People

Ari Rice

• 2021-Present – Ph.D. Student Texas Tech
• 2020 – M.S. Villanova University
• 2016 – B.A. Lawrence University

Contact : arrice (at) ttu.edu

Google Scholar

I am interested in using genomic tools to study past and present gene flow between populations of birds living in sky island ecosystems. I am also generally interested in avian hybrid zones, investigating the ecological and landscape-related factors that make hybridization possible between certain species.

Javier Colmenares

• 2022-present – Ph.D. Student Texas Tech
• 2019 – M.S. Universidad Industrial de Santander
• 2015 – B.S. Universidad Industrial de Santander

Contact : jacolmen (at) ttu.edu

Google Scholar

My academic and research interests are focused on taxonomy, systematics, and evolution in some groups of small mammals, especially rodents. I’m broadly interested in answering questions about how present and past climatological and geological events influence diversification and population dynamics, and how it is reflected in mammalian genomes. At TTU, I am currently working on a project to understand the evolutionary origin, distinctiveness, and effective population size of a Texas endemic rodent (Peromyscus truei comanche).

Swapnil Boyane

• 2023-present – Ph.D. Student Texas Tech
• 2018 – M.S. University of Pune
• 2016 – B.S. University of Pune

Contact : sboyane (at) ttu.edu

Google Scholar

Hello, my name is Swapnil Boyane, and I’m from Pune, India. I’ve always been fascinated by insects and their diversity; therefore, I started working on insect taxonomy while studying for my B.S. and M.S. After obtaining my M.S., I worked as a project associate for ATREE in Bangalore, India and started developing interest in molecular approaches. At TTU, I plan to study the genomics of ants, specifically the genus Camponotus. Additionally, I’ll also try to comprehend how Camponotus and their endosymbionts (Blochmannia) co-evolved.

Lluis Mercade

• 2024-Present – B.S. Texas Tech University

Contact : lmercade (at) ttu.edu

How species evolved to surpass climate and terrain changes has always been an interest of mine since I played Spore, a video game that shaped the interests I have today. At TTU I am helping Ethan Gyllenhaal to research how geologic histories and change in sea level have shaped the hybrid zone in the Fiji Whistler.

Johanna K. Beam

• 2025-present – Postdoctoral Fellow Colorado State / Texas Tech
• 2025 – Ph.D. The Pennsylvania State University
• 2020 – B.A. University of Colorado, Boulder

Contact : johanna.beam (at) colostate.edu

Google Scholar – Personal Website

My research focuses on understanding the genomic underpinnings behind birds’ adaptation to their environment and phylogenetic structure. I have previously worked with Sturnella meadowlarks and Yellow-breasted Chats.  Now in a collaboration with the Manthey Lab at TTU and the Ruegg Lab / Bird Genoscape Project at Colorado State, I aim to understand how structural variants have shaped the evolutionary history of Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris species complex). In my spare time, I am also a scientific illustrator and love to do anything outdoors with my dog, Juniper.