I have had the pleasure and honor of mentoring and advising numerous undergraduate
research students. Many of these students have either finished, enrolled in, or are
pursuing graduate degrees at various universities, including Cornell University, SUNY
College of Environmental Science and Forestry, University of Idaho, University of
Pittsburgh, and University of Vermont.
- Systematics and Evolution of Amelanchier (Rosaceae).Amelanchier, also known as Shadbush or Juneberry, is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the
Rose family that are closely related to apple and pear. Amelanchier has long been
considered taxonomically complex because of the interplay of polyploidy and apomixis
(i.e., asexual reproduction). The goal of this research is to document, describe,
and name Amelanchier diversity at the species level.
- Development of Juneberry as a Novel Fruit Crop for New York. I work in collaboration with Dr. Michael H. Davis, director, Cornell Willsboro Research
Farm, to establish Juneberry as a novel fruit crop and thus enhance the economic opportunity
of small New York produce farms. Our project has three primary objectives: (1) establish
a living collection of Juneberry that includes wild-collected taxa with commercial
fruit production potential, plus all currently available commercial fruit cultivars;
(2) evaluate the performance of Juneberry cultivars and promising wild taxa in replicated
field trials; and (3) develop a Juneberry establishment/management resource database
to support grower entry into the market.
- Systematics and Ecology of Pollinators. Despite the recognized importance of pollinators, a comprehensive understanding of
the systematics and ecology of pollinators is lacking, particularly in the Lake Champlain
Basin and high peaks regions of New York. This project aims to identify pollinators,
especially species of bumble bees and other related Hymenoptera; collect data on species
distributions; and document plant-pollinator interactions.
- Floristics of Northern New York. Documenting species distributions is integral to understanding and preserving our
natural heritage. New York state has benefited from a long history of botanical field
work; however, some areas, such as northern New York, have been underserved. This
project aims to document the distribution of vascular plant species in northern New
York, and to deposit specimens into the PLAT Herbarium. Collection data is used to
populate the New York Flora Atlas, and other regional floristic databases.
- Bird Monitoring of Ausable Marsh State Wildlife and Management Area (WMA). Ausable Marsh WMA is 660-acre fresh-water marsh formed by the mouth of the Ausable
River, and is home to numerous ecological communities that provide exceptional habitat
for breeding and migratory birds. The goal of the this research is to collect point-count
data to establish baseline demographic and ecological trends of breeding and migratory
bird species. These data will be used to help inform ongoing efforts to document bird
diversity in Clinton County, N.Y., as well as inform management and conservation practices.
