People

Dr. Marketa Zimova, Assistant Professor

My research program focuses on quantifying consequences of climate change for wild populations and understanding the potential for evolutionary change to facilitate adaptation to climate change-related stressors. My work integrates a broad range of tools and approaches including intensive field surveys, museum specimens, high-resolution climate and environmental data, and advanced statistical modeling. In my free time, I enjoy exploring the great outdoors with my husband and son.

CV, Google Scholar, zimova [at] ohio.edu

Madison Cole, PhD Student (2025- Present)

Madison has completed her BS in Geography and Environmental Studies at Florida State University and Master's of Environmental Management at Duke University. Her completed Master's work modeled gray and red habitat distributions throughout the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Most recently, Madison served as the Assistant Avian Conservation Coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission where she supported statewide priorities and developed survey efforts for imperiled bird species. Her dissertation investigates weasels’ and snowshoe hares’ distributional shifts in response to snow declines and other factors. In her spare time, Madison is a video game enthusiast, hobbyist filmmaker, and short story writer.

Alex Ferentinos, PhD Student (2024- Present)

Alex completed a BS in Biology and Environmental Science from William & Mary. As a part of pursuing this degree, he completed an Honors Thesis examining the causes of movement in American and Fowler's Toads in the Williamsburg area. His dissertation project examines evolutionary changes in snowshoe hares’ morphology in response to climate change. Alex enjoys hiking, reading, and tabletop games with friends.

Jeremy Fuller, MSc Student (2023- Present)

After completing his BS in Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology at North Carolina State University, Jeremy has worked with a range of species including giant salamanders, upland game birds, desert tortoises, and owls. He is currently working towards his MS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Ohio University styudying snowshoe hares and seasonal camouflage mismatch in the Northeastern US. When off the clock, he can be found backpacking the great outdoors, reading, or playing basketball in the gym.

Clare Mattingly, Undergraduate Student (2024- Present)

Clare is working towards a BS in Wildlife and Conservation Biology and a certificate in GIS from Ohio University and plans to continue her education after graduating. She has worked with black oak masting ecology, and is currently assisting in research with AHDrifts and molt phenology of weasels and snowshoe hares. In her free time, she enjoys birdwatching, hiking, backpacking, crocheting, playing video games, taking care of her many house plants, and gardening.

Chase Hetrick, Undergraduate Student (2024- Present)

Chase is interested in the adaptations that help species withstand climate change. Chase is pursuing a degree in biological sciences from Ohio University and plans to continue his education after graduating. He is currently studying the winter coat color of weasels across the east coast of the United States. When he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, and playing music with his band. 

Tanner Hammond, Undergraduate Student (2024- Present)

Tanner is currently working towards a BA in Environmental Biology and a BS in Environmental Geography with a certificate in GIS from Ohio University. He has previously worked on projects related to invasive plant and white-tailed deer management. His main research interests are spatial dynamics of mammal populations, landscape ecology, and global change ecology. He is currently assisting the lab with small mammal research using AHDrifts. In his free time, he enjoys reading, hiking, and programming.

Liv Schneider, Undergraduate Student (2024- Present)

Liv is working towards degree in Wildlife and Conservation Biology at Ohio University and plans to continue her education after graduating. She is helping in the lab with installing AHDrifts in Ohio and analyzing camera trap images. In her free time, she enjoys bird watching, playing with her cat, and walking dogs at the local shelter.

Former Lab Members

Jenifer Mallinoff, MSc Student (2022- 2024)

Jen received a BS in Wildlife Ecology and Management and a BA in Spanish from the University of Maryland. Since graduating, she spent years in the field working with a diverse array of wildlife species. More recently, Jen has become a wildland firefighter and participates in controlled burns in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is currently pursuing an MS at Appalachian State University investigating the distribution of mammals in Southern Appalachia and how climate change may impact these communities in the future. When she’s not out working in the woods, Jen enjoys trail running, rock climbing, and playing in the mountains. Dissertation title: Mammals of the Southern Appalachian sky islands: Can the boreal-deciduous ecotone serve as a climate change refugia? Jen now works for The Nature Conservancy in Asheville, NC.

Amber R. Parker, Undergraduate Student (2023- 2024)

Amber has a keen interest in wildlife conservation, specifically in understanding how the effects of climate change affect diversity across North America. Current projects Amber is involved with include organizing the vertebrate collections at App and analyzing camera trap data from multiple projects in western NC. She is currently pursuing a BS in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology and has an internship for the Conservation Aquaculture Center in Marion, NC.

Josh Smith, Undergraduate Student (2022- 2024)

Josh is interested in mammal population distributions and how they change over time. He is pursuing a BS in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, a minor in Geography, and working towards a GIS certificate at App. When he graduates, he would like to work for an environmental consulting company or a GIS firm leading field surveys and making maps. When he’s not setting up remote camera traps, he enjoys learning Spanish, doing flips, rollerblading, and little side projects like building roller skis.

Tyler Cummings, Undergraduate Student (2022- 2024)

Tyler is studying how human-induced climate change impacts the biodiversity of the southeastern United States. She is currently working with museum specimens at the App State’s vertebrate collections to understand recent morphological changes in small mammals. She is pursuing a BS in Environmental Science, with a certificate in GIS. Her non-academic interests include hiking, camping and outdoor volunteer work. 


Undergraduate Researchers and Volunteers

2024-2025 (OU)

  • Rain Carman

  • Tanner Hammond

  • Chase Hetrick

  • Clare Mattingly

  • Liv Schneider

2023-2024 (OU)

  • Arianna Ault

  • Abigal Besselman

  • Brenna Chaya

  • Sydney Gardner

  • Tanner Hammond

  • Maria Henderson

  • Chase Hetrick

  • Rebecca Kaminski

  • Makayla Lipps

  • Mikayla Timbrook

  • Jillian Zeigler

2022-2023 (ASU)

  • Lanna Bruce

  • Morgan Craig

  • Tyler Cummings

  • Lilli Herring

  • Carson Scott

  • Chloe Sieg

  • Josh Smith

  • Paige Spencer

  • Jenna Tullis

2021-2022 (ASU)

  • Maddy Babb

  • Tyler Cummings

  • Amelia Gallina

  • Stuart Hemmer-Skidmore

  • Adrianna Nelson

  • Amber Parker

  • Rosie Ronca

  • Josh Smith

  • Elyssa Winterton

  • Ashley Zimmerman