Carol Boggs

Carol Boggs is a Professor at the University of South Carolina with joint appointments in Biological Sciences and Earth, Ocean and Environment at the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on evolutionary, functional, and behavioral ecology, particularly using Lepidoptera as model systems to study environmental change effects on life history traits, population dynamics, and species interactions. She directs the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory and has served as inaugural Director of the School of Earth, Ocean & Environment.

Education includes:

• Ph.D. in Zoology from University of Texas at Austin (1979)
• B.A. with honors from University of Texas at Austin (1973)

Her research examines three interconnected areas: (1) physiological and evolutionary dynamics of resource allocation under environmental stress, (2) ecological and evolutionary consequences of invasive species, and (3) genomics and ecology of small populations. Current projects investigate nutrient allocation trade-offs, evolutionary traps in host-plant interactions, and population bottlenecks using introduced butterfly populations.

Boggs' recent publications demonstrate strong emphases on climate change impacts, conservation genetics, and plant-insect coevolution. Her work frequently employs stable isotope analysis, genomic techniques, and long-term field studies across diverse ecosystems from Colorado mountains to tropical environments.

Major scientific honors include:

• Distinguished Research Service Award (2023)
• Distinguished Undergraduate Research Mentor Award (2022)
• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2001)
• Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for Undergraduate Education (2012)

She has advised over 50 undergraduate researchers, 8 MS students, and 5 PhD students. Current grants include NSF funding for physiological-behavioral ecology ($703,889) and previous awards from NSF, Wenner-Gren Foundation, and Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory totaling over $1.4 million. She established the Gills Creek Watershed Association and collaborates internationally on conservation initiatives.

Boggs leads the J*PITER Lab, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to insect ecology and evolution. Her team combines field experiments with genomic analyses to address fundamental questions in evolutionary ecology and conservation biology.