Students
Drew Gilberti
MS Student
Drew got his BS from University of Nevada, Reno, after which he gained a lot of practical field experience working on a couple of NEON projects. He joined the lab Fall 2017 and is developing a project studying the trophic interactions between valley oaks, galling wasps of Disholcaspis eldoradensis, parasitoids of the wasps, and ant defenders who recruit to the galls to collect a nectar-like exudate. This is getting interesting!!
He-Lo Ramirez
Undergrad researcher
He-Lo joined the lab Spring 2017 semester. He is a native Chicoan - his family goes waaaay back. He is a member of the Mechoopda Native American tribe. He-Lo has developed an interest in understanding what drives variation in oak leaf morphology. He has been testing various hypotheses, including some ideas about the potential roles of climate and physiology. Stay tuned!
You?
MS or undergrad students
I'm always keen to support enthusiastic student researchers. Drop me a line, tell me about your research background and the kinds of questions that inspire you!
Lab alumni
Melissa Patterson
MS, 2010
Melissa #1 (aka "Texas") got her bachelor's from Texas State, San Marcos and while here at Chico State, discovered a lot about the population genetics and ecology of the rare, diminuitive, Phacelia cookei. She was an enthusiastic teacher while in Chico, and afterward moved on to a PhD program in Science Education at the Andrews Institute at Texas Christian University. Melissa is also an amazing fiddle player!
Melissa Ha
MS, 2012
Melissa #2 (aka "Melissa") came to Chico State by way of the inspirational tutelage of Mike Williams at Butte College. She joined the lab as an undergrad, and continued on for a master's degree, during which she tested how indirect interactions between plants, mediated by pollinators, change with neighbors and over time. After her time here, she earned a second MS degree with Lynn Adler at Univ. Massachusetts, Amherst before starting a successful career as a community college teacher. She now teaches plant biology at Yuba City College. She is also a fantastic pianist!
Nicole Habecker
MS, 2013
Nicole earned her bachelor's degree from Cedar Crest College in Pennsylvania, and while here at Chico used her considerable GIS chops to build an environmental niche model of two close relatives within the genus Mimulus, by way of characterizing barriers to hybridization. She also did several experiments to measure the importance of postzygotic barriers. After earning her MS, she worked as a research assistant with Sierra-Cascade nursery in Klamath Falls, Oregon for several years before returning to Pennsylvania, where she is now working for the state, and enjoying time with her awesome family.
JP Bergmann
MS, 2014
JP was born and raised in Chico! He found joy in Mimulus while working on his BS at Chico State, and returned to focus on characterizing a multitude of prezygotic barriers to hybridization between Mimulus guttatus and M. glaucescens, including some cleverly designed experiments that examined several post-mating barriers. JP has well-reasoned opinions on taco trucks, he was an ace MTB racer while in school, and he plays drums for an occasionally touring band, Down The Well. He also has a wonderful family. After getting his MS, he moved on to a research position with Lundberg Farms down the street in Richvale.
Courtney Silver
MS, 2017
Courtney grew up in LA, and she came to Chico State as an undergrad, filled with a love and enthusiasm for Biology. She worked in the lab for several years as an undergrad before starting the MS program. Although we tried to convince her of the joys of plants, she instead focused her research efforts on characterizing among-population variation in the vocalizations of the rare foothill yellow-legged frog, Rana boylii. Her work was very successful (a reflection of her resourcefulness), and even before she graduated, she was recruited by biologists across the state to work on a task force dedicated to protecting the species. Courtney loves teaching, and she has been teaching in the Biology department since graduating.