Team

Sheila Kitchen

2026-present Assistant Professor, Stony Brook University
2023-2025 Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University at Galveston
2018-2022 Postdoctoral Researcher, Caltech
2016-2018 Postdoctoral Researcher, Penn State
2010-2016 Ph.D. Zoology, Oregon State University
2008-2010 M.S. Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington
2004-2007 B.S. Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington

I am a molecular ecologist that thinks a lot about interspecies interactions and their persistence in a changing world. My goal is to transform my research into applied solutions for conservation.

Graduate Students

Tiana Acito
2024-present Ph.D. Student
2023 B.S. University of Miami

Ziyu Wang
2025-present Ph.D. Student
2023 B.S. Texas A&M University

In the backyards and gardens of the suburbs, my fascination with the natural world began not with grand discoveries, but with the small, often overlooked wonders of everyday life. As a child, I spent countless hours raising caterpillars and watching them metamorphose into butterflies. This early curiosity blossomed into a deep passion for biology, driving me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in zoology and now to graduate studies in marine biology.

I’m currently studying the early development and settlement of corals and jellyfish. Viewed through the lens of developmental biology, my study reveals how shared ancestral mechanisms give rise to diverse adult forms and shed light on the evolutionary changes that shape life’s diversity. In my work, I remain rooted in curiosity, instinct, and even the biases I bring with me because I believe science is not just about uncovering a single truth but about exploring many possible stories.

My research is inspired by art and literature as it is by science. Leonora Carrington’s surreal paintings and the dreamlike world of Alice in Wonderland remind me to stay open to curiosity, to embrace uncertainty, and to imagine new ways of telling scientific stories. I hope my work challenges the mainstream in biology because I believe every animal carries many possibilities waiting to be seen.

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Sheila Kitchen

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