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Jack holds and examines a plastic sediment core tube while sitting against a rock in the alpine Sierra Nevada

Preparing a core tube for sediment collection in Sierra National Forest - đź“· Anton Sorokin (2026)

 

I am an early career biologist and lifelong adventurer fascinated by how ecological communities persist and adapt in the face of human-mediated disturbances.

As a PhD candidate in the Becker Lab at Penn State University, my research seeks to reconstruct the hidden history of cryptic pathogen invasion and amphibian community response across continents. My fieldwork spans Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Plateau, California’s Sierra Nevada, and Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. By uncovering these hidden histories, I aim to better understand modern amphibian declines and guide future conservation actions.

My past research interests include the evolution of frog vision and the impact of artificial selection on ruminant immune gene diversity.

Over the course of 146 days from March 8th to July 31, 2021, I completed a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Be sure to check out my “Hikers Log” for photos and stories from the trail!

Pronouns: he/him

To access my CV, click the button below.

 

Me and Charlies Bunion in Great Smoky Mountains National Park during my AT thru-hike