Welcome to the Johnson Lab Homepage at WKU
 
   
 
Previous Graduate Students--BACK to information about current students.
 
 
Anna Favalon (MS 2023)
Georgia Ficarra (MS 2021)
Tucker Cambridge (MS 2018)
Tucker joined the lab in August 2016 after receiving his BA in Biology from Skidmore College.
 
Project Title: Species distribution and genetic diversity of the trilling chorus frogs (Pseudacris) in the State of Kentucky.
Samantha Thomas (MS 2017)
Samantha joined the lab in January 2016 after receiving her BS in Biology from Murray State University.
 
Project Title: Comparative landscape genetics of two pond-breeding amphibians in the Diablo Range of California and an evaluation of alternative analysis methods.
Meghan Parsley (MS 2017)
Meghan joined the lab in August 2015 after receiving her BS in Wildlife Science from The Ohio State University. Meghan won the Biology Department's Dillard/Hoyt Award for Outstanding 1st-year Graduate Student in 2016 and the Outstanding Graduate Student Award in 2017. Meghan is now a Ph.D. student at the Washington State University.
 
Project Title: Adaptive variation in tiger salamander populations in response to environmental change.
Kenny Anderson (MS 2016)
Kenny joined the lab in January 2015 after receiving his BS in Biology from Gettysburg College. Kenny is now a Ph.D. student at Florida International University. Find Kenny
 
Project Title: The impacts of strip mining on pond breeding salamanders in Western Kentucky.
Michael Barrow (MS 2015)
Michael joined the lab in 2013 after receiving his BS in Biology from Thomas More College.
 
Project Title: The utility of molecular markers developed from various genomic resources.
Nick Levis (MS 2014)
Nick joined the lab in 2012 after receiving his BS in Zoology from Miami University. Nick won the 2013 Outstanding 1st-Year Graduate Student Award and the 2014 Outstanding Graduate Student Award from the Department of Biology. He also won the WKU Graduate School John D. Minton Award for outstanding contributions to the University, and placed 2nd in the Ecology and Environmental Science student competition at the Kentucky Academy of Sciences annual meeting. Nick is now a Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina. Find Nick
 
Project Title: Consequences of two environmental stressors (UV-B radiation and glyphosate-based herbicide) on spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum).
Kevin Martin (MS 2013)
Kevin joined the lab in 2011 following the completion of his BS in Biology from Seattle Pacific University. In 2012, Kevin won the Biology Department award for Outstanding 1st-Year Graduate Student, and placed 2nd in the Ecology and Environmental Science student competition at the Kentucky Academy of Sciences annual meeting. Kevin moved on to Law School at UC Berkeley.
 
Project Title: Landscape genetics of the marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum) at Mammoth Cave National Park.
 
 
Previous Undergraduate Students
 
 
Jerica Eaton
Ethan Baird
Stephanie Lawrence
Ellery Denny
Jackson Resser
Tosha Shokes
Tosha was a WKU biology student and received a Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement (FUSE) grant in 2016. Tosha participated in the 2017 trans-California Ambystoma californiense sampling.
 
Project Title: Site selection by the juvenile Ambystomatid salamanders based on substrate pH
Haley Austin
Haley was a WKU Honors College student majoring in Biology and minoring in Statistics.
 
Project Title: Analysis of landscape genetic data from Ambystoma opacum in Mammoth Cave National Park
Ivy Irihamye
Ivy was a Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science student.
 
Project Title: Genealogical history and admixture proportion of tiger salamanders in Black Lake, Mono County, California
Jessica Vincent
Jessica was a WKU honors student and received a Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement (FUSE) grant in 2015. Jessica moved on to graduate school at Eastern Kentucky University.
 
Project Title: Genetic Analysis of a California Newt (Taricha torosa) metapopulation
Jessica Johnson
Jessica was a WKU honors student at WKU and she received a Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement (FUSE) grant in 2015. Jessica participated in the 2015 trans-California Ambystoma californiense sampling. Jessica won the Biology Department's Gleason Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research in 2016 and the Outstanding Biodiversity Student Award in 2017.
 
Project title: The Effects of alternative herbicide formulations on salamander larvae
Katlyn Clark
Katlyn was a WKU honors student in the Biology Department and helped with management of the captive amphibian colony. Katlyn participated in the 2016 trans-California Ambystoma californiense sampling. Katlyn won the Biology Department's Lancaster Award for Excellence in Pre-Medical Studies in 2017, and moved on to medical school at the University of Louisville.
Kaley Burden
Kaley was a WKU honors student in the Biology Department and helped with management of the captive amphibian colony and a substrate-choice experiment.
Jasen Davis
Jasen was a WKU honors student in the Biology Department and worked on a Bufo boreas landscape genetics project. Jasen went on to medical school at the University of Louisville.
Courtney Waterbury
Courtney was a Biology major at WKU who joined the lab in 2014. Courtney worked on the conservation genetics of Bufo boreas. Courtney is now a PhD. student at the University of Kentucky. Find Courtney
Ryan Vincent
Ryan was a Biology honors student at WKU. He received a Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement (FUSE) grant in 2013 and placed 1st in the Ecology and Environmental Science undergraduate poster competition at the Kentucky Academy of Sciences annual meeting. In 2014, Ryan won the Department of Biology award for Outstanding Biotechnology Student Ryan is currently a Research Associate at Insight Genetics.
 
Project title: Landscape genetics of the California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma californiense) in the Los Vaqueros Watershed.
Kevin Ziegler
Kevin was a Gatton Academy of Math and Science student at WKU. He received a Biology Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (BSURE) Fellowship during the summer of 2013. Kevin is now an undergraduate at the University of Alabama.
 
Project title: The prevalence of Chytrid fungus in Bullfrog populations of South Central Kentucky.
Torey Gilkison
Torey was a WKU honors student co-advised with Albert Meier. Torey received a Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement (FUSE) grant in 2012 and completed her honors thesis in 2013. Torey completed her MS at WKU in 2015 and is now a PhD student at the University of Georgia. Find Torey
 
Project Title: Comparisons of genetic diversity among disjunct populations of Magnolia tripetala.
Morgan Murrell
Morgan was a WKU honors student and received a Faculty-Undergraduate Student Engagement (FUSE) grant in 2012. Morgan won 1st place in the Zoology undergraduate poster competition at the 2013 Kentucky Academy of Sciences annual meeting. Morgan went to Dental School at the University of Louisville.
 
Project Title: Landscape genetics of the Western toad (Bufo boreas).
Dana Leigh
Dana attends Eastern Kentucky University and was a visiting NSF REU biotechnology research fellow during the summer of 2012. Dana is now a graduate student at Eastern Michigan University. Find Dana
 
Project Title: Gene flow within a California newt (Taricha torosa) metapopulation on a protected landscape.
Evan Sutton
Evan was the recipient of a Biology Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (BSURE) Fellowship during the summer of 2011. Evan's interests include salamander metamorphosis, with particular interest in Ambystoma mexicanum (axolotls).
 
Project Title: Morphological changes in induced axolotl metamorphosis
Alyssa Woronik
Alyssa visited from Sacred Heart University as an NSF REU biotechnology research fellow during the summer of 2011. Alyssa is now a graduate student at Stockholm University in Sweden. Find Alyssa
 
Project Title: Development of EPIC markers in cave salamanders (Eurycea lucifuga).
Andi Esterle
Andi was a Biology major at WKU. She worked on landscape genetics of the California newt (Taricha torosa). Andi went on to graduate school at the University of Georgia.
Sarah Lowe
Sarah was a pre-med Biochemistry major at WKU. She worked on landscape genetics of the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) during the Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 semesters.
Stephen Mattingly
Stephen was a Gatton Academy of Math and Science student at WKU. He worked with us during the Fall 2011 semester.
Bonnie McCullagh
Bonnie graduated with her BS in Biology from WKU. She worked on landscape genetics of the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) during the Spring and Summer of 2011. Bonnie completed her MS at the University of Manitoba in 2015.