CV — Dan Petticord

Education

2020–2025

Ph.D., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Cornell University — Ithaca, NY

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow
Dissertation: The phytoremediation and conservation of phosphorus.
Advisor: Dr. Jed P. Sparks

2015–2019

A.B. (cum laude), Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Princeton University — Princeton, NJ

Minor: Environmental Science
Thesis: The diet and movement of the Kenyan leopard tortoise.
Mentors: Dr. Robert Pringle, Dr. Andy Dobson, Dr. Simon Levin, Dr. Daniel Rubenstein

Professional Experience

2025–

Postdoctoral Associate, MESS Lab

Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies — Millbrook, NY

Advisor: Dr. Jane Lucas

2024–2025

ForEverglades Research Enhancement Fellow

The Everglades Foundation

2021–2022

Visiting Scholar

Archbold Biological Station — Venus, FL

2020–2022

Stable Isotope Research Technician

Cornell Stable Isotope Laboratory — Ithaca, NY

2019–2020

Short-Term Research Fellow / Tropical Forest Research Intern

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute — Panama

2018–2019

GC-FID Research Technician

Princeton University, Zhang Laboratory

2017–2019

Genetics Research Technician

Princeton University, vonHoldt Laboratory

2017

Drone Research Technician

Princeton High Meadows Environmental Institute

Funding & Awards

Total competitive funding awarded (including fellowships and scholarships): $342,183
Pending: USDA New Investigator Grant ($300,000)

2025

Cornell Atkinson Graduate Research Grant ($7,000)

2024

ForEverglades Research Enhancement Grant ($30,000)

2024

Orenstein, Susan Lynch, Betty Miller Francis, Graduate Research, Mellon, Sigma Xi, Cary Bentley Holden Awards

Combined: $11,763

2023

Cornell Mellon, Sigma Xi, and Graduate Student Research Awards

Combined: $2,500

2022

Archbold Biological Station Visiting Scholar Award ($2,000)

2020

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship ($159,000)

2019

Smithsonian Tropical Research Internship Award ($10,500)

2019

Fulbright Fellowship ($31,700)

Awarded, declined

2018

Curtis W. McGraw Class of 1919 Scholarship ($58,970)

2018

Becky Colvin Memorial Award ($17,500); ESA SEEDs Leadership Award ($1,000)

2017

Princeton Environmental Institute Smith and Newton Scholar ($7,500); Thesis Award ($2,500); CST Award ($250)

Honors

2019

Prize for Most Outstanding Field-Based Undergraduate Thesis, Princeton University

2019

Elected to Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society

Publications

24 peer-reviewed publications; 9 in review or preparation. See full publications page for complete list with DOIs.

Invited Talks & Selected Presentations

2025

"Ground penetrating radar uncovers buried 'islands of fertility'..."

380:608 Ground Penetrating Radar, Rutgers University

2025

"Farms need fertilizer, forests don't."

Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Oaxaca, Mexico

2024

"Plat du Jour — Eating in the Modern Era"

Cornell Adult University Summer Lecture Series

2024

"Grass species influences phosphorus losses..."

Water Institute Symposium, University of Florida

2024

"Phytoremediation of legacy soil phosphorus"

Bambi Seminar Series, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

2020

"The ecology of the underworld..."

Bambi Seminar Series, STRI

Teaching

Fall 2024

Instructor of Record: Topics in Biogeochemistry (BIOEE 7600)

Graduate seminar designed and taught independently

Fall 2023

Instructor of Record: What's for Dinner (BIOEE 1640)

Undergraduate course on food systems, sustainability, and nutrition

Spr. 2024

Co-Instructor: Graduate Field Course (BIOEE 6602)

Spr. 2022

Co-Instructor: Quantitative Ecology (BIOEE 4940)

2021–2024

TA: Advanced Ecology (BIOEE 3610)

Lab TA, multiple semesters

Sum. 2023

TA: Introduction to Evolution & Diversity (BIOEE 1781)

Mentoring

2024–2025

Gen-Chang Hsu

Mentee co-author. Research on carnivorous plant ecology, resulting in publication in Oikos.

2024

Charlotte Tysall (Cornell '26)

Field assistant for phosphorus research, FL. Founded Cornell ESA SEEDs chapter.

2022–2023

Ginny Halterman (Cornell '23)

Advised on honors thesis and NSF GRFP. Currently M.S. student, U. of Delaware.

2021–2022

Daniela Rodriguez-Chavez (Cornell '22)

Advised on honors thesis and NSF GRFP. Currently Ph.D. candidate and NSF GRFP Fellow, UC Berkeley.

Service & Peer Review

2022–present

Writing and Data Consultant, HighEdit Consulting

2020–2025

Ad-hoc grant reviewer, Cornell College of Arts and Life Sciences

2023–2024

Treasurer, Cornell EEB Graduate Student Association

2021–2023

President, Cornell EEB Graduate Student Association

2018

Founder and President, Princeton ESA SEEDs Chapter

Ad-hoc reviewer for: Plant Biology, Environmental Microbiology, Pedosphere, Global Change Biology

Additional Information

Languages: English (native), Spanish (developing), French (developing)

Programming: R, Python, Bash

Technical Skills: Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS, GC-IRMS), GC-FID, molecular genetics and genomics, soil metagenomic analysis, clean lab fungal isolation, UAS/drone remote sensing, ground-penetrating radar

Athletics: Princeton Football (NCAA Division I, 2015–2019); Instructor, Cornell Physical Education — Weightlifting (Fall 2023, Fall 2024)