I grew up in central New York and received my bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, where I studied fish behavior in Dr. Uy’s lab while he was on the faculty there. After graduating from SU, I spent five years chasing fairy-wrens through the Australian outback for my PhD research in Dr. Mike Webster’s lab at Cornell University. My dissertation focused on how diverging sexual signals affect the speciation process. This research combined detailed population monitoring and field experiments with lab-based genomic and paternity analyses. I was recently awarded a NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology, which brought me back to Dr. Uy’s lab, at the University of Miami. I will be studying the behavioral, ecological, and molecular basis of blood-feeding in the vampire finch. The vampire finch is a bizarre member the Darwin’s finch group in the Galápagos Islands that drinks the blood of large seabirds. I hope to discover the environmental conditions that favor this behavior, and the physiological adaptations that allow these birds to exploit this unique dietary resource.

Dan is now an Assistant Professor of Biology at SUNY Oswego.

Dan's website

I moved to the US from my home country Ecuador in 2002 to obtain my MS at San Francisco State University and PhD from University of California, Los Angeles, both degrees in Evolutionary Biology. I then moved to Las Vegas for a two-year postdoctoral work at UNLV to continue my work on avian phylogeography. My main interest is studying the mode and tempo of the diversification of Neotropical birds. My research uses sequence data to construct evolutionary trees and an array of phylogenetic statistical methods to test evolutionary and biogeographic hypotheses. Most of my research has focused on hummingbirds from South America, yellow warblers from the Galapagos Islands and most recently, the widely distributed house wren complex. My collaobration in the Uy lab uses new high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies to examine the evolutionary origin of species divergence in the iconic adaptive radiation of Darwin's finches from the Galapagos Islands.

Jaime is now an Assistant Professor at San Francisco State University.

Jaime's website

I first became interested in speciation genetics while I was an undergraduate at Grinnell College, where I was involved in a project investigating the transition from outcrossing to selfing in the plant Clarkia xantiana and C. parviflora. After graduating from Grinnell in 2003 with a B.A. in Biology, I went on to work as a lab technician in Magnus Nordborg’s lab at the University of Southern California. Later, I became a graduate student in the same lab, and my dissertation research focused on using next generation sequencing technology to perform a whole genome scan for speciation genes in two varieties of flowering columbine: Aquilegia formosa and A. pubescens. I received my Ph.D. from USC in January 2011, and came to the University of Miami as a postdoc shortly thereafter. In the Uy lab, I am using RAD Illumina data to explore the genomics of speciation in island in flycatchers.

Liz is now an Assistant Professor at UNC Charlotte. She continues her collaboration with the Uy Lab on projects exploring the genomics of speciation in Tropical birds.

Liz's website

My first opportunity to study tropical ecology came during a summer research trip to Costa Rica, where I studied bioacoustics and edge effects on the Chestnut-backed Antbird, Myrmeciza exsul. By the end of the summer I had fallen in love with the life and diversity of the rainforest, and developed a strong interest in tropical ecosystems. I spent the following year working in the lab of Dr. Kevin Omland at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. In the Omland lab, I analyzed duet recordings of Venezuelan troupials, Icterus icterus, and eventually worked with a team to band and record more specimens at the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Preserve in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. I have since graduated from UMBC with a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, and joined the Uy Lab in 2013. For my dissertation project, I am taking advantage of the recent introduction of Anolis lizards to explore how animals adapt to urbanization or novel habitats.

Winter finished his PhD in 2020, and is now a Lecturer at the University of Miami

I attended Gustavus Adolphus College in southern MN for my undergraduate education, where I earned a B.A. degree with a double major in biology and math. I then joined Dr. Robert Gibson’s lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where I obtained my M.S. degree in biology. My M.S. research project examined the trade-offs in behavior faced by males in lekking systems, both empirically through a field study of sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) as well as theoretically by building a stochastic-dynamic programming model. Between degree programs, I’ve also had the opportunity to work on field projects investigating the sexual selection dynamics of Phylloscopus warblers in the Altai region of Siberia and species recognition in golden-crowned and white-crowned sparrows in southern Alaska. I then joined the Uy lab in the fall of 2013 as a Ph.D. student. The overarching goal for my dissertation project is to use a combination of fieldwork, genetic, and theoretical modeling techniques to examine the behavioral mechanisms contributing to speciation in a tropical avian system.

Sarah completed her PhD in 2019, and currently works at Northwestern University as a grants administrator.

A still unresolved question in evolutionary biology is how genetic variation is maintained in natural populations. In Poecilia parae, the Guyanese pentamorphic livebearer, there are five genetically-based male color morphs: two with carotenoid-based colors (red and yellow), one with structural color (blue), one with elaborate dorsal fins and vertical strips, and one resembling juvenile females.

My dissertation focused on understanding the maintenance of genetic color polymorphism among males in P. parae. I investigated how behavioral and ecological factors contribute to the persistence of such polymorphism in natural populations. Jorge defended his dissertation in May 2011, then joined Mikal Polak's lab as postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cincinnati. Jorge is now a permanent Physical Scientist for Environment and Climate Change, Canada.

The diversity of life has always fascinated me. Since the age of 14, I have worked in zoological collections. This exposure led me to ponder the evolutionary processes that led to this diversity. My dissertation project focuses on speciation in bearded manakins of Central America. In particular, I wish to understand the role of divergent natural and sexual selection in rapid speciation.

Prior to joining the lab, I received a B.S. in zoology from Northern Arizona University, where I worked with Dr. Russell P. Balda on exploring the spatial memory abilities of Corvids. After my undergraduate degree (1999), I joined several field projects in Arizona, Australia, and South & Central America.

Adam defended his Ph.D. dissertation in Jan. 2009. He worked as a resident Biologist at the Muraviovka Park for Sustainable Land Use in Siberia, and now faculty at the International Educational Exchange.

As a kid, I spent 11 years living in Guam and the Philippines and consequently became addicted to tropical and Old World birds. I got my undergraduate education at Pacific Union College in northern California, graduating with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in mathematics. While in California, I spent most of my free time studying waterbird ecology, although I also worked on topics as varied as human-bird interactions and hybridization in Butorides herons. Having had enough of the cold, temperate California climate, in August 2012 I joined the Uy lab at the University of Miami with the hope of returning to Asia/Oceania to study avian speciation.

Doug successfully defended his MS thesis in the Summer of 2015.

From a very young age I have been involved in various wildlife and ecology conservation and education programs throughout the country. These experiences helped foster a special interest in animal behavior and evolution. I hope to gain valuable research skills and increase my knowledge in the fields of ecology, animal behavior and evolution while at the Uy lab. My responsibilities in the lab include maintaining a variety of fish stocks and assisting in molecular studies, as well as overseeing some of the logistical aspects of the lab. Cara is now a PhD student at the University of Georgia.

Dan worked on mate choice in Poecilia parae for his undergraduate thesis, working in our lab from 2006 to 2008.Dan went on to graduate school (Ph.D.) at Cornell University in Mike Webster's lab. He worked on hybrid zone dynamics of fairywrens in Australia. After completing his PhD, he received a NSF postdoctoral fellowship and returned to the Uy Lab. He returned to the Uy Lab as a postdoc (2014-2016), where he explored the evolution of blood feeding in Darwin's Finches. Dan is now an Assistant Professor at SUNY Oswego.

Blanc worked with Winter Beckles in 2015 in a field project on Anolis lizards. She investigate the relationship between dewlap color variation and light habitats in Anolis distichus lizards. Her work with Winter broadened jer experience in field research and gave her a deeper insight into other possible areas of interest, such as evolutionary genetics. 

In the Fall of 2013, Kathryn studied abroad in the Galapagos Islands where she met Dr.Uy. During Dr.Uy’s course she learned about the practices of field biology and was able to conduct a studies on some of the great animals of the Galapagos, most notably the marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus). Upon returning to UM, she joined the Uy Lab to work with Winter Beckles on signal evolution in Anolis lizards.

Originally from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, I came to Syracuse University in 2007 to pursue a B.S. degree in Biology.  Having a keen interest in animals from a young age, I became an active volunteer at the MSPCA Animal Shelter in 2000 and began working at a veterinary hospital in 2004.  These experiences, along with many others have solidified my decision to work towards becoming a veterinarian.  My interest in the Uy Lab began when I took Al’s study abroad course Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation of Insular Diversity in the Solomon Islands in the summer of 2009. 

Moira worked on two projects in the Uy Lab: 1) the genetic basis of melanism in flycatchers of the Solomon Islands, and 2) the role of kin selection in lek evolution in manakins of Panama.  Moira is now a graduate student in Craig Albertson's lab at the University of Massachussetts, Amherst.

Stephen worked in the joint Uy Lab on two projects: 1) population genetics of social wasps across the Solomon Islands, and 2) the genetic basis of pigmentation in birds. He is a co-author with Al in 2016 paper published in Proceedings B. Stephen is now in the joint PhD program in BioSciences at UC Berkeley and San Francisco.

Edie was a Rene Crown Scholar and participated in the Uy lab from 2006-2008. Her thesis addressed the effects of urbanization in thesong structure of the common yellowthroat. She is currently at the University of Montana working on her Master's in forestry.

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Daniel received my B.S. in Biology from the University of Miami in 2015. His first experience with field biology came through Drs. Al Uy and Floria Mora-Kepfer’s field course in the Solomon Islands. After participating in the course, Daniel joined the Uy Lab to conduct a study exploring the population genetics of social wasps from the Solomon Islands. He is currently a medical student at UM's Miller School of Medicine.

I have always had an interest in working with animals and learning more about them. This has led me to pursue a career in Veterinary medicine. Throughout campus I am involved in different wildlife conservation, animal and education programs promoting Biology, conservation and research.

Katelyn earned a B.S. degreein Biology at Syracuse University in May 2011. In the Uy lab, she explored the function of mouth coloration in nestlings. Specifically, she tested the hypothesis that the color or intensity of mouth coloration honestly signals need to parents. She is now working in NY City in real estate.

Dave was a computer science major who worked in the Pitnick and Uy labs. He was interested in modelling the evolution of adaptive, condition-dependent female mating preferences. He is now in graduate school (Program in Bioinformatics) at the University of Maryland

Currently a graduate student in the Communication Science & Disorders program at Syracuse University, Mark worked in the Uy lab during his senior year (2005). He tested the possible role of male body size and gonopodium (intromittent organ) length in female choice.

Ryan's project explored the possibility that male body size and gonopodium length are correlated with aspects of sperm morphology. He was in the Uy lab fom 2006 to 2007.

Carlos is now in medical school. Carlos worked on the effects of variable visual habitats in mate choice in swordtails for his undergraduate thesis. Carlos was in the Uy lab from 2006-2008.

Nicole graduated from theUniversity of Miami with double major in Biology and Ecosystem Science and Policy. In the Uy Lab, she worked on a project exploring the population genetics of the Ibiza Wall Lizard, attempting to determine the evolutionary history of this variable species comple.

Laura Vander Meiden

Laura graduates from the University of Miami in 2015 wiht degrees in Biology, Marine Science, and Ecosystem Science and Policy. In the Uy Lab, she worked Ion a project assessing the effects of anthropogenic noise on mockingbird song. She is currently a PhD student at the University of Nebraska in Dai Shizuka's lab.

Fabian Wagner

Fabian graduated from SU with a degree in Biology in 2010. His project in the Uy lab explored how internal parasites influence the expression of bright plumage in yellowthroats and eastern bluebirds. He is an alumnus of the Solomon Islands field course (2009). He is now exploring the possibility of continuing with graduate work in evolutionary biology.