MARIA STAGER
CURICULUM VITAE
PhD Student
Department of Animal Biology
School of Integrative Biology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Urbana, IL 61801
stager2 AT illinois.edu
mariastager.weebly.com
(607) 351 4168
EDUCATION
Present
2014
2008
2006
PhD Student, Department of Animal Biology, School of Integrative Biology,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Advisor: Zachary A. Cheviron, PhD
M.S. Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Advisor: Zachary A. Cheviron, PhD
B.S. Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University. Cum laude
Semester Abroad. Siena, Italy, Buffalo State University.
PUBLICATIONS
Stager, M.*, H. S. Pollock*, P.M. Benham, N.D. Sly, J.D. Brawn, and Z.A. Cheviron.
Disentangling environmental drivers of metabolic flexibility in birds: the importance
of temperature extremes vs. temperature variability. *Authors contributed equally
2015 Stager, M., D. L. Swanson, and Z. A. Cheviron. Regulatory mechanisms of seasonal
metabolic flexibility in the Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis). Journal of
Experimental Biology 218: 767-777.
2014 Stager, M. Molecular mechanisms of avian metabolic variation. Master’s Thesis.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.
Stager, M., D. Cerasale, R. Dor, D. W. Winkler, and Z.A. Cheviron. Signatures of
natural selection in the mitochondrial genomes of Tachycineta swallows and their
implications for latitudinal patterns of the ‘pace of life.’ Gene 546: 104-111.
Winkler, D, K. Ringelman, M. Stager, et al. Latitudinal variation in clutch-size laydate
regression in Tachycineta swallows: effects of food supply or demography?
Ecography 37: 670-678.
2012 Stager, M., E. Lopresti, F. Angulo, et al. Reproductive biology of a narrowly endemic
Tachycineta swallow in dry, seasonal forest in coastal Peru. Ornitología Neotropical
23: 95-112. Taylor, N. & M. Stager. Tumbes Swallow (Tachycineta stolzmanni), Neotropical Birds
Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Review
GRANTS & AWARDS
Research grants
2015 UIUC SIB Francis M. & Harlie M. Clark Research Support Grant
UIUC Edwin M. Banks Research Award
2014 American Museum of Natural History Chapman Grant
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Grants-in-Aid of Research
Illinois Ornithological Society Research Grant
Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research
2013 American Ornithologists’ Union Research Award
Nuttall Ornithological Society Blake-Nuttall Fund Grant
The Explorer’s Club Exploration Fund Grant
Illinois Ornithological Society Research Grant
UIUC SIB Francis M. & Harlie M. Clark Research Support Grant
UIUC Graduate College Master’s Travel Grant
2012 UIUC Graduate College Master’s Travel Grant
Fellowships, awards, and honors
2015 UIUC Animal Biology Block Grant
SICB Charlotte Magnum Student Support Award
UIUC Grads in Ecol. & Evol. Biol. Symposium 2015 Best Poster Award
2014 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow
UIUC School of Integrative Biology F. & H. Clark Summer Fellowship
UIUC School of Integrative Biology Heiligenstein Teaching Award
American Ornithologists’ Union Student Travel Award
KSU Ecological Genomics Symposium Student Travel Fellowship
SICB Charlotte Magnum Student Support Award
2013 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Honorable Mention
UIUC Animal Biology Block Grant
UIUC Graduate College Conference Travel Award
SICB Charlotte Magnum Student Support Award
American Ornithologists’ Union Student Travel Award
SICB Broadening Participation Travel Award
PRESENTATIONS
2015
2014
$ 1000
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$ 425
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$ 3700
$ 100
~$141000
$ 4480
$ 300
$ 410
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$ 100
$ 3000
$ 250
$ 100
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$ 500
(*denotes presenting author)
Stager, M.*, H.S. Pollock, P.M. Benham, N.D. Sly, J.D. Brawn, & Z.A. Cheviron.
Climatic indices underlying latitudinal patterns in avian metabolic scope. Society for
Integrative & Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, West Palm Beach, FL.
Stager, M.*, D. L. Swanson, & Z.A. Cheviron. Molecular mechanisms of metabolic
flexibility in a temperate songbird. Graduates in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Symposium 2015, Urbana, IL. (Poster) *Best Poster Award
Stager, M.*, D. L. Swanson, & Z.A. Cheviron. Molecular mechanisms of metabolic
flexibility in a temperate songbird. KSU Ecological Genomics Symposium, Kansas
City, MO. (Poster)
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2014
2013
2012
2011
Stager, M.*, H.S. Pollock, P.M. Benham, N.D. Sly, J.D. Brawn, & Z.A. Cheviron.
Climatic indices underlying latitudinal patterns in avian metabolic scope. American
Ornithologists’ Union Annual Meeting, Estes Park, CO.
Stager, M.*, D. L. Swanson, & Z.A. Cheviron. Molecular mechanisms of metabolic
flexibility in a backyard bird. Ecolunch: UIUC seminar series for EEB, Champaign, IL.
Stager, M.*, D. L. Swanson, & Z.A. Cheviron. Molecular mechanisms of metabolic
flexibility induced by synthetic environmental cues in the Dark-eyed Junco. Society for
Integrative & Comparative Biology Annual Meeting, Austin, TX.
Stager, M.*, D. L. Swanson, & Z.A. Cheviron. Molecular mechanisms of metabolic
flexibility induced by synthetic environmental cues in the Dark-eyed Junco. American
Ornithologists’ Union Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
Stager, M.* & Z.A. Cheviron. Signatures of natural selection across the mitochondrial
genome in Tachycineta swallows. Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology
Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. (Poster)
Winkler, D. W.*, E. Rakhimberdiev, M. Stager, et al. Patterns in the survival and
demography of Tachycineta swallows across the Western Hemisphere. North
American Ornithological Conference, Vancouver, Canada.
Stager, M.*, E. Rakhimberdiev, D. R. Ardia, et al. Interspecific variation in growth rates
of nestling Tachycineta. IX Congreso de Ornitología Neotropical, Cusco, Peru.
Stager, M.*, D. Caceres*, F. Angulo, et al. Breeding biology of the Tumbes swallow,
Tachycineta stolzmanni, the smallest and least fecund in its genus. IX Congreso de
Ornitología Neotropical, Cusco, Peru.
Struve, S.*, J. Pérez-Emán, M. Stager, et al. First nest-box study of Tachycineta
albiventer in the llanos of Venezuela: preliminary results. IX Congreso de Ornitología
Neotropical, Cusco, Peru.
TEACHING
Awards & Honors
2014
UIUC School of Integrative Biology Heiligenstein Teaching Award
UIUC Teacher Ranked Outstanding (Spring)
2013
UIUC Teacher Ranked Outstanding (Fall)
UIUC Teacher Ranked Excellent (Spring)
2012
UIUC Teacher Ranked Excellent (Fall)
Teaching Assistant
2015
Vertebrate Anatomy & Physiology (IB202)
2014
Vertebrate Natural History (IB368); Vertebrate Anatomy & Physiology (IB202)
2013
Environmental Biology (IB105); Vertebrate Anatomy & Physiology (IB202)
2012
Introductory Biology (IB150)
Guest Lectures
2015
“Brains and the Nervous System”, Vertebrate Anatomy & Physiology
2014
“Mechanisms of winter avoidance and/or coping in Illinois vertebrates”, Vert. Nat. Hist
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Undergraduate Mentoring
Yihui Zhu
Current graduate student at UC Davis
Gregory Toreev
Sophomore undergraduate at University of Illinois
Brandon Cohen
Sophomore undergraduate at University of Illinois
RESEARCH
2012-2014
Molecular mechanisms of avian metabolic variation. Master’s Thesis, Univ.
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Advised by Zachary Cheviron.
2012
Cornell expeditions in field ornithology for undergraduates. Student Expedition
Leader, Ivy Expedition, Cornell Univ. (Location: Borneo, Malaysia)
Latitudinal life-history variation among Tachycineta swallows. Lab Technician to
Dr. David Winkler, Dept. Eco. & Evo. Bio., Cornell Univ. (Ithaca, NY)
Sexual selection as a means of divergence in the Red-backed Fairywren.
Volunteer Field Assistant to Dr. Daniel Baldassare, Dept. Neurobio. & Behavior,
Cornell Univ. (Brisbane, Australia)
Golondrinas de las Americas: integrated Pan-American research and training in
organisms and environments. Writing Intern/Workshop Coordinator for Dr.
Winkler, Cornell Univ. (Ithaca, NY)
Nazca Boobies and Waved Albatrosses. Volunteer Field Assistant to Dr. David
Anderson, Dept. Bio., Wake Forest Univ. (Galapagos Islands)
Golondrinas de las Americas. Data Analyst Intern for Dr. Winkler, Cornell Univ.
(Ithaca, NY)
Golondrinas de las Americas. Field Supervisor for Dr. Winkler, Cornell Univ.
(Santa Fe, Argentina; Ushuaia, Argentina; Long Point, Canada; Mono Lake, CA)
Mechanisms of immunosenesence in Tree Swallows. Field Assistant to Dr. M.
Gabriela Palacios, Univ. Iowa. (Ithaca, NY)
Effects of acid rain on arthropod and songbird abundance. Intern, Laboratory of
Ornithology, Cornell Univ. (Catskills, NY)
2011-2012
2010-2011
2010
2009-2010
2009
2008-2009
2008
2007
AFFILIATIONS & SERVICES
Institutional service
2013-2014
Graduates in Ecology & Evolutionary Bio. (GEEB) Officer, Social Coordinator
2013-2015
Prospective Student Host, Member Planning Committee for GEEB Symposium
Professional service
Journal Reviewer: Wilson Journal of Ornithology; Emu Austral Ornithology Journal
Professional memberships
Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
American Ornithologists’ Union
Illinois Ornithological Society
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