MICHELLE E. AFKHAMI University of Toronto 25 Willcocks St Toronto, ON Canada M5S 3B2 University of Toronto Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology michelleafkhami.wordpress.com michelle.afkhami@gmail.com Phone: 416-946-5986 (lab) 713-417-4102 (mobile) Positions and Education Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Departmental Research Fellow, Nov 2013 - Present University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Supervisor: John Stinchcombe Ph.D. – Population Biology, completed 2013. University of California, Davis, CA (GPA: 4.0/4.0) Ph.D. Committee: Sharon Strauss (advisor), Kevin Rice, Jennifer Rudgers, and John Stachowicz M.A. – Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (thesis-based), completed 2007, conferred Jan 2008. Rice University, Houston, TX. (GPA: 4.0/4.0) Thesis Committee: Jennifer Rudgers (advisor), Kenneth Whitney, and Julian N. Holland B.S. – Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, completed 2006. Rice University, Houston, TX. (GPA: 3.973/4.0, Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) Honors Thesis advisors: Joan Strassmann and David Queller Publications and Completed Manuscripts *indicates undergraduate coauthor (A) Published, In Press, and Accepted Afkhami, M.E., J.A. Rudgers, and J.J. Stachowicz. (In press) Multiple Mutualist Effects: The importance of mutualist diversity in ecology. Ecology. Gorischek, A.M.*, M.E. Afkhami, E.K. Seifert, and J.A. Rudgers. (2013) Fungal symbionts as manipulators of reproductive biology. The American Naturalist. 181: 562-570. **Science News article on this paper: Pennisi, E. (March 2013) available at http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2013/03/fungus-get-off-my-lawn.html Afkhami, M. E. (2012) Fungal endophyte-grass symbioses are rare in the California floristic province and other regions with Mediterranean-influenced climates. Fungal Ecology special issue. 5: 345-352. Afkhami, M. E. and J. A Rudgers. (2009) Endophyte-mediated resistance to herbivores depends on herbivore identity in the wild grass, Festuca subverticillata. Environ. Entomology. 38: 1086-1095. Rudgers, J.A., M. E. Afkhami, M. A. Rúa, A. J. Davitt, S. Hammer, and V. M. Huguet. (2009) A fungus among us: broad patterns of endophyte distribution in the grasses. Ecology. 90(6): 1531-1539. Afkhami, M. E. and J. A. Rudgers. (2008) Symbiosis Lost: Imperfect vertical transmission of fungal endophytes in grasses. The American Naturalist. 172(3): 405-416. Afkhami, M. E. and J. E. Strassmann. (2007) Adult Yellow-crowned Night-herons face in opposite directions at the nest. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 119(4):747–749. (B) In Revision, Review, and Completed Afkhami, M.E., P.J. McIntyre, S.Y. Strauss. (In review) Biotic interactions as determinants of range limits: Linking species distribution models with field experiments shows mutualist-mediated range expansion. Ecology Letters. Charlton, N.D., K.D. Craven, M.E. Afkhami, G.A. Swoboda, B.A. Hall, S.R. Ghimire, and C.A. Young. (In review) Genetic diversity in epichloid endophytes of Bromus laevipes provides evidence for independent hybridization events. FEMS Microbiology Ecology Afkhami, M.E., M. Mateo*, and S.Y. Strauss. (Completed manuscript) Native fungal endophytes act as keystone species affecting plant and arthropod community diversity. Ecology Letters. Manuscripts In Prep *indicates undergraduate coauthor Afkhami, M.E. and S.Y. Strauss. (In prep) Range-wide experimental test of mutualist-mediated effects on the niche in a grass-fungal endophyte symbiosis. Afkhami, M.E., D.L. Mahler, J.H. Burns, M.F., Wojciechowski, and S.Y. Strauss. (In prep) Impact of nodulation with N-fixing bacteria on diversification of legumes. M.L. Friesen, Afkhami, M.E., E. Akcay, J.L. Bronstein, R. Bshary, M.E. Frederickson, K.D. Heath, J. Hoeksema, J. Ness, S. Pankey, S.S. Porter, J.L. Sachs, K. Scharnagl, J. Stachowicz, and E.I. Jones. (In prep) Cheaters must prosper: a critical analysis of the concept of cheating in mutualism. Quarterly Review of Biology. Honors, Awards, and Fellowships Total Raised ≈ $750,000 2014 – National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, Plant Genome Init. ($207,000) 2013 – National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, Plant Genome Init. ($207,000, Declined) Ecology and Evol. Biology Departmental Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Toronto ($80,000) 2012 -- Mrs. George F. Jewett, Jr. Scholar, Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Award ($10,000) Dean’s Mentorship Award, College of Biological Sciences ($5,000) Hardman Foundation Research Award ($2,100) Max Planck Institute Integral Projection Modeling Course Accommodations Scholarship American Association of University Women Dissertation Fellowship Alternate 2011 -- ARCS Scholar, Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Award ($10,000) Hardman Foundation Research Award ($2,500) Center for Population Biology Travel Grant ($500) 2010 -- National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant ($14,991) Center for Population Biology Research Grant ($2,100) Center for Population Biology Travel Grant ($800) 2009 -- Mildred E. Mathias Graduate Student Research Grant ($1,729) Center for Population Biology Research Grant ($1,500) 2008 -- Center for Population Biology Research Grant ($1,700) Golden Key International Honour Society 2007 -- National Science Foundation Graduate Student Fellowship ($121,500) UC Davis Graduate Student Match Fellowship ($40,500) Bodega Marine Laboratory Travel Grant Award ($975) 2006 -- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Endowed Fellowship ($35,033) The Julian Huxley Best Thesis Award, Dept. of Ecology and Evol. Biology, Rice University ($100) Teaching and Mentoring Experience (A) Teaching 2011-2 2007 2004-5 Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology and Evolution Insect Biology Organic Chemistry (Readership) UC Davis Rice University Rice University (B) Mentoring Dean’s Mentorship Award for outstanding mentor of UC Davis College of Bio Sciences undergrads Total Mentored = 33 Undergraduate and 2 High School Students (Included 17 women, 6 under-represented minority students, and 3 students with disabilities) *indicates student went on to hold a research job (Total = 17) **indicates student also went on (or plans to go on) to graduate school in ecology, evolution, or related field (Total = 9) UC Davis: Sharleen Agvateesiri, Aaron Alokozai*, Mitchell Bamford**, Audrey Duong, Desalegn Ejigu*, Dai Fukumoto, Naisha Gaines*, Kyle Garrone (SUREE Intern), Lindsey Hack**, Sergei Horowitz, Michael Hower, Caprice Lee** (Awarded: Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology Symposium’s Best Oral Presentation, 2011), Christopher Liao, Kristina Mardinian, Megan Mateo**, Kristin Matsumoto*, Melissa Moore**, Dayna Napolillo*, Scott Peacock, Achille Peiris, Tran Phan*, Grant Reed*, Nicholas Sou, Thuy Tran**, Kathryn Weldon, Travis Winter Rice University: Olivia Bartlett**, Carina Baskett**, John Land*, William Valencia, (Awarded: Paul Wheeler and Joy Gooch Undergraduate Research Award, $200) Howard University: Brittany Stallworth** (Evolution and Ecology Graduate Admissions Pathway Program; see us at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ9hB0nLCyc&feature=youtu.be) Young Scholars High School Students: Nicholas Meyer, Jorge Vargas Service, Professional Societies, and Workshops (A) Service Population Biology Graduate Group Admissions Committee (2011-2012) The graduate student representative on committee that determines admittance to the Population Biology Graduate Group. Kids into Discovering Science (KiDS) Field Trip (2011, 2012, 2013) Co-designed/ran ecology modules for annual field trip to McLaughlin research reserve for 5th graders from a low income, rural school. 2011 module: Disturbance and Diversity; 2012 module: Predator-Prey Interactions in Serpentine vs. Non-Serpentine Communities. 2013: Trained other grad students on module. Quail Ridge Reserve Advisory Committee (2009-2011) The graduate student representative on committee that oversees the maintenance and future direction of Quail Ridge Reserve. Picnic Day Community Outreach: Native Grass and Wildflower Booth (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) Organized/ran a booth each year that provides information, seeds, and plants to teach the general public about native plants and native gardening. Reviewer for: African J. of Agriculture, Ecol. Entomology, Ecol. Research, Ecology (2), Evolution, Fungal Ecology (2), J. of Ecology (2), J. of Medicinal Plant Research, Oecologica, Plant and Soil, IIASA Peccei and Mikhalevich Awards Additional Service: 2013 -Center for Population Biology Seminar Speaker Host for Megan Frederickson 2012 -- Evolution and Ecology Faculty Search Graduate Student Panel Member Center for Population Biology Postdoc Search Graduate Student Panel Member Picnic Day Community Outreach Organizational Committee Graduate Student Recruitment Field Trip to Quail Ridge Reserve Organizer Evol. and Ecology Seminar Speaker Nominator/Host for Jennifer Rudgers 2011 -- Chancellor’s Ambassador for University of California, Davis Center Population Biology Workshop on Hierarchical Models Co-organizer Graduate Student Recruitment Field Trip to Quail Ridge Reserve Co-Organizer 2010 -- Evolution of Mutualism Seminar Class Co-Organizer Evol. and Ecology Seminar Speaker Nominator/Host for Judith Bronstein 2009 -- Symbiosis Discussion Group Co-organizer (B) Professional Societies (within last 5 years) American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Botanical Society of America (BSA), Ecological Society of America (ESA), Center for Population Biology (CPB), Mycological Society of America (MSA), Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) International (C) Workshops and Working Groups NCEAS Working Group on Cheating in Mutualisms (2012-13), AMF Methods Workshop (2013), Max Planck Institute’s Integral Projection Modeling Course (2012), Ecological Society of America’s Integral Projection Modeling Workshop (2012), Center for Population Biology Workshops on: Phylogenetics Methods (2013), Hierarchical Models (2011), R Tools (2008), and Coevolution (2008) Select Presentations Total = 22 presentations Afkhami, M.E. (upcoming) Biotic interactions as determinants of range limits: Linking species distribution models with field experiments shows mutualist-mediated range expansion. University of Toronto St. George. Canada. (Invited Seminar) Afkhami, M.E. (2014) Mutualistic interaction expands species range limits. University of Toronto Mississauga. Canada. (Invited Seminar) Afkhami, M.E. (2013) Mutualistic interaction expands species range limits across large geographic scales. Center for Population Biology, Davis, CA. (Invited Seminar) Afkhami, M.E. and S.Y. Strauss (2012) Mutualism’s effects on niche theory and community ecology in a grass-fungal endophyte symbiosis. Dept. of Plant Pathology. Davis, CA. (Invited Seminar) Afkhami, M.E. and S.Y. Strauss (2012) Mutualist-mediated niche expansion and differentiation in a grass-fungal endophyte symbiosis: Linking an experimental test of drought tolerance to rangewide patterns of mutualist-mediated niche effects. Ecological Society of America. Portland, OR. Young, C.A., N.D. Charlton, J.E. Takach, G.A. Swoboda, B. Hall, J. Pan, C.L. Schardl, K.D. Craven and M.E. Afkhami (2012) Genotypic and chemotypic diversity of epichloid endophytes. 7th International Symposium on the Molecular Breeding of Forage and Turf. Salt Lake City, UT. (Invited). Afkhami, M.E. (2012) Mutualist-mediated niche expansion and differentiation in a newly discovered grass-fungal endophyte symbiosis. Mathias Symposium. Bodega Bay, CA. (Invited) Afkhami, M.E. and S.Y. Strauss (2012) Mutualist-mediated niche expansion and differentiation in a wild grass-fungal endophyte symbiosis at a rangewide scale. Symbiosis. Yosemite National Park, CA. Afkhami, M.E. and S.Y. Strauss (2011) Mutualistic endophyte may confer resistance to enemies resulting in niche expansion of its grass host. Ecological Society of America. Austin, TX. Afkhami, M.E. and P.J. McIntyre (2010) Niche expansion and partitioning mediated by mutualism in a native grass-fungal endophyte symbiosis. Ecological Society of America. Pittsburgh, PA. Afkhami, M.E. and P.J. McIntyre (2010) Mutualist-mediated niche expansion and partitioning in a newlydiscovered native grass fungal endophyte symbiosis. International Symposium on Fungal Endophyte of Grasses (ISFEG) – Mycological Society of America (MSA) Joint Meeting. Lexington, KY. Afkhami, M.E. and J.A. Rudgers (2010) Symbiosis Lost: Imperfect vertical transmission of fungal endophytes in native grasses. ISFEG – MSA Joint Meeting. Lexington, KY. Afkhami, M. E. and J. A. Rudgers (2009) Context-dependency of a symbiotic mutualism: Benefits of fungal endophytes to the native, wild grass Festuca subverticillata depend on herbivore identity. Ecological Society of America. Albuquerque, NM. Afkhami, M. E. and J. A. Rudgers (2007) Impact of herbivory and drought on imperfect vertical transmission of fungal endophytes in native grass species. Gordon Conference. Ventura, CA Afkhami, M. E. and J. A. Rudgers (2007) Imperfect vertical transmission of fungal endophytes in native grass species. Ecological Society of America – Society for Ecological Restoration Joint Conference. San Jose, CA. Afkhami, M.E. Imperfect vertical transmission of fungal endophytes in native grasses. (2007) Rice University. Houston, TX. (Invited Seminar) Afkhami, M. E. and J. A. Rudgers (2006) Imperfect vertical transmission in grass-endophyte symbioses. Syracuse University. Syracuse, NY. (Invited)