Jed Sparks (he/him/his)

Research Interests: The Sparks lab explores a breadth of research as diverse as its students. We are actively involved in projects around the globe, from coastal Kenyan forests to semi-tropical grassland agriculture. Our chief interests are in the conservation of dwindling wild spaces, and in the leveraging of new and innovative techniques in our research.

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Benjamin Uveges (he/him)

Postdoctoral Researcher

Email / Twitter / Github / ORCID / Google Scholar / Website

Research Interests: I am an Organic and Stable Isotope Geochemist, Geobiologist, and Sedimentary Geologist. I specialize in the measurement and analysis of carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in organic archives, lipid biomarkers, the nutrient dynamics of stratified aquatic basins, and the evolution of the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles throughout Earth’s History. Currently working on phosphorus and methane cycling in subtropical pasturelands.

Allasandra (Ally) Valdez (she/her)

Third year PhD Student

Email / Website

Research Interests: I am a plant physiological ecologist, broadly interested in understanding plants’ physiological responses to water limitations, particularly in the context of our changing climate. My approach encompasses a blend of theoretical and applied biological methods, utilizing methods in both controlled greenhouse experiments and fieldwork. Beyond my research endeavors, I am an advocate for science outreach by serving as the host of The Happy Botanist Podcast. I am dedicated to kindling curiosity and promoting awareness in topics pertaining to botany, ecology, sustainability, and conservation.

Hannah Monti (she/her)

Third year PhD Student

Research Interests: I am a biogeochemist and microbial ecologist interested in the role of microbial interaction in generating global patterns of soil carbon storage. As anthropogenic disturbances become more common and severe, I also aim to investigate how microbially-driven carbon and nitrogen dynamics respond to perturbation. My approach includes both field and greenhouse studies and seeks to bridge scales, from single cells to whole ecosystems.

Charlotte Tysall

Undergraduate Researcher

Email / Instagram / Website

Research Interests: I’m interested in the study of ecological systems and interactions of organisms with one another and their environments, specifically through the lense of stable isotope analysis. Additionally, I am drawn (pun intended) to the intersection of science and art, and have been working on both a fine arts minor and developing my scientific illustration skills.

Friends of the Lab

Beatriz A. Aguirre (she/her/hers)

PhD Candidate

Email / Website

Primary advisor: Dr. Alison G. Power

Research Interests: I am interested in studying the effects of drought on grassland plant communities. I am also interested in plant virus and drought interactions in non-crop grass hosts. I am currently studying how viral disease prevalence may be amplified or diluted by biodiversity in unmanaged plant communities.

Jasmine S. Peters (She/her/hers)

PhD Candidate

Email / Website / ORCID

Primary advisor: Dr. Alison Power

Research Interests: I am broadly interested in how humans engage with the environment. Currently I am studying plant virus interactions in restored and remnant native grasslands that are managed with prescribed burns. I am also working with the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ’ and Shinnecock Nations to forefront indigenous land stewardship and fire knowledge in the ecological sciences.

Lab Technicians

Kim Sparks

Kim is manager of the Cornell Stable Isotope Laboratory and is interested in a variety of topics including plant physiology, ecophysiology, biogeography and biogeochemistry. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.S. in Ecology and Evolution and Washington State University with a M.S. in Botany. She currently focuses on the use of stable isotopes to address ecological and biogeochemical questions.

John Pollak

John D. Pollak graduated from Cornell University in 2008 with a B.S. focusing in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. His primary areas of interest are Plant Taxonomy, Plant Ecophysiology and Stable Isotope technology. John is a Research Support Specialist in the Sparks Lab and Cornell’s Stable Isotope Lab.

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Past Lab Members

Sparks lab members collecting pumpkins for the annual Halloween party at an “all you can carry” pumpkin patch.

Graduate Students

Daniel Petticord (Postdoc, Cary Institute for Ecosystem Ecology)

Sudan Kariuki (Graduated 2025)

Camille Blevins (Awarded a Master’s in 2025)

Amelia Weiss (Graduated 2023)

Kelsey Jensen (Postdoc, Skidmore College)

Ben Johnson (Graduated 2022)

Ellie Goud (Assistant Professor, University of St. Mary’s)

Fiona Soper (Assistant Professor, McGill University)

Sam Chamberlain (Machine Learning Engineer at CashApp)

Danica Lombardozzi (Assistant Professor, Colorado State University)

Kirsten Coe (Assistant Professor, Middlebury College)

Carrie McCalley (Associate Professor, Rochester Institute of Technology)

Elizabeth Craig (University of New Hampshire, Shoals Marine Lab)

David Baker (Associate Professor, University of Hong Kong)

Allyson Eller (Physician’s Assistant)

Dena Vallano (EPA)

Postdocs
Brian Strahm (Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech)
Rasa Zalakeviciute (Universidad Tecnologica Indoamerica)
Jasmine Crumsey

Undergraduates
Shauntle Barley, Sonia Gregor, Hiroshi Hikida, John Pollak, Subasish Bhowmick, Alicia Zhao, Jocelyn Lavallee, Julia Darcey, Geoff Gailey, Elizabeth Jordan, Katherine Crocker, Amy Freitag, Evelyn Chen, Vince Tedesco, Lucas Fink, Aimee Tsang