People
Principal Investigator
Colin Orians
Orians Lab
Tufts University
Robinson Hall
200 College Ave., Room 364
Medford, MA 02155
Office: 617-627-3543
Faculty Profile Email Dr. Orians
My research group is broadly focused on the consequences of global change biology to natural and managed systems. The work extends from a focus on plant responses, to plant-herbivore interactions, to farmer livelihoods. The work is often interdisciplinary, and involves collaborations with theoretical biologists, chemists, economists and other social scientists. This work includes studies that have explored:
Members of the lab have worked with diverse plant systems including eastern hemlock, tea in China, coffee in Costa Rica, old fields, and green roof plant communities.
Current Lab Members
Santhi Bhavanam
Postdoc since 2022
Brendan Carson
PhD Student since 2018
I came to Tufts after completing an MS in Entomology at Michigan State University and then working as a teacher and researcher at Loyola University Chicago. While working towards a PhD in the biology department, I have become fascinated with how spatial variation in plant chemistry can cascade up to influence trophic interactions. I am currently studying Baltimore checkerspot butterflies, a viral pathogen called JcDNV, and english plantain to learn more about how spatial heterogeneity can influence population dynamics.
Kevin Headrick
PhD student since 2022
I’m interested in understanding how plants change their growth and defense strategies under different environmental conditions and as they go through different developmental stages. The environmental conditions I’m most interested in are light availability and herbivory pressure. I mostly work with sugar maple seedlings and canola plants.
