Dr. Mary Lofton
PHD FELLOW ALUMNI | Global Change Center
VT Alumni June 2021, Biological Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Cayelan Carey
Google Scholar • Website • melofton@vt.edu
Mary Lofton is a postdoctoral research associate in the Dept. of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech, co-supervised by Drs. Cayelan Carey and R. Quinn Thomas. Her current work focuses on near-term forecasting of phytoplankton community structure in drinking water reservoirs and development of educational modules for undergraduates around key concepts in ecological forecasting.
Dr. Lofton received her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Virginia Tech in 2021, and her dissertation research focused on phytoplankton ecology in lakes and reservoirs. She is an active member of the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) and the Ecological Forecasting Initiative (EFI). She received a B.S. in Biology from the College of William and Mary in Virginia in 2010 and taught high school Biology and Environmental Science for five years prior to attending graduate school.
The ICG IGEP provides PhD students with a unique intellectual focus and training, gaining depth in their specific scientific area of expertise, while simultaneously gaining breadth in the multifaceted realm of global change and the science-policy interface.
When students complete our program, they remain part of our broad community by becoming part of our Global Alumni Network. Our alumni are invited to participate in our graduate seminar courses, provide keynote remarks at our annual graduate research symposium, return to Virginia Tech for GCC gatherings, network with current students regarding career opportunities, and stay connected to each other.
