Resources for team members:
Principal Investigator
Sarah A. Hamer, MS, PhD, DVM, DACVPM (epi)
shamer@cvm.tamu.edu | 979.847.5693
- Professor of Epidemiology, Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (VIBS)
- Richard Schubot Endowed Chair & Director, Schubot Center for Avian Health, Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB)
- Certified Wildlife Biologist® (The Wildlife Society)
- Diplomate of the American College Veterinary Preventive Medicine [DACVPM (epi)], 2016
- DVM, Michigan State Univ., 2011
- PhD, Michigan State Univ., 2010, Fisheries & Wildlife; Ecology, Evol. Biology & Behavior
- MS, Univ. of Illinois, 2003, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences
- BS, Univ. of Illinois, 2001, Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences
I am a veterinary ecologist specializing in wildlife and zoonotic disease ecology and epidemiology. My research originates at the intersection of ecology, epidemiology, and conservation, and encompasses diverse taxa (bacteria, ticks, mosquitoes, birds, mice, dogs, humans, and more). Given the emergence of pathogens shared by humans and animals, this is an important time to utilize multidisciplinary tools to improve human, animal, and ecosystem health.
Research Staff
Lisa Auckland
Senior Research Associate
lauckland@cvm.tamu.edu | 979.458.4924
Keswick Killets, MS
Research Associate
kkillets@cvm.tamu.edu | 979.458.4924
Sujata Balasubramanian, MS, PhD
Associate Research Scientist
sbalasubramanian@cvm.tamu.edu
Rachel Curtis-Robles, PhD
Assistant Research Scientist (part-time)
rcurtis@cvm.tamu.edu
Rachel Busselman, PhD, DVM
Postdoctoral Associate
r_busselman@tamu.edu
Graduate Students (PhD + MS thesis)
Mycha Van Allen, MS
PhD student, Biomedical Sciences: Infection, Immunity, & Epidemiology (BIMS)
Texas A&M Merit Fellow 2023–2027
Associate Wildlife Biologist®
mycha.vanallen@tamu.edu
Visit Mycha’s website here.
Ilana Mosley
PhD student, Biomedical Sciences: Infection, Immunity, & Epidemiology (BIMS)
dixm57@tamu.edu
IMSD T32 and Avilés-Johnson Fellowship 2021-2025
Amanda Waugh, MS
PhD student, Biomedical Sciences: Infection, Immunity, & Epidemiology (BIMS)
awaugh@tamu.edu
Texas A&M Merit Fellow 2024-2028
Sergio Mendez-Cardona, MS
PhD student, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB)
sergio.mendez@tamu.edu
HEEP Fellow, 2026-2030
Non-Thesis Graduate Students
Emma Bergeron
Non-thesis MS student, Biomedical Sciences (BIMS)
2025–2026
Sierra Kast
Non-thesis MS student, Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology (VPHE)
2025–2026
Giovanni Moore
Non-thesis MS student, Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology (VPHE)
2025–2026
Joshua Evans
Non-thesis MS student, Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology (VPHE)
2026–present
Veterinary Student & Resident Researcher
Emily Richards
DVM/MS student, Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology (VPHE)
2024–present
Olivia Miller
DVM/MS student, Veterinary Public Health & Epidemiology (VPHE)
2024–present
Undergraduate Students
Ana Westhelle
Undergraduate worker
2026–present
Amelia Kim
Undergraduate worker
2026–present
