Dr. Stacey Lance
lance(at)srel.uga.edu
Stacey is a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. She has graduate faculty status in the Odum School of Ecology and Integrated Toxicology Program. She earned her B.S. at the University of Connecticut (Go Huskies!) and her Ph.D. at the University of Maryland before working as a postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian Institution National Zoological Park and Visiting Assistant Professor at Colby College. She joined the faculty at SREL in 2009.
Kiersten Nelson
K.nelson(at)uga.edu
Kiersten is a Ph.D. student in the Lance Lab at the Odum School of Ecology. She earned her B.S. in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology from Purdue University in 2019. Kiersten’s research focuses on Gopher Frog (Rana capito) conservation. She is investigating the role of plant material and water chemistry on developmental abnormalities that have been observed in head-started Gopher Frogs. In addition, she if working on improving current head-starting and release techniques to increase juvenile Gopher Frog survival. She is broadly interested in conservation, herpetology, habitat management, disease ecology, and ecosystem ecology.
Anna Bushong
agbushing(at)uga.edu
Anna is a Ph.D. student in the Odum School of Ecology. She received her B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Centre College in 2021 and her M.S. in Forestry & Natural Resources from Purdue University in 2023. During her M.S., she worked under Dr. Maria Sepúlveda to research the effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on lipid metabolism using the amphibian model Xenopus laevis (African Clawed Frog). Broadly, her research interest lies in studying the sublethal effects of environmental contaminants and other stressors on aquatic wildlife. In the Lance lab, Anna will continue specializing in amphibian ecotoxicology, specifically researching the role of water chemistry on amphibian development across contaminated and uncontaminated wetlands with North American Ranids.
christian swartzbaugh
css36162(at)uga.edu
Christian is a current Ecology Ph.D student co-advised by Krista Capps and Stacey Lance. He graduated with a BA in Animal Behavior from Bucknell University in 2018. As an undergraduate, he worked under Dr. Elizabeth Capaldi and Sean Reese studying interspecies interactions and life history of freshwater mussels in the Susquehanna River. After graduating, he spent a year studying at the University of Heidelberg in Germany on a fellowship. Upon returning to the United States, he worked as a Naturalist at the Coastal Institute in Cambria, California teaching students about terrestrial and marine coastal ecology and at The Institute in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania teaching about wetland and forest ecology. His interests include behavioral and community ecology of freshwater fishes, as well as community responses to environmental stress. His research focuses on the ecological dynamics of mixed-species shoaling behavior in minnows.
emma kelsick
kelsick(at)uga.edu
Emma is a Ph.D Ecology student co-advised by Dr. Raven Bier and Dr. Stacey Lance at the Odum School of Ecology and is interested in the influence of land management practices on terrestrial and aquatic microbial structures and nutrient processing. Before joining the lab, she completed a B.A. in Biology from Bard College, where she investigated the effect of species-specific soil feedback on grassland seed germination. She has worked as an Animal Care Technician and served two AmeriCorps terms: 1) Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, where she conducted a visitor use survey to provide feedback for the primitive park management plan, and 2) Sun River Watershed Group, where she worked on watershed restoration projects, field collections, and monitoring as well as community outreach and education initiatives.
MATTHEW TATZ
matthew.tatz(at)uga.edu
Matt is an Integrative Conservation in Ecology Ph.D. student co-advised by Dr. Sonia Hernandez at the Warnell School of Forestry and Dr. Stacey Lance at the Odum School of Ecology. Matt received his B.S. in Environmental Science with a focus in Ecology from Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) before obtaining his M.S. in Forestry and Natural Resources (Wildlife Science) at Warnell under Dr. Hernandez. Matt’s passion for conservation and scientific outreach stems from his time conducting avian research. At GGC, Matt published his independent research on feeder bird activity patterns in fragmented forests. At Warnell, he studied the relationship between mercury, urbanization, and Salmonella in the American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus). His research interests include conservation science, ecotoxicology, and disease ecology. As he aspires to become a professor, Matt’s favorite aspect of graduate school has been teaching and mentoring undergraduate students.
henry davie
henry.davie(at)uga.edu
Henry is a MS student in the Odum School of Ecology. He earned his B.S. degrees in Wildlife Conservation and Biological Sciences from Virginia Tech in 2020. While at Viriginia Tech, Henry worked in Dr. William Hopkins Conservation Physiology and Wildlife Ecotoxicology lab focusing on conservation of the Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). His senior thesis aimed to better understand the implications of augmenting hellbender habitat with artificial nest boxes by examining the microhabitat variations in dissolved oxygen within these boxes compared to natural nesting sites. Before joining the Lance Lab, Henry worked as a technician for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game researching spatial ecology and conflict management with grizzly bears (Ursus arctos). He is broadly interested in amphibian ecotoxicology, anthropogenic processes influencing freshwater systems, and sublethal consequences of pollution on freshwater amphibian communities.
JACKSON PROSSER
jacksonprosser(at)uga.edu
Jackson is a MS student in the Odum School of Ecology. He received his B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2021. Following his graduation, he worked in the paleontological field at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science where he supervised the paleobotany collections and worked as a fossil preparator. He expanded his experience as an educator at the Center for Snake Conservation in Colorado where he taught herpetology-based educational programs, with a strong focus on urban ecology, invasive species, and conservation. Jackson’s broad areas of interest are in ecotoxicology, herpetological conservation, and how anthropogenic processes jeopardize species populations and biodiversity. His master's research aims to examine Hg uptake in wetland snakes and frogs that are occupying wetlands with different hydroperiods.
Tucker Stonecypher
Tucker.stonecypher(at)uga.edu
Tucker is a Research Professional at the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Lab studying ephemeral wetland restoration to benefit pond breeding amphibians with a focus on the declining gopher frog (Rana capito). Tucker also leads various projects investigating wetland and terrestrial habitat selection of gopher frogs while coordinating with U.S. Forest Service to restore and manage gopher frog habitat on the Savannah River Site. He earned his B.S. degree in Natural Resource Management at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in 2017 and his Master’s in Integrative Conservation & Sustainability at UGA in 2023 under the advisement of Dr. Lance. Tucker’s primary focus is herpetological conservation with a focus in restoring ephemeral wetlands and the plant assemblages that drive the productivity of these systems. His research is driven by the needs of land managers to find practical solutions to complicated landscape wide issues. Tucker’s prior experience includes multiple years working with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on various herpetological projects and 10 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps.
ANYA WEISs
Anya.Weiss(at)uga.edu
Anya is a research technician and lab manager at the Lance Lab. She earned her B.S. from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2022, receiving a double major in Ecology/Evolutionary Biology & Anthropology. During her undergraduate studies, she completed a UROP with Dr. Pieter Johnson, researching parasite-induced amphibian limb malformations, along with conducting a senior project on the lithic analysis of early Americas' stone tools in collaboration with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Since then, she has enjoyed exploring the US as a research technician. Some memorable projects include pika trapping at Lassen Volcanic National Park, sailing the high seas as a fisheries observer onboard commercial fishing vessels à la “Deadliest Catch,” and sampling bluefin tuna with the University of Maine. Anya’s broad interests lie in disease and ecosystem ecology, coastal ecology, and the applications of machine learning and AI.
NATHAN MASSEY
ndmassey(at)usca.edu
Nathan is an undergraduate student at University of South Carolina-Aiken working in collaboration with the Lance Lab and Dr. Kristina Ramstad’s lab. He is a senior and conducting his senior capstone research at SREL. He is majoring in biology with a focus on conservation. Nathan’s current research involves investigating the role of diet in head starting Gopher Frogs through the use of different diet regimes. He’ll also be conducting invertebrate surveys across various gopher frog habitats to examine how the prey base varies with vegetative structure. Nathan has a broad interest in herpetology, ecology, and conservation.
Zeke focused while earning a qualifying score toward his Rat Senior at Barn Hunt regionals.
Zeke Lance, RATO, RATN
Zeke is a wicked cool mutt that enjoys sleeping, romping through Hitchcock woods, sleeping, doing tricks, sleeping, chasing squirrels, and his newest passion of Barn Hunt. He has earned his RATN (novice) and RATO (open) titles and is working on RATS (senior). His favorite thing is road trips with Stacey, but when she travels without him he enjoys providing dog therapy for graduate students.
Lab Alumni and Current Positions
Sophia Zaslow, Research Technician - Started a PhD program at Binghamton University!
Padraic Robinson, Research Professional - Washington State University, living his best life studying salamanders for the state
Adam McFall, M.S. - Biologist at the USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center
Brian Fishback, D.O.D. Skill Bridge Intern - Undergraduate student at the University of Arizona
Ezmie Trevarrow, Research Technician - Interpreter at the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area
Corinne Sweeney, M.S. - Ph.D. student in Wildlife and Fisheries at the University of Missouri
Dr. Scott Weir, Post-Doc - Assistant Professor at Queens University
Dr. Todd W. Pierson, Post-Doc - Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University
Cara Love, Ph.D. - Working with Shane Campbell-Staton at Princeton on Chernobyl wolf genomics projects
Wes Flynn, Ph.D. - Research Ecologist with the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
Caitlin Rumrill, M.S. - Ecologist with the USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
Megan Winzeler, M.S. - Technician with the USGS National Wildlife Health Center
Austin Coleman, M.S. - Scientist at Savannah River National Laboratory
Josh Zajdel, M.S. - Pursuing new MS at UCSD
Previous Undergraduates mentored in the lance lab
Heather Latham, University of South Carolina Aiken, 2021
#Gabriella Rodriguez, University of South Carolina Aiken, Jan 2018 – Aug 2021 ^Kristopher Weekes, Fort Valley State University, GA, Summer 2018 *Sierra Britt, University of South Carolina, Beaufort, Summer 2018 #*Mariela Muñiz-Gonzalez, University of South Carolina Aiken, Jan 2017 – May 2018
#Charlotte King, University of South Carolina Aiken, Jan 2018 - May 2018
^Demetrius Calloway, Fort Valley State University, GA, Summer 2017 ^Deonte Burston, Fort Valley State University, GA, Summer 2016 *Nia Peak, Claflin University, SC, Summer 2016 *Charles Sheldon Davis, Clemson University, SC, Summer 2016 *Shaina Carrington, Virginia Tech University, VA, Summer 2015 *Carlos Tapia, University of Central Florida, FL, Summer 2015 Paul Walkup, Wofford College, SC, Summer 2015 Sierra Mannix, Georgia Regents University, GA, Summer 2014 Austin Coleman, Georgia Regents University, GA, Spring - Summer 2014 Kimberly Price, Georgia Regents University, GA, Spring 2013 – Summer 2014 Jesse Baxley, University of South Carolina, Aiken, Summer 2014 Ogunyemi Olajumoke, Allen University, SC, Summer 2012 Diana Nelson, Clemson University, SC, Summer 2011 Sarah Flanagan, Colby College, ME, Summer, Summer 2009
(*indicates NSF REU student, ^ NSF HBCU-UP student, #student earning independent study credits at Univ. of South Carolina Aiken)
