Current lab members

Allison Louthan, PI 
​Allison joined the Division of Biology at Kansas State University in January 2020 as an assistant professor. She conducted a postdoc at Duke University working with Bill Morris and her PhD at the University of Colorado-Boulder, working with Dan Doak. ​She was elected as an Early Career Fellow by ESA (2023- 2027). 
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Sarah Herzog, PhD candidate
​My research is focused on understanding native plant communities and populations and how to best conserve them. I received my undergraduate degree in Ecology and Conservation Biology from the University of Idaho and my masters at South Dakota State University. My work has ranged from examining the morphological variation of Castilleja pilosa (Orobanchaceae) species complex, utility of DNA barcodes for the identification northern tallgrass prairie plant species, and understanding the relationships between phylogenetic diversity and other biodiversity measurements. My work in the Louthan Lab will focus on rare plant population dynamics.
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Aleah Querns, PhD student
I received my undergraduate degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from North Carolina State University in 2017. I later interned for the Bureau of Land Management, which was an experience that ignited my interest in studying the ecology of invasive plant species to provide insight toward land management practices. I returned to NC State in 2018 to complete a Master's degree in Plant Biology and focused on understanding the role of thermal tolerance in promoting the invasion of Mimulus guttatus in the United Kingdom. As a grad student in the Louthan Lab, my work is focused on creating a stage structured invasion speed model which will help to determine the sensitivity of eastern red cedar encroachment speed to important drivers of encroachment (fire, climate, and grazing).
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Thomas Leihsing, Undergraduate
I am a current undergrad double majoring in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology (Ecology and Wildlife Management) and Global Food Systems Leadership (Environmental Sustainability). My interests include understanding the mechanisms driving range shifts in native and invasive species and how population responses to climate variability differ across extensive geographic ranges. In the Louthan Lab, I hope to continue to explore how climate variation and different land management practices impact tallgrass prairie ecosystems.

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Natalie Miller, Undergraduate
I am currently a senior majoring in Fisheries, Wildlife, Conservation, and Environmental Biology with an emphasis in Conservation Biology. In Dr. Louthan’s lab, I aim to continue to investigate how anthropogenic factors affect native forb species on Konza prairie. Some of my interests include exploring research in avian ecology and species interactions, and the effects of climate change on avian populations.

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Dayton Raines, Undergraduate
I am a senior undergraduate majoring in Fisheries, Wildlife, Conservation, and Environmental Biology with minors in Spanish and Music. I am interested in sustainable land use, environmental stewardship, restoration, and community ecology. Through working in the Louthan Lab I aspire to gain a better understanding of native plant population dynamics and anthropogenic effects on grasslands. 

Lab Alumni

Aaron Baumgardner, former lab manager. Currently Director of Natural Resources for the Catawba Indian Nation.
Alex Sutton, former postdoc. Currently lecturer at Bangor University. 
Shannon Lynch, former grad student. Currently a research assistant at Jefferson University.