Scot A. Kelchner, Ph.D.
Assistant
Professor
kelchner@isu.edu
(208) 282-6183
Room 435 Gale Life Sciences Bldg
The Kelchner Lab
Phylogenetics, Plant Systematics, Molecular Evolution
Education
B.Sc. 1992 Iowa State University,
Ames, Iowa
M.Sc. 1996 Iowa State University,
Ames, Iowa
Ph.D. 2003 The Australian National
University, Canberra, Australia
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Kelchner joined the Department of Biological Sciences in the fall of 2004. After completing an undergraduate degree in Animal Ecology at Iowa State University, he entered the field of plant systematics and worked on Andean and Brazilian alpine bamboos for his Masters degree. He later moved to Australia and completed a Ph.D. at the Australian National University on phylogenetic methods and the evolution of the emu bushes, an endemic group of Australian plants. His postdoctoral experience included the study of ribozyme evolution and a computer simulation experiment on the effectiveness of partitioned models in phylogenetics.
Dr. Kelchner specializes in applied phylogenetics; reconstructing
the evolutionary history of organisms and genes is the basis of most
of his research. His projects include coordinating an international
effort to resolve evolutionary relationships among bamboos (NSF Grant
0515828), biogeography and evolution of Australian emu bushes (Scrophulariaceae:
Myoporeae), evolution of group II introns, and horizontal gene transfer
among human pathogenic bacteria. His work in theoretical phylogenetics
includes the development of DNA sequence alignment protocol, improvement
of phylogenetic models, and method testing via computer simulation
experiments.
Teaching
BIOL 102 Introductory Biology II
BIOL 412/512 Plant Systematics
BIOL 491 Senior Seminar
BIOL 648 Advanced Readings in Systematics
BIOL 691 Applied Phylogenetics
Publications
Kelchner, SA and MA Thomas (2007) Model use in phylogenetics: nine key questions. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 22:87-94.
Bamboo Phylogeny Group (2006) The Bamboo Phylogeny Project. Bamboo 27:11-14.
Tank, DC, PM Beardsley, SA Kelchner, and RG Olmstead (in press) Review of the systematics of Scrophulariaceae s.l. and its current disposition. LAS Johnson Invited Review No. 7, Australian Systematic Botany.
Trueman, JWH, BE Pfeil, SA Kelchner, and DK Yeates (2004) Did stick insects really regain their wings? Systematic Entomology 29:138-139.
Kelchner, SA (2002) Group II introns as phylogenetic tools: structure, function, and evolutionary constraints. American Journal of Botany 89:1651-1669.
Kelchner, SA (2002) "Molecular systematics and plant evolution" [review]. Systematic Biology 51:382-384.
Kelchner, SA (2000) The evolution of non-coding chloroplast DNA and its application in plant systematics. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 87:482-498.
Bayer, RJ, CF Puttock, and SA Kelchner (2000) Phylogeny of South African Gnaphalieae (Asteraceae) based on two non-coding chloroplast sequences. American Journal of Botany 87:259-272.
Kelchner, SA and LG Clark (1997) Molecular evolution and phylogenetic utility of the rpl16 intron in Chusquea and the Bambusoideae (Poaceae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 8:385-397.
Kelchner, SA and JF Wendel (1996) Hairpins create minute inversions in non-coding regions of chloroplast DNA. Current Genetics 30:259-262.
Kelchner, SA (1992) American robins' use of old nests as cues for
nest-site selection in central Iowa. Iowa Bird Life 62(2):32-34.