PALMQUIST LAB
Plant Ecology at Marshall University
Graduate Students
Alexis Belt, MA in Education, ongoing. Marshall U, Huntington, WV.
Moses Shafer, MS in Biological Sciences, 2024. Present: Staff Scientist, Alliance Consulting Inc., Beckley, WV.
Cody Goodson, MS in Biological Sciences, 2023. Present: Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, MA.
Maggie England, MS in Biological Sciences, 2022. Present: Veterinary Technician, Hurricane Animal Hospital, Hurricane WV.
Rebekah Shupe, MS in Biological Sciences, 2021. Present: High School Science Teacher, VA.
Undergraduate Students
Alijah Kuhn, Senior Capstone, BS in Biological Sciences, 2024.
Leslie Titus, Senior Capstone, BS in Biological Sciences, 2023.
Jacob Webb, Senior Capstone, BS in Biological Sciences, 2023. Present: Biological technician, Wayne National Forest, OH.
Khyla Johnson, Senior Capstone, BS in Biological Sciences, 2022. Present: MS Student, Utah State University, UT.
Cassie Bacon, Senior Internship, BS in Environmental Science, 2021. Present: Hydrologist at the US Army Corps of Engineers, WV.
Matthew Roswall, Senior Capstone, BS in Biological Sciences, 2021.
Mary Doherty, Senior Capstone, BS in Biological Sciences, 2021.
Jordan Bowan, Senior Capstone, BS in Biological Sciences, 2021. Present: Graduate student at Marshall University, WV.
Aria Searles, Senior Capstone, BS in Biological Sciences, 2021. Present: Intern at the North Carolina Botantical Garden, NC.
Moses Shafer, BS in Environmental Science, 2020. Present: Staff Scientist, Alliance Consulting Inc., Beckley, WV.
Reyna Abreu-Vigil, BS in Environmental Science, 2020. Present: Technician with US Forest Service, AK.
Zak’s interest and relationship with plants ranges from managing a home garden to seeking out wildflowers in river valleys and on mountain slopes. Through his work in environmental restoration in the Pacific Northwest, Zak became interested in exploring how remote sensing and GIS applications can help us understand the effects of climate change on vulnerable ecosystems. Zak’s research at Marshall is centered around studying the effects of sea-level rise and storm intensification on coastal vegetation in South Carolina. Zak received a BS in Anthropology and a BA in Archaeology from the College of Charleston, SC. Previously, Zak worked for eight years in the environmental restoration field around Seattle, WA and spent five of those years working for a local Tribe. Zak also served on the board of the Washington Native Plant Society and co-managed the Central Puget Sound Chapter’s native plant nursery.
Emma Crouch, BS in Biological Sciences and Environmental Science
Lab Alumni
Dave Boak, MS in Biological Sciences
Jorge Vera, MS in Biological Sciences
Dave is passionate about restoration ecology and enhancing habitats in the face of climate change. As a habitat technician and wildlife biologist in Southeast Idaho, he has witnessed firsthand the effects of a warming climate, fire disturbances, and the spread of invasive species on habitats utilized by grizzly bears, sage grouse, and native plant species. Currently, Dave's research at Marshall focuses on improving climate change forecasts for dryland plant communities by integrating process-based simulation modeling with field-derived measurements of plant water uptake. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Fisheries, Range, and Wildlife Management from Brigham Young University Idaho, with a strong emphasis on ecological restoration. Outside of his professional interests, Dave enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Sadie, and their young son, Koda.
Jorge grew up in Ecuador and enjoyed playing outside and climbing trees as a kid. He graduated with a Bachelor's in environmental science from Marshall University in 2021. He works as an Extension Associate at West Virginia State University on a post-harvest grant helping local farmers throughout the state. He spends the summers working at Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound Schools as a field instructor introducing kids to learning though the outdoor experience. He is at Marshall to study urban trees and the ecosystem services they provide for us.
Noah Mauszak, NSF RaMP Postbac Research Assistant
Catie grew up exploring the diverse landscapes of Arizona’s shrublands and Eastern Washington’s grasslands. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from Eastern Washington University and has hands-on experience as both a field technician in riparian zones and as a lab technician in animal research. Her research interests include grassland and plant ecology, particularly in conservation, management, and impacts of climate change.
Zak Bartholomew, MS in Biological Sciences
Catie Schwartzmann, MS in Biological Sciences
Noah is from Tecumseh, MI and has always enjoyed exploring the natural world. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in 2024. Noah’s research interests are in plants, forest ecology, and ecosystem ecology. Currently, he is examining the ecosystem services provided by urban trees in different neighborhoods of Huntington, WV. Ultimately, Noah hopes to earn a graduate degree and work in academia or natural resource management. In his free time, Noah enjoys running, kayaking, playing the violin, gardening, and exploring with maps.
Contact Information:
palmquist@marshall.edu
PEOPLE