Emerson ‘Keith’ Bowers
Associate Professor
ekbowers ‘at’ memphis ‘dot’ edu
Keith is an evolutionary ecologist interested in the causes and consequences of intrafamilial conflict — sexual conflict, parent-offspring conflict, sibling rivalry — in addition to general life-history evolution, ecophysiology, and climate change.
Dr. Kelly Miller
Postdoctoral Researcher & Program Coordinator, Meeman Biological Station
kdmller3 ‘at’ memphis ‘dot’ edu
Kelly (AKA “Killer”) joined the UofM from Indiana University, Bloomington. With a background in Animal Behavior and Psychology, Kelly is currently studying sexual selection in the warblers and parental investment in the wrens.
Rin Pell
PhD candidate
rin.pell ‘at’ memphis ‘dot’ edu
Rin completed her undergraduate degree at Dalton State College, where she conducted research on blue-green eggshell coloration in eastern bluebirds, and is currently exploring eggshell maculation, kin discrimination, and parent-offspring communication here at Memphis.
Madison Mash
MS student
mash.madison ‘at’ memphis ‘dot’ edu
Mash completed her undergraduate degree and was a field assistant, all while playing an instrumental role in the University Marching Band, during her program here at Memphis. Having just joined, she’s currently pondering her forthcoming contributions to human knowledge.
Field Crews Past & Present
2024
L-R (at left): Keith, Mash, Rin (f), Killer (b), Kelly O, Mary Giannini (f), Madison ‘Maddog’ Brode (b), Shelby
L-R (above): Nathan Casswell, Alayna Pardue, Norah Bruce
2023
(after some serious lumberjackin’)
L-R (at left): Shelby, Charlie LaMountain, Killer (f), Keith (b), Mary (f), Kelly O (b), Maddog, Mash
L-R (above): Rin, Nate
Just a précis of cleanup efforts after a major windstorm (100 mph winds) hit the station.
2022
L-R (at left): Keith (f), Lila Gathright (b), Shelby, Killer (f), Rin (b), Charlie (f), Kelly O (b), Nash Barton
2021
L-R (at left): Hailey Haskins, Killer, Mash(b), Rin(f), Maddog, Ashley Atkins Coleman, Kelly O, Elena Valencia-Barbosa, Stephanie Mendoza, Keith
2020
L-R: Juan Ramirez-Ortega, Killer, Kelly O, Rin, Ashley, Shelby, Katie Satterlee
(not pictured: Keith)
2019
L-R: Keith, Ashley, Killer, LeighAnn Poole, Kelly O
2018
L-R: Jonathan Jenkins, Killer, Alex Mueller, Keith
2017
L-R: Jonathan, Keith, Alex
Theses and Dissertations
Shelby Green, MS 2024
Master’s thesis:
Species interactions between two cavity-nesting songbirds under the threat of brood parasitism and nest depredation
Kelly O’Neil, PhD 2024
Doctoral dissertation:
Can beggars be choosers? Adaptive variation in reproductive investment strategies shapes family conflict and cooperation in wild songbirds
Kelly Miller, PhD 2022
Doctoral dissertation:
Mate preference and parental investment in wild songbirds
Ashley Atkins Coleman, MS 2021
Master’s thesis:
How heritable traits of parental care influence brood sex ratio in the Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Jonathan Jenkins, MS 2018
Master’s thesis:
Peek-a-boo, where are you? The sexual conflict underlying
behavioral compensation in a songbird with biparental care
Alex Mueller, MS 2018
Master’s thesis:
Experimentally increased incubation temperature affects posthatching development, offspring begging and parental care, and nestling survival in three species of wild bird