Brian graduated with an undergraduate degree in Plant Sciences from the University of Melbourne in 2016 and an M.S. from California State University East Bay pending defense in the summer of 2020. research focuses on the ecology and systematics of fleshy fungi. His specific research interests include host specificity, taxonomy, bio-geography and community assemblage. Brian's dissertation will investigate the recent emergence of Suillus species on pine populations in Alaska. These populations are thought to be a paleo-remnant from the last glacial maximum and the dissertation work will explore proving the paleo-remnant theory as well as investigate the possible host specificity of that paleo-remnant in comparison to extant populations.
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Undergrad Research
Brian was a Jim Willis Student at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Victoria Herbarium and his research there focused on the taxonomy of a novel species of Auriscalpium
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Masters work
Masters work focused on the diversity of the Alder associated fungal genus Alnicola in California with comparison to their European sisters and description of one novel species.
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Organizations
Brian is an increasingly active member of the Mycologcal Society of America and the New Mexico Mycological Society.
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