School of Humanities and Sciences
Showing 21-30 of 47 Results
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Rodrigo Bello Carvalho
Ph.D. Student in Biology, admitted Autumn 2023
BioI am a field biologist deeply passionate about wildlife ecology and conservation. My academic and professional journey bridges research, fieldwork, and environmental stewardship across some of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems.
My work focuses on understanding the functional role of megafauna (large-bodied vertebrates) in shaping tropical ecosystems through processes such as frugivory, herbivory, and seed dispersal. I am particularly interested in how savanna biodiversity, structure, and functioning respond to the loss of megafauna (defaunation), and how ecological insights can inform restoration and conservation strategies in a rapidly changing world.
I hold a Master’s degree in Biodiversity Conservation and Management from the University of Oxford (2021), and graduated with honors in Biological Sciences (B.Sc., 2017) and Biology Teaching (B.Ed., 2018) from the University of Brasília (UnB). My ecological journey began at UnB’s Ecosystem Ecology Lab (2014–2018) under Prof. Mercedes Bustamante, where I first engaged with Cerrado ecology and savanna dynamics.
Driven by a commitment to applied conservation, I worked at the Brasília Zoological Garden Foundation (2018) and taught Science and Biology in Brasília’s private schools (2019), experiences that deepened my belief in connecting ecological science and conservation with communities.
At Oxford’s Ecosystems Lab (2020–2021), I studied defaunation and seed dispersal in the Cerrado, working under Dr. Imma Oliveras and Prof. Yadvinder Malhi. I later joined Brazil’s national environmental agency (ICMBio) as an Environmental Analyst and Park Ranger (2022–2023), where I was based in the Western Brazilian Amazon, engaging in biodiversity monitoring, sustainable management of natural resources, and frontline conservation enforcement of three Conservation Units within the Purus River Basin.
Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in Biology at Stanford University in the Dirzo Lab, where my research explores megafauna-ecosystem interactions across Brazilian and African savannas, with a focus on how defaunation reshapes ecosystems. I also collaborate with UNESP’s Bird Ecology Lab on frugivory, seed dispersal, and ecological restoration in the Atlantic Forest. -
Dominique Bergmann
Shirley R. and Leonard W. Ely, Jr. Professor of the School of Humanities and Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe use genetic, genomic and cell biological approaches to study cell fate acquisition, focusing on cases where cell fate is correlated with asymmetric cell division.
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Jessamy Tang
Managing Director, Stanford Down Syndrome Research Center, Biology
Staff, BiologyBioJessamy Tang is the Managing Director of the Stanford Down Syndrome Research Center. She is also a Board Trustee of Down Syndrome International, Board Director of Disability Rights Legal Center, Chairperson of the World Down Syndrome Day Conference at the United Nations and Co-Founder of The Matthew Foundation.
Prior to joining the Down Syndrome Research Center, Ms. Tang accumulated over thirty years of experience as an advocate for the developmental disability community, entrepreneur, executive with The Walt Disney Company, and board member of US and international non-profit organizations. At The Walt Disney Company, she worked across multiple operating units at ESPN and ABC Radio. While she was at ESPN Enterprises, their business development unit, she negotiated several “first” technology partnerships for ESPN. She developed the business plan for and led the expansion of ESPN Radio by ensuring 24/7 programming, purchasing owned & operated stations, affiliating ESPN branded radio stations and creating a full marketing plan. She then became President of the ABC-owned Pittsburgh radio stations where her stations earned four (4) Achievement in Radio awards, Sports Personality of the Year award, and achieved the highest ratings among all ESPN Radio stations nationwide. Following her corporate success, she then independently acquired two radio stations through private equity funding and affiliated them with ESPN thus becoming the first minority woman founder and CEO of a sports radio business.
Outside of her corporate roles, Ms. Tang served with the MIT Venture Mentoring Service and Visiting Committee for the MIT Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation. She has also advised an NFL team, a leading international media company, and has spoken at numerous sports, media, and entertainment conferences.
Ms. Tang received her Bachelor of Science degree from MIT and MBA from Stanford University. She resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two children including her son who has Down syndrome.
