LEAFF Climate Lab – Fall 2025: Griffen Fallwell, Evan Cerna, Wray Jones, Connor White, Venanzio Munyaka, Kahsay Tesfay, Kyra Dimitropolis, Dan Peppe, Dava Butler, Ian Spendlove, Lindsey Yann
Dan Peppe, Professor
Dan is an Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Baylor University.
Dan’s CV [pdf]
Google Scholar, Researchgate, Academia.edu, Web of Science
Contact: daniel_peppe at baylor.edu
Current Students and Postdocs
Dava Butler, PhD student
Dava’s research is focused on understanding the taphonomy, paleoecology, and osteological pathologies of mammoths at the Waco Mammoth National Monument.
Contact: dava_butler AT baylor.edu
Evan Cerna, MS student
Evan’s research is focused on mapping and describing the geology of a dinosaur trackway site in central Texas.
Contact: evan_cerna1 AT baylor.edu
Kyra Dimitropolis, MS student
Kyra’s research is focused on understanding how the physiology of understory plants changes through warming periods, and how that relates to modern climate change.
Contact: kyra_dimitropolis1 AT baylor.edu
Wray Jones, PhD student
Wray’s research is focused on understanding water cycling in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic using stem and leaf hydraulics.
Contact: Wray_Jones2 at baylor.edu
Venanzio Munyaka, PhD student
Venanzio’s research is focused on using paleobotanical methods to reconstruct the climate, ecology, and ecosystems of early and middle Miocene floras in eastern Africa and to develop refined paleobotanical proxies for paleoclimate.
Contact: Venanzio_Munyaka1 AT baylor.edu
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/venanzio-munyaka/home
Ian Spendlove, PhD student
Ian is working on the Miocene Clarkia flora in the Pacific Northwest.
Contact: Ian_Spendlove1 at baylor.edu
Kahsay Nugsse Tesfay, PhD student
Kahsay’s research is focused on using paleomagnetism, tectonics, and geochronology to reconstruct the late Miocene – Pleistocene history of the Afar Depressions in Ethiopia.
Contact: KahsayNugsse_Tesfay1 at baylor.edu
Connor White, PhD student
Connor’s research is focused on using mammoth fossils to understand the paleoenvironment of the Waco Mammoth National Monument.
Contact: Connor_White3 at baylor.edu
Lab Alumni
PhD Graduates
Joe Milligan (PhD graduate)
Assistant Professor, Washington College [website]
Andrew Flynn (PhD graduate)
Postdoctoral Researcher at Smithsonian Institution [website]
Aly Baumgartner (PhD graduate)
Collections Manager of Vascular Plants, University of Michigan Herbarium [website]
Caitlin Leslie (PhD graduate)
Geologist at Pioneer Natural Resources [website]
Emily Beverly (PhD graduate)
Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota [website]
Lauren Michel (PhD graduate)
Associate Professor in Earth Sciences at Tennessee Tech [website]
MS graduates
Ashley Gonzalez (MS graduate)
Jie Geng (MS graduate)
PhD student in Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan [website]
Des Thorne (MS graduate)
Danielle Gygi (MS graduate)
Project Manager, Whitehead E.S. LLC [website]
Adam Davis (MS graduate)
QA/QC Specialist Technician at Wood [website]
Jenn Wagner (MS student)
PhD student in Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley [website]
Kennedy Oginga (MS student)
Geosteering Geologist at Terra Guidance, Inc. [website]
Casee Lemons (MS graduate)
Director of Geosciences at Sourcewater, Inc. [website]
Alex Van Plantinga (MS graduate)
Research Analyst at Riverside Technology Inc. [website]
Undergraduate BS Thesis students
Evan Cerna, BS 2024, graduate student at Baylor University
Graham Payton, BS 2024
Amanda Tegart, BS 2024, graduate student at Baylor University
Jie Geng, BS 2019, graduate student at University of Michigan
Michaela Donahoo, BS 2018, graduate student at TCU [website]
Tyler Leggett, BS 2017, graduate student at University of Pittsburg [website]
Jeannie Freeman, BS 2017
Brittany Abbuhl, BS 2016, OSP Engineer- GIS Solutions [linkedin]
Mike Loudermilk, BS 2015
Nicky Arellano, BS 2015, graduate student at University of Houston [honors thesis] [website]
Will Fenley, BS 2014, Director Of Business Development at Intrepid Potash [linkedin]
Mark McCollum, BS 2013, Geology & Regulatory Specialist at Verdun Oil Company [linkedin]
Dillon DeGarmo, BS 2103, Geologist at Apache Corporation [linkedin]
Blake Taylor, BS 2013, Senior Business Analyst at Able Grid Energy Solutions [linkedin]
Will Horner, BS 2012, Associate Geoscientist, Scotiabank [linkedin]
Lyndsay DiPietro, BS 2011, Laboratory Coordinator, Baylor University [Researchgate]