Maria Jose Salazar Nicholls of the Warkentin Lab is this year’s recipient of the Thomas H. Kunz Award. Her thesis work focuses on the mechanisms enabling adaptive embryo behavior in red-eyed treefrogs, Agalychnis callidryas. Maria completed her BS at Pontifical Catholic University in Ecuador, where she worked in the Developmental Biology lab studying the early development of Ecuadorian frogs’ embryos. She is interested in phenotypic plasticity, embryo behavior, development, and mechanisms underlying plasticity.

This award provides support for Ecology, Behavior & Evolution (EBE) PhD candidates who have completed the qualifying exam, with a preference for those conducting field research in the award year. The award was established in 2015 in recognition and appreciation of Professor Thomas H. Kunz’s mentorship. His current and former graduate students established this award to serve as a lasting legacy of Tom’s contributions at BU and beyond. Learn more about Dr. Kunz and how you can support this award.

Congratulations, Maria!