ROADS Cohort 2026-2027

Michael Demby

I graduated from Texas Tech University, where I earned a B.S in Biology with a specialization in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. I am interested in researching how plants and animals are adapting to global change and in restoring disturbed ecosystems. While studying at Texas Tech, I was able to volunteer in a lab where I assisted with experiments researching plant ecophysiology. I was also able to work on a research project focused on restoration ecology, surveying for areas of remnant prairie land in Lubbock and its surrounding counties for future restoration projects. Additionally, I interned at the Houston Arboretum, where I worked on a research project focused on forest regeneration rates. I hope to use these research interests to pursue a career in environmental science or urban ecology to improve the sustainability of our communities. I am excited to be able to continue conducting research in plant ecology and remote sensing under Dr. La Rue and Dr. Martinez-Blancas in the ROADS Program!

Ciara Duff

I graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies. I'm interested in plant-soil interactions and ecosystem ecology. My research in Dr. McLaren's lab will focus on how warming temperatures may affect how soil microbes use different nutrients in the Arctic.

Jacob Guzman

I graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. I love learning about plants especially flowering plants - Bougainvilleas being my favorite. Every plant has a story to it, whether that be how it grows, or what is written down in its genetic code. I have an interest in morphology evolution involving flower shapes and curatorial work at herbariums. I will be working with Dr. Michael Moody where I look at the genetics and relationships between species in the cacti genus, Echinocerus, found within the Chihuahuan desert.

Sydney Hawkins

I recently graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a bachelor's degree in Biology and a minor in 
Chemistry. With a particular interest in organismal resilience under stress, I seek to integrate molecular techniques into ecological research to better understand the mechanisms of organismal behavior, adaptation, and evolution. I am eager to spend this year in Dr. Elizabeth Walsh’s lab, where I will be studying aquatic microinvertebrates that reside in temporary pools in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Jacob Hetz

My name is Jake Hetz, I am a recent graduate from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and a minor in Chemistry. With the ROADS program at UTEP I will be working in the plant evolution lab with Dr. Michael Moody looking into the genetics and phylogenetic relationships found within plants. Systematics and taxonomy are two fields that greatly interest me. Investigating links between species within genera via molecular phylogenetic methods has been a rewarding subject to study and I would love to continue researching understudied plant populations through this lens.

Anna Maloney

I graduated from Sam Houston State University in December 2025 with a B.S. in Geography, and minors in Biology and Environmental Science. Previously, I conducted research in behavioral ornithology and species distribution modelling for endangered plant species. My research interests involve how abiotic influences ecosystem health in aquatic environments. I also have interests in using spatial sciences to engage with ecological research. I am excited to be working with Dr. Lougheed during this program. I hope to pursue a career in environmental and ecological research to help advance conservation efforts.

Clover McDougall

I received my B.S. in Biological Sciences from Arizona State University in 2025 with a concentration in Conservation Biology and Ecology. During this time, I participated in a research study abroad in the Okavango Delta in Botswana under Dr. Richard Kingsford and Dr. Neil Jordan. I conducted field surveys of large herbivores, waterfowl, and aquatic macroinvertebrates, as well as testing water quality in natural/artificial pans and man-made wells. This past year, I worked at the Nunez-Mir Laboratory for Macroscale Ecology and Conservation at the University of Illinois at Chicago studying invasive plant and insect species using a trait-based, macroecological approach. These experiences have led me to be particularly interested in studying population dynamics and human-wildlife interactions. At the UTEP ROADS RaMP program I will be working with Dr. Benjamin Padilla to study El Paso’s urban wildlife population and disease dynamics with the aim of understanding exposure risk to humans along socioeconomic gradients. In my free time, I enjoy hiking with my dogs, knitting, and cooking.

Victoria Portman

Graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a Bachelors in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. My research interests are in conservation efforts in animals and habitats. I will be working with Dr. Lavretsky, focusing on a project that investigates bacteria in Aoudad populations.

Ruby Shaw

I am a recent graduate of Mount Holyoke College, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in Biology. I am deeply passionate about conservation and community ecology, with a particular focus on invasive plant ecology and management. My research interests center on how invasive nitrogen-fixing plants influence nutrient cycling and species interactions in resource-limited environments. I am excited to join the UTEP ROADs post-baccalaureate program, where I will work with Dr. Elizabeth La Rue on a project examining the structural diversity and ecosystem function of dryland plant communities.

Limber Martinez

I graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso in Spring 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science. My research interests focus on the complexities of dryland ecosystems, specifically soil–vegetation interactions, carbon fluxes, and their influence on ecosystem productivity and resilience. I will be working in Dr. Kelly Ramirez’s lab, where my research will be focusing on soil–microbe–vegetation interactions in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Larkin Rutherford

I recently graduated from College of the Atlantic and Alaska Pacific University, receiving my B.A. in Human Ecology. Originally working in forestry and wildland firefighting, over the course of my undergraduate education During my education, I've served as Museum Director for a local marine biology and maritime history museum, and have pursued a diversity of research topics- from postglacial sedimentology and plant metabolomic sequencing to Classical philosophy and Indigenous language revitalization. My particular focus is braiding Indigenous and Western scientific epistemologies to achieve a more representative, equitable research paradigm. I have acted frequently as an independent research assistant with a variety of nations and communities across the United States and internationally, and I am thrilled to carry these experiences forward into my work with the UTEP ROADS program with Dr. Tweedie. My work will be focused on Arctic environmental research, field sampling and engaging in interdisciplinary, community-oriented ways of knowing.