Abrahamson Lab Members

Abe is not only a dedicated teacher and researcher but also is very enthusiastic about hiking, canoeing, conservation, and antique tractors! He can give you in-depth lectures on any of these subjects and more. To name a few of his achievements, he received teaching awards from Bucknell twice, was named an AAA fellow, designed an energy-efficient house (his house), and owns two John Deere antique tractors. While his research interests are broad (please visit his webpage via the link above), many of his research projects focus on ecological and evolutionary interactions between goldenrods and parasitic insects.

He loves travelling and has done some exciting expeditions to Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands (3 trips), Peru, white-water rivers in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Alaska, Russia including Siberia, and Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa.

Research Projects:

•      Natural area ecology and management
•      Host-race formation of insects including herbivorous flies, beetles, and wasps
•      Sequential radiation of natural enemies
•      Fire ecology of Florida Scrub
•      Population biology of palmettos in Florida Scrub
•      Interactions of oaks and cynipid wasp gall inducers

•      Population and Community Biology
•      Plant-Animal Interactions
•      Conservation Biology
•      Plant Systematics

•      Merrill W. Linn Land & Waterways Conservancy
•      Wayne E. Manning Herbarium
•      Bucknell Biology Greenhouse

Catherine became absorbed in the mysteries of insect speciation as a result of taking Abe’s course on plant-animal interactions. Although she earned her Ph.D in English, her passion for evolutionary ecology has driven her research projects in our lab for more than a decade. With Catherine, students have been involved in molecular work, behavioral experiments, and field research on speciation and host-race formation establishing that the tumbling flower beetle Mordellistena convicta is a complex of cryptic species subdividing as they shift to new wildflower hosts (Blair et al. 2005, Evolution). Dedicated student researchers have conducted individual research projects investigating the ecological mechanisms of this ongoing speciation, contributing to the growing knowledge of the controversial and exciting theory of sympatric speciation.

In her spare time, Catherine likes to cook, garden, and enjoy the outdoors -- hiking, skiing, and ridng horses.

Research Projects:

•      Phylogenetic analyses of the tumbling flower beetles
•      Host-race formation in the tumbling flower beetles

•      Lewisburg Prison Project

Mizuki joined the lab in the fall of 2008. Since then, he has been enjoying research, teaching, and exploring the new town and surrounding nature with his family and dogs. One of his academic themes is ecological speciation; how ecology facilitates or hinders speciation. While he has used an amphibian system to explore ecological speciation in his dissertation research, he is now pursuing the theme through an insect-plant system. He is also interested in exotoxicology and conservation biology.

His wife and he are into eating wild plants, mushrooms, and fish. Despite his several trials, he has caught only a few fish in central PA. Evidently, he can’t fish and is looking for a local fishing master. He also enjoys different cultures and foods and has traveled several countries such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Italy, and Nicaragua.

Research Projects:

•      Host-race formation in the tumbling flower beetles
•      Clonal propagation and age estimation of Palmettos in Florida Scrub

•      Conservation Genetics

•      Linn Conservancy
•      Sakura Garden Project

Are you interested in working with us? Please contact Dr. Abrahamson for potential projects and funding.

Jeff Williams jeffrey.williams@bucknell.edu
	As a presidential fellow, Jeff has worked on various projects. He participated in a project investigating the role of insect nutrition in the host shift of a tumbling flower beetle from stems to galls on goldenrods. He has also worked on the plant defense project to see whether "ducking" (the candy-cane goldenrods) was advantageous in lessening the amount of herbivory. He is currently working with Nate on AFLP analysis (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism).
Research Projects:      Clonal propagation and age estimation of Palmettos in Florida Scrub Campus and Community Involvement:      Steering committee chair of Student Emergency Response Volunteers (SERV)      Bucknell Inclusiveness Team      EMT-B (emergency medical technician-basic) in PA

Anders Peterson anders.peterson@bucknell.edu
	Since Anders joined our lab spring 2009, he has been working hard on gall dissection to extract tumbling flower beetle larvae for genetic analyses. He is interested in Ecology & Evolution as his career and has been showing his commitment to the project. He plans to eventually go on to become a college professor, and in addition to his many aspirations for future research, Anders is also very interested in the teaching aspect of the position. Anders enjoys going back to Philadelphia to visit his family on the rare occasions when his schedule allows for it. Anders and Nadia enjoy watching movies and exploring their new environment whenever they have the chance.
Research Projects:      Host-race formation in the tumbling flower beetles Campus and Community Involvement:      Bucknell Biology Club

Matt Keller matt.keller@bucknell.edu
	Matt has been working on statistical analyses of Florida upland’s vegetation changes in relation to natural and artificial fires. Tackling the over 20 yrs of data, Matt has almost finished his project. He is pursuing an M.D. degree at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA after graduation this spring.
Research Projects:      Long-term vegetation change and prescription burning in Florida’s xeric uplands Campus and Community Involvement:      Theta Chi Fraternity      Bucknell Biology Club      Rooke Chapel Congregation

Nate Keller nate.keller@bucknell.edu
	Nate has been working with DNA extraction of 415 samples of palmetto leaves with Jeff and Mizuki. As a result of his consistent effort, he is close to the completion of DNA extraction. As you can see from the pictures, Matt and Nate are identical twins. Until Nate gave us a lecture on how to identify Matt from Nate, the lab members were perplexed. Now we all know who is who. Nate is pursuing an M.D. degree at Penn State College of Medicine at the Hershey Medical Center (Hershey, PA) after graduation this spring.
Research Projects:      Clonal propagation and age estimation of Palmettos in Florida Scrub Campus and Community Involvement:      Theta Chi Fraternity

Alper Dincer alper.dincer@bucknell.edu
	Alper is majoring neuroscience and has interests in biology and chemistry. He has been helping us with the tumbling flower beetle project. Alper and Anders are good buddies and seem to enjoy picking on each other. He has a diverse background. He was born in Belgium and moved to the US when he was seven. With his Turkish origin, he speaks Turkish and is excited about the Turkish National Soccer Team. He plans on being a researcher after graduate school or a doctor if he goes to medical school. He enjoys computer and web programming.
Research Projects:      Host-race formation in the tumbling flower beetles Campus and Community Involvement:      President of the B.R.A.I.N. Club (neuroscience club)      Member of BUSTA (transfer club)

Leah Folzt leah.foltz@bucknell.edu
	Leah is joining our lab this summer as a summer research student. She will be succeeding Nate in he clonal analysis of palmettos.
Research Projects:      Clonal propagation and age estimation of Palmettos in Florida Scrub Campus and Community Involvement:      Member of BUSTA (transfer club)      Bucknell Community College Scholars Program (BCCSP)