Chris Talbot | CV

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

Status: Technician at the University of Michigan, Weber and Bradburd Labs
Fields: Evolutionary Biology, Computational Biology, Evolutionary Ecology
Interests: Population genetics, global change, genomics, community ecology
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 Starting 2025
Cornell University

  • Advisor: Philipp Messer
  • Key Funding: National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (2025-2028)

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

Lab Technician – Bradburd Lab 2024-Present
UMich-Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB)

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

Lab Technician – Weber Lab 2022-Present
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

Pre-prints/In Prep/In Review:

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

2025 – Talbot, C. A., Weber, M. G. Investigating patterns of floral color across Northeast American wildflowers using community science data. In Preparation for American Journal of Botany.

Published:

2024 – 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.

Funding & Awards

Total: $172,280

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

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

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 Talk) 2024
Patterns of floral color in communities of common Northeast American wildflowers

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-Present
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 (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

Botanical Society of America – Student Member 2024-Present

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

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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