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Current Lab Members
Maribeth Latvis, PhD
Principal Investigator
Systematics of several taxonomically difficult genera, mostly within Orobanchaceae (e.g. Agalinis, Esterhazya, Castilleja), evolutionary patterns in island-like habitats (e.g. mountains and grassland fragments), invasiveness, rarity, and creative uses of herbarium collections. I am a proud first generation college student from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker (NOBO 2005).
Pedro Henrique Pezzi, PhD
Postdoc
Agalinis (Orobanchaceae) as system to understand the genomics of trait divergences and ecological strategies during an ongoing radiation in Neotropical highlands. Previously, Pedro focused on the role of hybridization in the diversification of Petunia at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul with Dr. Loreta Brandão de Freitas.
Rachel Savage
PhD Student (since Fall 2023)
Integrative species delimitation in Rhinanthus (Orobanchaceae), incorporating phylogenomics, morphometrics, distribution modeling, and host preferences. Rachel also developed a targeted sequencing probe set for Orobanchaceae, on which many lab projects depend.
Awards: NSF GRFP Honorable Mention (2025), ASPT Graduate Research Award (2024)
Jenna Miladin
PhD Student (since Fall 2023)
Diversification of Silene (Caryophyllaceae) and macroevolutionary modeling to understand correlates of rarity. Jenna has spearheaded a collaborative effort for a densely-sampled phylogenomic framework for this massive genus. Previously, Jenna earned her M.S. degree with Dr. Janet Steven at Christopher Newport University.
Awards: ASPT Graduate Research Award (2025), Lewis and Clark Grant (2025), BSA Public Policy Award (2024), CorpsMember of the Year Award (2024), Scion Natural Science Association Grant (2024), Silene Mobility Grant (2024)
Emmanuel Chukwuma
PhD Student (since Spring 2024)
Biogeography and macroevolution in Orobanchaceae, and systematics of genus Alectra with a focus on how host specificity shapes parasite distributions. Chuks also has many years of professional botanical experience in Nigeria, creating distribution models for plant conservation.
Awards: ASPT Graduate Student Research Award (2025)
Jack Looney
MS Student (since Spring 2024)
Floristic inventory of Clifty Canyon Special Interest Area in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest. This landscape feature contains numerous species of conservation concern and Appalachian disjuncts. This project will inform conservation priorities within the state.
Awards: Delzie Demaree Research Grant from the Arkansas Native Plant Society.
Andrew Ruegsegger
PhD Student (since Fall 2025)
Historical community assembly and island biogeography in Arkansas glades, insular grasslands surrounded by trees. Andrew's work has a strong management and outreach component and is co-advised by Dr. Caleb Roberts in the USGS Co-op Unit.
Awards: NSF GRFP Honorable Mention (2025), SHC Undergraduate Research Award (2025)
Lab Alumni
Dr. Oyetola Oyebanji (Invasion Genomics postdoc 2023-2025, now a postdoc at BRIT)
Brandon Clark (MS 2022-2025, now a botanist for the USDA NRCS)
Eric Puetz (MS 2021-2024, now a botanist for the Bureau of Land Management in Billings, MT)
Deva Raj Khanal (MS 2019-2022, now a PhD Student at Saint Louis University and the Missouri Botanical Garden)
Kaitlin Schieuer (Undergraduate; now a MS student at Kansas State University. 2022 BSA Young Botanist Award!)
Sarah Herzog (MS 2018-2020, now a postdoc at the Missouri Botanical Garden)
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