Auchenorrhyncha New Experts at The Cryan Lab
Jason Cryan Principal Investigator Laboratory for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, New York State Museum, Albany NY jcryan@mail.nysed.gov PEET ResearchJason Cryan’s research focuses on the higher phylogenetics of Fulgoroidea (specifically, the families Fulgoridae, Dictyopharidae, and Delphacidae), Cercopoidea (he was awarded a separate NSF Systematics research grant for a large-scale phylogenetic investigation of the spittlebug superfamily), and Membracoidea (specifically, the treehopper family Membracidae). Jason worked with Chris Simon and Chris Dietrich to write the Auchenorrhyncha PEET NSF proposal in 2005. He serves as the PEET grant administrator and coordinates PEET research at the New York State Museum. Jason travels around the world to collect Auchenorrhyncha for his phylogenetic research; with PEET funding, he collected Auchenorrhyncha in Chile (2006) with Chris Simon, and in Argentina (2008) with many of the PEET leaders, trainees, and collaborators. Jason also organized the 1st Auchenorrhyncha PEET Workshop (2007), held at the New York State Museum.more information... | Lois OBrien PEET Collaborator Florida A&M University PEET ResearchAn internationally recognized leader of Fulgoroidea systematics, Lois O’Brien’s expertise in the taxonomy of Fulgoridae is legend. Not only does Lois generously provide advice and guidance to PEET project, but she also attended the 1st Auchenorrhyncha PEET Workshop (Albany, NY), where she delivered an overview presentation on the taxonomy and systematics of Fulgoroidea with Charles Bartlett. | Charles Bartlett PEET Collaborator University of Delaware, Newark DE 02542@udel.edu PEET ResearchCharles Bartlett is widely recognized as an expert in the systematics of the planthopper family Delphacidae (Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoroidea). His research focuses on the taxonomy and phylogeny of Delphacidae, and he collaborates with Jason Cryan on this, and other research projects within Fulgoroidea. Charles attended the 1st Auchenorrhyncha PEET Workshop (Albany, NY), where he delivered an overview presentation on the taxonomy and systematics of Fulgoroidea with Lois O’Brien. | Vinton Thompson PEET Collaborator Metropolitan College of New York, New York NY vthompson@metropolitan.edu PEET ResearchAn ecologist by training, Vinton Thompson is one of the few experts on spittlebugs (Cercopoidea) in North America. He generously provides advice and specimens to Jason Cryan and his students on their Cercopoidea-related research. Vinton traveled with Jason to Zambia (Central Africa) in 2007 to collect Afrotropical spittlebug specimens. | Gavin Svenson Postdoctoral Researcher Laboratory for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, New York State Museum, Albany NY gsvenson@mail.nysed.gov PEET ResearchA post-doctoral associate at the New York State Museum, Gavin Svenson is collaborating with Jason Cryan on a large-scale phylogenetic investigation of Cercopoidea. Gavin is also working to optimize new genes for phylogenetic inference in Auchenorrhyncha, an effort which will complement other aspects of the Auchenorrhyncha PEET project. In addition to these projects, Gavin is continuing his work on a comprehensive phylogenetic treatment of praying mantises (order Mantodea), which he began as a PhD candidate at Brigham Young University. | Adam Bell Ph.D. Researcher New York State Museum abell@mail.nysed.gov PEET ResearchAdam Bell is a PhD student in Jason Cryan’s lab at the New York State Museum; his research focuses on the systematics of the spittlebug superfamily Cercopoidea. Although Adam is not primarily funded by the Auchenorrhyncha PEET grant, his research goals (phylogenetic investigation of Cercopoidea using morphological and molecular data, construction of interactive identification keys, etc.) dovetail with the PEET grant goals and he will interact with the other PEET trainees. | Julie Urban Past Participant New York State Museum jurban@mail.nysed.gov PEET ResearchJulie Urban’s research focuses on the systematics of Fulgoroidea (specifically, the families Fulgoridae and Dictyopharidae) and their bacterial endosymbionts. Julie completed her MS (2005) and PhD (2008) degrees in Jason Cryan’s lab at the New York State Museum, during which time she was partially funded by the Auchenorrhyncha PEET grant. As part of her PEET-related research, Julie generated a morphological data set for phylogenetic inference in the planthopper Fulgoridae. |