Laura Figueroa (postdoctoral researcher) is an evolutionary biologist interested in population genetics, ecological physiology, and landscape genomics. During her M.Sc (UMSNH, Mexico) and her PhD at UNAM (Mexico) she identified historical migration events, divergence and adaptive processes in pinyon pines. Laura is currently working on transcriptome assembly and annotation, differential expression and DNA methylation in white pine species. She enjoys solving puzzles and listening to rock music.

Sean Collins is a PhD student at the NAU School of Forestry. His research centers around examining how a population, or a community, interact with their environment and respond to stress. His undergraduate research focused on how stress affected metabolic rate and disease resistance in red-backed salamanders. As a M.Sc student, his research focused on using environmental DNA metabarcoding to characterize amphibian communities. His interest in bioinformatics and genetic approaches blossomed as a graduate student. He then made the jump to population genomics and he is interested in learning more about the interplay between genomic variation and stress tolerance. Sean is currently working on the population and quantitative genomics of Ponderosa pine. His other greatest passions, outside of research, are mountain biking and road cycling.

Kailey Baesen (Lab Manager and MSc student) is interested in genomic approaches to evolutionary biology, bioinformatics and population structure. Over the course of her undergraduate, she had developed deep interests in plant genetics and understanding the natural world around her through a genetic lens. She hopes to use her experience studying biology to help answer questions about how migration, selection and genetics all shape the world around us. Kailey’s graduate research aims to understand patterns of hybridization and abiotic stress tolerance in Douglas fir. In her free time, you can probably find her in a bookstore, at farmers’ market, or cooking a nice meal with friends.

Sharon Holtaway is a Master of Forestry student at the NAU School of Forestry. Her research interests include genetic resistance to tree and plant pathogens and diseases. She would like to learn more about increased productivity through genetic modification in agriculture and agroforestry settings. She is also interested in biodiversity changes due to climate along with the rapid adaptation of exotic invasive species. Sharon’s graduate research involves population and quantitative genomics of mangrove species.

Mariola Barrera is an undergraduate studying Forestry with certificates in Forest Health and Restoration as well as Botany. Her research interests include understory plant population dynamics, fecundity, and plant traits. She is also pursuing her certification as a Master Gardener of Arizona where she volunteers to teach the community about gardening. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, going to concerts, and making art.