Members of the lab encourage each other to take a question-driven approach that furthers our collective understanding of evolutionary processes. Students in the lab do not work on the same questions, which means we all adopt our own study systems and employ our own methods (see our publications for a sample). This diversity enriches the group and makes for interesting lab meetings. Nevertheless, recurrent themes involve population genetics, biogeography, and reproductive modes, while empirical work typically involves flowering plants.
Busch Lab
People and Projects
Our approach
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 received a Ph.D. from Indiana University with Lynda Delph in 2005. After a postdoc at McGill University with Daniel Schoen, he joined WSU in 2008. Jeremiah studies evolution, with a particular interest in the determinants of genetic variation in populations.
Shelby Tisinai (Ph.D. student)
Shelby is studying the consequences of gene expression variation in the face of climate change. Shelby is studying Cardamine cordifolia, a species distributed on a steep elevational gradient in the Rockies.
Henry Landis (Ph.D. student, co-advised with Dr. Eric Roalson)
Henry completed a M.S. at Columbia University with Deren Eaton studying hybridization and range overlap. Henry is now studying hybridization and adaptation in oaks.
Alumni
After completing their research at WSU, alumni of the lab 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
Evan Hilpman (Ph.D. 2022)
Evan studied plant-insect interactions and the evolution of floral traits in Castilleja. He studied pollination syndromes in this group and insect-mediated selection on floral volatiles in C. sessiliflora. Evan will join Oberlin College as a Visiting Assistant Professor in fall 2023.
Carly Prior (M.S. 2021)
Carly studied the evolution of species’ ranges and the geography of outcrossing rate variation in flowering plants. She currently works in private industry.
Jordan Rainbow (non-thesis M.S. 2020)
Jordan studied ecological and cytological variation in sagebrush. He currently works 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 went on to work with Scott Nuismer at the University of Idaho as a postdoc and now works with EcoHealth Alliance as a research scientist.
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 Assistant Professor at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Visit her webpage.
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. Visit his webpage.
Andrea Dixon (Ph.D. 2014)
Andrea studied environmental and genetic constraints on species ranges and their effects on plant diversity. Andrea is currently a research associate 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 is currently 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
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