I achieved a Licenciatura degree in Biological Sciences in Quito, Ecuador. My past research included studies on morphological variability of vampire bats skulls and a small taxonomic review in the ant genus Leptanilloides. My current research interests aim to clarify the input of ants in natural communities and I am working on a taxonomic review of the ant genus Tatuidris using morphological and molecular data.

Natalie Clay, Ph. D. student

I am interested how resource availability, specifically essential nutrients like Na, C, N, P, etc. shape arthropod communities over nutrient gradients. My current research focuses on tropical litter arthropod communities and the role Na has in decomposition and in shaping the brown food web. I am currently also interested in the role of the pendant carton nest making ants in the genus Azteca as potential abundant and local nutrient sources.

Jesse Czekanski-Moir, Ph. D. student

I plan to use ants as a model taxon to investigate the interplay of ecosystem community structure and function in leaf litter assemblages.  Within this general realm of inquiry, there are a host of fascinating questions: How does the history of the landscape influence community structure?  How does the fine-scale geometry of the habitat facilitate or impede the maintenance of biodiversity?  How does faunal morphology influence food web stability and ecosystem function?  As for my own academic community structure and functioning, I can think of no better place to be than the OU Ant Lab!

Jackson Helms, Ph. D. student

After a few years as an Arabic translator, I got my B.S. in Evolution and Ecology from the Ohio State University. I’m interested in large-scale geographic patterns in nature. Here at OU I will study the factors governing the latitudinal gradient in species diversity, using ants as model organisms.

Jelena Bujan, Ph. D. student

I discovered the world of ants at the end of my studies at University of Zagreb, Croatia. Since then I got my diploma of Biology and Chemistry teacher and together with two colleagues founded Croatian Myrmecological Society, a NGO whose work is completely committed to ant research and educating general public about omnipresent bugs that everyone knows but generally know very little about. My research was focused on Croatian ant fauna, lately on ant communities at small and endangered peat land habitats in Croatia. Right now I’m working on Macroecology project in Mike Kaspari’s AntLabwhich will not only allow me to work in the exciting field of ant ecology, but it’ll also include my interests in community ecology, global patterns of biodiversity and ecological stoichiometry.

Dr. Leeanne Alonso

worked on Ant Macroecology, and was director of RAP surveys for Conservation International.

Dr. Steve Yanoviak

began our continuing canopy-litter studies as a post doc, was the lead investigator on the gliding ant work, and has become a leading investigator in canopy entomology.He is now an assistant Professor at UArkansas-Little Rock

Dr. Mike Weiser

earned a M.S. on the Ant Macroecology project developing a morphometric picture of the ant communities. He is now a postdoc at North Carolina State.

Dr. Mary Johnston

earned a M.S. working on the Brown Food Web project and explored how diversity of oribatid mites varied across tree species. She is now a Ph. D. student at the University of Texas.

Dr. Jon Shik

Jon's Ph. D. dissertation work combined field experiments in litter ecology, colony demography, and respirometry. He is now a post doc at North Carolina State University.