Hector Ortiz, PhD – NSF Postdoctoral Assistant Researcher
Hector was an NSF postdoctoral assistant researcher in Dr. Juliana Medeiros lab from March 2022 to July 2023. He is passionate about plant ecophysiology and is interested in understanding the response of native and cultivated plants to drought and climate change. As a native from the Sonoran Desert in Mexico, Hector’s interest is in the study of ancestral agroecosystems developed by Native Americans in arid regions. He joined efforts with Dr. Medeiros to study the physiology, environmental, and climate factors that drives the invasion and expansion range of Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) into grasslands in the U. S. Midwest. He is currently a Research Scientist at Chicago Botanic Garden.
Sam Harbol, MS – Norweb Fellow
Sam was a Norweb Fellow in the Medeiros Lab from December 2021 to December 2022. He was assisting in research that looked at the non-structural carbohydrate concentration in Juniperus species in response to environmental stressors, specifically drought and cold stress. His past research was focused on the influence of forest management practices, particularly tree girdling, on a secondary forest. At Holden’s Working Woods, Sam examined how a slow release of competition, caused by girdling, influenced nearby residual tree growth and how the surrounding canopy structure changed in response. Sam is now a PhD student in the Burns lab at Case Western Reserve University.
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Postdoctoral Mentorship
Hector Ortiz, PhD. April 2022 – July 2023. Species distribution modeling of Juniperus virginiana in relation to co-occurring species across native range and expanding range.
Randy Long, PhD. March 2020 – August 2021. Combined drought and cold acclimation effects on Juniperus virginiana and other conifer species from different climate zones.
Graduate student mentorship
Miranda Shetzer. Fall 2022 – Present. Primary advisor: Case Western Reserve University. Photosynthetic physiology of Rhododendron.
Samuel Harbol. 2021 – 2022. Project mentor: Holden Arboretum Norweb Fellow. Non-structural carbohydrates in cold acclimation of Juniperus virginiana.
Ricky Kong. Fall 2020. Dissertation defense committee member. University of Western Ontario.
Yu “Grant” Liu.2019 – 2023. Comprehensive exam committee member and Dissertation committee member. Case Western Reserve University.
Andy Lance. 2018 –2020. Dissertation committee member. Case Western Reserve University. Soil microbiota and ecological restoration: connections and implications for practice.
Anna Osvaldsson. 2018 –2019. Dissertation committee member. Case Western Reserve University.
Yu “Grant” Liu. Fall 2018. CWRU independent study course reader: Biology 599, The role of seasonal changes of photochemistry in plant energy dissipation given light differences and CO2 elevation.
Sharon Danielson. 2017 – 2023. Primary advisor: Case Western Reserve University. Seeing the urban forest for its trees: an examination of Cleveland, Ohio’s forests from community composition to individual tree physiology.
Samia Hamati. 2017 –2022. Primary co-advisor with Dr. David Ward, Kent State University. Frost physiology of Juniperus virginiana, a grassland invasive, at the northern limits of the species distribution.
Yu “Grant” Liu. Spring 2017. CWRU independent study course reader: Biology 599, Estimating a phylogeny of 24 Rhododendron species from both nuclear DNA regions RPB2I, ITS and chloroplast DNA regions matK, trnL-trnF.
Sharon Danielson. 2015 – 2017. Project mentor Holden Arboretum Norweb Fellow: Leaf hydraulic conductance in deciduous, evergreen and semi-evergreen Rhododendrons. Holden Arboretum Norweb Fellowship Intern Program.
Jennifer Murphy. Fall 2014. CWRU independent study course reader: Biology 599, The effect of negative and positive intraspecific interactions on the performance of the highly invasive shrub, Rosa multiflora across a soil moisture gradient.
Undergraduate Mentorship
Lindsey Urban. Summer 2023. Project mentor: Anatomy and physiology of Southern Azaleas. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Sabeel Haddad. Summer 2022. Project mentor: Species distribution modeling for Eastern Red Cedar. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Miranda Shetzer. Summer 2021. Project mentor: Effects of drought on urban and rural tree seedlings. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Madeline Bednar. Summer 2021. Project mentor: Conifer traits across botanical gardens located in different climates.Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Chiara Baker. Summer 2020. Project mentor: Interactive effects of drought and frost on red cedar from different climates. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Keara Weiss. Summer 2020. Project mentor: Plant functional traits in urban and rural tree communities.Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Raphaella Mascia. Summer 2019 & 2020. Project mentor: Plant functional traits in urban and rural tree communities.Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Madison Metzger. Summer 2019. Project mentor: Plant functional traits in urban and rural tree communities.Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Fiona Duong. Summer 2018. Project mentor: Leaf anatomical variation in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Bryce O’Brien. Summer 2018. Project mentor: Photoprotective pigment response to cold acclimation across populations of Rhododendron minus. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Madison Proctor. Summer 2017. Project mentor: Effects of Inkharo rootstock on the performance and morphology of Rhododendron cultivars. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Aaron Baumgardner. Summer 2016. Project mentor: Leaf venation patterns of deciduous, evergreen and semi-evergreen Rhododendron species from different climates. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Michael Mann. Summer 2016. Project mentor: The leaf and root microbiome of Rhododendron species differing in Phytophthora root rot resistance. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Conor Heffer. Summer 2016. Project mentor: Leaf anatomical variation in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Louisa Rogers. Summer 2015. Project mentor: Root morphological variation in genus Rhododendron. Kent State/Holden Arboretum Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU).
Rahne McIntire. Summer 2015. Project mentor: Photosynthesis in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Summer Internship.
Jaynell Nicholson. Summer 2014. Project mentor: Root morphological variation in genus Rhododendron. Kent State/Holden Arboretum Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU).
Callie Dowrey. Summer 2014 & 2015. Project mentor: Physiological evolution in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Summer Internship.
Katiuska Hernandez. Summer 2013. Project mentor: Physiological evolution in genus Rhododendron. Kent State/Holden Arboretum Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU).
Dan Volk. Summer 2013. Project mentor: Ecological impacts of acid rain in NE temperate forests. Holden Arboretum Summer Internship.
Kayla Sale. 2011 – 2013. Project mentor: Modeling changes in plants gas exchange in response to changing [CO2] and water availability since the last ice age. University of Kansas (KU) Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD).
Zulondo Curley. Summer 2011. Project mentor: Plant responses to the interactive effects of low [CO2] and water availability during the last ice age using ancient plant material from pack rat middens. Haskell Indian Nations University BRIDGE.
Charley Lewis. 2011 – 2013. Project mentor: Plant responses to the interactive effects of low [CO2] and water availability during the last ice age using ancient plant material from pack rat middens. Haskell Indian Nations University BRIDGE and KU Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP).
Susannah Tysor. Summer 2009. Meeting mentor: Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting in Albuquerque New Mexico. ESA Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability (SEEDS)
Ashlee Begaye. 2009. Project mentor: Quantification of plant photo-protective pigments in high and low latitude populations of the genus Larrea from North and South America. UNM PREP.
Andrea Westerband. Summer 2009. Project mentor: The Physical and Chemical properties of soils under Piñon, Juniper and grass on the North and South-facing slopes of Los Piños Mountains. Sevilleta LTER REU.
Giomara La Quay. Summer 2009. Project mentor: The Physical and Chemical properties of soils under Piñon, Juniper and grass on the North and South-facing slopes of Los Piños Mountains. Sevilleta LTER REU.
Julie Glaser. 2008 – 2009. Undergraduate Senior Honors Thesis mentor: Quantification of plant photo-protective pigments in high and low latitude populations of the genus Larrea from North and South America. UNM Department of Biology.
K12 Mentorship
Jade Freed. Summer 2023. Project mentor: Huber value of SE Rhododendron species. Holden Forests & Gardens Green Corp Program.
Nate Lowe. Summer 2023. Project mentor: Microcontrollers for phenotyping and outreach. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Mentor High School Senior Internship Program.
Cariana Tootle. Summer 2022. Project mentor: Plant physiology conceptual diagram. Holden Forests & Gardens Green Corp Program.
Hope Ptacek. Summer 2021. Project mentor: Conifer traits across botanical gardens located in different climates. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Hawken School Internship Program.
Sara Ramaiah. Fall 2019.Project mentor: Leaf venation of Rhododendron hybrids and species. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Mentor High School Senior Internship Program.
Ava Fabian. Summer 2018. Project mentor: Effects of Inkharo rootstock on the performance and morphology of Rhododendron cultivars. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Magnificat High School Senior Internship Program.
John Love. Summer 2018. Project mentor: Rhododendron propagation and physiology. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Mentor High School Senior Internship Program.
Elspeth Weiss. Summer 2017. Project mentor: Effects of Inkharo rootstock on the performance and morphology of Rhododendron cultivars. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Hawken School Senior Internship Program.
Sean Mullee. Summer 2015 – Spring 2016. Project mentor: Associations between flower color and cold hardiness in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Mentor High School Senior Internship Program.
Amanda Leuty. May 2014. Project mentor: Ecological impacts of acid rain in NE temperate forests. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Mentor High School Senior Internship Program.
Holden ADult Volunteer Supervision
Anastasiya Karaivanova. July 2019. Project mentor: Leaf venation in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Sarah Speroff. January – August 2017. Project mentor: Leaf anatomical variation in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
McKenzie Brizes. Summer 2017. Project mentor: Flower carbon economics. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Donna Kautz. Summer 2017. Project mentor: Flower carbon economics. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Susanne Earle. Fall 2016 – 2019. Project mentor: Holden Research Archive. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
JB Dunn. Fall 2017. Project mentor: Big data proof of concept website. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Kate DeFranco. Summer 2015 – 2016. Project mentor: Leaf morphological variation in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Ron Mauk. September 2013 – Present. Project mentor: Eighty years of plant growth and survival in relation to climate at the Holden Arboretum. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Sandra Cobb. July 2013 – Present. Project mentor: Eighty years of plant growth and survival in relation to climate at the Holden Arboretum and Holden Arboretum Historic Archive. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Laurie Kalan. 2013. Project mentor: Eighty years of plant growth and survival in relation to climate at the Holden Arboretum. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.