{"id":98,"date":"2013-09-09T21:00:55","date_gmt":"2013-09-10T01:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/?page_id=98"},"modified":"2026-08-10T18:19:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T22:19:20","slug":"lab-alumni1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/people\/lab-alumni1\/","title":{"rendered":"Lab Alumni"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>PhD Graduates<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2019\/09\/MajoSalazarNicholls.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"320\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1125 alignleft\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 Salazar Nicholls (2018\u20132026) Developmental mechanisms enabling adaptive embryo behavior.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2019\/09\/CarolineGuevaraMolina-bosque.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"338\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1135 alignleft\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/iobopen.com\/2025\/06\/30\/meet-estefany-caroline-guevara-molina\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">E. Caroline Guevara Molina<\/a> (2020\u20132025) Behavioral defenses of terrestrial frog embryos and the interacting effects of heat and dehydration. <span>Universidade de S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil \u2013 dissertation co-advised with Fernando Ribeiro Gomes at USP based on fieldwork in my lab at STRI. Caroline is now a postdoc in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eco-evo-devo.com\/people\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Eco-Evo-Devo lab<\/a> at Do\u00f1ana Biological Station, working with my first postdoc, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eco-evo-devo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ivan Gomez-Mestre<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<figure id=\"attachment1525\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment1525\" style=\"width: 314px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2026\/08\/BrandonAmongEggs-477x636.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"304\" height=\"406\" class=\"wp-image-1525\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/files\/2026\/08\/BrandonAmongEggs-477x636.png 477w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/files\/2026\/08\/BrandonAmongEggs.png 550w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 304px) 100vw, 304px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment1525\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by Brandon G\u00fcell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/brandonguell.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brandon G\u00fcell<\/a>, PhD (2017\u20132023) Explosive breeding and its consequences for critical adult and embryo behaviors in gliding treefrogs. Brandon did a postdoc at Florida International University. He is an award-winning nature photographer and conservation storyteller.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luisruedasolano.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2017\/07\/BetoRueda-TheOffice-p300.jpg\" alt=\"BetoRueda-TheOffice-p300\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1039 alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"357\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luisruedasolano.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luis Alberto (Beto) Rueda Solano<\/a>, PhD (2017\u20132022) Universidad de los Andes. Implicaciones adaptativas del sistema de aparaeamiento y &#8220;female-guarding&#8221; en ranas arlequines (Bufonidae: <em>Atelopus<\/em>). Beto is a professor of herpetology at Universidad del Magdalena in Colombia. His integrative PhD research on <em>Atelopus <\/em>was co-advised by an international team: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dna.ac\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Andrew Crawford<\/a> (UniAndes, Evolution), myself (behavior, biotremology), and Carlos Navas (Universidade de S\u00e3o Paolo, ecophysiology). Beto&#8217;s collaboration with me focuses on the role of vibrational cues in foraging behavior of nocturnally active <em>Atelopus.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2019\/09\/Javier-300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1185 alignleft\" width=\"300\" height=\"318\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=ee3HG4IAAAAJ&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Javier M\u00e9ndez Narv\u00e1ez<\/a>, PhD (2015\u20132022) The role of phenotypic plasticity in reproductive colonization of land by frogs: Urea excretion and mechanisms to prevent ammonia toxicity during terrestrial development. Javier is a co-founder of the conservation research NGO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fundacioncalima.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Fundaci\u00f3n Calima<\/a>. He has returned to Colombia to continue his work in research and conservation. [javier0620@gmail.com]<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<p><a href=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2015\/06\/JulieJunginRain-KMW_0558adj-s.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2015\/06\/JulieJunginRain-KMW_0558adj-s.jpg\" alt=\"Julie Jung\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-781 size-full\" width=\"300\" height=\"403\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jungjulie.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Julie Jung<\/a>, PhD (2015\u20132021) Developmental changes in vibration sensing and vibration-cued hatching decisions in red-eyed treefrogs. Julie did \u00a0postdoc with Michael Werner at <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/view\/werner-lab\/people\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Utah State University<\/a>, studying phenotypic plasticity with a nematode model system and is now an Assistant Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jungjulie.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Weber State University<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"clear: both;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2013\/08\/KW-20110801-4222-JesseFrijoles.jpg\" title=\"Jesse Delia\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-25 size-full\" alt=\"Jesse Delia\" width=\"300\" height=\"320\" \/>Jesse Delia, PhD. (2011-2018) Parent-embryo interactions in Neotropical glassfrogs: female mating strategies, paternal effort, and adaptive plasticity in hatching. <strong>Belamarich award winner<\/strong> for the Most Outstanding Biology Dissertation at BU. Jesse has worked on glassfrogs in Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Panama. He joined the Warkentin lab after a Masters at East Carolina University with Kyle Summers and went on to Postdocs at Stanford and at the American Museum of Natural History. Jesse is now an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vassar.edu\/faculty\/jdelia#profile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Assistant Professor at Vassar University<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<p style=\"clear: both;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2026\/08\/KMW_0675-KC-2015-EPwithAc-521x636.jpg\" title=\"Kristina Cohen\" class=\"wp-image-1529 alignleft\" width=\"297\" height=\"363\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/files\/2026\/08\/KMW_0675-KC-2015-EPwithAc-521x636.jpg 521w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/files\/2026\/08\/KMW_0675-KC-2015-EPwithAc-839x1024.jpg 839w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/files\/2026\/08\/KMW_0675-KC-2015-EPwithAc-768x937.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/files\/2026\/08\/KMW_0675-KC-2015-EPwithAc.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 297px) 100vw, 297px\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/kristinalcohen.wordpress.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kristina Cohen<\/a>, PhD. (2010-2017) Anuran hatching mechanisms and their role in adaptive plasticity. <strong>Belamarich award winner<\/strong> for the Most Outstanding Biology Dissertation at BU. Kristina joined the Warkentin lab after training and working as a middle and high school science teacher. She divided her time between tropical and temperate fieldwork, molecular lab work, and electron microscopy. After a HHMI Postdoc at the <span class=\"st\">Harriet W. Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning<\/span> at Brown University, Kristina has returned to BU as a Natural Science Lecturer in the College of General Studies.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<figure id=\"attachment288\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment288\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2013\/09\/Myra-p300.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2013\/09\/Myra-p300.jpg\" alt=\"Myra checking eggs\" title=\"Myra checking eggs\" class=\"size-full wp-image-288\" width=\"300\" height=\"271\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment288\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Photo by M. Caldwell)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/myrahughey.wixsite.com\/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Myra Hughey<\/a>, PhD. (2005-2011) Integrating species interactions and spatial dynamics to explain insect distribution and abundance on a patchy resource. Currently an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vassar.edu\/faculty\/myhughey#profile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Associate Professor at Vassar College.<\/a><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<figure id=\"attachment103\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment103\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2013\/08\/VSB-MichaelFieldComputing-p300.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2013\/08\/VSB-MichaelFieldComputing-p300.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Caldwell\" title=\"Michael Caldwell\" class=\"size-full wp-image-103\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment103\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Photo by V. Briggs)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gettysburg.edu\/academic-programs\/biology\/faculty\/employee_detail.dot?empId=09383720220013271&amp;pageTitle=Michael+S.+Caldwell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Michael Caldwell<\/a>, PhD. (2003-2010) The use of vibrational information by red-eyed treefrogs for communication and antipredator defense. <strong>Belamarich award winner<\/strong> for the Most Outstanding Biology Dissertation at BU. Currently an Associate Professor at Gettysburg College.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/warkentinlab\/files\/2026\/08\/JCTiguana-p600.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Justin Touchon at Ocelot Pond\" class=\"wp-image-1531 alignleft\" width=\"301\" height=\"452\" \/><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/jutouchon\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Justin Touchon<\/a>, PhD. (2002-2009) Developmental ecology and reproductive mode plasticity of a Neotropical treefrog: Interacting abiotic and biotic environmental effects over three life stages. <strong>Belamarich award winner<\/strong> for the Most Outstanding Biology Dissertation at BU. Currently a Professor of Biology at Vassar College.<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=hKlrvYFjouU\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Smithsonian &#8220;Meet Our Scientists&#8221; video interview <\/a>of Justin &#8220;frog follower&#8221; Touchon.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\">\n<h2>MA students<\/h2>\n<p>MA student Ming Guo joined the lab in 2012, with a background in computer science. Ming studied how red-eyed treefrog embryos use vibration properties to discriminate between snake attacks on clutches, which induce premature hatching, and rain, which does not. She was co-advised by Profs Mark Crovella (Computer Science) and Greg McDaniel (Mechanical Engineering). Currently working in software development.<\/p>\n<h2>Postdocs<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eco-evo-devo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ivan Gomez-Mestre<\/a> (Postdoc 2002\u20135), now Staff Scientist at Estaci\u00f3n Biol\u00f3gica de Do\u00f1ana, Spain.<\/p>\n<p>James Vonesh (Postdoc 2003\u20134), now Professor, School for Life Sciences and Sustainability, Virginia Commonwealth University.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michaelwmccoyphd.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Michael McCoy<\/a> (Postdoc 2008\u20139), now Professor of Quantitative Evology, Florida Atlantic University.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/crocdoc.ifas.ufl.edu\/staff\/venetiabriggs\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Venetia Briggs<\/a> (Postdoc 2007\u20139), now Wildlife Ecologist, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Research &amp; Education Center<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pages.vassar.edu\/jutouchon\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Justin Touchon<\/a> (Postdoc 2009\u20132010), now Professor, Vassar College<\/p>\n<p>Tobias Landberg (Postdoc 2010\u20132011), was Director of Research, The Amphibian Foundation<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PhD Graduates Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9 Salazar Nicholls (2018\u20132026) Developmental mechanisms enabling adaptive embryo behavior. E. Caroline Guevara Molina (2020\u20132025) Behavioral defenses of terrestrial frog embryos and the interacting effects of heat and dehydration. Universidade de S\u00e3o Paulo, Brazil \u2013 dissertation co-advised with Fernando Ribeiro Gomes at USP based on fieldwork in my lab at STRI. Caroline [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7562,"featured_media":0,"parent":72,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/98"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7562"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/98\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1534,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/98\/revisions\/1534"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/72"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/warkentinlab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}