UVA EEB Welcomes New Graduate Students!

This fall, the EEB labs at UVA happily welcomed four new first years! Join us in welcoming the new graduate students and get to know them below:

Lauren Campbell 

I'm from Central FL and did my undergrad at Florida State University where I studied the pleiotropic constraints on evolution and the genetic basis of behavior in Drosophila. I'm broadly interested in how genetic variation and environmental context shape the evolution of adaptive behavior to better understand how organisms respond to complex social and selective pressures. Outside of research I'm an avid birdwatcher and herpetology enthusiast; I love spending time outside looking at cool critters! I also enjoy drawing and printmaking, and love watching movies.

Otoha Tatami

I am from Tokyo, Japan and I completed my BA in Environmental Studies and French from Lake Forest College. I worked as a post-bacc for the last two years studying a subunit of an ER protein complex in Drosophila. I am generally interested in how environmental change impacts behavior and evolutionary mechanisms in organisms! Outside of the lab, I like to watch TV (shows, movies, sports, etc.) and love trying out new coffee shops and bakeries!

Lukas Westermann Salas

Originally from Colombia and Denmark, I moved to the United States in 2018 to live in Maryland. I earned my B.S. in biological science with a specialization in ecology and evolution at the University of Maryland. During my undergrad I studied behavioral ecology in forked fungus beetles as an REU student at Mountain Lake Biological Station. After graduating, I joined a post-baccalaureate research program at the University of Kansas, where I researched avian diversification at KU’s Natural History Museum. Currently, I am interested in how genomic, ecological, and phylogeographic drivers of speciation interact to shape and maintain biodiversity. In my free time, I enjoy any outdoor activity (hiking, backpacking, camping, etc.), playing video games, reading, listening to music (especially metal!), D&D, and other tabletop games!

We’re also excited to welcome Kevun Willis!

Welcome to UVA EEB, Lauren, Otoha, Lukas, and Kevun!