Hannah E. Marx, PhD (She/her)

Assistant Professor & Herbarium Director

I joined Cornell University in January 2025 where I am an Assistant Professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science and Director of the L. H. Bailey Hortorium Herbarium (BH).

Previously, I was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of New Mexico and Curator of the Herbarium at the Museum of Southwestern Biology.

My interest in research began while taking a plant systematics course taught by Dr. Richard Olmstead as an undergraduate at the University of Washington. My first project was to infer the molecular phylogeny of the plant family Verbenaceae, using chloroplast and nuclear sequence data.

Since then, I have worked as a lab technician, a field assistant surveying conifer encroachment into meadows, and participated in a variety of plant surveys and collecting trips. Through these experiences, I became fascinated with the diversity of muti-species assemblages in ecological communities. I received my PhD in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at the University of Idaho in 2016, working with Dr. David Tank to disentangle diversity patterns in island systems using phylogenetic approaches.

International research collaborations introduced me to approaches for addressing ecological and evolutionary drivers of community phylogenetic diversity at macro-ecological scales. For my postdoctoral research I focused on finer levels of diversity, using functional genomics to decipher mechanisms that link genes to phenotypes in natural plant communities. 

Outside of the lab, I enjoy a variety of outdoor activities including backpacking, skiing, running, biking, and watching Zia (lab pup in training) explore the world. Continually botanizing, I love photographing plants on my adventures.

Postdocs

>> inquire about Open positions! <<

Graduate Students

Joseph Kleinkopf (he/him)

Phd student: Biology (Fall 2021—)

Website: https://jkleinkopf.com

I am a PhD student interested in the patterns and processes underlying the evolution of plants, specifically in alpine and island systems.

I previously earned my MS at Washington State University in the Roalson Lab using phylogenomics to better understand the diversification of Hawaiian Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae). At UNM, I am excited to work with phylogenetic tools to explore the plant biodiversity of alpine communities. Prior to arriving in Albuquerque, I taught science to middle school students in Olympia, WA. My experience as a teacher made clear the importance of science outreach, and I am interested in continuing to make science accessible and approachable for K-12 students.

Outside of science, I enjoy spending time outdoors and playing fetch with my dog Charlie.

Bryana Olmeda (they/them)

MS student: Biology (Fall 2022—)

Twitter: @botanybro

I joined the Marx Lab Fall 2022 as a Master’s Student focusing on New Mexico flora. I will be conducting a floristic inventory in New Mexico to broaden our understandings of the plant diversity. My research interests include floristics, conservation, restoration, and education.

I earned my undergraduate degree at California State University, Long Beach where I worked with Dr. Amanda Fisher. I developed a love for botany and herbaria working at the LOB Herbarium. In 2019, I worked as a contractor for the Chicago Botanic Garden collecting native seed, mainly from the Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion of New Mexico. Through this position, I learned how extraordinary New Mexico flora is, but also how little is known about the plant diversity. Since then, I have worked as a curatorial assistant at the California Botanic Garden and have many years’ experience working in wetland restoration as a Restoration Field Technician.

In my free time, I love spending time with my family and singing along to my favorite songs. I enjoy bouldering, roller skating, and going on walks. Let’s build community!

Undergraduate Students

>> inquire about Open positions! <<

Pups in Training

Zia

Zia joined the lab in March, 2021. She loves sniffing and eating plants, meeting new people and new pups, and running after squirrels, lizards, and balls. She is looking forward to her first field season next year.

Lab Alumni

Elizabeth ("Lizzie") M. Lombardi (she/her)

Postdoctoral Fellow | 2022-2024

Currently an NSF Postdoc at the University of Minnesota Duluth

Website: https://elizabethlombardi.weebly.com/

Twitter: @EcoPlantViruses 

Erin Berkowitz (she/her)

Graduate Student (UNM) | 2022—2024

MS Museum Studies, May 2024

Thesis: Uncovering Over 150 Years of Herbarium Specimen Data to Examine the Impacts of Climate Change on Alpine Plant Phenology in the Southern Rocky Mountains

Jeremiah Westerman (he/him)

Undergraduate | Summer 2022—2024

UNM Biology, Honors, May 2024

Thesis: Investigating the Potential Effect of Pollinators on the Alpine Plant Diversity of the Southern Rocky Mountains: A Community Phylogenetic Approach

Prospective Students & Postdocs

Contact Dr. Marx (hem73[at]cornell.edu) with inquiries about positions in the lab.