ROADS Cohort 2025
Meet the UTEP ROADS Cohort of 2025!
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Collin Lyle I have graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. My research interest is in freshwater invertebrates ranging from the microscopic to the macro. I will be working with Dr. Elizabeth Walsh at the University of Texas at El Paso and I plan on exploring aspects of phylogeny, toxicology, and general ecology associated with rotifers a type of zooplankton found in most freshwater systems focusing on local ephemeral habitats. |
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Carlos Hinojosa Saludos! My name is Carlos Hinojosa, a graduate of Virginia Tech where I received a Bachelor of Science in Animal & Poultry Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Fish and Wildlife Conservation. I am super passionate about working in the intersection of conservation and agriculture and am excited to apply my knowledge to areas such as game management, invasive species management, wildlife disease ecology, and Indigenous food systems. As part of the ROADS program, I will be working with Dr. Phillip Lavretsky in the Population and Evolutionary Genetics Lab, focusing on the population structure and genetics of ducks. |
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Alizae Watson My name is Alizae Watson, I graduated from New Mexico State University (NMSU) in December 2024, and I received a bachelor’s in environmental science. I am interested in research focused on soil management/quality, water quality/availability, and air pollution issues. During the ROADS program I will be working alongside Dr. Darrouzet-Nardi and his lab where we will be researching soil biocrusts ecosystem processes. |
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Thomas Back I’m a recent graduate of SUNY Geneseo, where I graduated with degrees in Biology and Sustainability Studies. I am particularly interested in the ways humans impact the environment, I have conducted research projects looking at the relationship of land use impacts on water quality and how parasitism rates are impacted by various parameters. I am super excited to work with Dr. Lougheed in the Beaufort Lagoon LTER. |
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Angelica Gutierrez I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, concentrating in Biology, from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). My research interests focus on the intersection of environmental science and climate change and how dryland ecosystems are impacted. I will be working with Dr. La Rue on the project titled “The Structural Diversity and Habitat Characterization of Micro to Macro Dryland Ecosystems.” |
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Maegan Beckage I recently graduated from the University of Vermont where I obtained degrees in physics and computer science. I am passionate about interdisciplinary research that focuses on understanding the effects of climate change, particularly climate modeling and Earth system dynamics. I love sharing my work and knowledge with others, as well as getting involved with local communities to work towards a sustainable future together. This year, I am very excited to be working with Dr. Marguerite Mauritz, on a project seeking to understand carbon dynamics in dryland ecosystems with a particular focus on long-term variation. |
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Sebastián Guerrero Hidalgo My name is Sebastián Guerrero Hidalgo, I graduated from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras with a B.S. in Chemistry. My passion for the environment began early in my life through my involvement in the Boy Scouts of America, where I developed passion and deep appreciation for the environment. My research interests lie at the intersection of ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry, and environmental chemistry. I am excited to join the UTEP ROADS post-baccalaureate program, where I will be working with Dr. Vanessa Lougheed at the Beaufort Lagoon LTER. |
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Jack Walley I graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Crop and Soil Sciences. I tend to be interested in all things soils, however I have a particular interest in how soils change over time. I will be working in Dr. McClaren's lab researching how soil properties change as a result of changing vegetation in Alaska. |
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Nirjhar Kabery I received my Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Stony Brook University, and after nearly a decade in the software development industry, I transitioned back to the biological sciences to pursue my passion for ecology and evolution. Over the past two years, I have been auditing courses in ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale University and collaborating on a literature review project examining tropical forest soil fertility. I am particularly motivated by the remarkable diversity of plants and the ways they have adapted over hundreds of millions of years to thrive in dynamic and often extreme environments. My research interests center on understanding plant adaptation, especially how plants evolve specialized structures and physiological strategies to survive under harsh environmental conditions. I am excited to join the UTEP ROADS post-baccalaureate program in Dr. Michael Moody’s lab, where I will contribute to research on how Arctic plants respond to rapid climate change. |
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Hazel Higginbotham I graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a BS in Biology in August 2023. My research interests include climate change ecology/impacts, microbiology, and aquatic ecosystems (both freshwater and marine systems). For the 2025-2026 ROADS cohort I will be working with Dr. Elizabeth Walsh studying freshwater invertebrates in the Chihuahuan Desert (particularly rotifers and tardigrades)! |
Funding Acknowledgment
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number BIO DBI 2319855.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.