Lab Members

 Lab Director

Heather J. Lynch

Dr. Heather J. Lynch is the Institute for Advanced Computational Sciences Endowed Chair for Ecology & Evolution at Stony Brook University and the Director of the Stony Brook Collaborative for the Earth. Following a B.A. in Physics from Princeton University and an M.A. in Physics from Harvard University, she received her Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University in 2006. Dr. Lynch’s research sits at the intersection of statistical ecology, geography, applied math, and computer science. Her research is focused on all aspects of conservation ecology in the Antarctic, with a particular focus on the integration of satellite imagery and traditional field work to map the distribution and abundance of Antarctic wildlife and to predict how populations will be impacted by climate change, fishing, and tourism. debate

CV | Google Scholar

Post-docs

None currently!

Students

Michael Wethington

Born in the land of 10,000 lakes, I am a Minnesota native who grew up studying community ecosystem dynamics in the northern boreal forest. I hold a master’s degree in geospatial information science and remote sensing from the University of Minnesota. My current research emphasizes the use of satellite remote sensing and geospatial methods to infer species-landscape interactions of Antarctic pack-ice seals.


Carole Hall

I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Mathematical Biology in 2020, and I’m now a second year Ph.D. student in Applied Mathematics and Statistics focusing on Computational Biology at Stony Brook University. My research interests include computational geometry, biophysics, dynamical systems, and population modeling, and a goal of mine is to combine these areas to better understand how we can minimize the effects of human-driven climate change and advocate for change. Outside of doing research, I love teaching, trail running, hiking, painting, and photographing wildlife.

LinkedIn


Kate Blackwell

I am interested in how marine populations are delineated and doing so by linking geographical patterns of morphological, genetic, and environmental variation. Currently, I am investigating this with Thalassoica antarctica, Antarctic petrels. I completed my B.S. in Biology and B.A. in English with a minor in Chemistry at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and my M.S. in Geographic and Cartographic Sciences with a certificate in GIS at George Mason University.


Clare Flynn

I am an Ecology and Evolution PhD student modeling penguin dynamics in relation to oceanic conditions. I received my B.A. from Pomona College. Prior to coming to Stony Brook, I worked with the National Audubon Society’s Project Puffin on many of their seabird islands and with Point Blue Conservation Science on Southeast Farallon Island. I also enjoy teaching environmental science and mathematics.


Derek Fucich

I am an Ecology and Evolution PhD student modeling penguin dynamics.

Lab Alumni

Ph.D. students

Phil McDowall - Ph.D. (2018) Spatial dynamics of Pygoscelis penguin coloniality (Thesis)

Currently a software engineer at Google.

Casey Youngflesh - Ph.D. (2018) Ecological change in the Southern Ocean – Insights from Antarctic seabirds (Thesis Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

Currently an Assistant Professor at Clemson University.

Catherine Foley - Ph.D. (2019) Long-term human impacts on sub-Antarctic ecosystems and mesopredator abundance (Thesis)

Currently a Fishery Biologist, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

Maureen Lynch - Ph.D. (2019) Gentoo penguin behavioral ecology: Vocalizations, aggression, and stress within the colony (Thesis)

Currently a Fisheries Program Manager, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department.

Michael Schrimpf - Ph.D. (2020) The distribution and community ecology of breeding birds on the Antarctic Peninsula (Thesis)

Currently a postdoctoral research at Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Alex Borowicz - Ph.D. (2021) Eco-social and remote sensing: Applications across a new era of ecological data (Thesis)

Currently Director of Conservation Data Science in the Center for Conservation Innovation at Defenders of Wildlife.

Bento Goncalves - Ph.D. (2022) Roadmap to fully automated, pan-Antarctic, pack-ice seal surveys (Thesis)

Currently Remote Sensing and Computer Vision Expert at Whale Seeker.

Rachael Herman - Ph.D. (2023) Colonization, gene flow, and range expansion in a pioneering seabird species (Thesis)

Currently a postdoctoral research at Stony Brook University.

Emma Talis - Ph.D. (2023) Modelling population dynamics and capturing variability in Antarctic penguins (Thesis Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

Currently a Senior Associate Data Scientist at Travelers Insurance.

Postdocs

Chandi Witharana - Currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Natural Resources & the Environment at the University of Connecticut

Christian Che-Castaldo - Currently at the U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit

Grant Humphries - Founder of Black Bawks Data Science

Katherine Gallagher - Currently a postdoctoral researcher at Stony Brook University

Bilgecan Sen - Currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science