معرفی
Seema Sheth is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant & Microbial Biology at North Carolina State University, where she has been based since January 2018. She is also the Science Director of GLORIA Great Basin, a nonprofit organization focused on studying climate change impacts on alpine plants.
Education:
- Ph.D. in Ecology, Colorado State University (2014)
- M.S. in Biology, University of Missouri, St. Louis (2006)
- B.A. in Environmental Science and Spanish, Washington University in St. Louis (2002)
Research Focus: Her research integrates evolutionary ecology, quantitative genetics, and climate change biology to understand how plant populations adapt to environmental change. She uses model systems like Mimulus cardinalis (scarlet monkeyflower) and Chamaecrista fasciculata (partridge pea) to explore adaptive potential, thermal tolerance, and demographic responses across species' ranges.
Grants & Funding: She is the Principal Investigator on multiple NSF-funded projects, including:
- PERSIST: A $539K NSF grant studying evolutionary rescue in Mimulus cardinalis across geographic ranges.
- LTREB: A $442K NSF grant examining long-term population dynamics and climate adaptation in Mimulus cardinalis.
- ORCC: A $399K NSF grant integrating evolutionary and migratory potential in Chamaecrista fasciculata under climate change.
Lab & Mentorship: The Sheth Lab includes graduate students, postdocs, and undergraduates. Current Ph.D. students include Kaleb Goff and Annabel Lewis. Postdocs include Lucas Albano and Lillie Pennington (co-advised). The lab emphasizes inclusive mentorship and supports students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Recent Work: Her 2025 publications address critical topics in climate ecology, including resurrection studies, evolutionary rescue, and the limitations of space-for-time substitution in ecological forecasting. Her lab uses field experiments, greenhouse studies, and genomic tools to predict species persistence under global change.
