People

Drew Schield

Lab Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor of Biology (CV)

Drew is an evolutionary biologist interested in understanding how new species form and adapt to their environments. He uses evolutionary genomics and population genetics to disentangle processes involved in the evolution of biodiversity, drawing from the natural history of various organisms to frame evolutionary questions. Outside of the lab, Drew enjoys music, coffee, reading, hiking, and biking.

Keaka Farleigh

NSF Postdoctoral Fellow (2024 – present)

Keaka is interested in how species respond to environmental variation and how populations occupy and adapt to different environmental conditions. He studies these questions by investigating local adaptation and hybridization using bioinformatic and evolutionary genomic approaches. Outside the lab, Keaka enjoys hiking, photography, cooking, and watching sports.

Megan Alderman

PhD Student (2024 – present)

Megan is interested in sex chromosomes and applying comparative and population genomic perspectives to study their evolution and roles in genomic regulation and speciation. She is currently working to characterize transposable element proliferation on the female-specific W chromosome in caenophidian snakes and their sex-specific fitness consequences. Before coming to UVA, she was the Lab Manager for the Pearce Science Center at Mary Baldwin University, where she also assisted in research studying neurodegenerative disease with Dr. Rebecca Haberman. Her undergraduate research at Western Michigan University with Dr. Sharon Gill examined interspecific competition for acoustic space in birds. Outside of work, Megan enjoys creative and active endeavors such as cooking and baking, running, hiking, reading, making music, traveling, and spending time with friends and family

Dylan Highland

PhD Student (2024 – present)

Dylan is interested in using evolutionary and population genomics to understand how selective pressures influence complex, adaptive traits. Currently, he is studying inter- and intraspecific variation of venom gene arrays in the speckled rattlesnake complex. He seeks to answer questions regarding the dynamic coevolutionary arms race between rattlesnakes and venom-resistant prey. Dylan comes from Cal Poly Humboldt, where he studied wildlife biology with a concentration in conservation biology and applied vertebrate ecology. His previous research involves using museum collections to make phylogenetic inferences in saw-scaled vipers, incorporating genetic and morphometric data. Outside the lab, Dylan enjoys a variety of hobbies such as reading, cooking, hiking, games, and music.

Ellie Faber

PhD Student (2025 – present)

Ellie is interested in species formation, cryptic speciation, and phylogeography. In her undergraduate research at Ohio University, she explored species delimitation and population genetic structure in woodland salamanders with Dr. Shawn Kuchta. She also studied the Lyme disease ecology of non-native lizards with Dr. Sean Giery. Outside the lab, Ellie enjoys backpacking, climbing, reading, music, and volunteering with local shelters and humane societies.

Madeline Livingston

Undergraduate Researcher (2024 – present)

Madeline is interested in population genetics and adaptation, and has been working on RNA extractions from various tissues of Crotalus pyrrhus and Crotalus stephensi for use in various projects around the lab. She is also interested in researching the role of PRDM9 and its function in positioning recombination hotspots in Crotalus pyrrhus. Outside of lab, Madeline enjoys hiking, reading, drawing, playing piano, and traveling.