Neil Gilbert (PI)
Neil is a global change ecologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Oklahoma State University. He was an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Michigan State University and completed his PhD at University of Wisconsin-Madison, his MS at University of Alabama, and undergraduate degrees at Calvin College. Outside of work, Neil enjoys birding, running, reading, and cooking. Contact: neil.gilbert@okstate.edu. CV (updated 8 August 2025). BlueSky: @gilbert-lab.bsky.social
Bailey McLaughlin (Postdoc)
Bailey McLaughlin joined the lab as a postdoc in Fall 2025. She is a macroecologist and biogeographer interested in understanding biodiversity responses to global change. She completed her PhD at The University of Maine, studying geographic range and ecological niche shifts in trees in North America. She earned an undergraduate degree at Brown University. Outside of work she enjoys trail running, baking, and taking her dog, Grinnell, to the park.
Vimukthi Gunasekera (PhD Student)
Vimukthi joined the lab as a PhD student in Fall 2025. He is interested in analyzing and understanding the ecology of biological systems, particularly bird populations and communities. He earned an undergraduate degree in zoology from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he conducted research on predator–prey and commensal relationships between the Rufous Woodpecker and Crematogaster ants. He completed a MSc in applied statistics at the University of Colombo, studying the temporal trends and cluster-based identification of migratory bird populations. In the Gilbert Lab, he pursues macroecological questions such as broad-scale behavioral patterns of birds and seasonal dynamics of species’ ranges.
Kit Gurin (MS Student)
Kit joined the lab as a MS student in Spring 2025. She is interested in the relationships between humans and wildlife in urban environments. She earned undergraduate degrees from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where she performed research on urban coyote behavior and the differences in food web dynamics between urban and rural coyotes. In the Gilbert Lab, she is collaborating with the Urban Wildlife Information network to investigate spatial and temporal drivers of urban wildlife behaviors, populations, and communities.
