Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee
2021 Climate Survey Results Summary
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About the SSB DEI Committee
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The Society of Systematic Biologists Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEIC) is a standing committee within the society that works to promote diversity, equity, and inclusiveness to enhance the study of all fields in systematics, and to foster the career of early career systematists. A diverse and inclusive SSB will foster innovation, creativity, and inclusion at all professional levels. Through independent activities as well as activities in collaboration with diversity committees of the joint evolution societies, our goal is to promote the advancement of the study of systematics among underrepresented groups by supporting the inclusion and retention of individuals of all identity groups.
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Current Members
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DEI Director: Dr. Jessica Ware
Bio: Jessica Ware is an associate curator in invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History. Her research focuses on the evolution of behavioral and physiological adaptations in insects, with an emphasis on how these occur in Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) and Dictyoptera (termites, cockroaches and mantises). Jessica holds a BSc from the University of British Columbia in Canada, and a PhD from Rutgers, New Brunswick. She was an NSF postdoctoral fellow before being hired at Rutgers Newark where she was an associate professor of evolutionary biology before moving to the AMNH in 2020. She was recently awarded a PECASE medal from the US government for her work on insect evolution. She has served on the DEI committee of the Entomological Society of America for the last 5 years and is the current Vice President of the Entomological Society of America and President of the World Dragonfly Association. Jessica previously taught anti-racism workshops while living in Canada. Jessica is passionate about DEI, and has started several initiatives such as Entomologists of Color and, while at Rutgers, a campus-wide LGBTQAI+ & STEM group for which she won a faculty diversity award. |
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Committee member: Dr.Timothy Colston
Timothy (Tim) Colston is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Florida and research associate at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in the Division of Amphibians and Reptiles. His research focuses on the influence of the microbiome on reptile and amphibian evolutionary ecology and the systematics and taxonomy of Neotropical and Northeast African herpetofauna. Most recently he has been researching the interaction and effects of microbes of venom and co-founded the Initiative for Venom Associated Parasites and Microbes (iVAMP website: The Initiative for Venom Associated Microbes and Parasites). Tim holds BSc and Msc degrees from the University of Oklahoma and a PhD from the University of Mississippi. In addition to research, Tim is passionate about improving accessibility, equity and diversity in science and has served in various committee capacities to this aim at all of his previous academic appointments. An avid field researcher, he is passionate about educating and advocating for local indigenous communities through his outreach and research in the Neotropics and the Horn of Africa. |
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Committee member: Alonso DelgadoAlonso Delgado is a Ph. D. student in the Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology Department at the Ohio State University. He is researching the systematic and phylogenetics of Sea Anemones and investigating how these relations influence the evolution of traits both spatially and temporally. He earned his B.S from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, and transferred out of Pierce community College in Los Angeles, California. Alonso is a co-founder of the organization of Latinx in the Marine Sciences and helps the organization grow by Planning and running workshops, curating job opportunities, and recruit members. He has also worked for DEI such as the NIH-supported BUILD exito program and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. Alonso is passionate about biological biodiversity mentorship for underrepresented minorities and diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. Through these roles, Alonso has become an active organizer and advocate to enhance diversity in STEM, particularly in Marine sciences.
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Committee member: Dr. Janet Buckner
Bio: Janet Buckner is a postdoctoral researcher in the Museum of Natural Science at Louisiana State University. She studies population genetics, molecular systematics and macroevolution in tetrapods, focusing primarily on primates and waterfowl. She received a B.S in Zoology from SUNY Oswego and a Ph.D in Biology from UCLA. Dr. Buckner was an NSF Post-Doctoral Fellow at Iowa State University before her current position at LSU. In addition to research, she is passionate about diversifying representation in the biological sciences and STEM more broadly, especially at the professional level. She recently launched a web-based outreach project ‘Bio-DIVERSITY’ (bio-diversity.org, @OurBioDiversity), as part of her NSF postdoctoral fellowship. |
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Committee member: Dr. Anahí Espíndola Anahí Espíndola is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Maryland, College Park (USA). She is interested in understanding how the environment affects plant-pollinator interactions, and how this in turn modulates their ecology and explains their evolution. Anahí studied Biology at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina) and the University of Neuchatel (Switzerland). After her PhD, she worked at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) and later became a Swiss National Science Foundation Fellow at the University of Idaho (USA). Anahí is a founding member of the Entomology Diversity, Equity and Inclusion group at UMD, and acts as a Faculty advisor for the UMD SACNAS chapter. Anahí is a strong defender of diversity in science. Her way of contributing to this is by focusing on developing paths to allow the professional success of low-income, first-generation, and culturally-diverse researchers.
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Committee member: Dr. Manpreet Kohli
Manpreet Kohli is a Postdoctoral researcher at the American Museum of Natural History. She is interested in insect systematics, macroevolution and phylogenetic methodology. Her research focuses on using phylogenomic methods to elucidate the evolutionary history of Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies), particularly species inhabiting colder climates. Manpreet finished her Bachelor’s in Technology in India before moving to United states where she received her Ph.D. in Biology from Rutgers University. Manpreet is committed to DEI and has championed and contributed to this cause throughout her career. She has worked on DEI initiatives for the Worldwide Dragonfly Association and Dragonfly Society of the Americas. Recently, with collogues she has started the Entomologists of Color initiative. |
Committee member: Dr. Luca Pozzi
Luca Pozzi is an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His research employs a multidisciplinary approach that draws from phylogenetics, population genetics and genomics, comparative methods, biogeography, and behavioral ecology to explore which ecological and evolutionary driving factors shape primate diversification. Luca has MSc in Animal Conservation and Biodiversity from Università degli Studi di Torino and a PhD in Anthropology from New York University. Prior to joining the faculty at UTSA, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the German Primate Center in Göttingen. Luca is a member of 500 Queer Scientists and he currently serves as the vice president of Pride FSA, the UTSA LGBTQ+ Faculty & Staff Association. Luca is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in his teaching, research, and mentoring.
Luca Pozzi is an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. His research employs a multidisciplinary approach that draws from phylogenetics, population genetics and genomics, comparative methods, biogeography, and behavioral ecology to explore which ecological and evolutionary driving factors shape primate diversification. Luca has MSc in Animal Conservation and Biodiversity from Università degli Studi di Torino and a PhD in Anthropology from New York University. Prior to joining the faculty at UTSA, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the German Primate Center in Göttingen. Luca is a member of 500 Queer Scientists and he currently serves as the vice president of Pride FSA, the UTSA LGBTQ+ Faculty & Staff Association. Luca is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in his teaching, research, and mentoring.