Chris Talbot | CV

Ph.D. Student in Computational Biology, Cornell University | National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow

Status: Ph.D. Student in Computational Biology at Cornell University, Messer Lab
Fields: Population Genetics, Computational Biology, Evolutionary Ecology
Interests: Population genetics, global change, stochastic modeling, conservation
Techs: Python, R, C++, Rust, TypeScript, SLiM

Summary

  • First-gen academic and biologist with years of experience in lab, field, and computational work.
  • Interested in patterns and drivers of ecological organization across spatiotemporal scales under global change.
  • Exploring emerging methods for complex systems, including community science and machine learning.

Education

Ph.D. – Computational Biology 2025-Present
Cornell University

  • Advisor: Philipp Messer
  • Key Funding: National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (2025-2030)

B.S. – Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 2024
University of Michigan (UMich) GPA: 3.74

A.G.S. – General Studies (Computer Science & Mathematics Concentration) 2020
Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) GPA: 3.9

  • Coursework: C++ programming, database development, web application programming, information security

Research

Doctoral Researcher – Messer Lab 2025-Present
Cornell University - Computational Biology

Research Programmer – Bradburd Lab 2024-2025
UMich-Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB)

  • Project: Testing, documenting, and visualizing novel geographic evolutionary inference methods

Lab Technician – Weber Lab 2022-2025
UMich-EEB

  • Project: “Patterns of floral color in communities of common Northeast American wildflowers”

Undergraduate Researcher – Márquez Lab 2021-2022
UMich-EEB

  • Project: “Optimizing CRISPR-Cas9 genetic modification in Phyllobates poison-dart frogs”

Publications

Published:

2025 – Graham, C. D. K., …, Talbot, C. A., Yerks, A. L., & Weber, M. G. Mite domatia and associated mite density in a North American Eastern Deciduous Forest in Michigan. Published in Ecology and Evolution.

Pre-prints/In Review:

2025 – Talbot, C. A., Bradburd, G. S. ARGscape: A modular, interactive tool for manipulation of spatiotemporal ancestral recombination graphs. arXiv:2510.07255 [q-bio.PE]. Submitted to Bioinformatics.

2025 – Talbot, C. A., Weber, M. G. Opposing seasonal dynamics in phylogenetic and flower color diversity of co-flowering wildflower assemblages. bioRxiv 2025.10.21.683724. Submitted to Ecology.

In Prep:

2025 – Talbot, C. A., Bradburd, G. S. Optimizing temporal sampling strategies for spatial population genetic inference using ancestral recombination graphs. In Preparation for Genetics.

Software Development

Open-Source Contributor 2025-Present
SLiM simulator, Messer Lab, Cornell University

Primary Developer 2025-Present
ARGscape software

Funding

Total: $174,280

Graduate Research Fellowship Program 2025-2030
National Science Foundation $159,000

Graduate School Dean’s Scholar Fellowship 2025
Cornell University $2,000

Chancellor’s Fellowship Offered 2025
University of California, Berkeley (Declined)

Eugene Cota-Robles Fellowship Offered 2025
University of California, Davis (Declined)

Eugene Cota-Robles Fellowship Offered 2025
University of California, Santa Cruz (Declined)

Biological Station Student Fellowship 2023
UMich Biological Station $1,680

Student Research Grant 2022-2023
UMich Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) $5,000

Travel Grant 2022
SACNAS $2,500

Biomedical & Life Sciences Summer Fellowship 2022
UMich UROP $4,000

Community College Summer Institute Fellowship 2019
UMich-School of Information $100

Teaching & Mentoring

Docent (Volunteer Educator) 2023-Present
Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum

Test Writer & Proctor, Forestry & Botany (Volunteer) 2023-2025
UMich Science Olympiad

Director of Percussion 2022-2023
Lake Orion Community Schools, Lake Orion, MI

Transfer Student Peer Mentor 2022-2023
UMich-LSA Transfer Bridges Program

Director of Percussion 2019-2022
Spring Lake Public Schools, Spring Lake, MI

Freelance Percussion Instructor & Composer 2018-2022
8 school districts across Michigan

Professional Peer Tutor – Mathematics, Language Arts 2019-2020
GRCC Drop-in Tutoring Labs

Invited Talks & Workshops

2025 — tskit-dev Seminar Virtual (Invited Talk)

Upcoming 2025 — ARGEvol Conference Porto, Portugal (Invited Talk)

Upcoming 2025 — ARGEvol Spatial ARG Workshop Porto, Portugal (Workshop Contributor)

Contributed Talks

Third Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology Montreal, QC (Talk) 2024
Do flowers of a color bloom together? (Talk V.2)

Botany 2024 Grand Rapids, MI (Lightning Talk) 2024
Do flowers of a color bloom together? (Lightning Talk)

UMich Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Ann Arbor, MI (Honors Thesis Defense) 2024

Posters

Third Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology Montreal, QC 2024
Do flowers of a color bloom together? (Poster V.2)

Botany 2024 Grand Rapids, MI 2024
Do flowers of a color bloom together? (Poster V.1)

UMich Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Symposium Ann Arbor, MI 2022
Optimizing CRISPR-Cas9 genetic modification in Phyllobates* poison-dart frogs*

Professional & Service

Percussionist 2024-2025
Straits of Mackinac Concert Band, Mackinaw City, MI

Co-Founder, President, and Volunteer 2023-2025
Students for Public Power @UM

Shift Leader 2021-2023
Biggby Coffee, Grand Rapids, MI

Seasonal Retail Lead 2019
John Ball Zoo, Grand Rapids, MI

Languages

R: Advanced (C1)
German: Intermediate (B2)
C++: Intermediate (B2)
Python: Intermediate (B2)
TypeScript: Intermediate (B1)
Nishnaabemwin (Eastern Ojibwe): Beginner (A1)

Certifications

Certified Michigan Naturalist 2024
Michigan State University Extension

Professional Memberships

American Society of Naturalists – Student Member 2024-Present

Society for the Study of Evolution – Student Member 2022-Present

Botanical Society of America – Student Member 2024-2025

Extracurriculars

Founding Member 2023-2025
UMich Ecological Restoration Club

Vice President 2019-2020
GRCC Programmers

Ensemble & Section Leader, Performer 2014-2020
Genesis Percussion Ensemble

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