Bio

Morgan Calahan is pursuing a doctoral degree in ecology, evolution and behavior as a member of the Conservation Genetics Lab at Boise State University. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in environmental biology with a concentration in wildlife, and a minor in illustration at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania in 2019. Following, she worked in various roles in wildlife across sectors before joining the Conservation Genetics Lab as research manager in 2022. There, Morgan has enjoyed supporting various projects that utilize genetic and genomic tools to understand and inform management of vulnerable biodiversity including investigation of microbial communities in Greater Sage-grouse, conducting diet and metagenomic research for sagebrush steppe herbivores, and analyzing a new reference genome assembly for Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse, the subspecies of focus in her doctoral studies. Morgan’s diverse experiences and background drive her focus of developing applied research questions that are responsive to the needs of conservation practitioners. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, gardening and art.

Morgan’s current research focuses on characterizing range-wide genomic diversity of the Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse, a culturally and ecologically important shrub steppe subspecies experiencing range-wide decline and habitat loss. A shrinking habitat range not only threatens its population size, but also the retention of genetic variation, which underpins adaptive potential in the face of environmental change. By revealing population diversity, structure and gene flow, this work aims to inform current management practices such as conservation translocations; identify populations of high evolutionary significance; and evaluate how this subspecies may respond to further environmental change.

Learn about Morgan’s research project