Members

Lab members at the 2018 Phi Sigma spring banquet — Research group members at the 2018 Phi Sigma spring banquet. Pictured left to right: Amanda Klingler, Rebekka Darner, Eric Walsh, Kara Baldwin, Rachel Waring-Sparks.

Current Research Group Members

Blessing Soyebi

Blessing joined the School of Biological Sciences doctoral program in August, 2024. She is currently the Science IS-U Scholars program GA. Her dissertation will focus on the impacts of civic engagement on STEM majors’ motivations for their careers.

Matthew Hagaman

Matthew Hagaman joined the School of Biological Sciences doctoral program in August, 2024 and is the Program Coordinator for the STEM Ambassadors program. His dissertation will explore how early engagement in participatory action research supports the maturation of STEM students into becoming disciplinary change agents and what experiences to foster change agent competencies relevant to their STEM disciplines.

Recent Graduates

Eben Korkor

Eben joined in January of 2021 and was in the School of Biological Sciences master’s degree program. Eben conducted research in BSC 370: Topics in Molecular & Cellular Biology, taught by Dr. Jan Dahl, which seeks to use course-based undergraduate research to foster scientific communication skills, interest in pursuing research careers, and enhanced understanding of how scientific knowledge is generated through research. Eben graduated in 2024.

Dr. Ashley Waring-Sparks, co-advised with Dr. Nate Mortimer, graduated in December 2023. Ashley’s dissertation investigated genomic evolution between parasitoid wasp venom and Drosophila melanogaster. Ashley is now works at ISU’s Center for Mathematics, Science, & Technology as the program coordinator for the Science IS-U Scholars program.

Kendy presenting at the 2022 University Research Symposium

Kendy Reyes-Cruz graduated in 2023 with her bachelor’s degree in biology.

Alyssa presenting at the 2022 University Research Symposium

Alyssa Hayes, BS, graduated in spring of 2022 with her bachelor’s degree in biology. She is now working in wildlife rehabilitation.

Tae’lor Allen, BS, graduated in spring of 2022 with her bachelor’s degree in biology. She is currently applying to medical school.

Tae’lor presents at the University Research Symposium in 2022

Dr. Rachel Waring-Sparks defended her thesis in July of 2021 and now works at ISU’s Center for Civic Engagement.

Dr. Rachel Waring-Sparks was hooded by Bekky in December, 2021.

Ashley Dumas, BS, graduated in the spring of 2021 with her bachelor’s degree in biology and is pursuing her master’s degree in public health at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Tanya Josek, PhD, wrapped up her post-doctoral researcher position in the summer of 2021 and now works at the Beckman Institute as a microscopist.

Marissa Hettinger, BS, graduated in spring 2020 and started a PhD program in Family Studies and Human Development at University of Arizona in fall 2021.

Kara Baldwin, PhD, graduated in December of 2020 and is now the Education & Community Engagement Coordinator at the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Kara Baldwin, pictured with Bekky and Rachel, graduated with her Ph.D. in December, 2020.

Iresha Jayasinghe, MS, graduated in spring of 2020 and the following fall began the doctoral program in the School of the Environment and Natural Resources at the Ohio State University.

Amanda Klingler, BS, graduated in spring of 2020 and is now pursuing a PhD at the University of Denver.

Eric Walsh, MS, graduated in the summer of 2020 and is now an Anatomy & Physiology instructor at the University of Wisconsin.