People

Katherine, a white woman with glasses, laughs at the camera.

Katherine A. Corn

Principal Investigator

I received my PhD from the Center for Population Biology at UC Davis, where I worked with Peter Wainwright exploring the effect of coral reefs and feeding mode on the evolution of diversity in reef fishes. Following that I moved to Virginia Tech to postdoc with Josef Uyeda. As an undergraduate I worked with Adam Summers and Stacy Farina at Friday Harbor Marine Labs on a shark tooth saw and with Willy Bemis at Cornell on the development of sevengill shark teeth; I started off as an undergraduate at the small liberal arts college, Bard College at Simon's Rock. Aside from fish, I like hockey, baking pies, and sustainable agriculture. My Erdös number is 6.
Jess, a white woman with long brown hair, smiles at the camera. She is sitting in a brightly colored room and wearing earrings.

Jessica K. Tir

Curator & Collections Manager, Conner Museum of Vertebrates

M.S. Biology, Washington State University (2023)
B.S. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University (2017)
A.A. Chemistry, Holmes Community College (2013)
I handle the day-to-day operations of the Conner Museum including fulfilling loan requests, preparing and caring for specimens, and managing data. I am particularly excited about creating and curating open-access biodiversity data, whether that’s via citizen science platforms or the museum’s Arctos databases. I am also passionate about SciComm and spreading the joy of nature!
My research background is in animal behavior with a focus on avian bioacoustics.

Roy Holmes

Research Technician

B.S. Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Sciences, Washington State University (2025)
A.A. General Transfer Degree, Skagit Valley College (2021)
I am a recent graduate of Washington State University with a degree in ecology. As an undergrad I worked in Dr. Phelps' aquatic molecular physiology lab. I am interested in pursuing a career in fisheries conservation research or fish and wildlife enforcement. Outside of work I enjoy outdoor hobbies like fishing, mountain biking, and hiking.

Summer, a white woman with blonde hair, stands on a stairwell in front of a brick building. She is wearing a white dress.

Summer Duba

PhD Student

B.A. Biology - Christopher Newport University (2025)
I am a PhD student investigating how variations in morphology affect the feeding strategies and ecological roles of suction-feeding fishes, and the evolutionary consequences of these functional adaptations. I completed my BA in Biology at Christopher Newport University in Virginia, where I worked with Dr. Dave Collar to explore the evolution of elongate body shapes in fishes and was a member of the D1 Sailing team. Outside of science, I love reading fantasy novels, hiking, getting a sweet treat with friends, and triathlon training!

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