Current lab members

Dr. Andrew Hipp, Plant Systematist

Andrew is the lab's primary investigator. Active projects: systematics and molecular ecology of oaks, sedges, and elms; plant speciation and diversification; chromosome and genome size evolution; phylogenetic comparative methods; North American floristics. Contact
Jason Sturner, Herbarium Assistant

Jason manages the herbarium and conducts fieldwork and labwork for research projects. Active projects: floristics of the Chicago region; checklist of the native and naturalized flora of the Arboretum; taxonomy of black oaks in the Chicago region. Contact
Dr. Alka Srivastava, Research Assistant

Alka assisted in several targeted projects in the lab between 2007-8; from 2010 to the present, she has served as the Systematics Research Assistant. Active projects: phylogenetics, population genetics, and cytogenetics of oaks, sedges, and elms. Contact
Dr. Kyong-Sook Chung, Postdoctoral Researcher

A recent plant systematics graduate of University of Oklahoma, Kyong-Sook is conducting research into the systematics and evolution of genome rearrangements in Carex (position funded by NSF). Contact
Bethany Hayward, Seasonal RA, 2009-2010

A recent graduate of Benedictine University and previously a volunteer in our lab, Bethany assists in cytogenetic and molecular genetic labwork on the systematics of Carex and Ulmus (position funded by NSF and USDA).
Dr. Marcial Escudero, Fullbright Fellow, 2010-2012

A graduate of Pablo de Olavide University and a former visitor in our lab, Marcial will be working on various projects in the phylogenetics and population genetics of sedges (Carex). Contact
Laia Barres Gonzalez, Visiting Researcher, Fall 2010

A PhD student at Institut Botanic de Barcelona and a participant in the Euphorbia PBI, Laia will be conducting AFLP analyses in our lab for her work on phylogeography of mediterranean and macaronesian Euphorbia. Contact
Lee Bannon, Lab / Nomenclature Volunteer

A Cobol programmer by day, Lee is conducting research on the nomenclature of cultivated elms (Ulmus). Her checklist will be available for review within the coming year.
James Doss, Lab Volunteer

A recent graduate of Eastern Illinois University, James is undertaking a morphometric study of genotyped black oak relatives from the Great Lakes region to address the question of whether morphological estimates of genetic introgression correlate with molecular genetic estimates.


Lab alumni

Jill Henry, NSF-RET researcher, Summer 2010
A science teacher at Herrick Middle School, Jill assisted in molecular systematic research in our lab and enhanced her inquiry-based science curriculum using herbarium methods and taxonomic resources developed during her time at the Arboretum (position funded by NSF). Project homepage

Scott Johnson, NSF-RET researcher, Summer 2010
A biology teacher at Oswego High School, Scott assisted in molecular systematic research in our lab and developed a Tree of Life lab for his students based on skills he learned at the Arboretum (position funded by NSF).

Natalie Kirchner, NSF-REU researcher, Summer 2010
An undergraduate at University of Colorado, Natalie vouchered and photographed numerous Carex species for Encyclopedia of Life, updated the EOL nomenclature for the genus, and assisted in molecular systematics research in the lab (position funded by NSF). Project pages: The sedges of Carex subgenus Vignea; Carex of the world

Kara Moutvic, Summer research intern, 2009
An undergraduate at Benedictine University, Kara assisted in molecular genetic labwork on the systematics of Carex subgenus Vignea (position funded by NSF).

Amanda Rogers, NSF-RET researcher, Summer 2009
A teacher at Alain Locke Charter Academy, Amanda assisted in molecular systematic research in our lab and developed curriculum materials for her second-grade class to enhance the teaching of classification, evolution, and ecology (position funded by NSF).

Andrew Bass, NSF-REU researcher, Summer 2009
As an undergraduate at North Central College, Andrew conducted microsat analysis of the taxonomy of California Carex (position funded by NSF).

Ian Pearse, Visiting researcher, Spring 2009
A graduate student in the Department of Entomology at UC-Davis, Ian worked in our lab to develop an AFLP phylogeny of approximately 60 oak species. His research addresses the ecology and evolution of herbivorous insects on oaks. Contact

Linus Gog, Seasonal RA, 2007-2008
As a recent graduate of UIUC, Linus assisted in the lab, field collecting, and nomenclatural research, and led much of our molecular research in elms. Active projects: systematics and nomenclature of elms; systematics of Carex (position funded by NSF). Contact

Alicia Giesler, Lab volunteer, 2007
Alicia worked in our lab collecting plants, isolating DNA, and evaluating variation in chloroplast spacer regions for our study of elm systematics. She is currently pursuing graduate studies at Western Illinois University. Contact

Dr. Karin Kettenring, Visiting researcher, 2006-2007
Karin developed a set of microsatellite markers for Carex during a postdoctoral stay in our lab and The Pritzker Lab (research funded by Midewin Tallgrass Prairie). She is currently an assistant professor at Utah State University, Watershed Sciences Department. Contact

Jaime Weber, Research Assistant, 2005-2010

Jaime managed the molecular lab; conducted fieldwork, labwork, and data analysis for research projects; and was an active herbarium staff member. She was particularly instrumental in our work on the systematics of North American black oaks and cytogenetics of sedges and has left a lasting impact on the lab and herbarium.