MELISSA E. KEMP
Harvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Museum of Comparative Zoology Laboratories
26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
www.melissakemp.com • mkemp@fas.harvard.edu
410-608-4510
EDUCATION
2010 - 2015
Ph.D., Biological Sciences - Ecology and Evolution, Stanford University
2006 - 2010
B.A., Biology with Departmental Honors, Williams College
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
2015 - Present
Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University Center for the Environment & National
Science Foundation
AWARDS AND HONORS
2015
Alfred Sherwood Romer Prize, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology, National Science Foundation
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Harvard University Center for the Environment
2014
Graduate Research Opportunities Worldwide Fellow, National Science Foundation
2013
Young Explorer's Grant, National Geographic Society
DARE Doctoral Fellowship, Stanford University
Grants-in-aid of Research, Sigma Xi
III World Summit on Evolution Travel Award, National Evolutionary
Synthesis Center
2012
Graduate Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation
Lewis and Clark Field Scholar, American Philosophical Society
Albert E. Wood Award, Society for Vertebrate Paleontology
Student Travel Award, Paleontological Society
Travel Award, Stanford University - Ecology and Evolution Group
Jackson School of Geosciences Student Travel Award,
Society for Vertebrate Paleontology
2011
NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
2010
Undergraduate Diversity Mentoring Program and Travel Award,
Society of Molecular Biology and Evolution
NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
2009
Travel Award, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Melissa E. Kemp
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AWARDS AND HONORS (CONTINUED)
2008
Exceptional Research Opportunities Program (EXROP) Scholar,
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Department of Biology 1960s Scholar, Williams College
2007
LifeBridge Scholar, LifeBridge Health
2006
Questbridge Scholar, Williams College
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Doctoral Research: Department of Biology, Stanford University, 2010 - Present
Fossil lizards tell tales: Resurrecting the past to forecast the future of Caribbean lizards.
Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth A. Hadly
Research: I integrate ancient DNA, paleontological excavations, and macroevolutionary
comparative methods in order to elucidate how lizard communities in the Caribbean have been
impacted by environmental perturbations since the Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene.
Supervisory Experience: Supervised one undergraduate honors thesis; mentored two
undergraduates in Caribbean field biology/paleontology and phylogenetic comparative methods;
mentored one undergraduate in ancient DNA methodology.
Undergraduate Honors Research: Department of Biology, Williams College. 2009 – 2010
Temporal and spatial constraints to gene flow in the boreal chorus frog
Advisor: Dr. David Smith
Research: I used microsatellite data from three temporally discrete populations of Pseudacris
maculata in order to elucidate spatial drivers of genetic divergence in the insular system of Isle
Royale, Michigan.
Undergraduate Research Assistant: NSF Coral Triangle PIRE project (Bali, Indonesia). Summer
2009
Advisor: Dr. Paul Barber
Research: Extracted and sequenced mitochondrial DNA from the clownfish Amphiprion clarkii in
order to identify dispersal barriers in its native range.
Undergraduate Research Assistant: The Salk Institute. Summer 2008
Advisor: Dr. Joanne Chory
Research: Used qPCR in Arabidopsis thaliana to identify genes involved in the shade avoidance
syndrome pathway.
Undergraduate Research Assistant: Dept. of Chemistry, Williams College. 2007 – 2009
Advisor: Dr. Anne Skinner
Research: Prepared samples from archaeological sites for Electron Spin Resonance dating.
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FIELDWORK EXPERIENCE
Dissertation Fieldwork 08/2012; 05/2013; 04/2014 - 05/2014
Location: Guadeloupe Archipelago, French Overseas Territory. Research: I examined islands within
the Guadeloupe Archipelago (Grande-Terre, La Desirade, and Marie-Galante) for archaeological and
paleontological sites containing squamate subfossils. I assisted with the excavation of Blanchard
Cave (Marie-Galante; 2013 - 2014).
Undergraduate Research 01/2008
Location: Isla Cerralvo, Mexico. Research: Identified fossil coral reef outcrops and mapped ancient
storm deposits.
Undergraduate Research 06/2007 - 08/2007
Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia. Research: Excavated the site of President George Washington's
childhood house (Ferry Farm), screened sediments, and sorted archaeological material.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2014
Co-Instructor, Geographic Impacts of Climate Change: Mapping the Stories
(Biology 128). Stanford University.
-Developed course syllabus and assignments, lectured and organized weekly discussions,
evaluated student performance. Produced ArcGIS Story Map for CA policy makers.
-Press Coverage: KCET Los Angeles, The Stanford Report
-Project featured on the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research
climate change website.
Teaching Assistant, Ecology for Everyone (Biology 30). Stanford University.
-Organized group assignments, evaluated student performance.
2011
Teaching Assistant, Ecology (Biology 101). Stanford University.
-Led weekly discussion sections, developed exams, evaluated student
performance.
Teaching Assistant, Ecology Evolution and Plant Biology (Biology 43).
Stanford University.
-Lectured at weekly review sessions, developed exams, evaluated
student performance.
PEER-REVIEWED MANUSCRIPTS
M.E. Kemp and E.A. Hadly. 2015. Early Holocene turnover in a lizard assemblage from Anguilla,
British West Indies. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2015.12.007
M.E. Kemp and E.A. Hadly. 2015. Extinction biases in Quaternary Caribbean lizards. Global Ecology
and Biogeography 24: 1281–1289.
A.M. Mychajliw, M.E. Kemp, and E.A. Hadly. 2015. Using the Anthropocene as a teaching,
communication and community engagement opportunity. The Anthropocene Review 2 (3): 267–278.
Melissa E. Kemp
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MANUSCRIPTS IN REVIEW
* Denotes shared first authorship
C. Bochaton* and M.E. Kemp*. Reconstructing the body sizes of Quaternary lizards using Ameiva
(Meyer, 1975) and Anolis (Daudin, 1802) as case studies. In Review.
M.E. Kemp and E.A. Hadly. Rocking earth’s biodiversity cradle: challenges, advances, and
prospects for conservation paleontology in the tropics. In Review.
K.S. Solari, H.K. Frank, L.O. Frishkoff, J.L. Hsu, M.E. Kemp, A.M. Mychajliw, E.A. Hadly.
Opportunity for some, extinction for others: the fate of species in the Anthropocene. In Review.
BOOK CHAPTERS
* Denotes shared first authorship
A.M. Mychajliw*, M.E. Kemp*, S.E. Truebe, and E.A. Hadly. “Mapping the stories of global
change: an exercise in science teaching and communication.” In STEM and GIS in Higher Education.
D. Cowen (Ed). In Press.
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
†
Denotes presenter
M.E. Kemp†. Conservation Paleobiology as the lens for viewing the future: Caribbean lizards as a
case study. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Dallas, Texas. October 2015.
M.E. Kemp†. Designing Nature: Islands. Conservation Paleobiology Symposium. Berkeley,
California. September 2015.
M.E. Kemp†. Quaternary extinction-colonization dynamics in insular lizards reveal patterns of
selectivity and increasing community heterogeneity. Ecological Society of America. Baltimore,
Maryland. August 2015.
M.E. Kemp† and E.A. Hadly. Selectivity and heterogeneity of extinction in Caribbean lizard
communities. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Berlin, Germany. November 2014.
M.E. Kemp, C. Bochaton†, S. Bailon, S. Grouard, I. Ineich, A. Tresset. Evaluating the interplay
between human colonization, extinction, and body size on insular squamates: the Guadeloupean
archipelago as a case study. International Conference of Archaeozoology. Mendoza, Argentina.
September 2014.
M.E. Kemp† and E.A. Hadly. Size-biased extinction exhibited by Quaternary Caribbean lizards.
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Los Angeles, California. October 2013.
M.E. Kemp†. What do genes from fossils tell us? An integrated approach to elucidating the
evolutionary history of Caribbean faunal assemblages. Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle. Paris,
France. June 2013.
Melissa E. Kemp
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ORAL PRESENTATIONS (CONTINUED)
M.E. Kemp†. What do genes from fossils tell us? An integrated approach to elucidating the
evolutionary history of Caribbean faunal assemblages. Network for Neotropical Biogeography.
Miami, Florida . January 2013.
M.E. Kemp† and P.H. Barber. Population genetics of Amphiprion clarkii in the Coral Triangle.
Diversity Project Research Symposium. Denpasar, Indonesia. August 2009.
M.E. Kemp†, B. Cole, J. Chory. Genetic and phenotypic responses to shade in plants. University of
California San Diego Summer Research Conference. La Jolla, California. August 2008.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
†
Denotes presenter
S.G. Scarpetta, M.E. Kemp†, and E.A. Hadly. Ancient DNA and the role of island fragmentation in
divergence of lizards of the genus Ameiva. Society for Vertebrate Paleontology, Los Angeles,
California. October 2013.
M.E. Kemp† and E.A. Hadly. Using the Quaternary fossil record to understand the spatiotemporal
richness of Caribbean lizard communities. III World Summit on Evolution, San Cristóbal, Ecuador.
June 2013.
M.E. Kemp† and E.A. Hadly. Using the Quaternary fossil record to understand the spatiotemporal
richness of Caribbean lizard communities. International Biogeography Society, Miami, Florida.
January 2013.
M.E. Kemp† and E.A. Hadly. Is modal body size an evolutionary attractor? Anolis as a case study.
Society for Vertebrate Paleontology, Raleigh, North Carolina. October 2012.
M.E. Kemp† and E.A. Hadly. Holocene loss of lagomorph species richness in the Great Basin of
North America. Society for Vertebrate Paleontology, Las Vegas, Nevada. November 2011.
M.E. Kemp† and D.C. Smith. Distance along shore, not habitat, constrains gene flow in the boreal
chorus frog: A study of spatial and temporal constraints to gene flow. Society for Molecular Biology
and Evolution, Lyon, France. July 2010.
M.E. Kemp† and D.C. Smith. Temporal and spatial constraints to gene flow in the boreal chorus
frog. Williams College Department of Biology. Williamstown, Massachusetts. May 2010.
M.E. Kemp† and P.H. Barber. Population genetics of Amphiprion clarkii in the Coral Triangle.
Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. Phoenix, Arizona.
November 2009.
M.E. Kemp†, B. Cole, J. Chory. Genetic and phenotypic responses to shade in plants. HHMI
EXROP Conference. Chevy Chase, Maryland. May 2009.
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OUTREACH AND SERVICE
2014
Peer Mentor, The Diversity Project
-Advised 5 undergraduate students from Historically Black Colleges and
Universities about graduate school opportunities. Helped students design field
projects and conduct DNA extractions in Mo’orea, French Polynesia.
Mentor, First-Generation/Low-Income Program
-Provide mentorship and support for first-generation college students at
Stanford University.
2013 - present
Ambassador, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
-Engage Bay Area K-12 students with Paleontology.
2010 - present
Academic Tutor, East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring
-Tutor low-income high school students twice a week.
2009 - 2010
Mentor, Purple Mountain Scholars Program
-Provided mentorship and support for first-generation college
freshmen at Williams College.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
International Biogeography Society
The Paleontological Society
Sigma Xi
The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
The Society for the Study of Evolution
WORKSHOPS ATTENDED
2011
Bodega Bay Phylogenetics Workshop. Bodega Bay, CA.
Macroevolutionary Methods in R. Santa Barbara, CA.
MISCELLANEOUS SKILLS
Computer: Adobe Photoshop, ArcGIS Online, CSS, HTML, Microsoft Office Suite (Word,
PowerPoint, Excel), R.
Languages: English (Native), Italian (Proficient), French (Basic Competency)
Melissa E. Kemp
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