2020), B.S. in EEB
Daniel Shoushani (2019), B.S. in MCB
Rob Lepore (2019), B.S. in Biology
Rachel Barta (2019) B.S. in Pathobiology
High School Student Researchers
Logan Stech (2020), White Earth Reservation Research Intern, Current an undergraduate at UMN-Morris
Dr. Johanna Harvey (2017-2019), Currently a Fellow at the AMNH
Graduate Students
Alex Soldo (2022-2024), M.S. in EEB
Alyssa McGurer (2022-2023), B.S. in EEB and M.S. in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
Mia Nahom (2018-2022), B.S. in EEB and M.S. in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, SURF Awardee, Currently a Computational Biology Research Assistant, Computational Biology Core, UConn
Jessica Gutiérrez (2019-2021), M.S. in EEB, Currently a Biological Science Laboratory Technician, USDA
Amanda Deguire (2019-2020), M.S. in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
Post-bacc Lab Personnel
Gabrielle "Gabby" Solomon (2020-2022), NSF REPS fellow, Currently a M.S. student at Villanova University
UConn Lab and Field Technicians
Gabriela Mena (2022-2023), Galapagos Field Technician
Katia Goldberg (2023), Galapagos Field Technician
Isabela Vargas (2022), Galapagos Field Technician
Mackenzie Watkins (2018-2019), B.S. in EEB
Taylor Verrett, M.S. (2018-2019), Currently a PhD student at the University of Oklahoma
Suzannah Tupy (2020-2021), B.S. in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
Victoria Simons (2021), B.S. in Wildlife Biology, M.S. from Colorado State University; Currently the Station Biologist at Itasca Biological Station
Kiley Chernicky (2018), B.S. in Biology, Currently a Master's Student at DePaul University
Shelby Simon (2018), B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Currently a Master's Student at the University of Georgia
UConn Nest Parasite Community Science Crew Member
Hannah Brewer, (2023-2024), B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Animal Science, Currently a Field Technician at Itasca Biological Station.
Heather Bjerke, (2021-2024), B.S. in Pathology.
Caroline Webb, (2020-2023), Lead Undergrad Researcher, B.S. in Environmental Science, Currently a Master's student at UConn
Mahima Mehta, (2020-2022), Lead Undergrad Researcher, IDEA Awardee, B.S. in MCB, Currently a Master's student at UConn Public Health
Rachel Bahouth (2019-2021), Lead Undergrad Researcher, SURF Awardee, B.S. in Biology
Vel Johnston (2022), Undergraduate in EEB
Jenna Bartholomew, (2021-2022), Undergraduate in NRE
Emily Cowan, (2021-2022), Undergraduate in EEB
Sharan Ghai (2018-2019), B.S. in Biology
Amelia Mascolo (2019-2020), B.S. Biology
UConn Honor's Students and Independent Undergraduate Researchers
Anita Amiti (2022-2024), B.S. in Biological Sciences, SURF Awardee
Heather Bjerke (2021-2024), B.S. in Pathology, IDEA Awardee
Eliza Cochrane (2021-2023), B.S. in Natural Resources, SURF Awardee, Currently a PhD student at Oklahoma State University
Patrick Sheridan (2022-2023), B.S. in EEB, Honor's Student
Kunzika (2022-2023), EEB Research Fellow
Bryanna Caicedo (2020-2022), B.S. in Biology, EEB Research Fellow
Alyssa Addesso (2017-2020), B.S. in MCB, IDEA Awardee
Lauren Albert (2017-2019), B.S. in EEB, SURF Awardee, Currently a PhD student at Indiana University
UConn Undergraduate Research Students
Shantae McIntyre (2021-2023), B.S. in Biology
Kylee Brown (2020-2022), B.S. in NRE
Xingya Zhao (2021-2022), B.S. in EEB, Currently a Master's student at Columbia University
Joseph El-Achkar (2021-2022), B.S. in Biology
Catherine Goncalves (2019-2021), B.S. in Biology
Alyson Tomaszewski (2021), B.S. in Psychology
Jada Williams (2021), Undergraduate in Animal Science
Jada Bygrave (2020), B.S. in Natural Resources
Jamie Kurowski, (2020), B.S. in EEB
Daniel Shoushani (2019), B.S. in MCB
Rob Lepore (2019), B.S. in Biology
Rachel Barta (2019) B.S. in Pathobiology
High School Student Researchers
Logan Stech (2020), White Earth Reservation Research Intern, Current an undergraduate at UMN-Morris
Our Amazing Collaborators:
Susan Balenger (University of Mississippi)
Charles Brown (University of Tulsa)
Mike Butler (Lafayette College)
Jaime Chaves (Universidad San Francisco de Quito)
Ethan Clotfelter (Amherst College)
Muir Eaton (Drake University)
Kiyoko Gotanda (University of Cambridge)
Kevin Kohl (University of Pittsburgh)
Jennifer Koop (UMass - Dartmouth)
Jeb Owen (Washington State University)
Dominique Potvin (University of the Sunshine Coast)
Jacques Robert (University of Rochester)
Jason Rohr (University of South Florida)
Maxine Zylberberg (University of California, San Francisco)
Itasca Biological Station
Peregrine Fund (Martin Quiroga and David Anderson)
Galapagos Science Center
...Your name here??
Susan Balenger (University of Mississippi)
Charles Brown (University of Tulsa)
Mike Butler (Lafayette College)
Jaime Chaves (Universidad San Francisco de Quito)
Ethan Clotfelter (Amherst College)
Muir Eaton (Drake University)
Kiyoko Gotanda (University of Cambridge)
Kevin Kohl (University of Pittsburgh)
Jennifer Koop (UMass - Dartmouth)
Jeb Owen (Washington State University)
Dominique Potvin (University of the Sunshine Coast)
Jacques Robert (University of Rochester)
Jason Rohr (University of South Florida)
Maxine Zylberberg (University of California, San Francisco)
Itasca Biological Station
Peregrine Fund (Martin Quiroga and David Anderson)
Galapagos Science Center
...Your name here??
Sarah A. Knutie
University of Connecticut, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
75 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3043, Storrs, CT 06269-3043
E-mail: saknutie AT gmail.com or sarah.knutie AT uconn.edu
Updated August 2019
University of Connecticut, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
75 N. Eagleville Rd., Unit 3043, Storrs, CT 06269-3043
E-mail: saknutie AT gmail.com or sarah.knutie AT uconn.edu
Updated August 2019
