Principle Investigator
Dr. Scott Burgess
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Science
Florida State University
319 Stadium Dr, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
Email: sburgess “at” bio.fsu.edu
​
See the Research page for more information
PhD Students
Jackson Powell
Jackson is studying the potential for adaptation in marine invertebrates with complex life cycles. He is taking a quantitative genetics approach to estimate additive genetic variance, selection, and reaction norm traits in larval and adult life history stages. He uses breeding designs and environmental manipulations. He studies Molgula occidentalis (an abundant native solitary ascidian) and Bugula neritina (bryozoan) in the shallow subtidal areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Jackson is also a McKnight Doctoral Fellow as well as a Mentor for The Florida Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (FGLSAMP) in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) at Florida State University.
Research Technician
Alyssa Turner
Alyssa helps run the day to day operations of our lab including field work, running experiments, and growing bryozoans in the lab.
Undergraduate Researchers
Sofia McDonough (FSU Women in Math, Science, and Engineering, 2021-2023)
Nyla Johnson (UROP Student, 2019 – 2020) studying coral bleaching
​
Chani Kotscher (UROP Student, 2019-2020) studying coral bleaching
​
Joshua Scarbrough (Directed Independent Study, Summer 2019)
​
Aura Esterling (FSU Women in Math, Science, and Engineering, Fall 2018)
​
Natalia Estrella (Directed Independent Study, Spring 2018 – Fall 2018)
​
Zachary Zubek (Marine Biology Honors, Fall 2016 – Spring 2017)
​
Emily Beyer (FSU Women in Math, Science, and Engineering, 2015 – 2016)
​
Pamela Betancourt (Directed Independent Study, Spring 2015)
Alumni
Danielle Barnes (MSc 2020 - 2023). Fitness consequences of dispersal, spatial arrangement, and relatedness of neighbors in a dispersal limited invertebrate
​
Dr. Orca Jimmy Peniston (Postdoc 2021 - 2023). Now an Assistant Professor at Kenai Peninsular College, Alaska
​
Joseph Portillo (Lab Technician; 2021-2022)
​
Dr. Erika Johnston (Postdoc; 2019-2022) Now a postdoc at the Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology. Check out Erika’s personal website here: https://ecjohnston.weebly.com
​
Alex Hooks (PhD; 2016-2021). Multiple mating and larval biology in the Florida Crown Conch. Check out Alex’s personal website here: alexphooks.squarespace.com
​
Lisa Sander (Lab Technician; 2015-2019)
​
Dr. Marília Bueno (Postdoc; 2017-2018)
​
Young Kang (Lab Technician; 2015-2016)