Dave Weber
I was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania. After graduating from High School I moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where I studied at the Baltimore City Community College and received and Associates Degree in Art. It was at the Baltimore City Community College where I realized my love for Biology. After Graduating I spent three terms with AmeriCorps. It was with AmeriCorps that I made my first visit to Louisiana, and fell in love with its culture and environment.
In 2010 I began working on a Bachelor’s of Science at The University of New Orleans. Having received my degree in 2013, I continued work on my Masters at UNO and graduated in 2017. My primary interest is in ecology and evolutionary Biology, with a strong interest in conservation. My Master's thesis was on the influence of relatedness and size on the spatial distributions of individuals within an urban population of Anolis carolinensis lizards in New Orleans. I am currently a Ph. D. student in the Biology Department at the University of Maryland.
In 2010 I began working on a Bachelor’s of Science at The University of New Orleans. Having received my degree in 2013, I continued work on my Masters at UNO and graduated in 2017. My primary interest is in ecology and evolutionary Biology, with a strong interest in conservation. My Master's thesis was on the influence of relatedness and size on the spatial distributions of individuals within an urban population of Anolis carolinensis lizards in New Orleans. I am currently a Ph. D. student in the Biology Department at the University of Maryland.
Dr. Rachel Clostio (Wallace)
I graduated from the University of New Orleans in 2009 with a PhD. in Conservation Biology. My research focused on population and landscape genetics of the federally threatened gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus). My primary objective was to provide useful data on genetic population structure to management entities, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which could be used guide recovery efforts. In addition to evaluating population structure, I utilized novel GIS tools to correlate specific landscape features with genetic data and identify possible barriers to gene flow. I also examined the relationship in gopher tortoises between seroprevalence of Mycoplasma agassizii, the causative agent of upper respiratory tract disease, and several environmental variables.
My general interests include population genetics, phylogeography, landscape genetics, emerging infectious diseases in wildlife, and host-pathogen cophylogeny. Following the completion of my dissertation, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Crystal N. Johnson at Louisiana State University from 2009-2012. There I studied genetic diversity of pathogenic Vibrios. I am currently a research assistant in the lab of Dr. Scott France examining the population genetics of deep sea corals.
My general interests include population genetics, phylogeography, landscape genetics, emerging infectious diseases in wildlife, and host-pathogen cophylogeny. Following the completion of my dissertation, I worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Crystal N. Johnson at Louisiana State University from 2009-2012. There I studied genetic diversity of pathogenic Vibrios. I am currently a research assistant in the lab of Dr. Scott France examining the population genetics of deep sea corals.
Anne Davis (Johnston)
As an undergrad and master’s student in the Anthony lab, I worked on three main projects: 1) Assessing the utility of COXI barcodes for the global regulation of the bushmeat trade of duiker antelope (Cephalophinae) 2) Species tree estimation and dated divergence times of Cephalophinae: evidence of Pleistocene speciation 3) Species identification and genotyping of scat from sympatric Central African duikers. Presently, I am interested in studying the population structure of Peter’s duiker (Cephalophus callipygus) across an ecological gradient in Lope National Park, Gabon. I also work remotely for the Epps lab at Oregon State University genotyping scat of the American pika (Ochotona princeps) for a project that aims to better understand connectivity and potential impact of climate change on this species.
Dr. Iván Soto Calderón
I am originally from Medellín, Colombia. As an undergraduate biology student, I took multiple courses involving field work, ecology, molecular analysis and evolution. Still as an undergraduate, I joined the Molecular Genetics lab (GENMOL) at the University of Antioquia, where I developed my skills in molecular techniques and I had the opportunity to do my undergrad thesis studying the anthropological genetics of native Colombians. After that, I had the opportunity to get my Master degree integrating molecular and historical data to study the historical demography of a human isolate in Antioquia, northwest Colombia. I've also collaborated with projects in population genetics of bats (Myotis), magnolias (Dugandiodendron), African duikers (Cephalophus) and Malagasy butterflies (Heteropsis). More recently, I obtained my PhD degree addressing the evolutionary dynamics of nuclear translocations of mtDNA (NUMTs) in African Great Apes, the risk of contamination of mtDNA databases with these sequences and their potential as cladistic markers.
I currently hold a faculty position at the University of Antioquia. I am studying the genetic structure of the endangered white-footed tamarin (Saguinus leucopus), an primate species endemic to NW Colombia. I have broad interests in the biological diversity in the tropics, integrating genetic tools and field data to assess processes of diversification.
I currently hold a faculty position at the University of Antioquia. I am studying the genetic structure of the endangered white-footed tamarin (Saguinus leucopus), an primate species endemic to NW Colombia. I have broad interests in the biological diversity in the tropics, integrating genetic tools and field data to assess processes of diversification.
Dr. Stephan Ntie
Stephan Ntie is a former graduate student in the lab, and has worked with Dr. Anthony since July 2005 (though he started in UNO PhD program only in August 2006 because of Hurricane Katrina). His interests include conservation and evolutionary biology, population genetics, molecular phylogeography, and tropical ecology.
He was involved in studying the historical biogeography of forest antelopes (cephalophinae) in central African rainforest using non-invasive techniques. In the past, Stephan Ntie has been a research intern in the Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Gabon for 10 months and a research trainee for one month at the Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE, CNRS), Montpellier, France. Outside the lab, he was also a member of the New Orleans Society for Conservation Biology (SCB), American Society of Naturalist (ASN), and Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE).
After his graduation in August 2012, Stephan Ntie went back to his home country where he has been appointed to a permanent position as "Enseignant-Chercheur" in the biology department of the Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku (USTM), Franceville, Gabon.
He was involved in studying the historical biogeography of forest antelopes (cephalophinae) in central African rainforest using non-invasive techniques. In the past, Stephan Ntie has been a research intern in the Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Gabon for 10 months and a research trainee for one month at the Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE, CNRS), Montpellier, France. Outside the lab, he was also a member of the New Orleans Society for Conservation Biology (SCB), American Society of Naturalist (ASN), and Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE).
After his graduation in August 2012, Stephan Ntie went back to his home country where he has been appointed to a permanent position as "Enseignant-Chercheur" in the biology department of the Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku (USTM), Franceville, Gabon.
Dr. Kimberly Terrell
As a wildlife physiologist, I work at the interface of animal health and environmental change. My research utilizes a comparative, cross-species approach to answer questions that are relevant to both basic physiology and applied conservation. My dissertation research was conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Barry Bavister and Dr. Nicky Anthony, through a partnership between UNO and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (Front Royal, VA). I investigated the genetic and physiological determinants of male reproductive fitness in the cheetah and domestic cat (meaning that I can tell you more than you’ll ever want to know about cat sperm). Although my research was entirely lab-based, this experience sparked my interest in the connection between basic animal physiology and the large-scale, complex threats facing wild populations. I am now based at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo (Washington, DC) and am fortunate to be supported by a David H. Smith Fellowship (www.smithfellows.org). I lead the zoo’s Salamander Conservation Program, and my research focuses on understanding how climate change will affect metabolism and disease-resistance in hellbenders. You can learn more about my current work at www.salamanderscience.com. More recently, I took up the position of Director of Research and Conservation at the Memphis Zoo.
