Yi-Hsin Erica Tsai

Curriculum Vitae

Education

2009 Ph.D. Duke University
Department of Biology
Concentration: Evolutionary Ecology
2002 B.A. University of Colorado Boulder
Double Major: Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology, and Biochemistry
Minor: Chemistry
Summa Cum Laude, With Distinction

Current Research Interests

Next generation sequencing, genome assembly, comparative phylogeography, population genetics, invasion biology of parasitic plants and their hosts.

Research Experience

2013-present Postdoctoral Researcher
Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder
Advisor: Erin Tripp
Project: Bioinformatics and assembly of chloroplast genomes.
2010-2013 Postdoctoral Fellow
Dept. of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University (2010-2012), Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame (2012-2013)
Advisors: Bryan Carstens, Kyle Harms, and Jason McLachlan
Project: Understanding forest responses to climate change through fossils, genetics, and model
Funded through a NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology. The postdoc was paused for one year for family leave.
2002-2009 Ph.D. Student
Dept. of Biology, Duke University
Advisor: Paul Manos
Dissertation: Host constraints on the post-glacial migration history of the parasitic plant, Epifagus virginiana.
1999-2002 Undergraduate Research Assistant
Dept. of Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology, University of Colorado
Advisor: Jeff Mitton
Honors Thesis: A recent natural history of quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides: A phylogeography using organellar DNA.
1999-2002 Undergraduate Research Assistant
Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado
Advisor: Veronica Vaida
Project: Surface properties and reactions of organic monolayers and their implications for marine aerosols.

Teaching Experience

2009 Teaching Assistant Organismal Diversity Dept. of Biology, Duke University
2007, 2008 Teaching Assistant Genetics and Molecular Biology Dept. of Biology, Duke University
2004-2005 Teaching Assistant Organismal Diversity Dept. of Biology, Duke University
2001-2002 Teaching Assistant Data Structures Dept. of Computer Science, University of Colorado
Fall 2001 Co-Instructor General Chemistry Co-Seminar Minority Arts and Sciences Program, University of Colorado
2000-2001 Group Tutor Organic Chemistry Student Academic Services, University of Colorado
Summmers 1999, 2000 Teaching Assistant General Chemistry Minority Arts and Sciences Program, University of Colorado

Fellowships and Awards

2010-2012 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology (Bioinformatics) National Science Foundation
2008 Biology Department One-Semester Fellowship Duke University
2002-2007 Graduate Research Fellowship National Science Foundation
2002-2006 James B. Duke Fellowship Duke University
2002 Outstanding Graduate for the College of Arts and Sciences University of Colorado

Grants Funded

2006-2010 Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant National Science Foundation
Sum 2009 Women in Science Conference Travel Award Botanical Society of America
Sum 2007 Summer of Code Project Google, National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent)
Sum 2007 Conference Travel Grant to Botany 2007 Deep Time
2006-2007 Eloise Gerry Fellowship Sigma Delta Epsilon/Graduate Women in Science
2006-2007 Amy Lutz Rechel Award Association for Women in Science
2006-2007 Graduate Student Research Grant American Society of Plant Taxonomists
2006-2007 Grant in Aid Sigma Xi
2006-2007 Grant in Aid Department of Biology, Duke University
2006-2007 Graduate School International Research Travel Award Duke University
2005-2006 Graduate School International Research Travel Award Duke University
2004-2005 Grant in Aid Department of Biology, Duke University
2003-2004Grant for Training in Plant/Fungal Systematics Duke University, Mellon Foundation (3 separate awards)

Publications

Burge, DO, R Hopkins, YE Tsai, and PS Manos. 2013. Limited hybridization across an edaphic disjunction between the gabbro-endemic shrub Ceanothus roderickii (Rhamnaceae) and the soil-generalist C. cuneatus. Am. J. Bot. 100(9):1883-1895. [html]

Tsai, YE, and BC Carstens. 2012. Assessing model fit in phylogeographical investigations: An example from the North American sandbar willow Salix melanopsis. Journal of Biogeography. 40(1):131-141. [html]

Tsai, YE. 2011. PhyloGeoViz: a web-based program that visualizes genetic data on maps. Molecular Ecology Resources 11(3): 557-561. [html] [pre-review pdf]

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. 2010. Host density drives the postglacial migration of the tree parasite, Epifagus virginiana. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 107:17035-17040. [html] [pdf] [Supporting online information]

Tsai, YE. 2009. Host constraints on the post-glacial migration history of the parasitic plant, Epifagus virginiana. Ph.D. Dissertation. Duke University, Durham, NC.

Tsai, YE, and JB Mitton. 2002. A recent natural history of quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides: A phylogeography using organellar DNA. Honors Thesis. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.

Invited Seminars

Tsai, YE. Understanding species range shifts through genetics, fossils, and models. Humanists of Colorado; Denver, CO; 10 April 2013.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. Using fossils and genetics to identify host constraints on a parasite’s migration history. Dept. of Biology, Southeastern Louisiana State University, Departmental seminar series; Hammond, LA; 18 February 2011.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. Synthesis of fossils and genetics reveals host controls on the post-glacial migration of a parasitic plant. Dept. of Integrative Biology, Univ. of California at Berkeley, Departmental seminar series; Berkeley, CA; 21 October 2010.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. Host constraints on the post-glacial migration history of the parasitic plant, Epifagus virginiana. Dept. of Biological Sciences, Systematics, Ecology and Evolution seminar series; Baton Rouge, LA; 13 September 2010.

Tsai, YE. Host constraints on the post-glacial migration history of the parasitic plant, Epifagus virginiana. Dept. of Biology, Systematics seminar series; Durham, NC; 19 November 2009.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. Global change, parasites, and community assembly: How a parasite expanded its range in the shadow of its host. Oosting Memorial Symposium; Durham, NC; 17 April 2009.

Conference Presentations

Tsai, YE, ST O’Neil, and JS McLachlan. Using ancient DNA and Hapler to reconstruct past forest composition. PAGES workshop on climate refugia, University of Oregon; Eugene, OR; 1 August 2012.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. Synthesizing fossils and genetics in phylogeography: Applications of spatial linear models to understanding multi-species distributions. ESA 2010; Pittsburgh, PA; 3 August 2010.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. Fossil pollen, cpDNA, hosts, and parasites: Synthesizing datasets and testing phylogeographic hypotheses. Botany/Mycology 2009; Snowbird, UT; 27 July 2009.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. Host constraints on the post-glacial migration of the parasitic plant, Epifagus virginiana. [Poster]. Sigma Delta Epsilon/Graduate Women in Science National Business Meeting; Raleigh, NC; 20 June 2009.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. Beechdrops on the move: A parasitic plant’s tale of host influences on post-glacial recolonization. Botany 2008; Vancouver, BC; 28 July 2008.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. A phylogeographic exploration of host constraints on the post-glacial migration of a parasitic plant, Epifagus virginiana.Evolution 2008; Minneapolis, MN; 23 June 2008.

Tsai, YE, and D Kidd. PhyloGeoViz: Want to put pie charts on a map? Then PhyloGeoViz is the application for you. NESCent Phyloinformatics End-of-Summer-of-Code Meeting; Durham, NC; 16 August 2007.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. The hitchhiker’s guide to the forest: A parasitic plant’s account of the range expansion of its host. Botany Conference; Chicago, IL; 10 July 2007.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. Do hosts and their obligate parasites co-migrate? Inferences from the post-glacial phylogeographies of beech (Fagus grandifolia) and beechdrop (Epifagus virginiana). Botany Conference; Chico, CA; 2 August 2006.

Tsai, YE, and PS Manos. Do hosts and their obligate parasites co-migrate? Inferences from the post-glacial phylogeographies of beech (Fagus grandifolia) and beechdrop (Epifagus virginiana). Evolution Conference; Stony Brook, NY; 24 June 2006.

Vaida, V, and YE Tsai. Surface Properties and Reactions of Organic Monolayers and Their Implications for Marine Aerosols. University of Colorado, NSF-REU Chemistry and Biochemistry Student Symposium; Boulder, CO; 10 August 2001

Tsai, YE, and JB Mitton. A phylogeography of quaking aspen using organellar DNA markers. [Poster]. University of Colorado, Undergraduate Research Day; Boulder, CO; 25 April 2001.

Tsai, YE, and JB Mitton. A phylogeography of quaking aspen using organellar DNA markers. University of Colorado, Department of Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology Student Symposium; Boulder, CO; 28 April 2001.

Professional Activities

Synergistic Activities

Summer 2007Developer of PhyloGeoViz, a phylogeographic visualization tool.Mentoring organization: National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent), sponsored by the Google Summer of Code Program
2005-2009Planning committee chair '07-'09; Webmaster '05-'09; planning committee member '05-'09. Women in Science and Engineering, Duke University
Summers 2007, 2008Assistant CoordinatorHoward Hughes Program for Precollege Students
Summers 2004, 2005, 2006 Mentor NSF-Research Experience for Undergraduates Program, Duke University
2003-2004Co-Editor of the Biology Graduate Student Handbook 2004-2005Department of Biology, Duke University

Professional Memberships

Society for the Study of Evolution
American Society of Plant Taxonomists
Botanical Society of America
Sigma Xi
Graduate Women in Science/Sigma Delta Epsilon
Association of Women in Science
American Association of University Women

Manuscript reviewer for

Journal of Biogeography, PloS One, Heredity, Journal of Plant Research, Molecular Ecology Resources, Transactions in GIS, iEvoBio, and American Journal of Botany