Current Graduate Students
Zach Moats
Zach started his PhD program in Fall 2025. He is currently framing his research questions, but hopes to study greenhouse gas emissions in rice fields. (stay tuned!)
Erin Brennan
(co-advised with Sarah Emery)
Erin started her PhD program in Spring 2024. She is studying the effects of mycorrhizal fungi inoculation on tree survival in restored wetlands, and tree regrowth following dam removal.
Nathan Earl
Nathan started his PhD program in Fall 2022. He is studying the effects of wildfire ash on carbon cycling in aquatic ecosystems, heavy metal accumulation in biofilters, and carbon fluxes across ecosystem boundaries.
Mark Tierney
Mark started his PhD in Fall 2021. He is studying the ways in which plants and animals affect greenhouse gas emissions and carbon storage in small Kentucky ponds, and the use of remote sensing to determine wetland carbon source-sink status.
Current Undergraduate Students
Diamonique Barnett (2026)
Diamonique started her BS degree in Biology in 2023. She is studying factors affecting greenhouse gas emissions and carbon storage in wetlands.
Andrew Olson (2026)
Andrew started his BS degree in Biology in 2022. He is studying the roles of emergent wetland vegetation in the uptake of carbon dioxide and emission of methane.
Adam Shinkle (2026)
Adam started his BS degree in Biology in 2022. He is studying the roles of emergent wetland vegetation in the uptake of carbon dioxide and emission of methane.
McKenzie Goodwyn (2026)
McKenzie started his BS degree in Biology in 2022. He is studying the effects of floating plants on tree leaf litter and wood decomposition, and the roles of emergent wetland vegetation in the uptake of carbon dioxide and emission of methane.
Lab Alumni
Jonathan Frommeyer (2025)
(co-advised w Matt Kolmann)
Jonathan received his Ph.D. in Biology in the summer of 2025. He studied freshwater mussels in Kentucky, with a focus on fish host ecology, community structure, and demographic modeling to assess population viability and guide conservation priorities.
Blake Hudson (2024)
Blake received his M.S. degree in Biology in the summer of 2024. He studied the effects of seasonal rainfall patterns on greenhouse gas emissions from leaf-cutting ant nests in Costa Rica, and other aspects of zoogeochemistry.
Vincent Cafazo (2024)
Vincent completed his non-thesis MS degree in Summer 2024. He studied the effects of prescribed burns on tree leaf production in Kentucky forests.
Taylor Cowles (2023)
Taylor started his BS degree in Biology in 2019. He is studying the effects of floating vegetation on wetland greenhouse gas emissions.
Danielle Roney (2022)
Danielle completed her BS degree in Biology in 2022, and is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at Auburn University. While in the lab, she conducted independent research on the impacts of prescribed burns on tree leaf production in Kentucky forests.
Jacob Webb (2023)
Jacob completed his BS degree in Biology in May 2023. While in the lab, Jacob studied the effects of sediment-dwelling invertebrates on greenhouse gas emissions in Kentucky wetlands.
John Swartz (2022)
John completed his BS degree in Biology in 2022, and is currently enrolled in the non-thesis M.S. program in the Department of Biology at the University of Louisville. While in the lab, John conducted independent research on the effects of sediment-dwelling invertebrates on greenhouse gas emissions in Kentucky wetlands.
Brennan Molique (2022)
Brennan completed his non-thesis MS degree in December 2022. He studied the effects of native and invasive vegetation on forest salamander diversity and abundance in urban Louisville parks.