Students
GRADUATE STUDENTSAdvised graduate students – PhD
current Lauren Frazee* (co-advisor, E&E Graduate Program, Rutgers [E&E]).
current Jennifer Blake-Mahmud* (advisor, E&E).
2015 Dr. Laura Shappell* (co-advisor 2010, advisor since 2011, E&E, Rutgers). Ph.D., wetland plant ecology, 2009-2015. Career: NYDEP, GIS specialist working on invasive wetland species.
2012 Victoria Ferguson (advisor, Plant Biology Graduate Program [PBGP], Rutgers) PhD track, 2011-2012.
2012 Amy Manning (advisor, E&E) PhD track, 2010-2012. Career: Environmental science educator, specialist in edible wild plants.
2010 Dr. Sasha Eisenman* (advisor, PBGP, Rutgers). Ph. D. Taxonomic and ethnobotanical evaluation of Central Asian medicinal plants, 2004-2010. Career: tenure-track Assistant Professor at Temple University.
2009 Dr. Katherine B. Lepis* (advisor, PBGP, Rutgers). Ph.D. Systematics of Chelonanthus, Gentianaceae, 2002-2009. Career: Lecturer at Monmouth University; botanical inventory specialist for NJ DEP and Meadowlands Foundation.
2008 Dr. Jeanmaire Molina* (advisor, E&E, Rutgers). Ph.D. Systematics of Leea (Leeaceae), 2003-2008. Career: postdoc in Dr. Purugganan’s lab at NYU, rice genomics; Associate Professor at Long Island University.
2008 Dr. Cynthia “Cindy” Frasier* (advisor, PBGP, Rutgers). Ph.D. Systematics and biogeography of Strychnos, Loganiaceae, 2002-2008. Career: Postdoc with Missouri Botanical Garden in Madagascar on local flora project; postdoc at University of Nevada and Omaha Zoo working on lemurs in Madagascar.
2004 Dr. Joseph Bischoff* (co-advisor, PBGP). Ph.D. Systematics of Clavicipitaceae, Ascomycota. Career: NCBI (Genbank), Fungal Taxonomist; Visiting Scientist, USDA; APHIS National Mycologist, USDA.
Advised graduate students – MSc
2016 Shenhao (Shawn) Yao (advisor, PBGP, Rutgers). 2014-2016. M. Sc.
2013 Lauren Spitz Poster* (advisor, E&E, Rutgers). M. Sc., 2011-2013. Career: PhD student in E&E program at Rutgers.
2002 Juanita Choo (advisor, E&E, Rutgers). M.Sc. Ethnobotany of palms. Career: Ph.D. in ethnobotany, Univ. of Texas-Austin; postdoc at University of Michigan; Researcher, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.
PhD dissertation committee memberships (year of graduation)
current Jenny Dorey (committee member, The New York Botanical Garden/CUNY Graduate Program). Ph. D. track, Revision of the Carex laxiflora species complex.
current Joni Baumgarten (committee member, E&E Graduate Program, Rutgers). Ph.D. track, Soil microbial diversity in energy crop systems.
2018 Fatima Foflonker (committee member, Microbial Biology Graduate Program, Rutgers). Ph.D. track. Understanding the genomic bsis of salinity and stress adaptation in the green alga, Picochlorum.
current April Whitney Jackson* (committee member, E&E, Rutgers). Ph.D. track. Climate change effects on native populations of American maples in the hard maple species complex.
current Julia Perzley (committee member, E&E, Rutgers). Ph.D. track. Urban plant ecology.
2015 Dr. Julien Vieu (committee member, Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland). Ph.D., Systematics of Macrocarpaea (Gentianaceae). Career: postdoc in Switzerland.
2015 Dr. Ryan Rebozo* (committee member, Drexel University). Ph.D. Population dynamics of the endangered Pine Barren gentian. Career: Director of Conservation Science for Pinelands Preservation Alliance, NJ.
2014 Dr. Brittany Graf (committee member, PBGP, Rutgers). Ph.D. Quinoa as functional food crop. Career: Fulbright postdoc in Ecuador, postdoc at Rutgers University.
2014 Dr. Patricio Rojas (committee member, PBGP, Rutgers) Ph.D. track, Anti-leishmaniasis drugs from plants. Career: Faculty position at Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador.
2013 Dr. Elena Tartaglia (committee member, E&E, Rutgers). Ph.D. Hummingbird moth ecology and pollination effects. Career: Faculty position at Bergen County Community College.
2012 Dr. Ari Novy* (committee member, PBGP, Rutgers). Ph.D. Evolution and population genetics of Microstegium. Career: Public Programs Manager at US Botanic Garden, Washington, DC; Executive Director of US Botanic Garden.
2012 Dr. Donny Walker* (committee member, PBGP, Rutgers) Ph.D. Evolution and niche evolution of Ophiognomonia, Ascomycetes. Career: Tenure-track faculty position at Finlay University, OH.; Tenure-track faculty position at Tennessee Technological University.
2012 Dr. Rocky Graziose* (committee member, PBGP, Rutgers) Ph.D. Anti-malarial drugs from plants. Career: Research Director at Bio-Botanica; Consulting.
2010 Dr. Jeremy Raincrow (committee member, Molecular Biosciences Graduate program, Rutgers). Ph.D. Evolution of hox genes in teleost fishes.
2009 Dr. Luis Meija (committee member, PBGP, Rutgers). Ph.D. Evolution of Gnomoniaceae. Career: postdoc at Penn State University; Researcher, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama.
2007 Dr. Dana Price (committee member, E&E, Rutgers). Ph.D. Evolutionary studies of dung beetles. Career: Tenured Faculty at Salisbury University, MD.
2004 Dr. Kristin Mylecraine* (committee member, E&E, Rutgers). Ph.D. Population biology and systematics of Chamaecyparis, Cupressaceae. Career: postdoc at Lisle Gibbs’ lab at OSU, population dynamics of Canada geese; Program Manager, New Jersey Audubon Society.
2003 Dr. Philippe Chassot (external jury member at thesis defense, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland). Ph D: revision of Swertia, Gentianaceae.
2003 Dr. Jason R. Grant* (external jury member at thesis defense, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland). Ph.D. Revision of Macrocarpaea, Gentianaceae. Career: Coordinator of External Affairs, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) – Plant Survival, Université de Neuchâtel; Conservation genetics coordinator for international EU-project on alpine plants; Faculty position at Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland; Director of the herbarium at Université de Neuchâtel.
2003 Dr. Rocio Cortés*, (committee member, The New York Botanical Garden/CUNY)). Ph.D. Systematics and biogeography of Retiniphyllum (Rubiaceae). Career: Professor of botany at Universidad Distrital in Colombia.
2001 Dr. Guilhem Mansion* (external jury member at thesis defense, Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland). Ph.D. Systematics of Centaurium, Gentianaceae. Career: postdoc at University of Zürich, Switzerland; Scientific Curator, Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin, Germany.
MSc thesis committee memberships
2015 Christopher Satch (committee member, PBGP, Rutgers). M.Sc. Exploration of Chufa (Cyperus esculentus L. var. sativus Boeck) as a novel specialty crop for the Northeastern United States.
2011 Sarah Pena (committee member, E&E, Rutgers). M.Sc.
2010 Jessica Cummings (committee member, E&E, Rutgers). M.Sc.
2008 Niall Dunne* (committee member, E&E, Rutgers). M.Sc. Green roofs and their ecology.
2008 Bonnie Farrell* (committee member, PBGP, Rutgers) M.Sc. Conservation and reproduction of Aconitum novoboracense, Ranunculaceae.
2003 Deborah Gries (committee member, E&E, Rutgers). M.Sc. Use of PalmPilots in botanical teaching in elementary schools.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
2016 Christopher Scalera, SEBS Honors (safety of foraging edible plants)
2016 Kelsey Kaskoun, Aresty fellowship recipient (media opinions on weeds)
2016 Alex Calamia* (media opinions on weeds)
2016-2017 Ngoc Kim (population biology and morphometrics of weedy plants)
2016 Garrett Hess* (invasive species and their temporal and spatial history in New Jersey based on herbarium specimens)
2016-current Mary Margaret Mumich*, SAS Honors thesis (female botanical collectors in Chrysler Herbarium’s history: Barbara Palser and Erica M. Frank)
2015 Gemma Milly (conservation and ecological assessment of NJ endangered plant species)
2015 Carlos Olivares* (botanical research and education in New York City parks)
2015-2016 Kurtis Himmler* (Personal Bioblitz 2015)
2015 Fiona Zheng (scientific illustrations of trees of Rutgers campus)
2014-2015 Nicole Cullen*, Aresty fellowship recipient (fitness evaluation of weedy Oxalis)
2014-2015 Shirley Xiao (leaf anatomy changes during climate change in Acer; with Jason Grabosky)
2014 Travis Kling, RU research advisor for international research (biodiversity of plants in fragmented chalk grass lands in Downs, UK)
2014 Alisha Sharma*, Aresty fellowship recipient (weeds in parking lots)
2014-2015 Kieran Hunt (Flora of Rutgers Campus – trees)
2014 Jeffrey Geist (ecology of brown marmorated stink bugs)
2014 Katie O’Connell (histological studies of Acer leaf anatomy)
2013-2015 Aishwarya Bhattacharjee*, Aresty fellowship recipient
2013-2015 Sara Morris-Marano* (edible weeds, opportunity and safety)
2013-2014 Dominique Dionne, SAS Honors project (invasive weeds and their nursery sources in the Rutgers EcoPreserve)
2013 Michael Ciappi, Aresty fellowship recipient (Island biogeography of weeds in parking lots)
2013 Elizabeth Banyar (Uses of weeds as value-added plants in agriculture)
2013 Jessica Gowing (development of lesson plans in how to use weeds as a teaching resource in middle school biology classes)
2012 Patrice Crocevera (arthropod biodiversity in raised beds in urban gardens)
2012-2015 Lauren Palatini*, Aresty fellowship recipient (weed biodiversity in raised beds in urban gardens, and weed inventory of campus parking lots)
2011 Jenny Burkhalter* (Revision of Andean Symbolanthus, Gentianaceae)
2011 Shehrieen Bhaktyar (development of positive and negative controls for field assays of bioactive plants)
2010 Jeanette Allogio* (Revision of Andean Symbolanthus, Gentianaceae)
2009-2010 Amy Sharma, recipient of Aresty research grant (Population genetics of Helonias, swamp pink)
2009-2010 Vera Chuaypradit*, recipient of Aresty undergraduate research grant, presenter at Rutgers undergraduate research symposium (Ethnobotany of Cornus, dogwoods)
2008-2011 Stacy Brody*, recipient of Aresty undergraduate research grant (Review of antimalarial uses of gentians worldwide)
2008-2009 David Zaitz, recipient of Aresty research grant (Evolution of Symbolanthus)
2007-2009 Ramya Raviram*, recipient of Aresty research grant (AFLP-based population genetics of Metasequoia)
2007 Melissa Li (phylogenetic research in Leea)
2006 Cindy Puzio (wood anatomy in stressed trees; with Jason Grabosky)
2006 Bernie Isaacson (wood anatomy in stressed trees; with Jason Grabosky)
2006-2007 Sarah Kelsey* (Introduction of non-native species through ship ballast in New Jersey)
2006 Caolan Kovach-Orr*, Cook Honors program (Spatial and evolutionary analysis of Brazilian gentians)
2006 Beth Kushner, Douglass Project for Rutgers Women in Math, Science and Engineering (The phylogeny of Strychnos, Loganiaceae)
2006 Kaitlyn Turo, Douglass Project for Rutgers Women in Math, Science and Engineering (The phylogeny of Strychnos, Loganiaceae)
2006 Hope-Elizabeth Clennon, Douglass Project for Rutgers Women in Math, Science and Engineering (Solid ballast as vector of foreign plant species into the eastern United States)
2006 Katrina Dulatas, Douglass Project for Rutgers Women in Math, Science and Engineering (Solid ballast as vector of foreign plant species into the eastern United States)
2005-2006 Dan Kulakowski* , NSF-funded research internship, Cook Honors program (Phylogeny of tribe Helieae, Gentianaceae)
2005-2006 Kristen Paul, Project SUPER, Douglass College
2005 Phillip Miarmi*, NSF-funded research internship (GIS analysis of distributional and environmental data from gentians)
2004-2005 Angela Gorzyca*, NSF-funded research internship, Cook Honors program (Phylogeny of Chelonanthus-Helieae)
2004-2005 Wendy Peters* (now Rosica), NSF-funded research internship (trilingual field guide to Tachia, an anti-malarial plant)
2003-2005 Matthew Kinkade*, Rutgers Research Council-funded research internship; George H. Cook Honors’ thesis (Revision and systematics of Tachia (Gentianaceae))
2003-2004 Jillian Jaworski*, NSF-funded research internship (Phylogeny of tribe Helieae).
2002-2003 Jeanmaire Molina* (Revision of Neuburgia)
CURRENT and PREVIOUS UNDERGRADUATE HERBARIUM TECHNICIANS
(‘Herbarium Army’) in the Chrysler Herbarium
2017 Cathrin Cruze, Herbarium Technician
2017 Connor Tally, Herbarium Technician
2017 Roma Gandhi, Herbarium Technician
2017 Lourdes Aubreu Thomas, Herbarium Technician
2017 Casey Hamilton, Herbarium Technician
2017 Alex Morris, Herbarium Technician
2017 Candace Wiedeman, Herbarium Technician
2017 Brianna Cerione, Herbarium Technician
2017 David Ionaid, Herbarium Technician
2017 Devika Jaikumar, Herbarium Technician
2017 Dorothy Lee, Herbarium Technician
2017 Janel Borden, Herbarium Technician
2017 Jesika Tixi, Herbarium Technician
2017 John Kerr, Herbarium Technician
2017 Jordan Plaut, Herbarium Technician
2017 Melissa Snow, Herbarium Technician
2017 Siddhant Bansal, Herbarium Technician
2017 Shermila Villanueva, Herbarium Technician
2016-2017 Alexander Stollery, Herbarium Technician
2016 Alexandra Ambrose, Herbarium Technician
2016 Brionna Primiani, Herbarium Technician
2016 Emily McCue, Herbarium Technician
2016 Gabrielle Porfido, Herbarium Technician
2016 Kathleen van Valen, Herbarium Technician
2016 Mars Potros, Herbarium Technician
2016 Kerisa Naicker, Herbarium Technician
2016 Lyndsay Paladino*, Herbarium Technician
2016 Rachael Fastige*, Herbarium Technician
2016 Renee Artigues*, Herbarium Technician
2016-current Rebekah Buczynski*, Herbarium Technician
2016 Alexandria Sun*, Herbarium Technician
2016 Tesia Lin*, Herbarium Technician
2016 Ashley Sidhu, Herbarium Technician
2016 Cassandra Sidhu, Herbarium Technician
2016 Noha Haggag, Herbarium Technician
2016 Garrett Hess*, Herbarium Technician
2016 Carlos Olivares*, Herbarium Technician
2016-current Megan King*, Herbarium Technician, from May 15 2016 – Collections Manager
2016 Victoria Cusimano*, Herbarium Technician
2016 Jessica Ray*, Herbarium Technician
2015 Dorian Wilkerson, Herbarium Technician
2015 Patricia Chan, Herbarium Technician
2015 Lauren Brough, Herbarium Technician
2014-current Rachel Rodriguez*, Herbarium Technician
2013-2016 Jill Azzolini*, Digitization and Herbarium Technician,
upgraded to Interim Collections Manager, then Collections Manager (2015-2016)
2013 Ashleigh Rosier, Digitization Technician
2013 Elizabeth Pyshnik, Digitization Technician
2013 Karina Moy, Digitization Technician
2011-2012 Kendra Avenger, Digitization Technician
2011-2012 Charlene Smith, Digitization Technician
2008-2011 Sean Lynch, Digitization Technician
2008-2009 Amanda Giesler, Digitization Technician
2008-2009 Sara Mellor, Digitization Technician
2008-2009 Charles Oropallo, Digitization Technician
2008-2009 Ellie Sine, Digitization Technician
2008-2009 Santiago Salicrup, Digitization Technician
2008-2009 Jennifer Huang, Digitization Technician
2008-2009 Katherine Douglas, Digitization Technician
2008-2009 Nathan Rausch, Digitization Technician
2008-2009 Lindsey Harrington, Digitization Technician
2007-2009 Neha Gutham, Herbarium Assistant
2007 Dakota Goldinger, Herbarium Assistant
2004-2005 Sherezade Dubash, Herbarium Assistant
2005-2006 Shrada Gottumukkala, Herbarium Assistant
2005-2006 Kristen Paul, Herbarium Assistant