Dr. Pamela Puppo
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences
Curator, Marshall University Herbarium (MUHW)
pamela.puppo[at]marshall.edu
Ph.D. University of Porto and University of Lisbon, Portugal
M.Sc. University of Missouri-St. Louis and the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO
B.S. Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru
I am intrigued by the different factors that facilitate the rapid diversification of species. For several years I have been studying how the geological history of an island, inter-island colonization, and hybridization affect the diversification process of insular taxa. I have been studying this in genus Micromeria (Lamiaceae) in the Canary Islands using morphometric analyses, single nuclear markers, microsatellites, and RADseq. My taxonomical research has been mostly focused on the Andean genus Calceolaria (Calceolariaceae), on its distribution and species limits. More recently, I am exploring the applications of metabarcoding to study plant-pollinator interactions.
Graduate Students:
Moses Shafer
Moses is from Parkersburg, West Virginia. He completed his Bachelors in Environmental Science from Marshall University in 2019. Since then he has been roaming through the White Mountains of New Hampshire, catching frogs in wetlands, and living out of a truck in the Northwest. He is a MS student in the lab, and his research interests are pollinator/plant ecology and the way fire interacts with ecosystems. In his spare time, he likes baking, carving spoons, birding, mushroom foraging, trail running, backpacking, and skiing.
Moses is from Parkersburg, West Virginia. He completed his Bachelors in Environmental Science from Marshall University in 2019. Since then he has been roaming through the White Mountains of New Hampshire, catching frogs in wetlands, and living out of a truck in the Northwest. He is a MS student in the lab, and his research interests are pollinator/plant ecology and the way fire interacts with ecosystems. In his spare time, he likes baking, carving spoons, birding, mushroom foraging, trail running, backpacking, and skiing.
Abagail Parker
Abagail is from Fort Gay, West Virginia. She completed her Bachelors in Clinical Exercise Physiology with an emphasis on pre-med at Marshall in Summer 2022. Abagail joined the lab as an undergrad in Spring 2021, and is currently a MA student in the lab. Her plans for the future consist of getting into PA school. In her free time she loves to enjoy the outdoors, volunteering at local hospitals, and listening to music.
Abagail is from Fort Gay, West Virginia. She completed her Bachelors in Clinical Exercise Physiology with an emphasis on pre-med at Marshall in Summer 2022. Abagail joined the lab as an undergrad in Spring 2021, and is currently a MA student in the lab. Her plans for the future consist of getting into PA school. In her free time she loves to enjoy the outdoors, volunteering at local hospitals, and listening to music.
Rebecca Foy
Rebecca Foy is from Aurora, West Virginia, and earned a degree in Biological Sciences from Marshall University in 2022. She was an undergraduate in the lab from summer 2021 until her graduation in Spring 2022. After graduating, she spent a year exploring careers in research and conservation. She battled invasive plants, performed biological surveys, and led environmental education at Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, then waded through mudflats studying marine worms in Acadia National Park. She has returned to Marshall to study native bees and pursue her love of learning. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, poetry, making art, and spending time with family.
Rebecca Foy is from Aurora, West Virginia, and earned a degree in Biological Sciences from Marshall University in 2022. She was an undergraduate in the lab from summer 2021 until her graduation in Spring 2022. After graduating, she spent a year exploring careers in research and conservation. She battled invasive plants, performed biological surveys, and led environmental education at Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, then waded through mudflats studying marine worms in Acadia National Park. She has returned to Marshall to study native bees and pursue her love of learning. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, poetry, making art, and spending time with family.
Undergraduate students:
Erica Edinger
Erica is from Wheeling, West Virginia. She is a second-year student majoring in Biological Sciences while minoring in GIS. In the future, she would like to work as a field biologist. In her spare time, Erica enjoys hiking, reading, sewing, and baking.
Erica is part of the First 2 Network and joined the lab in Fall 2022. She is helping with transcription of the Marshall University Herbarium and doing DNA extractions from different insects in the lab.
Erica is from Wheeling, West Virginia. She is a second-year student majoring in Biological Sciences while minoring in GIS. In the future, she would like to work as a field biologist. In her spare time, Erica enjoys hiking, reading, sewing, and baking.
Erica is part of the First 2 Network and joined the lab in Fall 2022. She is helping with transcription of the Marshall University Herbarium and doing DNA extractions from different insects in the lab.
Addison Bounds
Addison is from Summersville, West Virginia. She is a sophomore as a biology major with dreams of going to medical school and becoming a pediatrician. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games and spending time with her friends.
Addison joined the lab in Spring 2023 and is helping with transcription of the Marshall University Herbarium.
Addison is from Summersville, West Virginia. She is a sophomore as a biology major with dreams of going to medical school and becoming a pediatrician. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games and spending time with her friends.
Addison joined the lab in Spring 2023 and is helping with transcription of the Marshall University Herbarium.
Clara Minnich
Clara is from Charleston, West Virginia. She is a second-year student majoring in biology with a minor in professional writing. She plans to pursue work as a field biologist. When she has free time, she likes to write, and spend time with her family.
Clara joined the lab in Spring 2023 and is currently a student-worker at the Marshall University Herbarium.
Clara is from Charleston, West Virginia. She is a second-year student majoring in biology with a minor in professional writing. She plans to pursue work as a field biologist. When she has free time, she likes to write, and spend time with her family.
Clara joined the lab in Spring 2023 and is currently a student-worker at the Marshall University Herbarium.
Anthony Siminski
Anthony is from Summersville, West Virginia. He is a second-year Environmental Science student. Anthony hopes to use his education to restore and protect West Virginia’s rivers. In his free time, he enjoys exercising, hiking, playing music, and has recently began painting.
Anthony joined the lab in Fall 2023 helping to photograph and transcript the Mycological specimens in the Marshall University Herbarium.
Anthony is from Summersville, West Virginia. He is a second-year Environmental Science student. Anthony hopes to use his education to restore and protect West Virginia’s rivers. In his free time, he enjoys exercising, hiking, playing music, and has recently began painting.
Anthony joined the lab in Fall 2023 helping to photograph and transcript the Mycological specimens in the Marshall University Herbarium.
Lab Alumni:
- Hamza Jafary, BS in Biological Sciences 2023. Present: West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg. Hamza was an undergraduate in the lab from Spring 2021 until his graduation in Spring 2023.
- Jacob Webb, BS in Biological Sciences 2023. Jacob was an undergraduate in the lab from Summer 2022 until his graduation in Spring 2023.
- Zachary (Zach) Shamblin, MS in Biological Sciences 2022. Present: Herbarium Curatorial Assistant, Claude E. Phillips Herbarium, Delaware State University.
- John Mamas, Environmental Science, Chatham University, PA. John was an undergrad working in the lab during Summer 2022 as part of the Consortium for Plant Invasion Genomics (CPING) REU.
- Madeline (Maddy) Thompson, MA in Biological Sciences 2022. Present: Certified Research Coordinator, Axis Clinicals, MN.
- Rachael Caudill, BS in Biological Sciences 2023. Rachael was an undergrad in the lab from Spring 2021 to Spring 2022.
- Payton Stamper, BS in Biological Sciences 2023. Payton worked in the lab during Fall 2021 as a Creative Discovery Awardee.