Hayley Lanier

Hayley Lanier, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the School of Biological Sciences and Assistant Curator of Mammalogy at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History at the University of Oklahoma. Her work integrates museum collections with genomic and field data to study mammal biodiversity responses to global change. She holds a PhD from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a BS from the University of Kansas.

Research Focus: Lanier’s lab examines how climate change, habitat loss, and fire regimes impact mammal communities. Key projects include studying competitive dynamics post-wildfires, genomic adaptations in alpine species like collared pikas, and leveraging museum specimens to track body-size changes. Her approach combines phylogeography, stable isotope analysis, and ecological modeling.

Teaching & Outreach: She teaches Mammalogy and Field Mammalogy, emphasizing hands-on learning. As co-chair of the IUCN Lagomorph Specialist Group, she contributes to conservation assessments. Her Squirrel-Net initiative brings ecological research into classrooms via citizen science modules.

Advising: Lanier mentors a diverse cohort of graduate and undergraduate researchers, including students investigating lagomorph genetics, white-nose syndrome in bats, and museum collection biases. Notable advisees include Addison Allen (NSF GRFP Honorable Mention recipient) and Marcos da Cruz (PhD candidate in phylogenetics).

Labs & Affiliations: Her lab is based at the Sam Noble Museum, with fieldwork in Yellowstone and Alaska. Collaborations span institutions like the University of Wyoming and international groups like the IUCN SSC.