Stephen R. Keller

Stephen R. Keller is an Associate Professor of Plant Biology at the University of Vermont (UVM), affiliated with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. His research focuses on understanding how genomic variation interacts with environmental changes, particularly climate change and habitat fragmentation, to affect species' evolutionary potential and conservation. His lab emphasizes forest trees and alpine plants but collaborates on diverse systems. He teaches courses including PBIO 5990 Genomic Forecasting and PBIO 6800 Ecological Genomics.

Research interests include population and ecological genomics, quantitative genetics, and genomic forecasting for conservation. Recent work includes a National Science Foundation-funded project studying alpine plant biodiversity under climate change. The Keller Lab actively recruits PhD students and researchers, with recent additions including NSF-GRFP fellow Nora Heaphy and DOE-ORISE fellow Rei Jia. The lab emphasizes anti-racist practices and diversity in science.

Publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches combining genomic, computational, and field-based methods. Key themes include genomic adaptation to climate stressors, hybridization dynamics, and assisted migration strategies. The lab also develops tools like StomataCounter, a deep learning method for stomatal analysis.

• Funding: NSF Biodiversity on a Changing Planet grant (2023–present)
• Lab Focus: Genomic forecasting, assisted migration, invasive species control
• Collaborations: Cross-disciplinary projects on forest resilience, alpine ecosystems, and conservation genetics

Future work includes expanding studies on alpine plant adaptation and training the next generation of diverse scientists through inclusive mentorship.