People

​​LUCA POZZI, PhD
Principal Investigator

I am Assistant Professor of Biological Anthropology at UTSA. I work on several interrelated questions that are centered around an interest in systematic biology, phylogenetics, and biogeography. I'm interested in exploring the dynamics of diversification, such as the ecological and evolutionary driving factors that shape diversification and speciation in time and space. In addition to my research and teaching, I'm engaged in promoting diversity and social justice within and beyond academia. I'm the Chair of Pride FSA (the LGBTQ+ Faculty and Staff Association at UTSA) and I'm a member of the Society of Systematic Biologists Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEIC). In my free time, I love hiking, traveling, working out and spending quality time with my cat, Domino!

​​​ANNA PENNA
PhD Candidate

I am an evolutionary biologist, primatologist, and anthropologist in training. I study the evolutionary processes behind morphological evolution and the relationship between phenotype and genotype. My dissertation focuses on primate body size evolution, specifically the convergent evolution of miniaturized phenotypes in mouse lemurs, dwarf galagos, tamarins, marmosets, and tarsiers. To that goal, I integrate paleontological, phenotypic, and genomic-level data to test hypotheses about trait evolution using phylogenetic comparative methods and comparative genomics. Because species are the basic unit of biological research, I am also interested in elucidating the systematics and biogeography of cryptic nocturnal primate taxa. Outdoor activities are my therapy, so when I am not working on my dissertation, you can find me hiking or birding somewhere. Follow me on Twitter to hear more about my research!

AVEREE LUHRS
PhD Student

​My research focuses on how dietary niche and specialization affect geographic distributions of primates over time. I am particularly interested in how dietary specialists respond to dynamic change, both environmental and anthropogenic. Through this research I hope to also develop effective methods, both in the field and at home, by which we may monitor cryptic nocturnal species for improved conservation management. For my current research, I am utilizing ecological niche modeling (ENM) to understand speciation patterns of Eastern galagos. When not hard at work, you can find me relaxing at home with my two cats, Bug and Sherwood, and my dog Prudence, or traveling abroad as much as possible.

EVAN MILLER
​MA Student

My research interests center around how both populations and geographic ranges of primates have responded to past climatic changes and landscape-level habitat alteration, as well as the implications for how these variables will manifest with future environmental changes. For my thesis, I am specifically focusing on incorporating Ecological Niche Modeling (ENM) with RADseq genomics to better understand how the demographics and distribution patterns of different species of galagos in East Africa with differential habitat specialization have responded to forest and grassland expansion/contraction throughout the course of the last major ice ages. In addition to galagos, I have an unconditional love and appreciation for other primates and mammals, and in the past, I’ve worked on other research projects involving prairie dogs, black-footed ferrets, greater bamboo lemurs, aye ayes, and flying squirrels. I also have a love and passion for hiking, biking, swimming, eating (especially), breweries, and birding (yes, I have an eBird account!).

DOMINO
​Lab pet

Former Lab Members

  • Ella (Yaya) Callahan (Smith College), REU student (2021)
  • Kayla Pringle (UTSA), REU student (2020)
  • Rosemary Dillon (UTSA), undergraduate student (2019-2020)
  • Dahee Lee (UTSA), undergraduate student (2018-2019)
  • Jayla Hatcher (UTSA), undergraduate student (2018)