Photo

Graduate Student

Major Professor

Project Rationale and Description
Ali Ashraf

Ashraf,
Ali J.

Dr. Phillips

My name is Ali Ashraf and I’m a grad student in the Phillips lab. I’m originally from Fremont, California in the southeast San Francisco Bay Area. I got my undergraduate degree in Portland, Oregon at Reed College where I wrote my senior thesis studying asexual reproduction in Columbian monkshood. Now I’m here at VSU where I’m working on my master’s degree, studying phylogeography in herpetofauna. When I’m not on campus I spend my time designing rockets in Kerbal Space Program, photographing the local wildlife and posting my pictures to iNaturalist, and enjoying the warm Georgia weather.

Baidoo,
Maame E.

Dr. Kang
Damion Castellano

Castellano,
Damion A.

Dr. Cantonwine

I am looking at how the infection process of Late Leaf Spot differs within different strains of resistant peanut. I will also be testing different clearing and tissue fixation methods to produce the highest resolution images possible with both light and scanning electron microscopy. 

Harris,
Jakob R.

 Dr. Lokdarshi

 
Megan Hill

Hill,
Megan N.

 

 Dr.
Rose		 My thesis aims at studying the dwarf seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae) population within Tampa Bay. Seahorses are an indicator species meaning that by monitoring their populations, we can assess the health of their seagrass ecosystems. My previous research at the University of Tampa looked to identify male mate preference (since the males carry the babies) and parentage analysis to confirm monogamy in wild populations.
Amber Holley

Holly,
Amber N.

 Dr. Blackmore

My thesis aims at studying a cryptic mosquito complex within the Anopheles genus which is known for its vectors. I will be looking at which species are in Lowndes county and where they reside. I will also be looking at their ability to become infected with dog heartworm. I am using PCR and gel electrophoresis to identify the genotype of individual mosquitoes and to detect the presence of heartworm within the mosquito.

Mgbeahuruike,
Miracle O.

Dr. Calestani

 

Mohanty,
Jack A

Dr. Chambers

 
Darshi Patel

Patel,
Darshi

Dr. Rose

My research focuses on the quantifying the impacts of eutrophication on the Mating behaviors, Mating success, Mate choice, and Reproductive success of dwarf seahorse (Hippocampus zosterae). Population of seahorses is collected from Tampa Bay, Florida where wide range of turbidity is recorded year wide, and hence this study will be crucial to document if this population is threatened or benefited by the presence of turbidity in the waters. I also aim to further investigate this genetically monogamous mating system to study the mate choice if it remains same over sequential pregnancies and the extent of the pair-bonding in laboratory settings.
Rincon Diaz, Daniel Dr. Lokdarshi
Rojas,
Kelly N.

Dr.
Lokdarshi
Sanchez,
Dalila		 Dr.
Rose
Kenyanna Taylor

Taylor, Kenyanna N.

Dr. Cantonwine

I have always been interested in biology, but more so in the research side of it. Creating and conducting lab experiments in combination with field studies are very important to research and fascinating to me. In my study, I am interested in understanding the relationship between mixtures of sulfur and synthetic fungicides in regards to suppressing fungal leaf spot disease of peanut plants. Is this a system where both actives are codependent or is there a relationship between the plant resistance to this fungus and sulfur. Through conducting my research, I hope to find some answers in regards to this interesting topic.