Difference between revisions of "User:Suman Neupane"

Revision as of 04:58, 3 November 2014

Contact

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Connecticut
75 North Eagleville Road
Storrs, CT 06269
Office:
Phone:
E-mail: suman.neupane@uconn.edu
Advisor: Paul Lewis

Research

My dissertation research project addresses three broad but related issues; systematics, evolution of secondary woodiness and historical biogeography of the Hedyotis-Oldenlandia complex in the plant family Rubiaceae with special focus on Asian-Pacific lineages. Hedyotis-Oldenlandia complex is a highly debated group in the Rubiaceae family with no strong consensus to date on its generic delimitations. By building a robust phylogeny using DNA and incorporating data from morphology and anatomy my project seeks to resolve the long-standing taxonomic debate within the group that has existed since the time of Linnaeus. In an attempt to build a well-resolved phylogeny in the large group such as Hedyotis-Oldenlandia complex (ca. 600 spp.), I am also investigating the issues of data combinability (e.g. of different gene regions from targeted sequencing method), effect of taxonomic sampling and missing data, and the resulting systematic bias in the phylogeny inferences under Bayesian framework.
A few lineages within Hedyotis-Oldenlandia complex (e.g. Hedyotis s.s.) are characterized by having secondarily derived wood, a narrow and montane distribution and a high species diversity compared to their herbaceous sister lineages. The other goal of my study is to understand the correlates of the secondary woodiness, differential rate of evolution and diversification between herbaceous and woody clades and ancient dispersal patterns of this group into and inside of tropical Asia.

Education

2014- present: Doctoral candidate, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
2008– 2013: Graduate student, Old Dominion University, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Norfolk, VA USA. Advisor: [Timothy J. Motley]
2007: Master of Science in Botany, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
2001: BS in Biology, Amrit Science College, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Grants, Awards and Scholarships

2012-2014: National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant
2012: American Society of Plant Taxonomist Graduate Student Research Grant
2012: Workshop on Advances in Multiple Sequence Alignment and Phylogeny Estimation. Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC
2010: ASPT Travel Grant for Botany 2010, Providence, RI, American Society of Plant Taxonomy
2009: Delzie Demaree Travel Award, Missouri Botanical Garden Annual Botanical Symposium
2008-2012: Dominion Scholar in Ecological Sciences, Old Dominion University