Alumni
Graduate Students
Binod Borah, PhD
he/him/his
Fall 2018-Fall 2022
PhD, Ecology, Department of Biology
I am interested in ecological interactions, particularly between plants and animals and how they influence population demography and community dynamics. In the Beckman Lab, I plan to study animal-mediated seed dispersal in a changing world, using a combination of theoretical and empirical approaches. I have a Masters degree in Wildlife Biology and Conservation from National Centre of Biological Sciences, Bangalore and Wildlife Conservation Society-India Program. My dissertation looked at responses of interspecific associations in mixed-species bird flocks to selective logging in East Himalaya, a project I continued after graduation. I am also actively involved in biodiversity conservation in the larger landscape and consulted with multiple protected areas and community reserve managers to set up management goals, generate biodiversity and socio-economic information, and raise funds for effective protection.
PhD Dissertation: We move together: drivers and functions of animal movement in biotic seed dispersal
Rosemary Hopson
she/her/hers
Fall 2020-Su 2022
MS, Ecology, Department of Biology
MS Thesis: Rainfall increases alpha diversity and has no effect on beta diversity of animal-dispersed shrubs in Panama
Current: Associate environmental consultant
Learn more about Rosemary (2020).
- Awards
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow
Eric Sodja
Fall 2017 - Fall 2019
MS, Ecology, Department of Biology
MS Thesis: Effects of soil-borne pathogens on seedling establishment patterns in forest systems
Current: PhD student at the University of Utah
Interview with Eric: New Lab Member (2018).
Interview with Eric: Graduation (2020)
- Awards
- USU Graduate Research and Creative Opportunities Grant
- USU Research Graduate Studies Travel Award
Undergraduate Students
Anna Billings
she/her/hers
Spring 2022-Fall 2023
Undergraduate Researcher
I am a sophomore undergraduate student pursuing degrees in Biology (ecology and evolutionary emphasis) and Music. My interest in biology and ecology is sparked by a love for the outdoors. I grew to love and care about the environment as I was raised in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I am particularly interested in how global climate change and habitat disruptions are affecting organisms and ecosystems. I am excited to be a part of Dr. Beckman's research team to participate in and learn more about research. After finishing my undergrad degree, I plan to pursue a masters in ecology.
Kilia Brawand
she/her/hers
Spring 2022-Spring 2023
Undergraduate Researcher
I am a freshman undergraduate researcher here at Utah State! I am also in the Undergraduate Research Fellow Program, and this is my first semester (Spring 2022) working with Dr. Beckman. I’m majoring in Biology with an Ecology/Biodiversity emphasis. After I get my undergraduate degree, I plan on going out of state to grad school to study Marine Biology/Ecology, as I have always had a passion for that since I was a little girl. I am also very passionate about the environment, therefore ecology is very interesting to me. I am so excited to be part of Dr. Beckman’s research team, and I can’t wait to learn more about research and lab work!
Seth Corbridge
he/him/his
Spring 2022-Fall 2022
Undergraduate Researcher
I am a senior undergraduate working towards a degree in Applied Mathematics, with minors in Biomathematics and Statistics. The beginnings of my love for mathematics were in elementary school and I have found mathematics most fulfilling when used to study problems in the world. My largest interest is in modelling effects of climate change. I plan on studying for a masters in applied mathematics after I graduate.
Mikayla Ballard
she/her/hers
Summer 2022
Undergraduate Researcher
Hello! I am an undergraduate student at Loyola University Chicago, studying Environmental Science and Biology. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, I quickly became passionate about sustainability and nature. That passion translated into a career in research, where I have worked in topics such as equitable water access, using anaerobic digestion to limit food waste, and the effects of pollutants on native and invasive crayfish of Chicago. Looking to the future, I plan to apply the knowledge gained during my time with Dr. Beckman in the pursuit of a PhD in Ecology. I am thrilled to have a place in the Beckman Research Group and work alongside such bright minds!
Alynne "Mac" Havens
she/her/hers
Summer 2021
Undergraduate Researcher
I am a senior undergraduate pursuing a degree in Applied Mathematics and a minor in Statistics. Growing up in Virginia, I always loved exploring the forests around my home and observing how dynamic those systems were. My childhood experiences fostered a love of ecology in me and led to many experiences in high school working with the Virginia Save Our Streams program and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. I am interested in studying ecosystem dynamics, particularly the rapid migration of certain plant species, as well as statistical visualization, plant-animal interactions, watershed science, and public outreach about climate change. At Utah State, I have worked on several computational research projects with a focus on modeling adaptive dispersal with integrodifference equations, and plan to pursue a master’s degree in math with a focus on biomathematics.
Cole Carlson
Spring 2018 - Summer 2021
USU Honors Program
Undergraduate Teaching Fellow
Lab Technician
I graduated with a B.S. in Biology with Honors and minors in chemistry and psychology. I am pursuing a career in medicine but would also like to explore research opportunities that I am interested in order to gain more knowledge about the world around me as well as how research is conducted. I have been a research assistant in Dr. Maddens behavioral analysis lab for a 2 semesters working with research involving delayed discounting. Recently I have found an interest in ecology and would like to explore research in this area and learn more about ecological processes along the way.
Honors thesis: Intra- and interspecific secondary metabolite variation between fruit and leaf tissues in the hyperdiverse Psychotria genus
Interview with Justin: Graduation (2020)
Current: Medical student
Marcus Hayden
he/him/his
Fall 2020 - Spring 2021
Undergraduate Researcher
I am excited to be studying biochemistry as an undergraduate at Utah State. My first experience with ecology was cataloguing various invasive species to Utah in high school. I’m also interested in mathematics. This past year, I used statistics to analyze partisan gerrymandering in Utah. I also worked as an intern for the hydroponic garden at Utah State University Botanical Center-Kaysville. With the Beckman Research Group, I help with chemical ecology and the study of secondary metabolites in plants. Through this lab experience, I hope to learn a bit more about the chemical nuts and bolts of how life functions.
Lyndey Higham
she/her/hers
Spring 2021
Undergraduate Researcher
I am currently an undergraduate student studying Biochemistry with a minor in Behavioral Health. From a young age, I have been interested in many parts of the broad field of biology. I have had the opportunity to work as a supplemental instructor for the Human Physiology course at USU for the last year. I also work as a certified nurse’s assistant and spend every summer volunteering at Camp Hodia, a wilderness camp for children and teens with Type 1 Diabetes. I plan to pursue a career in medicine after graduating. I am excited to be a part of the Beckman Research Team and to develop skills in chemical ecology research.
McKenna Peel
Spring 2020, Spring 2021
Undergraduate Researcher
I am a current sophomore studying a dual major of Biochemistry and Spanish. I am pursuing a Phd in Biochemistry and getting involved in research opportunities now, in order to prepare myself for a future career of a lecturer and researcher. My interest in chemistry and medicine sparks from my desire to contribute to scientific advancements in the medical field. Recently, I have joined Dr. Beckman's research group to learn and discover more about plant chemistry. My goal is to gain the necessary skills to think critically and develop my own research and studies.
Andy Anderson
Fall 2020
Undergraduate Researcher
I am currently an undergraduate student at Utah State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. Previously, I have attended South Puget Sound Community College in Washington State where I have earned my Associate in Biology degree. While I am currently planning on going to medical school in the near future, ever since taking my first biology courses in high school, I have developed a huge interest in the topics of ecology and climate change, as well as how they impact the future of human civilization. I look forward to growing my understanding and experience in these fields while working with the Beckman Research Group, as well as contributing to the advancement of collective human knowledge through scientific discovery
Brais Marchena
he/him/his
Fall 2020
Undergraduate Researcher
I am a third-year undergraduate biology (ecology and biodiversity emphasis) student. I am broadly interested in water quality and access, land-use/resource management, climate change, sustainability, and the impact of anthropogenic activities in the ecology and diversity of the Neotropics. I have previously worked as a research assistant at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s Barro Colorado Field Station in Panama and as a volunteer at the Galeta Point Marine Laboratory, where I was involved in the laboratory’s environmental education and public outreach program. In the Beckman Research Group, my work focuses on contributing writings and creating content for the Seedscape Blog and Verde Elemental, a digital publication in Spanish dedicated to promoting and disseminating knowledge in ecology and conservation in Latin America. Once I graduate, I plan to pursue graduate studies in environmental sustainability and sustainable development. Ultimately, I aim to work bridging the gap between scientists and the general public, between knowledge creation and decision making.
Justin Tirrell
Spring 2018 - Spring 2020
USU Honors Program Researcher
Undergraduate Teaching Fellow
Lab Manager
Justin received a B.S. in Biology with Honors and minors in Philosophy and Chemistry. While working in the Beckman Research Group, Justin created simulation models for biological processes. Justin was drawn to this particular focus because he desires to participate in research that informs policy makers and the public about how human behavior affects local ecosystems. By creating well-researched predictive models, Justin plans to contribute insight into how biological systems may change their behavior as human behavior continues to alter natural ecosystems.
Honors thesis: Emergent seedling spatial patterns following insect seed predation in a simulated population
Reflection on my time in Panama
Current: Jr. LIMS Admin at Sera Prognostics
Daniela Cala, Universidad del Rosario Undergraduate Volunteer, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Summer 2018)
Kaylynn Ashby, Undergraduate Teaching Fellow (BIOL 2220/WATS 2220: General Ecology), Utah State University (Spring 2018)
Nathan Moos, University of Michigan Undergraduate Researcher, University of Utah (Summer 2014)
Rebeca Acosta, University of Panama Undergraduate Volunteer, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Spring 2009)
Julio Batista, University of Panama Undergraduate Volunteer, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Fall 2008)
Sophia Christoforides, UMN Undergraduate Intern, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Fall 2008)
Reina Heinz, UC-Santa Cruz Undergraduate Volunteer, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama
Sonja Riddle-Ford, Undergraduate Directed Research in Panama, University of Minnesota (Summer 2006)
Volunteers & Interns
Matt Certo, Western Washington University M.S. Student Intern, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Summer 2008)
Christopher Moore, CSU-Fullerton M.S. Student Intern, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Summer 2008)
Amy Dickson, Volunteer, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Spring 2008)
Serica Zwack, Volunteer, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Spring 2008)
Bernardo Lopez, Volunteer, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Fall 2007)
Michelle Stein, UMN M.A. Student Intern, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama (Summer 2005)
