Weddell seal population project genomics researcher Dr. Elizabeth Flesch is now on her way to join the rest of the field team based at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Elizabeth received her PhD from Montana State University, and works as a post-doctoral scholar with the Chen Lab and lead scientist and evolutionary biologist Dr. Nancy Chen, University of Rochester. Elizabeth is co-advised by Weddell population project lead scientist Dr. Jay Rotella.
Elizabeth (she/her/hers) is interested in understanding how external forces influence population genetics across landscapes. She is using demographic and genomic methods to evaluate the spatial scale of dispersal and gene flow among breeding colonies of Weddell seals found in Antarctica. This approach will help identify potential drivers of temporal variation in immigration. Elizabeth earned her Ph.D. at Montana State University, where her dissertation addressed the population genomics of bighorn sheep in the Rocky Mountains. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, gardening, and hiking. (Photo and bio courtesy the PopGen Chen Lab website.)
The Principal Investigator on the Weddell seal population genomics research is Dr. Nancy Chen, Chen Lab, University of Rochester. This is a collaborative grant with the Weddell seal population project, funded by the National Science Foundation.
Nancy (she/her/hers) is an evolutionary biologist interested in the genomic basis of contemporary evolution in natural populations. Her research integrates genomics and long-term demographic studies to characterize the evolutionary processes shaping patterns of variation across the genome through space and time. Nancy earned her Ph.D. with Andy Clark and John Fitzpatrick at Cornell University and then did a postdoc with Graham Coop at UC Davis before moving to Rochester. She is committed to promoting equity and inclusion in STEM. Nancy enjoys running, hiking, cooking, and playing board games. Photo and bio courtesy the PopGen Chen Lab website.
We look very much forward to Elizabeth's arrival on The Ice, and to delving deeper into this fascinating science work to better understand population genomics and immigration of the Weddell seals of Erebus Bay, Antarctica!
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