List of potential advisers
SSI 2014
BOTANY
Dr. Dylan Burge, Curator
dburge@calacademy.org
415-379-5364
Understanding the evolution of ecological traits remains one of the greatest challenges for
biologists of the twenty-first century. The threat of major biodiversity losses due to humancaused climate change makes the task even more urgent. One of the most important ecological
factors limiting the growth and survival of plants is the relationship between plants and their
soils, also known as edaphic ecology. Unfortunately, scientists have only a limited
understanding of how plants adapt to unusual soils, and how this phenomenon influences the
overall evolutionary trajectory of plant lineages.
Dylan Burge’s Research uses molecular phylogenetic, genomic, and population genetic tools,
combined with experiments, to test hypotheses on the role that soil chemistry plays in plant
adaptation, speciation, and diversification. Dylan works on these problems in several groups of
plants, including California lilacs (Ceanothus), jewel flowers (Streptanthus), and incense cedar
(Calocedrus). Other project include floristic analyses in north America (quantitative floristics),
and the evolution of phenology in wine grapes. Dylan welcomes applications from potential
interns interested in any of these projects, but is especially interested in students who wish to
learn more about genomic analysis and plant adaptation.
1
BOTANY
Peter Fritsch, Curator
pfritsch@calacademy.org
415-379-5356
Peter Fritsch received his Ph.D. in 1995 from the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Program
in Botany and the Claremont Graduate School. He joined the Academy's staff in 1996. His
primary research focuses on the systematics, biogeography, and evolution of the flowering plant
order Ericales, a group that includes the blueberries (Vaccinium), wintergreens (Gaultheria), and
persimmons (Diospyros), among many others. Many of the plants in this order are disjunct
relicts, which means that they were once widespread but are now restricted in range to discrete
and widely separated areas of the earth due to climate change. Dr. Fritsch uses a combination
of morphological and molecular approaches on these groups to understand their species
diversity, evolutionary relationships, and adaptations to particular environments. These studies
can lead to a better overall understanding of the effects and significance of climate change on
the world's biota.
Potential Project: The wintergreen group of the heath family of flowering plants (Ericaceae)
contains several genera, the largest of which is Gaultheria, containing about 100 species. This
genus is the original source for oil of wintergreen (methyl salicylate), commonly used in candies
and as a topical pain reliever, and has been defined partly by the presence of this compound in
the species of the genus, and also by the possession of a brightly colored fleshy persistent calyx
in the fruiting stage. Recent evidence from DNA sequence data shows that the genus does not
form a natural group because the other genera of wintergreens, i.e., Tepuia from northern South
America and Diplycosia from Southeast Asia, are phylogenetically nested within it. We will
develop a revised classification for the wintergreen group using morphological characters as
mapped onto the phylogenetic tree derived from molecular data. We will create dichotomous
keys and, time allowing, an interactive key to the clades in this group. Mapping the
morphological characters on the tree will test the adaptive value of methyl salicylate and other
characters in the group, and the re-classification will be important for facilitating communication
about this group in biodiversity and conservation studies in which its constituent species occur.
2
ENTOMOLOGY
Dr. Brian L. Fisher, Curator at CAS; Adjunct Professor at UC Berkeley
bfisher@calacademy.org
Often found hip-deep in Madagascar mud, Brian Fisher is a modern day explorer who has
devoted his life to the study and conservation of ants and biodiversity around the world. He
created the annual Ant Course in 2001, AntWeb in 2002, and the Madagascar Biodiversity
Center in 2004. His research sends him through the last remote rainforests and deserts of
Madagascar and Africa in search of ants. Although his subjects may be small in stature, they
make a huge impact on their ecosystems. And what they lack in size, they more than make up
for in numbers.
The SSI intern will conduct research with Brian and other members of the Ant lab to study the
evolution and taxonomy of male ants. They will learn specialized imaging and dissection
techniques to discover morphological characters to distinguish ant genera in Madagascar.
Depending on the outcomes of the research, the results will be published with the SSI intern as
an author.
3
ENTOMOLOGY
Dr. Charles Griswold, Curator, Schlinger Chair
cgriswold@calacademy.org
415-379-5312
Charles is Curator of Arachnida at CAS and Adjunct Professor at San Francisco State
University and University of California at Berkeley. He studies arachnid evolution and
biogeography with a worldwide focus. This year’s SSI intern will conduct research with Charles
and other members of the Arachnology lab to study the evolution and taxonomy of harvestmen
(see above) or spiders. The intern will compile, analyze and integrate taxonomic, phylogenetic
and biogeographic information. Tools will include light and scanning electron microscopy,
comparative anatomy and morphology, molecular phylogenetics and DNA “barcoding”, and
Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
There is more about Charles and his lab at:
http://research.calacademy.org/ent/staff/cgriswold
4
HERPETOLOGY
Dr. David Blackburn, Assistant Curator
dblackburn@calacademy.org
415-379-5375
Dave Blackburn studies the diversity and evolution of amphibians, especially frogs and
especially in Africa. This work involves the discovery and descriptions of new species and
determining evolutionary relationships. These pieces form the building blocks of larger studies
focused on the deep-time history of Africa as well as how and why shapes and sizes of frogs
change through time. A great deal of work is also now focused on understanding the origin,
spread, and genetic diversity of a fungal pathogen implicated in declines and extinctions of
amphibians. Potential projects include: descriptions of new species of frogs based on
morphological and molecular data; testing hypotheses of the role of biogeographic barriers
(such as rivers) in structuring the genetics of populations; estimation of higher-level
relationships among lineages of African frogs using multi-locus DNA data; characterization of
morphological diversity of male secondary sexual characters and interpretation of their evolution
in a phylogenetic context; and analysis of fungal genetic diversity from recently collected field
specimens.
5
ICHTHYOLOGY
Dr. Luiz Rocha, Assistant Curator, Follett Chair
lrocha@calacademy.org
415-379-5370
Luiz Rocha received his PhD from the University of Florida in 2003 and joined the Academy in
2011. His research interests and experience are centered on the evolution, phylogeography (or
the geographic distribution of genetic lineages), biogeography, molecular systematics, genomics
and community and behavioral ecology of coral reef and coastal marine fishes. He frequently
tries to combine these fields, invoking ecology to help explain evolutionary patterns and using
molecular tools to test biogeographic and systematic hypotheses. The overall objective of this
interdisciplinary research is to test existing hypotheses (and propose new ones) about what
generates and maintains the extremely high biodiversity in tropical coral reefs. Current projects
include:
1) Phylogeography of Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific reef fishes: using molecular markers to
test biogeographic hypotheses and estimate species evolutionary histories.
2) Reef fish molecular systematics and taxonomy: using DNA sequences to estimate species
relationships by generation cladograms, and compare DNA hypotheses with previously
published morphological hypotheses.
3) Search for cryptic species: comparing DNA barcode sequences and morphological
characters across several locations within a species to potentially find previously unrecognized
taxa.
6
INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY & GEOLOGY
Dr. Terrence M. Gosliner, Senior Curator
tgosliner@calacademy.org
Terry's research on the systematics, phylogenetics and comparative biology of nudibranchs and
other sea slugs focuses on the implications of phylogenies in understanding evolution of shellloss, mimicry, and other comparative aspects of the evolution of these animals. He has studied
the diversity of these mollusks along the California coast for more than 40 years. Most recently,
this work employs evolutionary studies to develop new strategies for conservation of Philippine
reefs in the center of the center of marine biodiversity. He develops key collaborations with
research institutions, conservation organizations, and large public exhibits to bring these
findings to diverse audiences. Potential projects include:
1) Systematics of Indo-Pacific nudibranchs.
2) Descriptions of new species of Philippine nudibranchs using molecular and morphological
techniques.
You can learn more about Dr. Gosliner's research at:
http://research.calacademy.org/izg/staff/tgosliner
7
INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY & GEOLOGY
Dr. Rich Mooi, Curator and REU Site Director
rmooi@calacademy.org
415-379-5270
Rich Mooi received his Master's and Doctoral degrees from the University of Toronto, Canada,
and has been with the Academy since 1990. He studies the systematics, phylogeny,
paleontology, and biogeography of echinoderms, particularly sea urchins and sand dollars. His
field work has included submersible dives off the Bahamas, paleontology in Alaska, ship-based
collecting in Antarctica, and shallow- and deep-water expeditions in the Philippines. His
research can be summarized as the study of the origins of evolutionary novelty, for which the
Echinodermata constitutes an excellent model system. These studies are culminating in a
theory that describes the homologies and evolutionary relationships among major clades
throughout the phylum Echinodermata. Example projects include, but are not limited to:
1) Origin and evolution of the northeastern Pacific sand dollar fauna (Clypeasteroida:
Echinoidea). An examination of both Recent and fossil genera to develop cladistic and
morphometric analyses that will examine the origins of this fauna.
2) Phylogenetics of the clypeasterine sand dollars. Although there are over 40 nominal species
in the genus Clypeaster, morphometrics will be necessary to determine validity of these with
the hope of using specimens to develop characters for a phylogenetic analysis.
3) Phylogenetic placement and biogeographic studies of Philippine sea urchins from any of a
variety of major groups collected during the expeditions of 2011, 2014, and 2015.
8
INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY & GEOLOGY
Dr. Peter Roopnarine, Curator
proopnarine@calacademy.org
415-379-5271
Peter Roopnarine received his Ph.D. in Geology from the University of California Davis, and
also holds degrees in Biology and Oceanography. He has been with the Academy since 1999.
He studies a variety of topics in paleontology and evolutionary biology, including the dynamics
of extinction, modelling ancient and modern ecosystems, and the evolutionary paleoecology of
tropical American marine molluscs. Together, these topics focus on developing a theoretical
basis for understanding the role of ecological diversity in the evolution and extinction of species.
Potential projects include:
1) Morphometric description and biogeography of a widespread genus of marine bivalves in the
tropical western Atlantic, ranging from the Oligocene to the Recent.
2) Building a food web for the San Francisco Bay and related offshore habitats, including more
than 1,300 species, using the Academy's collections and other data.
3) Examining evolutionary and ecological change in Miocene-Pliocene marine communities of
the Dominican Republic using morphometric analysis, quantitative ecological analysis, and
multiple species of molluscs.
More information can be found at http://zeus.calacademy.org/ and
http://zeus.calacademy.org/roopnarine/peter.html
9
INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY & GEOLOGY
Dr. Gary Williams, Curator
gwilliams@calacademy.org
415-379-5244
Gary Williams studies the systematics and biogeography of octocorals, as well as the history of
research and exploration. His work involves coral communities from various parts of the world
and includes coral reefs as well as deep-sea corals. Octocorals include some of the most
beautiful and morphologically diverse animals in the world's oceans - these are the soft corals,
sea fans, and sea pens. They are a group of corals characterized by having eight feathery
tentacles surrounding the mouth of each polyp.
Potential projects include:
1) Systematics and biogeography of corals in different biogeographic regions, as well as those
restricted to a particular region – such as coral reefs of the Philippines in the western Pacific
2) From east to west – biogeographic comparisons of coral reef gorgonians between the South
China Sea and the western Pacific
3) Distributional patterns of gorgonians and sea pens by depth.
Additional information can be found at the Octocoral Research Center website:
http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/izg/orc_home.html
10
MICROBIOLOGY
Dr. Shannon N. Bennett, Associate Curator
sbennett@calacademy.org
415-379-5334
Shannon Bennett received her Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia in 1999 and has
been with the Academy since 2011. Her research focuses on the evolution, ecology and
molecular drivers of viral diversity and emergence, integrating a combination of molecular
biology, bioinformatics, virology, and invertebrate animal models of infection. She is particularly
interested in the comparative molecular diversification of fast-evolving RNA viruses under
different epidemiological and ecological conditions, transmission dynamics and life history
modes.
Projects might include, but are not limited to:
1) Metagenomic analysis of mosquito-borne micro-organisms.
2) Identifying the phylogenetic structure and molecular drivers of diversification in dengue virus.
3) Exploring the biodiversity of Hantaviruses across small mammal populations.
11