Marcos Gimenez Diaz

Marcos Gimenez Diaz
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Contact Info

Smissman Research Laboratory B51
Lawrence
2099 Constant Ave
Lawrence, KS 66047

Biography —

I am from Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, where I received my Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science in 2018. In 2021, I moved to Columbus, Ohio, to pursue a Master’s degree at The Ohio State University on a Fulbright-BECAL fellowship. I am currently a doctoral student at the University of Kansas in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, under the mentorship of Dr. Sara Baer. Aside from lab and schoolwork, I enjoy reading sci-fi and fantasy books, watching movies, and going running.

Education —

M.S., The Ohio State University, 2023, Columbus, Ohio

Research —

My doctoral research focuses on soil carbon accumulation rates in native and restored tallgrass prairies. Specifically, I investigate how various direct and indirect ecological drivers (i.e., plant communities, climate, bison grazing, fire frequency, and topography) influence carbon dynamics in soil systems. I work closely with my advisor, Dr. Sara Baer, who established the Sequential Restoration Plots at Konza Prairie Biological Station, where my research takes place.

Awards & Honors —

  • The Fulbright Program – The U.S. Department of State (2021-2023) Becas Don Carlos Antonio López (BECAL) – República del Paraguay Master’s Program Scholarship
  • 2023 School of Environment and Natural Resources Student Research Symposium, The Ohio State University, Best graduate Poster Presentation. Title: “Species distribution model for invasive cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) in relation to environmental gradient variations and disturbances in the western United States.”

Memberships —

  • Ecology of Society of America (2023-present).
  • Ecology of Society of America, Latin American and Caribbean Chapter (2024-present).
  • Soil Ecology Society (2024-present).
  • Fulbright Paraguay Association (2021-present).