Robert L. Baker

robert.baker@uwyo.edu



Post-Doctoral Researcher

Botany Department

University of Wyoming

Laramie, WY 82071


 

EDUCATION

University of Colorado, Ph.D. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. 2012

  1. Dissertation: "The molecular and morphological microevolution and development of Mimulus guttatus (Phrymaceae) shoot architecture" (Advisor Dr. Pamela K. Diggle)


Reed College, B.A. Biology. 2002


PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

Baker, R. L., L. C. Hileman and P. K. Diggle. In review. Patterns of shoot architecture in locally adapted populations are linked to intraspecific differences in gene regulation.


Baker, R. L. and P. K. Diggle. 2011. Node-specific branching and heterochronic changes underlie population-level differences in Mimulus guttatus (Phrymaceae) shoot architecture. American Journal of Botany 98(12):1924-1934. abstract | pdf


Diggle, P. K., N. J. Abrahamson, R. Baker, M. G. Barnes, T. L. Koontz, C. Lay, J. S. Medeiros, J. Murgel, M. G. M. Shaner, H. L. Simpson, C. C. Wu and D. L. Marshall. Dynamics of maternal and paternal effects on embryo and seed development in wild radish (Raphanus sativus). Annals of Botany 106(2):309-313. abstract | pdf


Noyes, R.D., R. Baker, and B. Mai. 2007. Mendelian segregation for two-factor apomixis in Erigeron annuus (Asteraceae). Heredity 98:92-98. abstract | pdf


TECHNICAL WRITING

Baker, R. L. 2010. Use of the Scanning Electron Microscope. In P. Diggle, Plant Eco-Evo-Devo (pp 54-56).


GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS

2011. University of Colorado Graduate Student Travel Grant ($300)

2011. Botanical Society of America Structural Section Travel Grant ($200)

2011. C.U. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department Research Grant ($1700)

2011. Beverly Sears Graduate Student Grant ($1000)

2011. United Government of Graduate Students, UCB Travel Grant ($300)

2010. Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research ($995)

2010. California Native Plant Society ($500)

2010. C.U. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department Research Grant ($2000)

2010. Beverly Sears Graduate Student Grant ($1000)

2009. C.U. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Summer Fellowship ($6000)

2008. Beverly Sears Graduate Student Grant ($1000)

2008. C. U. Natural History Museum's Walker van Riper Fund ($1500)

2008. C.U. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department Research Grant ($2500)

2007. Botanical Society of America Graduate Student Research Award ($500)

2007. C.U. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department Research Grant ($2500)
2007. C.U. Natural History Museum's Walker van Riper Fund ($1500)

2006. C.U. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department Research Grant ($2500)
2006. NSF Molecular and Organismal Research in Plant History (MORPH) ($3000)

2005. C.U. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department Training Grant ($3300)

2005. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories ($1990)

2002. Hughes Undergraduate Research Project ($430)

2001. Hughes Undergraduate Research Project


HONORS & AWARDS

2011. Certificate of Meritorious Service: Science Mentor, Planting Science

2010. Certificate of Meritorious Service: Science Mentor, Planting Science

2010. Teaching Excellence Award, C.U. Boulder

2009. Certificate of Meritorious Service: Master Plant Science Team, Planting Science

2009. Certificate of Meritorious Service: Science Mentor, Planting Science

2006. Commended For Excellence in Teaching, C.U. Boulder

2005. Commended For Excellence in Teaching, C.U. Boulder


TALKS AND PRESENTATIONS

Baker, R. L. 2011. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary biology, University of Colorado, Boulder CO. "Microevolution and development in Mimulus: Monkeying with meristems explains intraspecific changes in shoot architecture and life history"


Baker, R. L. 2011. Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Boston MA. "Microevolution and Development in Mimulus: monkeying with meristem dynamics and heterochrony explains intraspecific changes in shoot architecture and life history"


Baker, R. L. 2011. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ. "Monkeying with life history: intraspecific evolution and development of shoot architecture in Mimulus guttatus"


Baker, R. L. and Pamela K. Diggle. 2011. Botanical Society of America, St. Louis MO. "Making Branches in Mimulus: intraspecific developmental variation in shoot architecture"


Baker, R. L. 2011. Mimulus Meeting held at Duke University, Durham North Carolina. "Phenotyping"


Baker, R. L. 2011. Microevolution of Development: processes within populations and species, a microMORPH workshop held at the University of Colorado at Boulder. "Intraspecific evolution and development of shoot architecture"


Baker, R. L. and Pamela K. Diggle. 2010. A developmental analysis of shoot architecture in two populations of Mimulus guttatus (Phrymaceae) [Poster]. In: Evolution, 2010 June 25-29; Portland, OR. Portland State University, Portland OR. Poster no. P2157. [low resolution 2.1Mb pdf]


Baker, R. L. 2008. Gallery Series talks at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, "The evolutionary and developmental basis of ecological adaptation"


Baker, R. L. 2007. Investigating the evolution of plant form: conceptual integration from the molecular to the ecological, a MORPH workshop held at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado. "Microevolution and development of Mimulus guttatus shoot architecture"


Baker, R. L. 2007. Guild of Rocky Mountain Ecologists and Evolutionary Biologists (GREEBs) meeting at Ghost Ranch, Utah. "Microevolution of development: building branches in Mimulus guttatus"


Baker, R. L. 2007. Teaching Evolution Symposium, University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado. "Teaching macroevolution: mutations of large effect"


WORKSHOP AND COURSE PARTICIPATION

Microevolution of Development: processes within populations and species. 2011. micro Molecular and Organismal Research in Plant History (microMORPH) NSF Research Coordination Network; University of Colorado, Boulder CO


Homology: conceptual and historical integration from the morphological to the molecular. 2009. Molecular and Organismal Research in Plant History (MORPH) NSF Research Coordination Network; University of Colorado, Boulder CO


Investigating the Evolution of Plant Form: conceptual integration from the molecular to the ecological. 2007. Molecular and Organismal Research in Plant History (MORPH) NSF Research Coordination Network; University of Colorado, Boulder CO


Frontiers in Plant Science. 2005. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor NY


RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Research Associate. 2011. The Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, Boston, MA.

  1. Quantitative gene expression analyses of candidate genes associated with branch outgrowth (PI Drs. Ned Friedman & Pamela Diggle)

Research Assistant. 2005. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.

  1. The evolution and development of apomixis (PI Dr. Richard Noyes)

Research Assistant. 2003-2004. University of Maryland, College Park MD

  1. Molecular and morphological development and evolution of annelid regeneration and asexual reproduction (PI Dr. Alexa Bely)

Research Assistant. 2002-2003. AgResearch, Ltd, Palmerston North, New Zealand

  1. Developmental significance of the Arabidopsis TERMINAL EAR1-like gene (PI Dr. Bruce Veit)

Summer Internship. 2001. Reed College, Portland OR

  1. Molecular Phylogeography of the endangered alpine Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii

  2. (Fabaceae) (PI Dr. Keith Karoly)


TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Graduate Teacher Certificate, College of Teaching and Professional Development, University of

  1. Colorado at Boulder.  2012. 20 hours of teaching workshops, 20 hours of discipline specific workshops, two video tape consultations and observation and evaluation of teaching techniques and proficiency.

Teaching Assistant, University of Colorado, Boulder CO

  1. Plant Eco-Evo-Devo. Spring 2010

  2. Plant Anatomy. Fall, 2006

  3. Genetics. Spring 2005 & 2009

  4. General Biology. Fall 2004

Teaching Assistant, Reed College, Portland OR

  1. Vascular Plant Diversity. Fall 2001

Tutor, Reed College, Portland OR

  1. Genetics & Gene Regulation. Spring 2000


ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Research Assistant. 2010-2011. microMORPH: Microevolutionary Molecular and Organismic

  1. Research in Plant History, an NSF Research Coordination Network. (CO-PIs Drs. William Friedman and Pamela Diggle)

Research Assistant. 2006-2010. Molecular and Organismic Research in Plant History (MORPH):

  1. An NSF Research Coordination Network. (PI Dr. William Friedman)


SERVICE

2011-2013. Education Committee Member, Botanical Society of America

2009-2011. Mentor for Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, C.U. Boulder

2009-2010. Mentor for Undergraduate Honors Thesis Project, C.U. Boulder

2007-2011. Planting Science Master Plant Science Team

2005-2006. Graduate Student Working Group Committee, Chair, C.U. Boulder

2005-2006. Evo-devo Job Search (Graduate Committee), Chair, C.U. Boulder

2006-2010. Planting Science Online Mentor

2005-2006. Colloquium Committee Member, C.U. Boulder

2005-2006. EEB Dept. Rep to the United Government of Graduate Students, C.U. Boulder

2005-2006. Graduate Student Mentor, C.U. Boulder


PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP

2010-present. Sigma Xi

2009-present. Society for the Study of Evolution

2008-present. American Society of Plant Biologists

2007-present. Botanical Society of America