© 2009 Mary E. Blair

I am a 5th year Ph.D. Candidate in Evolutionary Primatology in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B) at Columbia University, which is a part of the New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP). My dissertation topic is:Habitat modification and gene flow in an endangered New World primate, the Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii).

My research interests include landscape genetics, phylogeography, molecular phylogenetics, host-pathogen co-evolution and conservation of neotropical fauna.

I am most interested in using molecular techniques to understand how animals move across landscapes. In particular, I focus on how animals move through heterogeneous landscapes that have been modified by humans, and strive to apply the results of my research to conservation efforts through collaboration with local governments and non-governmental organizations. My current research is doing just that, with Central American Squirrel Monkeys in Costa Rica.

Central American Squirrel Monkeys are endangered because of human-induced forest loss in the Central Pacific region of Costa Rica. I have just finished collecting fecal samples (non-invasively) from over 20 troops of squirrel monkeys in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica, and am currently using landscape genetics analyses to describe their dispersal patterns. To read more about my fieldwork experiences, see my monkey blog. The results of my dissertation research will be incorporated into a conservation management plan for the Central American Squirrel Monkey in collaboration with Costa Rican researchers, conservation organizations, and government authorities in Costa Rica. Specifically, my results will help identify isolated populations of squirrel monkeys that need particular attention and guide the construction of biological corridors between fragments of forest.

My current research utilizes the latest research techniques in landscape genetics and geographic information systems (GIS) technology. I also have experience in both population genetics and phylogenetics research through internships at the Molecular Primatology Laboratory at New York University, the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics at the American Museum of Natural History, and Coriell Institute for Medical Research in Camden, NJ. I also have experience in behavioral ecology research and fieldwork through research internships at Columbia University, the National Zoo in Washington, DC, and the Primatological Foundation of Costa Rica. For information on my research and teaching experience please see my CV.