Dr. Allison Rober
Associate Professor – Aquatic Microbial Ecology, SENR & Assistant Director of SENR for Stone Lab Academic Programming
I am an aquatic microbial ecologist and, in my lab we focus on how environmental conditions in freshwater ecosystems regulate autotrophic (algal) communities and the consequences for energy flow and food-web dynamics. Most of my research is conducted in wetlands and has contributed to an understanding of how processes related to climate change influence the structure and function of aquatic microbial communities.
Read more about Dr. Rober and her work here!
Dr. Jo Peacock
Assistant Professor – Restoration and Sustainable Land Management, SENR
My research focuses on understanding how we can better restore and manage forest, woodland and savanna habitats within working and degraded landscapes to enhance biodiversity and inform conservation and sustainable land-use. Having a background as a restoration practitioner, I am keen to bridge the gaps between science and practice by working collaboratively with community groups, agencies, NGO’s and other researchers. I seek to develop interdisciplinary research with direct practical application.
Read more about Dr. Peacock and her work here!
Dr. Kevin Wyatt
Professor – Aquatic Ecology, SENR
My research integrates microbiology and ecosystem ecology to gain a holistic understanding of aquatic environments. Current research in my lab explores interactions between primary producers (algae, including cyanobacteria) and decomposers (bacteria and fungi) that have consequences for ecosystem processes such as energy flow and carbon cycling in wetlands. Our work has identified complex interactions between autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms that range from mutualistic to antagonistic within biofilm communities. These interactions fuel the aquatic microbial loop and determine many aspects of biogeochemical cycling in wetlands. The nature of this research is multi-disciplinary, providing research opportunities for students with a wide range of interests.
Read more about Dr. Wyatt and his work here!
Dr. Lauren Pintor
Associate Professor of Aquatic Ecology, SENR and Associate Director of Undergraduate Education
Broadly speaking, my research focuses on understanding how species interactions structure ecological communities and influence ecosystem function. For me, biological invasions have provided an exciting model system because the interactions between native and exotic species often reflect current ecological processes. Yet, at the same time native and exotic species are under strong selection pressures to evolve in response to a rapidly changing environment. Within this context, I aim to understand the ecological and evolutionary processes of species interactions for making prescriptive predictions regarding how anthropogenically-driven changes in biodiversity alter key ecological processes.
Read more about Dr. Pintor and her work here!