People and Projects

We encourage each other to take a question-driven approach to better understand how evolution works and why it matters for all organisms. Lab members have much freedom to define their research, often adopting their own study systems and methods (see our publications for a sample). This diversity enriches the group and makes for interesting lab meetings. Recurrent themes include population genetics, molecular ecology, and reproductive biology. Most of our work uses flowering plants as experimental systems, with the results informing solutions to general problems in evolution, biology, and science writ large.

Figure caption: Thomas Buchloh, Jeremiah Busch, Shelby Tisinai, Henry Landis, and Evan Hilpman on Moscow Mountain in fall 2021. Photo credit: Emily Lewis.

Current members

Jeremiah Busch (PI)

Jeremiah earned a Ph.D. at Indiana University with Lynda Delph and worked as a postdoc at McGill University with Daniel Schoen. At WSU, Jeremiah studies evolution, with a particular interest in the determinants of genetic variation in natural populations.

Henry Landis (Ph.D. student, co-advised with Dr. Eric Roalson)

Henry completed an M.S. at Columbia University with Deren Eaton studying hybridization and range overlap. Henry is now studying hybridization, introgression, and adaptation, focusing on the Quercus gambelii species complex in the southwestern United States.

Alumni

After completing their research at WSU, alumni have continued careers in universities, laboratories, conservation settings, and private industry. Success in these diverse venues is made possible through open-minded immersion in the process of science and the dissemination of work in talks and papers.

Postdocs and Graduate students

Shelby Tisinai (Ph.D. 2025)

Shelby studied how plants respond to environmental change, including the adaptive evolution of gene expression. This work focused on wild mustards (Boechera stricta and Cardamine cordifolia) across elevational gradients. Shelby is currently a Postdoc at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Evan Hilpman (Ph.D. 2022)

Evan studied plant-insect interactions in iconic Castilleja. He investigated pollination syndromes in this group and insect-mediated selection on floral volatiles in C. sessiliflora. Evan is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at Oberlin College.

Carly Prior (M.S. 2021)

Carly studied the evolution of species’ ranges and geographic variation in the reproductive strategies of flowering plants. She currently works in private industry.

Jordan Rainbow  (non-thesis M.S. 2020)

Jordan studied ecological and cytological variation in sagebrush. He went on to work as a laboratory technician on the physiology and pathology of tree fruits for the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Wenatchee, WA.

Nathan Layman (Ph.D. 2018, Postdoc 2018)

Nate studied the evolution of self-fertilization with a focus on non-equilibrium populations.  He worked with EcoHealth Alliance as a Research Scientist and now works as an Analyst and Data Scientist at the University of Idaho.

Dena Grossenbacher (Postdoc 2015-2016)

Dena studied how reproductive traits (such as mating system) influence species geographic distributions and co-occurrences. She is now an Associate Professor at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Fernando Villanea (Ph.D. 2016)

Fernando worked on demographic inference and ancient DNA. He worked extensively with Dr. Brian Kemp (now at University of Oklahoma) during his time at WSU. Fernando is currently an Assistant Professor in the Anthropology Department at CU Boulder.

Andrea Dixon (Ph.D. 2014)

Andrea studied environmental and genetic constraints on species ranges and their effects on plant diversity. Andrea is currently a Senior Data Scientist in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University.

Nicholas Norton (M.S. 2014)

Nick studied character displacement of flower color in a pair of Leavenworthia species. Nick went on to serve as Executive Director for the Washington Association of Land Trusts.

Michael Joseph (M.S. 2012)

Michael studied limits on seed production in a rare, self-incompatible plant (Physaria filiformis). Michael went on to work for the Missouri Department of Conservation.

WSU Undergraduates

Undergraduates have worked on a broad diversity of projects. Often, undergraduates gain research experience aiding graduate students with their projects. In some cases, undergraduates have developed their own projects which are inspired by their experiences in the laboratory. Day-to-day activities range from those done in the greenhouse (e.g. growing and measuring plant phenotypes), in the laboratory (e.g. extracting DNA for genotyping) or at a computer (e.g. crafting models, analyzing data).

• Emma Huynh
• Nicolai Ripplinger
• Nolan Hansen
• Emma McGinty
• Jean O’Donnell
• Yva Eline
• Austyn Orvis
• Karst Downey
• Kari Mitchell
• Ashley Edwardson
• Brian Reidy
• Ty Berven
• Jennifer Darnell
• Megan Deffe
• Tyler Witthuhn
• Lena Gunn
• William Werner