Current Lab members

Dr. Tim Shearman

Tim is the PI of the Forest Disturbance and Resilience lab and an Assistant Professor at Auburn University. Tim received his undergraduate degree from Stony Brook University, Master’s degree from SUNY Plattsburgh, and Ph.D. from Clemson University. His research revolves around plant adaptations to disturbance and how disturbances structure forest communities. Prior to joining the College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment at Auburn University, Tim was a post-doctoral scientist at Tall Timbers Research Station in Tallahassee Florida. Tall Timbers is the birthplace of fire ecology and Tim spent his years there studying post-fire tree mortality in various ecosystems.

Caroline Crews

Caroline is a master’s student in the Disturbance and Resilience Lab and the Forest and Fire Ecology Lab at Auburn University. Her research focuses on plant community dynamics and biodiversity in the Southeastern U.S., particularly within fire-maintained open ecosystems such as prairies, savannas, and woodlands. In collaboration with the Southeastern Grasslands Institute, her master’s work explores how plant community composition and diversity shift along gradients of ecosystem structure influenced by fire. She holds a B.S. in Natural Resources and the Environment from The University of the South in Sewanee, TN, and has professional experience in conservation and environmental education. Caroline will soon be starting a new position with the Southeastern Grassland Institute. Congratulations Caroline!

Katharine Gilbert

Katharine is a M.S. student in the Forest Disturbance and Resilience Lab. Her research focuses on the reintroduction of fire to long-unburned longleaf pine ecosystems. She is exploring the potential of duff removal treatments as a method to improve the efficiency and scale of longleaf restoration. She is originally from just outside Philadelphia, PA and holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Prior to pursuing a master’s, Katharine worked for a variety of government agencies and non-profits, primarily focused on focused on forest health and conservation in the southeastern United States. In her free time, Katharine plays and coaches ultimate frisbee and spends as much time exploring the outdoors as possible.

Morné le Roux

Morné le Roux is a M.S. student in the Forest Disturbance and Resilience Lab at Auburn University and the Landscape Ecology Lab at the Jones Center at Ichauway, co-advised by Drs. Tim Shearman and Jeffery Cannon. Her research focuses on wind-fire disturbance interactions in longleaf pine savannas. She is exploring the potential for repeated prescribed fire to enhance wind resistance in longleaf pine. Morné is from Madison AL and received her B.S. in Earth System Science from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Prior to starting graduate school, Morné worked as a forest research technician at Alabama A&M University, where she helped assess the effects of Conservation Reserve Program tree plantings on climate change mitigation. In her down time, Morné enjoys going to concerts, reading, and hiking with her dog, Stella. 

Marley Acosta Lee