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  Ted R . Schultz Principal Investigator I am driven by strong interests in the evolution and systematics of ants, especially the fungus-growing ants (Myrmicinae: Attini), the historical ecology and evolution of the fungus-growing behavior, the theory and methodology of phylogenetic analysis, including Bayesian statistical approaches and the reconstruction of ancestral character states, and quantitative methods for assessing ant biodiversity. more...             Eugenia M. Okonski Museum Specialist I keep the Smithsonian AntLab organized and running by carrying out a broad range of research- and collections-related activities. These include curating the ant collection, databasing our traditional and cryo-stored collections, preparing museum specimens, maintaining living colonies of fungus-growing ants, creating extended-focus images of ant specimens, handling loan transactions, and hosting visitors.     Interns             Niko Schultz Senior Research Practicum, Eleanor Roosevelt HS, Greenbelt, MD. I’m doing a project on cryptic speciation in the fungus-growing ant species Cyphomyrmex muelleri, which I think is incredibly fascinating. I’m trying to find out if C. muelleri is one species or if there are actually multiple cryptic species. If I discover a new ant species, I may even be able to help describe it! I’m learning all kinds of new skills, like sequencing DNA, measuring ant specimens, and using statistical and mapping software. more...                   Postdocs         Rachelle M. M. Adams Postdoctoral Research Fellow "Phylogeny of the Solenopsidini." My research interests encompass the integration of three fields, chemical ecology, behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology. At the Smithsonian, my project focuses on the evolution of social parasitism and reproductive strategies in ants. more...     Bonnie Blaimer Postdoctoral Research Fellow "Phylogenetic structure of ant communities in Madagascar" My research compares the phylogenetic structure of canopy and leaf litter ant communities in two forest habitat types (humid vs dry) in Madagascar, in order to infer the environmental and biological processes responsible for their assembly. I am particularly interested in whether canopy and leaf litter ant communities differ in phylogenetic diversity, whether they show the imprint of being modeled by different factors, and whether these patterns deviate between forest types. more...     Michael Branstetter Buck Postdoctoral Research Fellow "Systematics of Stenamma and the Stenamma-genus group" My research focuses on the systematics and evolution of ants, with an emphasis on species and lineages that occuppy the Neotropical region. Using both morpholgical and molecular data, I aim to 1) discover and describe new ant species, 2) improve ant classification so that groups are monophyletic and diagnosable, 3) infer the phylogenetic relationships among ant species and higher taxa, and 4) use ant phylogenies to understand the evolutionary and biogeographic history of select ant lineages.more...     Shelah I. Morita NSF International Research Fellow, Tabanid PEET Project In general, I am interested in the role species interactions play in shaping organismal evolution and diversity. My research focuses on the ecological systematics of horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) and how the evolution of floral associated morphology may be linked to their diversity. more... http://pangonid.net/index.html   Grad Students                 Simone C. Cappellari Predoctoral Research Fellow, University of Texas at Austin My broad research interests are ecological and evolutionary aspects of mutualistic interactions, especially those involving plants and their pollinators.  My research combines approaches in pollination ecology, plant reproduction, animal behavior, evolutionary biology, and chemical ecology for the study of plant-pollinator interactions at species and community levels. more...             Ana Jesovnik Predoctoral Research Fellow, Maryland Center for Systematic Entomology (MCSE) There are two things I can gaze at for days and not be bored, and those are ants and phylogenetic trees. So, I can say with some certainty that my interest lies in evolutionary biology of ants (Formicidae). I am currently working on the fungus growing ant genus Sericomyrmex, and my goal is to conduct a taxonomic revision and to determine phylogenetic relationships, using both morphological and molecular approaches. more...             Jeffrey Sosa-Calvo Buck Predoctoral Research Fellow, Maryland Center for Systematic Entomology (MCSE) My main interests are the systematics, behavior, and evolutionary biology of insects, especially ants (Formicidae) and parasitic wasps (Scoliidae). As part of my graduate studies I am focused on conducting the systematic revision of the primitive non-leaf-cutting fungus-growing ant genus Myrmicocrypta, and the construction of coevolutionary hypotheses including the ants and their symbionts (fungal cultivars, Escovopsis weed molds, & Pseudonocardia, antibiotic producing bacterial mutualism). more...           Research Associates         Leeanne E. Alonso, Vice President & Director, Rapid Assessment Program, Conservation International My current research focuses on assessing ant diversity and protecting ants and their habitats. I co-edited, with Ted Schultz and others, Ants: Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity, which has become the standard for sampling and monitoring ants. I am involved in teaching the annual “Ant Course” and my newest project is writing a field guide to the Ants of Eastern North America with the aim of getting people to appreciate how much ants do for us every day!      Dietrich Gotzek SI Research Collaborator, UIUC Research Associate I’m broadly interested in patterns and processes of speciation in ants. Currently, I’m using a population genomic approach to understand the factors driving evolutionary radiation of fire ants (Solenopsis geminata species group). This approach allow us to both delimit species and provide a comparative framework to understand the evolution of various character traits, e.g., worker polymorphism, invasiveness, or social behavior. I’m also studying the molecular evolution of the genes underlying an important polymorphism in social organization (i.e. queen number) in a group of closely related fire ant species.     Daniel S. Kjar Assistant Professor of Biology, Elmira College My research is focused on the ecolory of ants and sampling methods. In particular, i am interested in how environmental changes affect ant populations, distribution, and diversity. Ants are important ecosystem engineers and changes to the abundance or species composition may have far reaching implications for many arthropod and plant communities. more....     John S. LaPolla Assistant Professor of Biology, Towson University My research emphasizes revisionary systematics, biotic surveys, and phylogenetics of ants. Much of my systematics related work has focused on the second largest subfamily of ants, the Formicinae, which contains some of the most behaviorally and ecologically interesting ant species. I am also interested in developing and testing techniques for sampling ants in different habitats around the world. I have conducted various biotic surveys across the Guiana Shield region of South America with the aim of better under-standing patterns of species diversity across this fascinating area.     Natasha J. Mehdiabadi Research Associate, Smithsonian Institution & University of Maryland "Phylogenetic Research on the Origin and Evolution of Agriculture in Ants." My research program on the evolution of cooperation spans multiple levels of analysis (field work to molecular work), a range of symbiotic interactions (from parasitism to mutualism), and a diversity of systems (social insects and microbes). more...     Mark W. Moffett Research Associate, Smithsonian Institution Having published Adventures Among Ants with the University of Caifornia Press (2010), I'm looking at aggressive behavior among ants in general, including how it changes with colony population size.  I'm also writing reviews about group identity and how it bears on the concept of the superorganism and about Argentine ant supercolonies. In addition to ant research, I continue to do projects on forest canopy biology, as well as to write and photograph articles on ants and other topics for the National Geographic Magazine. www.doctorbugs.com     Scott E. Solomon Instructor, Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Rice University I am generally interested in how evolutionary and ecological processes produce patterns in geographical space, a field known as biogeography. I use ants as a model system, which are useful because they are widespread and abundant, and because ant species diversity is considered to be a good indicator of diversity in other groups. more....   LAB Technicians at MSC: (coming soon)           Emeritus AntLab Technicians:     Nor Farida Dahlan Matt Kweskin Hong Zhao       AntLab Alumni     Rachelle Adams       Research assistant, January 1998 to December 2000 Current position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Smithsonian Institution, Department of Entomology AntLab.   Thomas Artiss       Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, and Smithsonian Institution Graduate Research Fellow. (Summer 1998.)  "Molecular phylogenetics of the dragonfly genus Libellula." Current position: Instructor (Biology, Forensic Science), Lakeside School, Seattle, WA.   Lynn Atkinson       Smithsonian Institution Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Dec 1997 - Dec 1998) "A phylogenetic study of the termite genus Nasutitermes."  Current position: University of Connecticut   Philip Barden       NMNH/NSF Research Training Program Intern (May - August 2008)    "Diversity of leaf-litter Pheidole in Guyana: DNA barcoding and Auto-Montage digital images." Current position: PhD candidate at the American Museum of Natural History, NYC   Sean Brady       NSF/SI Postdoctoral Fellow (Sept 2003 - July 2009) "Molecular phylogenetics of fungus-growing ants."  NSF/SI Assembling the Tree of Life Postdoctoral Researcher and co-PI.  "AToL: Collaborative research on ant phylogeny: a comprehensive evolutionary tree for the world's premiere social organisms."  Current position: Research Entomologist, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution. http://entomology.si.edu/StaffPages/BradyS.htm   Jonathan Chen       NMNH/NSF Research Training Program Intern (May - August 2004) Undergraduate, Oberlin College. "The origin of yeast cultivation in the fungus-growing ant genus Cyphomyrmex."   Lia Corbett       Intern June 2009: Assisted with the implementation and design of an ant workshop for local public schools. Currently attending the College of William and Mary   Tam Dang       Intern (summer 2008)   Amalia Gomez-Rexrode       YES! Intern (Youth Engagement through Science)(summer 2010) Assisted with the implementation and design of an ant workshop for local public schools.   Stephanie Johnson       NMNH/NSF Research Training Program Intern (May - August 2003) Undergraduate, Cornell University "Cyphomyrmex longiscapus: One fungus-growing ant species or many?"   Matthew Kweskin       Research Assistant (6 months in 1997) Current position: Biological Science Technician, Smithsonian Institution, Laboratory of Analytical Biology   John S. LaPolla       Smithsonian Institution Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Sept 2004 - Aug 2006)  "Ant Biodiversity of the Guyana Shield." Current Position: Assistant Professor, Towson University, Towson, MD. http://www.towson.edu/biology/TU%20Biology%20-%20LaPolla.htm   Jessica Louton       Intern June 2009- August 2010 Current position: Graduate Research Assistant, Branham Lab of Insect Systematics and Behavior, Department of Entomology & Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville.   Christopher Marshall       Smithsonian Institution Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Feb 2001 - Jan 2002) "The Phylogeny of the Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera: Polyphaga): An analysis based on the nuclear protein coding gene, Elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1a)."  Current position: Collections Manager, Oregon State Arthropod Collection, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. http://osac.science.oregonstate.edu/people/OSUentomology_MarshallChristopher   Michelle Martineau       Intern June 2009: Assisted with the implementation and design of an ant workshop for local public schools. Currently attending Vassar College   Jeremy A. Miller        Smithsonian Institution Postdoctoral Research Fellow (July 2004 June 2005)  "Molecular phylogenetics of widow spiders (genus Latrodectus)."  Current position: Permanent Researcher, Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum (Naturalis), Leiden, The Netherlands. http://science.naturalis.nl/research/people/cv/miller   Laura Victoria Florez Patino       NMNH/NSF Research Training Program Intern (May - August 2007) Undergraduate,  Universidad de Los Andes Bogotá, Colombia "Morphology and DNA barcoding of the ant genus Pheidole: Are they congruent?"   Angel Benito Perez       Smithsonian Institution/Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation Partnership Intern (July 2003 - July 2005) Undergraduate,  University of Puerto Rico.   Molly Rightmyer       Smithsonian Institution Molecular Evolution Postdoctoral Fellow (June 2007 -May 2009) "Phylogeny and coevolution in the cleptoparasitic bee genus Nomada (Hymenoptera: Apidae)."  Current position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, USDA Agriculture Research Service, Pollinating Insect Lab, Logan, Utah.   Maria A.M. Sallum       Postdoctoral Fellow, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Mar 1998 - Feb 2000) "Phylogenetic analysis of the genus Anopheles Megan (Diptera: Culicidae)." Current position: Departamento de Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil   Eli Sarnat       Research Assistant (Summer 2000)   Riitta Savolainen     NSF of Finland Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Jan 1997 - Nov 1997) "Evidence from mitochondrial gene sequences on the origin and diversification of the ant genus Formica." Current position: Professor, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland. http://www.helsinki.fi/bioscience/ecology/savolainen.htm   Elisabeth Schlegel       Intern (Summer 2008)   Sarah A. Solomon       NMNH/NSF Research Training Program Intern (May - August 1999) Undergraduate,  Appalachian State University “The discrimination of two cryptic fungus-growing ant species within the Cyphomyrmex longiscapus species complex.”   Kyle Vick       Graduate student.  Department of Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland at College Park. (Winter 2001 to January 2005.)  "Investigations of ant vision and visually mediated navigation." Current position: Assistant Professor of Psychology, Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, Ohio.   Corey Washington        Assistant Professor, Dept. Philosophy, University of Maryland "Visual navigation in leaf-cutter ants."  (Host scientist) (Dec 2001 - July 2003) Current position: Graduate student, Columbia University Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, New York.

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