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 rapid species' diversifications. 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 RAD-sequencing. I am a taxonomist at heart specializing in Canarian Micromeria and the Andean genus Calceolaria (Calceolariaceae). More recently, I am exploring the applications of metabarcoding and environmental DNA to study plant-pollinator interactions.
Graduate Students:
Erica Edinger
Erica is from Wheeling, West Virginia. She is majoring in Biological Sciences with a minor in GIS. She is currently doing the Accelerated Master's Degree in Biological Sciences. As part of her dissertation, she will be using eDNA to detect wood-boring beetles.
Erica joined the lab in Fall 2022 and has worked on research including herbarium database management and using DNA barcoding to identify the pollinators of wild ramps. In the future, she would like to pursue a doctorate and work as an entomologist. In her spare time, Erica enjoys reading, hiking, practicing scientific illustration, and baking.
Erica is from Wheeling, West Virginia. She is majoring in Biological Sciences with a minor in GIS. She is currently doing the Accelerated Master's Degree in Biological Sciences. As part of her dissertation, she will be using eDNA to detect wood-boring beetles.
Erica joined the lab in Fall 2022 and has worked on research including herbarium database management and using DNA barcoding to identify the pollinators of wild ramps. In the future, she would like to pursue a doctorate and work as an entomologist. In her spare time, Erica enjoys reading, hiking, practicing scientific illustration, and baking.
Noah Adkins
Noah is from Barboursville, West Virginia, and earned a bachelor's degree in biology from West Virginia University in December 2023. He worked in two different labs as an undergrad; the first focused on soil ecology, the second on plant phylogenetics where he conducted his undergraduate thesis research. After graduating, he worked with WVDNR assisting in land and wildlife management at Beech Fork WMA and East Lynn WMA. He returned to the Huntington area to study long-horned bee phylogenetics while being close to home. In his free time, Noah enjoys hiking, fishing, video games, and music.
Noah is from Barboursville, West Virginia, and earned a bachelor's degree in biology from West Virginia University in December 2023. He worked in two different labs as an undergrad; the first focused on soil ecology, the second on plant phylogenetics where he conducted his undergraduate thesis research. After graduating, he worked with WVDNR assisting in land and wildlife management at Beech Fork WMA and East Lynn WMA. He returned to the Huntington area to study long-horned bee phylogenetics while being close to home. In his free time, Noah enjoys hiking, fishing, video games, and music.
David Cyphers
David Cyphers is from Raysal, West Virginia, and earned a B.A. in Secondary Education with a concentration in Biology from Marshall University in Spring 2025. He joined the lab in Summer 2025, and is now pursuing an MA degree in Biological Sciences. His academic interests include ecology, human anatomy, and evolutionary biology. His long-term goal is to become a university professor of biological sciences. During his student teaching experience, David facilitated hands-on lab activities for high school students in Cabell, McDowell, and Wayne counties, helping students engage with science through experiential learning. In his free time, he enjoys spending time outdoors, exercising, and tending to his flower and vegetable gardens.
David Cyphers is from Raysal, West Virginia, and earned a B.A. in Secondary Education with a concentration in Biology from Marshall University in Spring 2025. He joined the lab in Summer 2025, and is now pursuing an MA degree in Biological Sciences. His academic interests include ecology, human anatomy, and evolutionary biology. His long-term goal is to become a university professor of biological sciences. During his student teaching experience, David facilitated hands-on lab activities for high school students in Cabell, McDowell, and Wayne counties, helping students engage with science through experiential learning. In his free time, he enjoys spending time outdoors, exercising, and tending to his flower and vegetable gardens.
Post-bach:
Hind Jamal
Hind is from Lebanon, Middle East. She graduated in Fall 2024 with a major in Biological Sciences and a minor in psychology. She has started the MS program at Marshall University in Health Care Administration. Hind is a social butterfly, and in her free time she likes meeting new people and forming friendships. She loves greenery and flowers and radiant colors! Her hobbies are nature photography and interior decorating.
Hind did her senior capstone at the Herbarium during the Fall 2024, and liked it so much she came back in Spring 2026 to help process more specimens.
Hind is from Lebanon, Middle East. She graduated in Fall 2024 with a major in Biological Sciences and a minor in psychology. She has started the MS program at Marshall University in Health Care Administration. Hind is a social butterfly, and in her free time she likes meeting new people and forming friendships. She loves greenery and flowers and radiant colors! Her hobbies are nature photography and interior decorating.
Hind did her senior capstone at the Herbarium during the Fall 2024, and liked it so much she came back in Spring 2026 to help process more specimens.
Undergraduate students:
Clara Minnich
Clara is from Charleston, West Virginia. She is a third-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 third-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.
Quinn Vidal
Quinn is from Charleston, West Virginia. He is a third-year student majoring in biology with an emphasis in ecology, evolution, and organismal biology, and minoring in Japanese. He is pursuing a career in wildlife biology and conservation. In his free time, Quinn likes to read, hike, and spend time with their cats.
Quinn joined the lab in Spring 2026 to help process specimens at the Marshall University Herbarium.
Quinn is from Charleston, West Virginia. He is a third-year student majoring in biology with an emphasis in ecology, evolution, and organismal biology, and minoring in Japanese. He is pursuing a career in wildlife biology and conservation. In his free time, Quinn likes to read, hike, and spend time with their cats.
Quinn joined the lab in Spring 2026 to help process specimens at the Marshall University Herbarium.
Emily Sawyer
Emily is a senior majoring in Biological Sciences. She grew up in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains where she developed a passion for conservation. She would like to pursue conservation research as an extension of her lifelong interest in the ecology of the Monongahela National Forest and Cranberry Glades Botanical Area. She is also interested in exploring the nature of the evolutionary processes of fungus and how these processes can be used to clean our green spaces.
Emily joined the lab in Spring 2026 and is working on digitizing the fungi collection at the Marshall University Herbarium.
Emily is a senior majoring in Biological Sciences. She grew up in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains where she developed a passion for conservation. She would like to pursue conservation research as an extension of her lifelong interest in the ecology of the Monongahela National Forest and Cranberry Glades Botanical Area. She is also interested in exploring the nature of the evolutionary processes of fungus and how these processes can be used to clean our green spaces.
Emily joined the lab in Spring 2026 and is working on digitizing the fungi collection at the Marshall University Herbarium.
Lab Alumni:
GRADUATE STUDENTS
- Rebecca Foy, MS in Biological Sciences 2025. Present: Abandoned Mine Land AmeriCorps Member, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, WV.
- Moses Shafer, MS in Biological Sciences 2024. Present: Staff Scientist, Alliance Consulting Inc., Beckley, WV.
- Abagail Parker, MA in Biological Sciences 2024. Present: Research Assistant, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
- Mary Zulauf, MA in Biological Sciences 2024. Present: Environmental Specialist, Rappahannock Environmental Group, Fredericksburg, VA.
- Zachary (Zach) Shamblin, MS in Biological Sciences 2022. Present: Herbarium Curatorial Assistant, Claude E. Phillips Herbarium, Delaware State University, Dover, DE.
- Madeline (Maddy) Thompson, MA in Biological Sciences 2022. Present: Clinical Research Coordinator at Minnesota Clinical Study Center, Blaine, MN.
- Erica Edinger, BS in Biological Sciences 2025. Erica joined the lab during her first semester at Marshall in Spring 2022 as part of the First2Network. She started the Accelerated MS degree in Biological Sciences in the Fall 2024.
- Hind Jamal, BS in Biological Sciences 2024. Hind did her senior capstone at the Herbarium during the Fall 2024.
- Anthony Siminski, major in Environmental Sciences. Anthony helped with digitization of the fungi collection at the Marshall University Herbarium during the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters.
- Addison Bounds, BS in Biological Sciences, 2025. Addison helped with transcription of the Marshall University Herbarium during the Spring 2023.
- 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. Present: Forestry Technician, Forest Service, Pedro, OH. Jacob was an undergraduate in the lab from Summer 2022 until his graduation in Spring 2023.
- 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.
- Rebecca Foy, BS in Biological Sciences 2022. Rebecca joined the lab in Summer 2021 for the Consortium for Plant Invasion Genomics (CPING) REU and stayed with us until her graduation in Spring 2022. She came back in Fall 2023 as an MS student.
- Payton Stamper, BS in Biological Sciences 2023. Payton worked in the lab during Fall 2021 as a Creative Discovery Awardee.
- Rachael Caudill, BS in Biological Sciences 2023. Rachael was an undergrad in the lab from Spring 2021 to Spring 2022.
- Abagail Parker, BS in Exercise Science 2022. Abagail was an undergrad in the lab from Spring 2021 until her graduation in Summer 2022. She continued as a grad student in the lab until her graduation in Spring 2024.