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Jeremiah is an Assistant Professor in Biology at the University of South Alabama. A love of the outdoors and some amazing undergraduate advisors lead Jeremiah down a path to spend a lot of time thinking about species interactions in plant communities and how they shape patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem function. Jeremiah grew up in the midwestern US but escaped the brutal winters! When Jeremiah is not thinking about fungi living in plants, he is probably brewing beer, collecting insects, laying on a beach, or watching some sporting event!
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Lab technicians
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(Thelma) Getty Hammer recently finished her Master’s degree studying wetland plant ecology. Her research is focused on the response of plant communities to physical disturbance in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. Although she grew up near Washington DC, Getty has fallen in love with coastal plant communities and has spent a ton of time botanizing the diverse flora across the gulf coast! In the future, Getty plans to pursue her PhD in plant ecology, become a professor, and establish a research lab. As a neurodivergent individual, she hopes to foster an academic space for those with diverse neurotypes and backgrounds and encourage their sense of belonging in science. Getty is helping with some of our glass sand projects with Tulane and Glass Half Full. |
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Emily Newman recently finished her Masters degree and is also working on glass sand projects. She was born in southeast Texas, but spent most of her time growing up in Guntersville, Alabama. Emily loves the water, living close to water her entire life, has definitely influenced her academic interests and hobbies. When she is not studying biology, Emily is likely birding, exploring on the beach, or taking care of her freshwater tanks. Longterm, Emily would like to pursue a career in conservation or science outreach. Emily's thesis explored how dune fungal communities respond to disturbance and nutrient addition on Dauphin Island.
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Graduate students
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Darrien Caudle is a masters student in Biology that is conducting his thesis on understand how biology instructors incorporate ideologically aware content in to biology curriculum. Hi is originally from Rainbow City, which is found in northeast Alabama. Since Darrien was young, he has always been drawn to the life that surrounded him, which sprouted his love for biology. His goal after he completes his undergraduate degree is to begin working in a lab and/or pursue a graduate degree in conservation, ecology, biology, or marine sciences. More specifically, coral reef ecology and conservation or a degree that incorporates ecosystems and society, linking the natural world and its importance with humans and their wellbeing. Outside of his studies, he enjoys being with friends, gaming, reading, and exploring and admiring the outdoors. |
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Chelsea Thornton is a Masters Student originally from Biloxi, MS. Growing up on the coast sparked Chelsea's interest in the beach and aquatic life early in her life, and seeing the effects of climate change firsthand further drives her to save the ocean and our coasts. When she's not studying or slinging pizzas, she loves painting, needle point, going to the beach, and spending time with her family. For her MS research, Chelsea is going to be pursuing multi-trophic relationships in our Dauphin Island disturbance x nutrient addition experiment. |
Undergraduate researchers
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Jacob Barefoot is a senior biology student originally from Fairhope, Alabama. He previously worked in landscaping and horticulture, sparking a passion for plants in all forms. When not working in the lab, Jacob enjoys playing guitar, reading, writing, and working on boats. He aims to attend graduate school studying plant-microbiome interactions after graduation. In the FUNGGii lab, Jacob is conducting a greenhouse experiment to test whether native dune mycorrhizal fungi provide salinity tolerance to two species of beach morning glory and sea oats. |
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Kayla Beitzel is a senior biology major, marine science minor from Elmhurst, Illinois. She is much more accustomed to snowy Chicago weather; however, at South, she has taken an interest in double minoring in chemistry, and she is apart of the Jaguar Drumline (she loves football). Her plans after college are to become a shark analyst, an underwater marine photographer, or even work as a researcher at an aquarium! She hopes that her research done here at South will allow her to understand more about organisms on Earth and how they have been impacted by the environment. When she is not studying, you can find Kayla working out, playing sports, long boarding, hiking, hanging out with friends, getting burnt at the beach, or even practicing her film photography skills!
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Cordelia Gillenwater is a sophomore majoring in marine sciences with a minor in psychology. She is from Waynesboro, GA – a small farming town about an hour's drive away from Augusta. Cordelia has always loved learning as much as possible about the outdoors, but she has a special love for the ocean. When she graduates, she is hoping to work for about a year then pursue a masters degree. In her free time, Cordelia loves to read, listen to music, and go to the beach! Cordelia will be helping out on some of our glass sand projects in the lab! |
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Gracie Hankins is a junior biology major with a concentration in environmental science. Her hometown is Biloxi, Mississippi, where she grew acquainted to coastal environments, but has a passion for mountainous regions and landscapes. She has a special interest in botany and tropical houseplants, and is looking forward to working in the campus labs, greenhouses, and field projects. Outside of class, Gracie loves tending to her houseplants, hiking, creating art, and exercising. After college, she plans on working as a park ranger in multiple national parks for a few seasons to learn about and live in new environments. Long term, she aims to research and conduct new conservation efforts for land all over the country.
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Kerrington Kittrell is a senior majoring in Biology with a minor in Psychology. She is from State Line, MS. She works as a medical assistant at a dermatology clinic and volunteers at Victory Health Clinic. Kerrington is also a volunteer with Rapahope- an organization based in Mobile that provides opportunities such as summer camp to children who have been diagnosed with cancer. She is a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-health Society, and is the secretary of the Women’s Pre-Health Club here at the University of South Alabama. Kerrington is very passionate about promoting a sense of belonging to women and other minorities in the STEM field. Her future plans include attending medical school to become a Pediatric Oncologist. When she is not working, volunteering, or in class, Kerrington can likely be found blaring a Taylor Swift or Olivia Rodrigo song or watching Gilmore Girls.
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Erin McBain is a senior at South, currently completing her bachelor’s degree in Biology with a concentration in Marine Science and a minor in Psychology. She is originally from rural Wisconsin, where she grew up on a farm and where she discovered her love for nature at a young age. At South, Erin has been involved with a variety of undergraduate research including botany, insects, and birds. She is currently an intern at the Mississippi State Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, which aligns with her focus in restoration ecology and conservation. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature with her two golden-doodles Henry and Louie. After graduation, Erin hopes to complete her master’s degree to prepare her for a future in research.
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Madison Parks is a junior majoring in biology with a minor in marine sciences. She is from a small town in Southwest Virginia. Madison has always had a passion for the outdoors, specifically things involving the coasts. When she graduates, she hopes to get into a masters program to continue her education. In her free time she loves going to the beach, hanging out with her dogs, fishing, and watching Netflix! Madison is excited to contribute to some of the various coastal projects in the FUNGGii lab! |
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Emily Parrish is a sophomore majoring in biology and minoring in marine science. She is from Oxford, Alabama but plans to stay close to the coast. After graduation, she plans to work for a few years before pursuing graduate school. When she isn’t in class or in a lab she likes to read, make wire-wrapped jewelry, and spend time outside. |
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Josie Pry is a senior biology major with a minor in marine science. She is also a member of the track and field team at south where she runs the hurdles. She is from New Philadelphia, Ohio. Josie has always had a love for the ocean and plans to get her masters in marine biology after she graduates. Her future plans are up in the air but she has found a love for research and hopes to one day to conduct her own research. She loves to go snorkeling, go for walks and read in her free time. She also loves to spend time with her bearded dragon, Rex. Josie will be helping out on some of the ghost crab projects happening in the lab! |
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Justin Puckett is an undergraduate Biology major with a minor in Geology, from Mobile, Alabama. He enjoys astronomy and stargazing with my telescope, growing carnivorous plants, and working out. He plans to attend graduate school to become a carnivorous plant ecologist or even a primatologist. Justin has been putting in work overnights with the ghost crab crew and is going to be jumping into a wide variety of projects this fall! |
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Lexie Tate a senior majoring in Biology with a minor in Philosophy & Medicine! She was born and raised here in Mobile, AL and my dream goal is to be an OB/GYN. Women’s health and ethics in medicine are major passions of mine, so she spend her time volunteering at the Children’s and Women’s Hospital and she also Vice President of The Women’s Pre-Health Club. When she is not busy with school/work, she is either painting, working out, or reading! After college she plans to take a gap year or 2 before going to medical school to work and gain experience. A major career goal of hers is to provide women’s health services in countries abroad where it is not accessible. With the FUNGGII lab, Lexie will be bouncing around to help out and gain research experience!
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Aaron Wiggs is a Biology Major with a minor in GIST (Geographic Information Science and Technology). Aaron is from Huntsville, Alabama where he spent a lot of time hiking and camping in the surrounding areas. With a love for wildlife and the outdoors he is passionate about wanting to pursue a career in Ecological research concerning the use of bioindicators to measure community and ecosystem health. After graduating he plans to attend Graduate School to focus on these topics and pursue research that furthers his knowledge on how indicator species can be used and chosen. Aaron finds the idea of mentorship rewarding after his experience in scouting which has led him to want to pursue being a professor later in his career. He will be spending his time in the lab focusing on the relationship between ghost crabs and their functional traits with diet change as well as other results in response of disturbance. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, reading, and planning his next backpacking trip.
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Funggii lab alum
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Nikki Ricketts is a senior majoring in Biology with a concentration in marine biology and minoring in studio art. Nikki is from Madison, Alabama and moved to Mobile to attend South Alabama. She is passionate about environmental advocacy and plans to pursue a job in conservation and restoration after graduation. In her free time she enjoys reading, sculpture, gardening, and taekwando. In the FUNGGii lab, Nikki is going to be working with Darrien to understand how introductory biology instructors discuss contreversial topics within their classroom.
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Emily Nation is a senior from Birmingham, Alabama. She is majoring in Biology with a minor in Anthropology at the University of South Alabama. Her hopes are to go into the field of Environmental Sciences to be a Conservation Biologist. In her free time she likes she likes to read, cook, and spend time with her friends. She will be helping work on a few projects in the FUNGGii Lab to dip her toes in the water of research. Emily is going to be working on our Dauphin Island dune experiment, looking at the impacts of disturbance on Delta soil communities, and helping Angela with some DBER work!
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Declan Godfrey is a Biology Major with a Geology Minor From Rainbow City, Alabama. He has a love for learning and a thirst for knowledge. When he graduates, Declan looks to get a job in research and conservation within our national and state parks. Declan is the current Vice President of USA Spectrum, the on-campus LGBTQ+ club. When he is not studying or performing his officer duties, Declan can be found reading, knitting, painting, writing short stories, or playing board games.
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Becky Well is a senior biology major with a concentration in marine biology. She has followed her family across the states and can call many places home. Becky has a passion for plants and uses it in the lab managing the herbarium. After graduation she plans on going into urban planning and later environmental law. When Becky isn’t in the lab you can find her as a writing tutor in the library, hanging with friends on Dauphin Island, or enjoying a good movie.
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Nathan Valentine is a Biomedical Science (BMD) Honors College major originally from Fairhope Alabama. He loves sailing, road tripping, and volunteering at University Hospital. Nathan is fresh to the lab, but is diving into the fungal world and will be exploring mycorrhizal fungi along elevational gradients! He is very excited to learn more about mycorrhizae.
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Sarah-Kate Genter is a senior biology major with a concentration in marine biology. Sarah-Kate is from Bowling Green, Kentucky but plans to stay coastal in her studies. When she graduates she plans to peruse a masters degree in coastal conservation working to combat the affects of climate change. When she’s not taking pictures for the lab or checking out the social media you can find her with the BSA officers, swimming, hiking, paddle boarding, or watching a movie.
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Dr Angela Google is a Post-Doctoral associate in Discipline-Based Educational Research. Her dissertation work explored how cultural and social factors impacted the academic success of students of color in the context of undergraduate biology. Angela’s goal is to expand this research endeavor to South Alabama by examining how students’ mutually constructed identities (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender, class, STEM) impact their perceptions of their learning environment and illuminate aspects of their learning experience that are useful to the promotion of effective teaching and learning of culturally diverse students. Outside of research, Angela enjoys painting, dancing, and traveling to new places. Angela was born, raised, and educated in Tennessee and looks forward to seeing where the world of educational research will take her next.
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John Yerger is a senior from Daphne, Alabama who is a biology major and biomedical science minor at the University of South Alabama. His plan, once he gets his degree, is to focus on healthcare, and hopefully, medical school. His goal is to help underprivileged individuals who are unable to afford proper medical services. In his free time, he enjoys horticulture, playing video games, spending time with his cats, and learning new languages. With the FUNGGii lab, John will be helping Angela with understanding differences in faculty and student conceptions in studying biology.
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Sarah Shelton is a senior Biology major with a concentration in pre-health sciences and a minor in Studio Art. She has always had many different passions in life including art, medicine, and biology. Sarah grew up in Millbrook, Alabama and moved to Mobile when she started at South. I hope to attend South’s Physician Assistant program after graduating. I have always loved everything about science! Sarah is going to jumping in a bunch of different projects in the FUNGGii lab.
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Sydney Wilson was born and raised in Middletown, Delaware but moved to Fairhope, Alabama 4 years ago. Sydney is heavily in the arts and enjoys musical theatre, talent shows, and art contests. With the appreciation for art, it grew into an appreciation for the environment. Sydney has always had a fascination with botany from a young age and she hopes to pursue a career that brings all of her interest into play.
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Asia Blanchard is a sophomore biology pre-med major. Asia is from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. When Asia graduates, her plan is to enter the Air Force and go to medical school to become a medical officer. When Asia is study, you can find her playing music instruments, learning languages, and exploring outdoors. In the Henning Lab, Asia is going to be helping out on all sorts of lab projects as she gets her feet underneath her in the lab! |
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Madison Nelson is a masters student in Biology from Mobile, AL. When she is not focusing on Biology, she enjoys traveling with friends, reading, and photography. For her graduate work, Madison will be exploring how visible and hidden student identities drive in-class dynamics across Biology courses at South Alabama, Auburn University, Tuskegee University, and CSU Chico. Additionally, she is interested in how role models shape the retention of historically-excluded groups in STEM.
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Taylor Clay is a senior Biology major with a minor in Marine Sciences. She grew up in Marion, Alabama but has traveled and lived in many different places since graduating high school. After attaining her bachelors degree, Taylor plans on moving to North Queensland, Australia in the hopes of getting her masters and eventually working on the Great Barrier Reef. Taylor’s work with Dr. Henning this semester will involve studying the movement and burrowing habits of ghost crabs after disturbance and nutrient addition in coastal dunes. When Taylor is not doing school work she is either reading, looking for shells on the beach, or hanging out with family and friends.
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Joshlyn Rowland is a senior Biology major with a concentration in Marine Sciences. Joshlyn grew up in the North Alabama area moving several times up there. When she was young, she found my passion for nature because my parents took me hiking all the time. As her undergraduate career is nearing its end, she is planning to pursue a MS degree in plant sciences helping to push more sustainable agriculture practices ! In the FUNGGII lab, Joshlyn will diving into our dune mycorrhizal system to understand the role of dune mycorrhizal fungi in promoting drought tolerance. When she is not studying, you can find her reading, cooking, or somewhere in a forest looking at the plants.
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Zachery McMullen is junior studying biology with a minor in art history at the University of South Alabama. Zachery is taking a pre-med path, and is involved with many health organizations on campus. Zachery's goal is to attend the College of Medicine at South, and his dream is to become a plastic surgeon. Zachery's hobbies include biking, hiking, traveling, relaxing with friends, and studying art. Zachery chose biology because enjoy learning how life and the human body works. In the FUNGGii lab, Zachery is working on all sorts of projects however has been gravitating toward working on our identities project.
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Madison Parfait is a Junior Psychology major with a Spanish, composite science, and related science minor. After she graduates she plans to get her PhD in Clinical Psychology with a focus in pediatric neuropsychology. She is originally from Houma, Louisiana, and she loves showing off her Cajun culture and its delicious food. \ Madison will be conducting her Honors' thesis understanding sense of belonging, self-efficacy, and motivation of Women in Biology here at South.
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Kaitlyn Sampson is a senior Marine Biology major from Troy University that is originally from Wetumpka, AL. Kaitlyn comes over to Mobile to hang out with the FUNGGii lab from time to time. After graduation Kaitlyn plans on applying her new found love for botany and conservation into earning a master’s degree in Biology. Kaitlyn has always wanted to become a scientist and she has always had an immense appreciation for the way the world works around her. When Kaitlyn is not working on school work, she is serving/spending time with her sorority, playing basketball, hanging out with my roommate or doing something outdoorsy with her loved ones.
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Carlos Sankone is a senior biology major, with a minor in geology at the University of South Alabama. He is originally from Atlanta, GA but grew up in Mobile. Working in the lab, he hopes to acquire useful skills that will help him along in graduate school and potentially in his career. Carlos is passionate about wildlife and conservation and wants to learn about how we can help conserve biodiversity amongst the current climate crisis. Once finished with his undergraduate degree, he wants to work towards his master’s in ecology, and eventually a PhD. When he is not studying or working, Carlos enjoys playing disc golf, playing video games, rock climbing, playing tennis, or hanging out with his pet frogs!
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Grace Sekaya is a junior International Studies major at South with a minor in Chemistry and concentration in Global Health. Grace is from Gadsden, AL. Grace's goal is to attend medical school after graduation to obtain a MD/MPH. When Grace is not studying, you can find her either seeking out thrill seeking adventures like white water rafting, zip lining, and skydiving, cozying up with a new & fascinating read, or hanging out with her friends. In the FUNGGii lab, Grace is working on understanding how student identities shapes the student experience at South Alabama and is also the SGA President :). |
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Maggie Braun is a Biology major from Pensacola Beach, FL. Maggie spent her early years in the land of cheese and brats and sadly still supports that Packers. Maggie's goal is to attend dental school after graduation. When Maggie is not studying: she is surfing at the beach, playing a musical instrument, or out golfing |
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Tyler Landry is a senior Biology Major with Minors in Ecosystem Sciences and Marine Sciences, and is originally from Houston, Texas. Some of her hobbies include traveling, reading, hanging out with friends, or anything related to the outdoors. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school to earn her masters in Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology. It is her desire to pursue a career path that increases awareness of conservation, appreciation and acknowledgement for the world of Biological Sciences, through effective forms of communication. Tyler will be coordinating all of the FUNGGii lab social medias!!!
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Cole Baggett is a senior Biology major with a concentration in Marine Biology and a minor in Related Science at the University of South Alabama. Cole is from Uriah, AL. After graduation, he plans to attend graduate school to earn his masters degree in Marine Biology. Cole would like to pursue a career in Marine Population and Conservation Ecology. Throughout his life, Cole has always had a love for the ocean and all of the organisms that inhabit it. When Cole is not studying or working as a barista, you can find him at the beach or at a new local coffee shop.
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Summer Hancock was born and raised in Mobile, AL. She is finally a senior biology major and marine science minor at South Alabama. Summer wants to have a career in rehabilitating marine animals and conducting research and conservation. Summer's dream is to be able to swim with humpback whales in the wild and travel the world. Summer has been lucky enough to be able to travel to a lot of different places and tries to explore something new every chance I get. If Summer isn't exploring or or doing school work, she is likely at the beach with her dog Memphis, working on a puzzle, and finding her next adrenaline fix.
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Parker McGee is a senior chemistry major with a drama minor. He originally hails from Killen, Alabama and hopes to continue his education in the field of Food Science. Stemming from a childhood dream of becoming a professional chef, Parker is now interested in studying what exactly makes food products taste the way they do, as well as brewing and distilling industry. He is currently working to complete his senior Honors College thesis on the effect of temperature on fermentation of beer. Outside of school, he enjoys cooking/baking, attending wine tastings, hiking, and playing Animal Crossing. |
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William Sterrett is a Masters student in the Henning lab. William is originally from Saucier, MS but lives in Mobile for much of the year to attend USA and graduated with his B.S. in Biology from USA in December of 2019. William has many recreational interests ranging from reading and tabletop gaming to hiking, camping, and various other outdoor activities. These various outdoor activities led William to take an interest in wetlands and wetland science. William is going to be exploring how wetland plants’ microbial associations affect their resistance to pathogens and hopes to become a professional wetland scientist.
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Carolien Millenaar was born in The Netherlands, raised in Denmark and is now a senior Biology major with a minor in German at USA. She dreams about becoming an Environmental Engineer whilst continuing her current interests such as going on adventures, doing creative DIY projects and of course, running in circles around the track or on the cross-country course. Carolien will be monitoring invasive apple snail populations in Langan Park in collaboration with Mobile Bay National Estuarine Program.
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Leslie Glass is a senior biology major and a marine science minor that grew up in a small town in southeastern Alabama (Pansey). Leslie's goal is to pursue a higher degree in: zoology, wildlife ecology and conservation, oceanography, geological sciences, animal behavior, or marine sciences. Leslie loves to draw, travel, and learn new things about the world and the people around her. When Leslie's not studying, you can find her on Dauphin Island looking for little treasures on the beach and observing the wildlife, chilling with her friends, or Facetiming her family back home.
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Emily Carter is a senior Biology major at South with a minor in Composite Science. Emily is from the Mississippi Gulf Coast so she loves going to the beach and swimming. When she is not studying biology, Emily is likely walking her dog Bella or binge watching Netflix. Emily is interested in pursuing a career in animal behavior, zoology, wildlife rehabilitation, or marine mammal studies. |
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Polly Straughn was born and raised in Mobile, AL. she is a senior at USA studying Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology and a minor in mathematics. Her goal is to be a SCUBA Divemaster, traveling the world for a few years after graduation before pursuing a career in research, specifically shark conservation research. She is also interested in the effects of microplastic pollutants in our marine ecosystems. When she's not participating in research projects or marine related volunteer work, she likes to spend her days relaxing on a beach listening to music, hanging with her dog Ollie, and spending quality time with her family and friends (especially her niece).
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Kaylin Bruening is a senior Geography major with a minor in Marine Sciences from the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Her ultimate goal is to end up doing something related to conservation, as she greatly enjoys volunteering my time to bird population surveying, marine mammal strandings, cleanups, and invasive species removals. In my free time, I am out photographing and observing nature, kayaking, and traveling! Kaylin is going to be monitoring invasive apple snail populations in Langan Park in collaboration with Mobile Bay National Estuarine Program. |
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Ayana Cunningham is a senior Biology major from Huntsville, AL. When Ayana is not studying, she enjoys hanging out with friends, dancing, and photography. Ayana is interested in Biology STEM education is going to be working to grow the educational arm of our lab group.
Jada Gildersleeve is a senior Biology major and Composite Science minor from Mobile, AL. Outside of science, Jada loves to bake and read. This semester, Jada will be exploring microbial communities living inside pitcher plants, with the hopes to develop pitcher plant communities to test basic questions about meta-communities and dispersal of microbial communities across pitchers.
Madison Smith is a Biology & International Studies major from Mobile. Madison is fluent in Korean and is head for a study abroad next school year! Madison is super into insects and is hopefully going to be doing some insect community work in some of our dune experiments!!!
My name is Logan Turner i was born in Texas but live in New Orleans. I'm passionate about volleyball and the environment. Specifically biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems. I'm currently majoring in biology with a concentration in environmental science. Logan is going to exploring the mycorrhizal fungi that are living in dune ecosystems around the gulf coast!