Izabella Rhomberg will soon earn her degree in Fish and Wildlife Biology with a minor in Anthropology. Izabella is our longest-serving undergraduate worker, having joined the lab back in 2022! She has worked across most of the Smith Lab experiments but is currently focused on understanding how seeds contribute to plant community dynamics under variable climate with Maddie. She has presented at ESA twice, most recently on seed rain contribution to drought recovery. In her free time, Izabella likes to hike, collect bones, and spent time with her two geckos.

Megan May is getting her Bachelor’s in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability. She primarily works under Adriana Jacobi at Jack’s Solar Garden and other ecovoltaic sites around the Front Range. In the past, she has also done research on grazing intensities of bison at Daniel’s and Genesee Parks and behavior of bighorn sheep and mountain goats on Mount Blue Sky, Colorado. Her primary research interests are centered around ecohydrology and environmental justice in a changing climate. However, when she isn’t studying or helping with research, she’s often at home with her nose tucked into one book or another! 

Jamisyn Stacy is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability and a minor in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Natural Resources. She primarily works under Chance Roberts looking at soil microbial communities and plant-fungal relationships under different precipitation regimes. Jamisyn is interested in climate justice and researching the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in ecosystems impacted by climate change. In her free time, she loves to camp, hike, do yoga, swim, and cross-country ski.

Giselle Gueddiche is working on a bachelor’s degree in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability. Her primary research interested include disturbance ecology and restoration ecology. She mostly works under Maddie Amick, specifically on drought recovery experiments that examine the impacts of drought on the seed-rain and seed bank. She is also interested in how ecology can be used as a tool to balance the trade-offs between environmental justice and challenges seen in today’s social-economic world. Giselle also enjoys outdoor recreation, live music,  painting, and reading! 

Maya Scholnick is getting her Bachelor’s in Restoration Ecology with a focus in Water Sustainability and Botany. She works under Maddie Amick, specifically on restoring native vegetation in the Mojave Desert through seeding efforts. She is fascinated by plant community composition, succession patterns, and ecosystem restoration. She aspires to be a Restoration Ecologist for coastal wetlands. In her free time, she enjoys exploring outside, DJing local radio, crafting, and cooking!

Kate Laidlaw is working towards her Bachelors in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability with minors in Conservation Biology and Geospatial Information Systems. She works under Chance Roberts focusing primarily on plant-fungi interactions in the face of changing drought and precipitation patterns. Kate is interested in how below-ground fungi and microbial communities impact nutrient fluxes in ecosystems and hopes to further pursue this topic of research throughout the rest of her education. In her free time, she loves to run, ski, camp, climb, and read!

Carlie Clemmer is an undergrad in the Restoration Ecology program here at CSU. I got started in the lab through the SUPER program where I worked with Maddie Amick, and I continue to work primarily under her now! Most of what I do focuses on restoration following extreme drought and the processes that allow systems to bounce back from such severe disturbances. I am particularly interested in how hydrology impacts all of this! In my free time, I take every opportunity I can to get outside from hiking and skiing to lounging in my hammock!