current | former
- Stacy Alvares, Ph.D.
- Michael Bruno, Ph.D.
- Amanda Chunco, Ph.D.
- Javier Rivera Guzman, Ph.D.
- Joshua Hall, Ph.D.
- Sarah Lebeis, Ph.D.
- Kimberly Monahan, Ph.D.
- Julia Schmitz, Ph.D.
- Kendra Sewall, Ph.D.
- Daria Estrada Smith, Ph.D.
- Jenny Tenlen, Ph.D.
- Jennifer Thomson, Ph.D.
- Jennifer Uno, Ph.D.
Amanda Chunco , Ph.D.
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Geography
Education
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UNC Chapel Hill
Biology
Mentors
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Aaron Moody, Ph.D.
Biography
As we live in an increasingly technical world, I believe that science literacy is fundamentally important for finding solutions to the many challenges the world currently faces. As such, I have always admired scientists who step away from the bench in order to share their passion for science with students and the public. As a SPIRE postdoc, I am excited about honing my skills as both a researcher and an educator.
My interest in science education began as an undergraduate at the University of Florida. There, my mentor, George Burgess, was an excellent example of someone who did world class science while maintaining a passion for education. His work on shark attacks provided many opportunities to engage with non-scientists through media interviews, classroom lectures, and visits from K-12 students and educators, and working with George convinced me that I wanted to incorporate science education into my own career. After graduating in 2000, I spent several years working professionally. As a marine field biologist, I had the opportunity to study topics ranging from manatee migration behavior to life history strategies in estuarine fish. When I was ready to start my graduate work, I moved away from marine organisms and instead focused on desert amphibians. Specifically, I studied hybrid zone dynamics in two species of spadefoot toads under the advisement of Drs. Karin Pfennig and Maria Servedio at UNC. I finished my PhD in 2009.
While I’ve studied many different organisms living in wildly different ecosystems, the unifying theme underlying my work are questions about space. Specifically, I am interested in the forces that shape a population’s distribution and movement. As a new postdoc, I am excited about continuing to ask these questions as a member of Dr. Aaron Moody’s lab. The field of biogeography is exciting, with applications ranging from conservation to human health, and I am looking forward to introducing some of the things I find most exciting about this field to my future students!
