University of Virginia
Department of Biology            434-982-5599 (office)
Gilmer Hall 255                         led6x@ virginia.edu
Charlottesville, VA 22904

EDUCATION
 PhD candidate
 August 2006-present, University of Virginia
 Advisor: Dr. Laura Galloway

B.S., Biological Sciences, minor in Chemistry
 May 2005, University of Pittsburgh, College of Arts and Sciences

B.A., Spanish
 May 2005, University of Pittsburgh, College of Arts and Sciences

Undergraduate Semester Abroad in Costa Rica
Spring 2004, Duke University/ Organization for Tropical Studies

EMPLOYMENT
June 2005-July 2006
Research technician, University of Pittsburgh
Supervisors: Drs. Susan Kalisz and Brian Traw

March 2002-May 2005
Undergraduate researcher, University of Pittsburgh
Supervisors: Drs. Roger Hendrix and Robert Duda

RESEARCH
Interests: evolution of interspecific interactions, evolution of plant secondary chemistry,
                    mechanisms of genetic correlation

Kalisz Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh.
    Assisted in a study examining the effects of herbivory on native and exotic herbs.
    Assisted in a study of the mating system evolution in tribe Collinseae, using
    microsatellite markers.

Traw Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh
    Designed and carried out in vitro studies of the effectiveness of plant defensive
    chemicals against various plant pathogens, especially Pseudomonas syringae, and the
    potential for pathogens to evolve increased tolerance

La Selva Field Station, Organization for Tropical Studies, Heredia Province, Costa Rica.
    Studied herbivory in experimental tree plantations.  Stands included three common
    timber species in monoculture and mixed species plots, and varied in age.

Palo Verde National Park, Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica.
    Studied ectomycorrhizal abundance in sites of different successional stages in tropical
    dry forest.

Hendrix Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh.
    Explored the effect of capsid protein mutations in lambdoid phage HK97 on assembly.
    Characterized abnormal assembly products of HK97 capsid.

TEACHING
 Fall 2007
 Teaching assistant, Introductory Biology Lab (Molecular Biology), University of Virginia
 Supervisor: Dr. David Kittleson

Spring 2007, Spring 2008
 Teaching assistant, Introductory Biology Lab (Organismal Biology), University of Virginia
 Supervisor: Dr. Mark Kopeny

Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Spring 2008
 Volunteer ESL tutor, Buford Middle School, Charlottesville, VA
 Supervisor: Ms. Renata Germino

Spring 2002
College preparatory tutor, Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise, Pittsburgh, PA
Supervisor: Ms. Veronica Wright

PUBLICATIONS
Dunn J.L., L. Dierkes, F.X. Pico, and S. Kalisz. 2006.  Identification of microsatellite loci in
    Collinsia verna (Veronicaceae).  Molecular Ecology Notes.  6: 1212-1215.

Ross, P.D., J.F. Conway, N.Q. Cheng, L. Dierkes, B.A. Firek, R.W. Hendrix, A.C Steven, and
    R.L. Duda.  2006.  A free energy cascade with locks drives assembly and maturation of
    bacteriophage HK97 capsid.  Journal of Molecular Biology.  364: 512-525.

Dierkes, L.E., C.L. Peebles, B.A. Firek, R.W. Hendrix, and R.L. Duda.  In preparation.
    Mutational analysis of a proton acceptor required for capsid cross-linking in bacteriophage HK97.

PRESENTATIONS
Ecological Society of America, August 2008
     "Flower color polymorphism is Tradescantia ohiensis: Pollinators and Abiotic factors"
     Lindsay Dierkes and Laura Galloway

 Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference, Poster Session, March 2007
     “Growth Analysis in Plantago lanceolata: Size-dependence, History, and Reproduction”
     Lindsay Dierkes and Deborah Roach

 University of Pittsburgh Honors College Undergraduate Research Fair, April 2005
     “Abnormal Expansion in Bacteriophage HK97 Capsid”
     Lindsay Dierkes, Robert Duda, Phil Ross, Alasdair Steven, Naiquan Cheng,
      and Roger Hendrix

 Science 2004 Symposium at the University of Pittsburgh, Poster Session
     “Mutations at the Cross-linking Center of Bacteriophage HK97”
     Craig Peebles, Lindsay Dierkes, Brian Firek, Robert Duda, and Roger Hendrix