Principal Investigator
Dr. Bala Chaudhary is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and her M.S. and Ph.D. from Northern Arizona University, previously holding faculty appointments at DePaul University and Loyola University Chicago. Bala is passionate about all the research projects going on in the lab and loves to think about little things at big scales. Before becoming a professor, Bala worked as a restoration consultant in Los Angeles designing habitat mitigation for endangered species. She is a scholar and advocate for antiracist action in STEM and the founder of WOCinEEB, a support and networking organization for women of color and non-binary people of color working in ecology, evolutionary biology, and environmental fields. Follow her on socials @balachaudhary or contact for media/speaking engagements.
Dr. Bala Chaudhary is an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and her M.S. and Ph.D. from Northern Arizona University, previously holding faculty appointments at DePaul University and Loyola University Chicago. Bala is passionate about all the research projects going on in the lab and loves to think about little things at big scales. Before becoming a professor, Bala worked as a restoration consultant in Los Angeles designing habitat mitigation for endangered species. She is a scholar and advocate for antiracist action in STEM and the founder of WOCinEEB, a support and networking organization for women of color and non-binary people of color working in ecology, evolutionary biology, and environmental fields. Follow her on socials @balachaudhary or contact for media/speaking engagements.
Lab Manager
Paul Metzler
Paul Metzler manages all technical operations of soil ecology research in the Chaudhary Lab and oversees field experiment operations as NEON liason. He earned a MSc in forest biology from the University of Alberta and published research on the belowground molecular identification of boreal forest plants. He has worked for land management agencies, conservation groups, and academic institutions in Oregon, New Mexico, the Canadian boreal forest, and Chicago. Ask him about restoration in the Alberta Oil Sands region, biological soil crusts, native seed collection, and plant-fungus mutualisms.
PhD Students
Sarah Cuprewich
Sarah Cuprewich earned an MS in Forestry from Purdue University, where she researched the effects of prescribed fire on oak regeneration and chipmunk-mediated mycorrhizal spore dispersal. Her interests include disturbance ecology, environmental sustainability, and training her dog Marla to hunt for truffles. Sarah is excited to start a PhD studying mycorrhizal ecology and dispersal!
Postdoctoral Researchers
Gisselle Mejía
Gisselle Mejía is a postdoctoral researcher through the Provost's Fellowship (PROF) program, and co-advised by Dr. Theresa Ong. Gisselle's research involves fostering collaborations between the ENVS soil ecology and agroecology labs and developing and analyzing empirical and/or theoretical models that link above and belowground spatial community assembly processes in a global change framework. Gisselle completed her Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences at the City University of New York's The Graduate Center in 2022. Her PhD research examined plant-soil interactions in urban forests. Her research interests include forest and urban ecology, plant community development, soil nutrient processes, forest resource management, data analysis, socio-ecological systems. More broadly, Gisselle is also interested in critical and inclusive pedagogy, mentorship, and team science.
Smriti Pehim Limbu
Smriti Pehim Limbu is an EEES postdoctoral fellow advised by Bala Chaudhary. She earned her Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in September 2023, during which she was a Smithsonian doctoral fellow. Her Ph.D. research primarily focused on the effects of drought and elevated CO2 on plant-plant and plant-microbe interactions of grassland species. Smriti's research interests include studying the impact of global change on plants, microbes, and their interactions, utilizing experimental and data synthesis approaches.
Undergraduate Students
Anne Katula
Anne Katula is a Dartmouth '24 and began working in the Chaudhary Lab in the fall of 2021. She is majoring in Biology with a concentration in Ecology. As a high school student at Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders in Austin, Texas, she conducted geologic research and presented her work twice at the American Geophysical Union through the Bright STaRS program. Now, Anne's research focuses on using molecular techniques to understand the mycorrhizal ecology of New England forests. Aside from ecology, Anne is passionate about breakfast tacos.
Liam Notes
Liam Nokes is a Dartmouth '25 and began working in the Chaudhary lab in the fall of 2021. Liam has been infatuated with fungi since childhood and his high school research on the use of marine lichenized fungi as bioindicators of water pollution was published in spring 2022. During the summer of 2022, Liam was funded to participate in the first urban expedition to map fungal networks in green roofs with scientists from SPUN in the Netherlands. Outside of fungi, Liam enjoys biathlon, crochet, and spending time in nature.
Tristan Wells
Tristan Wells is a Dartmouth '25 who joined the lab in the fall of 2022. He is majoring in Biology with a concentration in evolutionary ecology and minoring in Public Policy. Tristan is interested in prairies, herps, and biogeography, and he is excited to explore the biogeography of soil. During the summer of 2022, Tristan worked in prairie conservation back home near Kansas City, getting experience with floristic surveys, grazing, and prescribed fire. Beyond ecology, Tristan enjoys canoe racing, gravel biking, working in the Class of 1964 Policy Research Shop, and leading nature trips for the Flora and Fauna club.
Lab Alumni
Jen Gonzalez - postdoctoral researcher
Corey Huebner - undergraduate research assistant
Hanna Petroski - MS Thesis student
Raechel Hearth - MS Thesis student
Humayra Munshi - undergraduate research assistant
Annalise Nordgren - undergraduate research assistant
Ashlyn Royce - B.S. thesis student
Kelly Velasquez - undergraduate research assistant
Emma Mares - undergraduate research assistant
Jazlyn Marcos - undergraduate research assistant
Sarah Nolimal - B.S. thesis student
Martha Lazarski - B.S. thesis student
Greg Skora - B.S. thesis student
Rose Doherty - undergraduate research assistant
Claudia Victoroff - undergraduate research assistant
Connor Tamaka - undergraduate research assistant
Brittany Rivera- undergraduate research assistant
Amina Smajlovic- undergraduate research assistant
Sarah Ashcraft-Johnson- undergraduate research assistant
Aqsa Junagadhwala- undergraduate research assistant
Katie Pacholski- undergraduate research assistant
Susanna Lohmar - B.S. thesis student
Emily Sandall- B.S. thesis student
Kristine Akland- B.S. thesis student
Corey Huebner - undergraduate research assistant
Hanna Petroski - MS Thesis student
Raechel Hearth - MS Thesis student
Humayra Munshi - undergraduate research assistant
Annalise Nordgren - undergraduate research assistant
Ashlyn Royce - B.S. thesis student
Kelly Velasquez - undergraduate research assistant
Emma Mares - undergraduate research assistant
Jazlyn Marcos - undergraduate research assistant
Sarah Nolimal - B.S. thesis student
Martha Lazarski - B.S. thesis student
Greg Skora - B.S. thesis student
Rose Doherty - undergraduate research assistant
Claudia Victoroff - undergraduate research assistant
Connor Tamaka - undergraduate research assistant
Brittany Rivera- undergraduate research assistant
Amina Smajlovic- undergraduate research assistant
Sarah Ashcraft-Johnson- undergraduate research assistant
Aqsa Junagadhwala- undergraduate research assistant
Katie Pacholski- undergraduate research assistant
Susanna Lohmar - B.S. thesis student
Emily Sandall- B.S. thesis student
Kristine Akland- B.S. thesis student