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Kristin E. Brzeski, Assistant Professor
Principle Investigator Kristin is a wildlife biologist interested in research at the intersection of applied conservation and evolutionary theory. Her work utilizes a wide range of tools including genomic sequencing, epigenetic sequencing, camera traps, and a multitude of field based techniques. Kristin's past research has focused on wild canid genetics and she remains a contributor to the Canine Ancestry Project and director of the Gulf Coast Canine Project. Kristin integrates her research into teaching during her Mammalogy and Conservation Genetic courses at MTU. CV email: kbrzeski 'at' mtu.edu |
Current Graduate Students
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Tiffany DeGroot
Forest Science PhD student in CFRES. Spring 2019-current. PhD project: Biodiversity conservation in Equatorial Guinea Project collaborators: Biodiversity Initiative Tiff is a PhD student in the Brzeski Lab studying biodiversity and conservation applications in tropical forests. Her research project uses DNA metabarcoding and large camera trap arrays to survey wildlife in Equatorial Guinea, Central Africa. |
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Lulu Ferrer
Applied Ecology MSc student in CFRES. Fall 2020-current MS project: Avian Malaria in the Keweenaw Peninsula Co-advised by: Dr. Jared Wolfe, Project collaborators: Louisiana Bird Observatory Lulu is a MSc student in the Brzeski Lab studying avian malaria parasites in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She is assessing prevalence and diversity of avian Haemosporidian parasites in resident and migrant bird communities. As a separate study, Lulu is also investigating mercury contamination levels in birds and arthropod prey from Louisiana's Bluebonnet Swamp. |
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Sam Hervey
Forest Science PhD student in CFRES. Spring 2020-current. PhD project: Monitoring Genetic Health of Isle Royale Wolves Project collaborators: National Park Service Sam is a PhD student in the Brzeski lab studying the newly introduced Isle Royale gray wolves. He is developing noninvasive molecular tools to monitor genetic variation of the Isle Royale wolf population and evaluating the genomic composition of the new Isle Royale wolf founders. |
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John McCall
MSc student in Biological Sciences. Spring 2021-current MS project: Buffalo Reef lake trout epigenetics Co-advised by: Dr. Gord Paterson John is a MSc student in the Brzeski lab, co-advised with Gord Paterson, researching lake trout genomics and how potential toxicity to local copper mining byproducts affect early development and genetic diversity in Lake Superior. |
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Melanie Ottino
Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology MSc student in CFRES. Fall 2021-current MS project: Landscape genetics of winter diet in a generalist herbivore Co-advised by: Dr. Carsten Külheim, Dr. Chris Webster Melanie is a MSc student using noninvasive fecal metabarcoding to assess the winter diet of northern white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and evaluating landscape-scale drivers of behavioral variation, population structure, and deer health. |
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Kath Schneider
Forest Science PhD student in CFRES. Spring 2021-present. PhD project: Effects of Forest Management Beetles and Invertebrate Policy Considerations Co-advised by: Dr. Tara Bal Kath is a PhD student using iDNA to assess beetle diet and she is also working to bridge knowledge systems in beetle research, using Traditional Ecological Knowledge, historic, and current invertebrate policies. |
Current Undergraduate Students
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Jenna Brewer
Undergraduate student in CFRES. Fall 2021-current. Independent research project: Northern cardinal’s range expansion as a result of supplementary feeding. Project collaborators: Dr. Jared Wolfe Jenna is an undergraduate Wildlife Ecology and Conservation student using isotopic analysis and DNA metabarcoding to evaluate dietary breadth in Northern cardinals. |
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Tessa Tormoen
Undergraduate student Biological Science, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Fall 2021-current. Independent research project: Tilefish diet Project collaborators: Dr. Jill Olin Tessa is an undergraduate majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Tessa is working in the lab on a metabarcoding project to explore the diet of deep-sea tilefish in partnership with Dr. Jill Olin, Biological Science. |
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Claudia Zinser
Undergraduate student in CFRES. Spring 2019-current. SURF project: Do birds of a feather flock together? Testing flock relatedness in Blue Jays. Project collaborators: Dr. Jared Wolfe Claudia is an undergraduate Wildlife Ecology and Management and has been working in the Brzeski Lab since her freshman year. Claudia was awarded a SURF fellowship to study Blue Jay flock relatedness in Summer 2021. |
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International Student Mentees
Silvestre Esteban: Undergraduate intern with Biodiversity Initiative. Equatorial Guinea. 2015-current. Project collaborators: Biodiversity Initiative |
Past Lab Members
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Tanner Barnes
Forest Ecology and Management MSc student in CFRES. Fall 2019-Fall 2021. MS project: Red wolf ancestry assessments of canids in SE TX Project collaborators: Gulf Coast Canine Project, Dr. Melissa Karlin, the Canine Ancestry Project Tanner assessed red wolf ancestry and relatedness in coyotes on Galveston Island, Texas. Tanner was also a past Earn and Learn student in the Lab where he conducted an independent urban camera trap study. |
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Rachel Christensen
Undergraduate student in CFRES, Spring 2019-Spring 2020. Senior project: Avian Malaria Presence in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Project collaborators: Dr. Jared Wolfe Rachel graduated with a degree in Wildlife Ecology and Management in spring 2020 and conducted her senior project in the Brzeski Lab. She evaluated the prevalence of avian malaria in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. |
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Shallen Gurtler
Forest Ecology and Management MSc student in CFRES. Fall 2018-Summer 2020. MS project: Comparison of noninvasive iDNA and camera trap methods in detecting mammalian community change. Project collaborators: Dr. Carsten Külheim Shallen was a MSc student in the Brzeski Lab evaluating how different siliviculture treatments impacted the composition of mammal communities. |
Undergraduate volunteers and Earn & Learn students
Academic year 2021-2022: Maddison Allen and Trevor VanHouten. Students assisted with genetic lab management.
Academic year 2019-2020: Sarah Arnold, Megan Baird, Jenna Brewer, Heidi Feliczak, Natalie Howard, Claudia Zinser. Students assisted with sorting African camera trap images and genetic lab management.
Academic year 2018-2019: Kadie Gehrke, Claudia Zinser, Teal Sackett, Mason Steele. Students assisted with sorting African camera trap images and genetic lab management.Trevor VanHouten
Academic year 2021-2022: Maddison Allen and Trevor VanHouten. Students assisted with genetic lab management.
Academic year 2019-2020: Sarah Arnold, Megan Baird, Jenna Brewer, Heidi Feliczak, Natalie Howard, Claudia Zinser. Students assisted with sorting African camera trap images and genetic lab management.
Academic year 2018-2019: Kadie Gehrke, Claudia Zinser, Teal Sackett, Mason Steele. Students assisted with sorting African camera trap images and genetic lab management.Trevor VanHouten