Faculty Highlights

Over the next three years, Stephanie Spera, associate professor of geography, environment, and sustainability, Hemali Oza, assistant professor of health studies, and Todd Lookingbill, professor of geography, environment, and sustainability and biology, will work closely with the local environmental justice nonprofit Southside ReLeaf on a community-led study of flooding on the Southside of Richmond with the support of a grant from the Jeffress Trust.

Melinda A. Yang, assistant professor of biology, Stephanie A. Spera, associate professor of geography, environment, & sustainability, and Beth Zizzamia, spatial analysis lab GIS operations manager, along with students Flora Yi, '27, and Elliot Delroba, '24, published "The AADR Visualizer: an ArcGIS online visualizer for ancient human DNA from the Allen Ancient DNA Resource" in the Bioinformatic Advances. The AADR Visualizer is the associated tool. The groundbreaking project lets users explore ancient human DNA through an interactive global map.

Carrie Wu, professor of biology, published “Wavyleaf basketgrass (Oplismenus undulatifolius) invasion is associated with changes in soil microbial communities” in mSphere.

David Salisbury, associate professor of geography, environment, & sustainability, received the Conference of Latin American Geography (CLAG) Enlaces Award in recognition of his success and commitment to improve relationships between geographers and geography departments throughout Latin America.

Stephanie Spera, associate professor of geography, environment, & sustainability, and David Salisbury, associate professor of geography, environment, & sustainability, published “Transboundary Road-Building in the Southwestern Amazon” in the Journal of Latin American Geography.

Carrie Wu was promoted to professor of biology. Her research investigates the mechanisms of adaptive differentiation and speciation and examines how environmental variation influences phenotypic and genetic variation among natural plant populations. 

Stephanie Spera was promoted to associate professor of geography, environment, & sustainability. Her research seeks to understand landscape-level human-environment feedbacks regarding social, economic, and environmental drivers and consequences.

Carrie Wu, professor of biology, published "Effects of experimental warming on floral scent, display, and rewards in two subalpine herbs" in Annals of Botany.