Karie Altman | PostDoc

I received my B.S. in biology from Madonna University (Livonia, MI) in 2012, but I didn’t get involved in research until graduate school. I completed my Ph.D. work at Oakland University (Rochester, MI) in 2018, where I developed interests in disease ecology and thermal biology.

The broad focus of my research is investigating how climate change will influence species interactions. Specifically, I am interested in how temperature influences interactions between parasites and amphibian hosts. For my dissertation, I investigated how thermal acclimation responses influence both parasite infectivity and host susceptibility. I am also interested in how differences in host and parasite thermal performance drive the temperature dependence of their interactions. Some of my ongoing work therefore involves using models of amphibian and parasite thermal performance measured in isolation to predict the temperature dependence of disease.

I am also interested in science education and communication, and I enjoy being involved local science fairs and outreach projects. I love teaching, and I hope to be a biology professor one day, where I can introduce undergraduates to scientific research.

When I’m not working, I enjoy playing volleyball, traveling, eating, and spending time with my family. I also love dogs and will go out of my way to meet and pet all of them.