People
Principal Investigator | Current Graduate Students
Post-Doctoral Researchers | Associate Researchers
Principal Investigator
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 Dr. Donald R. Young
dryoung@vcu.edu
(804) 828-1562
Education:
B.S., Biology (1975)
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
M.S., Botany (1979)
University of Wyoming
Ph.D., Botany (1982)
University of Wyoming
Primary research interests: My research interests focus on the ecology of coastal plants, with a primary emphasis on woody species, especially those that form shrub thickets. A broad objective for my research is to understand the adaptive mechanisms for survival and success in coastal environments and the interplay of physical stresses and biotic interactions on the distribution of plants in coastal environments. Our projects have and continue to focus on specific environmental and biotic factors affecting the distribution of barrier island plants, successional processes in coastal environments, shrub expansion in coastal environments, ecological significance of coastal storms, ecology of coastal wetlands, control of invasive species in coastal areas, effects of salinity and flooding on plant ecophysiological processes, and restoration of coastal communities.
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Co-Principal Investigator
 Dr. Julie Zinnert
Co-Principal Investigator
jczinner@vcu.edu
Current position: Research Biologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Research Interests: My
research focuses on understanding leaf-level biochemical processes and responses at the landscape level. I am interested in linking remote sensing methods (hyperspectral and thermal imagery, Lidar) to
plant physiology and architecture. My
current laboratory and field research projects are focused on using plants as
sentinels of change in the environment.
This work varies from natural stress detection in coastal systems due to
climate change to plants as indicators of explosives due to landmines and other
unexploded ordnances.
Education:
B.S., Biology (2001)
Virginia Commonwealth University
M.S., Biology (2004)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Master's Thesis: Quantifying successional dynamics in the context of a restoration plan for a maritime forest
Ph.D., Integrative Life Sciences (2008)
Virginia Commonwealth University
Graduate Students
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 Jaclyn Vick
Ph.D. candidate
vickjk@vcu.edu
Research interests: Physiological ecology of shrub expansion in coastal environments
Education:
B.F.A., Art Education (2001)
University of Illinois
M.S., Biology (2007)
Master's thesis: Corticular photosynthetic dynamics for a coastal woody shrub: Myrica cerifera (Myricaceae).
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 Spencer Bissett
Ph.D. candidate
bissettsn@vcu.edu
Research interests: My dissertation research is focused on the ecology of climbing plants in coastal systems. A variety of studies are underway, incorporating the physiological ecology of individual species in both laboratory and field settings, community ecology and phytosociology of vines and the woody vegetation over which they grow, and remote sensing of community canopy structure with and without vine infiltration. Species of interest include Strophostyles umbellata and S. helvola, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Vitis rotundifolia, V. aestivalis, V. labrusca, Smilax rotundifolia, and the sub-shrub Rubus.
Education:
B.A., Biology (2004)
Wake Forest University
M.S., Biology (2008), Virginia Commonwealth University
Master's thesis: Avian dispersal of the actinomycete Frankia across a barrier island landscape
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 Sheri Shiflett
Ph.D candidate
shiflettsa@vcu.edu
Research interests: My research interests focus on
woody plant ecophysiology with a specific interest in the effect of habitat,
including both environmental and biotic factors, on morphological and
physiological response of shrubs. I am
interested in answering the question of what leads some shrubs to “thicketize”
(i.e. form thickets) in some habitat types, but not in others. Some of the major physiological responses that I am interested in
investigating include hydraulic architecture and light use efficiency, as water
use and light use are two key components that dictate where plants can
survive.
Education:
B.S., Biology (2006)
B.A., French (2006)
Virginia Commonwealth University
M.S., Biology (2008), Virginia Commonwealth University
Master's thesis: Avian seed dispersal on Virginia barrier islands
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 Kati Rubis
M.S. student
rubiskt@vcu.edu
Research Interests: My primary research interests involve plant
physiological responses to anthropogenic contaminants. Specifically, I am
interested in remote detection of buried ordnance by seeking to understand
changes in spectral reflectance signatures and fluorescence in plants growing
in TNT- contaminated soil. Secondarily, I am interested in phytoremediation
of anthropogenically-contaminated sites, and have interned for the past year at
a large treatment wetland studying plant uptake of N- and P-rich effluent.
Lastly, I am interested in the study of avian feather reflectance. I have been applying
my knowledge of plant reflectance (visible and IR spectrum) to feather
reflectance (UV and visible spectrum) to understand how the two are
related.
Education:
B.A., Art History (2004)
Virginia Commonwealth University
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 Stephen Via
M.S. student
viasm@vcu.edu
Research Interests: I am interested in plant physiological responses to soil
contaminants with a particular interest in plant fluorescence and reflectance.
The contaminants that I am focusing on are 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), and
1,3,5-Trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX).
Education:
B.S., Biology (2010)
Virginia Tech
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 Ben Dows
M.S. student
dowsbl@vcu.edu
Research Interests: My research interests include landscape scale
growth patterns and how variation of local and regional environmental factors
affects the former. A primary goal is to develop spatial models
that are useful in predicting these patterns.
Education:
B.S., Biology (2008)
Virginia Commonwealth University
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 Molly Hokkanen
M.S. student
hokkanenmm@vcu.edu
Research Interests: I am interested in research involving plant physiology
in regards to succession, the establishment of woody species on the barrier islands,
and in new environments. I am also interested in the variations of stresses
involved in colonizing a new environment.
Education:
B.S., Environmental Management (2009)
South Dakota State University
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Associate Researchers
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 Dr. Edward Crawford
Associate researcher
ercrawford@vcu.edu
Current Position: Director of Introductory Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Research Interests: Modeling carbon dynamics in forested wetlands, quantification of abiotic and biotic factors affecting carbon sequestration in wetlands, invasion characteristics and ecological effects of invasive species in tidal and non-tidal wetlands, restoration of wetlands and other coastal ecosystems, and use of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment.
Education:
B.S., Marine Biology
University of North Carolina, Wilmington
M.S., Biology
Virginia Commonwealth University
Thesis: Quantification of gap dynamics within inter-dunal depressional swales dominated by Myrica cerifera
Ph.D., Ecology
Old Dominion University
Dissertation: Carbon dynamics in Atlantic White Cedar wetlands
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 Dr. Dianne Jennings
Associate Researcher
dbjennings@vcu.edu
Current Position:
Research Interests:
Education:
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 Dr. John Anderson
Associate researcher
John.Anderson@erdc.usace.army.mil
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University and Research Biologist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Research Interests: Remote sensing biological phenomena using reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy. Current research efforts are directed at fluorescence sensing using imaging and distributed probes and sensors to evaluate environmental conditions. He is currently working to develop probes to concentrate, detect, signal, and report the location of hazardous materials. Dr. Anderson is also exploring the relationship between reflectance and fluorescence of plant pigments.
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