Name: Andrea Weeks, Systematics and Biodiversity Science Program Officer

Education: B.S., Cornell University, PhD, University of Texas, Austin

Home Institution: George Mason University

Tell us about your research,

I am a visiting Program Officer and I am a plant systematist, which means I describe new species, discover how different species are related, and test hypotheses related to their evolution and historical biogeography. I have studied the tropical tree family Burseraceae, which is also known as the Frankincense and Myrrh Family, in particular the myrrh genus, Commiphora.  My research has more recently branched out to include plant groups native to the mid-Atlantic region of the United States near my home institution of George Mason University. People who are not biologists are typically surprised to learn that we still have much to discover about the species in our own backyards.

What made you want to serve NSF?

I have been fortunate to receive several awards from the National Science Foundation in the last decade, and I want to give back to the National Science Foundation and the community of my peers who supported my research and that of my students. The team-based approach of NSF was also very compelling to me, as was the opportunity to learn about new frontiers in biology.

What are you most looking forward to during your tenure at NSF?

The merit-review process at the National Science Foundation is widely regarded as the gold-standard among scientific agencies world-wide.  I am looking forward to both learning how we engage the community to push science forward as well as contributing to this effort.

 

Name: Thomas Turner, Population and Community Ecology Program Officer

Education: B.S., Ohio University, PhD Florida International University

Home Institution: University of New Mexico

Tell us about your research,

I am a visiting Program Officer and I am an ecologist and evolutionary biologist who studies the distribution and abundance of aquatic organisms in desert rivers and streams. I am most interested in discovering how short- and long-term changes to river flows affect aquatic biodiversity.  Desert rivers are dynamic environments that pose special challenges.  Organisms must cope with rapid changes in resource availability and fluctuations in the intensity of interactions with other organisms.  Desert ecosystems also challenge scientists because we must devise experiments and make observations that capture and illuminate key biological processes against a backdrop of rapid and sometimes radical change.  In my research, I involve students at all levels to help prepare them for careers in environmental science and conservation.

What made you want to serve NSF?

The prospect of working at NSF was exciting to me for many reasons.  As a scientist, I wanted to learn about new areas of research and work creatively to find ways to advance science in general.  I am a research administrator at my home institution so I wanted to learn more about opportunities that would fit the research expertise of the faculty and students at the University of New Mexico.

What are you most looking forward to during your tenure at NSF?

I most look forward to meeting and working with colleagues from diverse backgrounds that share a common goal of making science more integrative and inclusive, and advancing the best research in the country.  I am also grateful to live near the coast and the opportunity to spend some time in streams, rivers, and estuaries here.