A huge thanks to all the students and collaborators who make our research possible!Mentoring is one of my passions and collaborating with fabulous students is one of the great joys of my scientific career. I have advised over 50 undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students through hands-on field experiences and independent research projects.
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If you are interested in joining our research team, please email me at [email protected] to set up a time to chat about opportunities!
FYI: I typically use this collaborative agreement to set clear expectations for what both of us should bring to this research partnership. This is meant to be a flexible framework that we can adapt at any point to best fit the needs of each individual mentee-mentor partnership.
FYI: I typically use this collaborative agreement to set clear expectations for what both of us should bring to this research partnership. This is meant to be a flexible framework that we can adapt at any point to best fit the needs of each individual mentee-mentor partnership.
Meet our graduate student team!
Sarah Branagan is working with me and Dr. Rachael Urbanek on a project investigating the current occupancy and distribution of Wayne's black-throated green warblers (Dendroica virens waynei), a species whose breeding range is endemic to the Coastal Plain from Southern Virginia to South Carolina. She graduated from the University of North Carolina Asheville in the spring of 2022 with a B.S. in Environmental Studies with a background in environmental policy and informal education. Currently, she is in the dual Environmental Studies and Public Administration program concentrating in conservation and nonprofit management.
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Lyda McCarthy is working to determine land management priorities within the state of North Carolina. She is hoping to expand the network of land managers within the state and surrounding counties and provide a comprehensive review of the current initiatives and priorities of North Carolina and the southeast more generally. She is a 2019 graduate of UNCW with a dual Bachelor's of Marine Biology and Environmental Science and is currently in the Dual Environmental Science and Public Administration program at UNCW.
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Taylor Mattioli is leading a Marsh Organ experiment with our lab and the CES Lab that studies the effects of salinity, sea level rise, and management techniques on Phragmites australis in coastal North Carolina. This experiment highlights Taylor’s passion for invasive plant control, problem solving, and practical environmental conservation and conducting research that informs coastal land management decisions. She also successfully applied for a Sigma Xi award to help fund this work (nicely done, Taylor!). She obtained her bachelor’s in Geology (conc. Environmental Studies) from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in May 2022 and is working towards her Master's in Environmental Studies.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-reid-mattioli-370978123/ Marsh Organ Experiment ArcGIS Online Map: https://arcg.is/1anyPb |
James Puentes is developing collection protocols to aid in understanding the community ecology of plant invasions. James obtained two bachelor’s degrees in Marine Biology and Education at Nova Southeastern University in May 2023, where he led research efforts and participated in research studies as a data analyst, field data collector, lab biologist, and marine conservation biological educator for Nova’s Marine Biology professors, the Fischler Academy of Education, and the National Park Service. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Environmental Studies. Welcome to the team, James!
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Mikaila Reynolds is our lab manager extraordinaire! She manages Dr. Endriss’ lab, and is also identifying resources for lab managers to help lab members be safe and feel included in the lab and in the field. She also works on various North Carolina coastal research efforts. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Water Resources from Virginia Tech (go Hokies!) in May of 2020, and is currently working towards her Master’s in Environmental Studies with a focus on Coastal Management.
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Meet our undergraduate team!
Ashley Behringer is a senior at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in both Environmental Sciences and Communications. She joined the lab in Fall 2022 and is investigating what drives variation in the shape, size, and resistance to insect feeding damage among populations of Japanese knotweed.
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Ethan Graff assists on multiple projects investigating the impact of invasive wetland plant populations on our local marshes. Ethan has always loved the outdoors and enjoys outdoor activities, such as surfing and fishing and springboard diving. He has always been fascinated by how different ecosystems function and what affects them. He is excited to put his love for the outdoors to use in assisting the lab! He is majoring in Environmental science with a concentration in conservation. We are excited to see where Ethan's research takes him!
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Marlee Eastman is an undergraduate DIS (directed independent studies) student majoring in environmental science with a concentration in biological sciences. She enjoys spending time outdoors, spending time with friends, and taking care of her houseplants! With interests in botany and ecology, Marlee is very excited to explore Japanese knotweed image analyses throughout her time in the lab. She is looking forward to field opportunities and learning about everyone’s projects. Welcome to the lab, Marlee!
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Matt Jones has been a key collaborator for Taylor on her marsh organ project and is soon to be starting his own individual project focused on the impacts of plant invasions on soil. He is mostly interested in topics dealing with pollution and invasive species and hopes to pursue a career in pollution management and regulation. He is an environmental science major with a concentration in conservation. He has gained a lot of great experience in the lab and is looking forward to gaining even more in the future!
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Izzy Lamb will be assisting on multiple projects for now, and is a sophomore majoring in environmental science with a concentration as well as a minor in biology. She is a lobster fisherman from Maine, and excited to learn more about the diverse ecosystems of North Carolina. She has always loved the outdoors, especially the ocean. Some of her favorite activities are kayaking, hiking, surfing, and being on the water in general. Welcome to the lab, Izzy!
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Tabitha Ormond is passionate about science and excited to learn about environmental conservation. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, playing violin, and spending time with friends and family. She is majoring in Environmental Science and Biology and is interested in both marine and terrestrial ecology, which has led her to wetland ecology! She is enthusiastic about research and is currently working on learning the ins and outs of a variety of projects in lab. We are so excited to have you this semester, Tabitha!
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Sierra Rice is excited to assist with the various lab projects and looks forward to learning more about wetland ecology. She is a DIS (directed independent study) student majoring in Environmental Science with a concentration in conservation and a minor in sustainability. She is especially interested in bioacoustic monitoring and invasive apple snails and is hoping to pursue them as projects one day. Welcome to the lab, Sierra!
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Collin Turner is working on his individual project--‘Recording and Analyzing Soundscapes of New Hanover County’— for which he secured funding for through his successful application to the Department of Environmental Sciences' Taggart Award (congrats, Collin!). His individual project is focused on using soundscapes to uncover potential relationships between Phragmites australis and local amphibian populations. He is eager to continue his research and expand his understanding of ecology in hopes of cultivating a sustainable and green future. He is majoring in Environmental Science with an option in Conservation.
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Meet our undergraduate alums!
Annmarie Benson (fall 2022 - fall 2023) led several collaborative projects, including one between the Endriss lab and Backstrom lab. This project focused on how calls of local amphibians at Greenfield lake are affected by local concert noise disturbance. Annmarie even wrote a successful CSURF Summer Supply Research Grant to support this research! She graduate with a B.S. in Environmental Science with an option in conservation. We know she is off to do great things in Boston!
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Chelsea Russell (fall 2023) did a DIS (directed independent study) on the evolution and ecology of invasive plant populations in fall 2023, and was a huge assist in developing protocols for processing soundscapes and measuring the size and shape of invasive knotweed flowers. Chelsea graduated in January 2024 with a major in environmental science and a concentration in conservation—congrats, Chelsea!
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Edison Waddell (summer 2023 - fall 2023) helped with a variety of projects starting in summer 2023, showcasing his interests in botany, invasive plants, and coastal ecosystems. He aims to engage in coastal conservation science in the future, and he’s always looking for more opportunities to be involved in research. He graduated with an environmental science major with a concentration in conservation in January 2024—congrats, Edison!
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