Austin Mast, Ph.D.

My research program involves topics within the broadly defined area of biodiversity study. I am particularly interested in (1) the interplay of ecology and evolution that determines the form and function of plant life on Earth, (2) the use of biodiversity research specimens and digital information about them to bring that interplay into sharper focus, and (3) public engagement in the research to further science and STEM literacy goals.  Historically, I have focused my research on Macadamias and relatives (the plant family Proteaceae), Primroses and relatives (the plant family Primulaceae), and historical biogeography, but I'm keen to innovate wherever I see opportunities to expand our understanding of biodiversity. This has led me deep into the areas of biodiversity informatics and citizen science in recent years, and I have NSF-funded grants in both of those areas. My teaching, mentoring, and service activities complement these research interests. In Fall semesters, I typically teach Field Botany. In Spring semesters of even-numbered years (2016, 2018, etc.), I typically teach Plants and Society. And in Spring semesters of odd-numbered years, I typically have a larger cohort of interns in the herbarium focused on biodiversity informatics. In Spring 2015, Libby and I organized a graduate course on Citizen Science (the first anywhere, as far as we could tell).  I am actively seeking graduate and undergraduate students for the lab who share my research interests.  Tallahassee is situated on the eastern edge of one of North America's biotic hotspots—a great place to be a biologist! For more information on the environs, visit the department's Ecology and Evolution Section website.  My primary service within FSU is as Director of the Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium, Associate Director of the Institute for Digital Information and Scientific Communication, and Member of the Council on Research and Creativity.  My primary service within the research community is as Treasurer of American Society of Plant Taxonomists, Steering Committee Member of Notes from Nature and SERNEC, and Board of Directors Member for the Citizen Science Association.  I'm also pleased to serve the community as Director of iDigBio's Digitization, Professional Development, and Citizen Science Domain.  I have particularly enjoyed working with others in the biodiversity collections community to produce the annual Worldwide Engagement for Digitizing Biocollections (WeDigBio) Event (2015 onward) and the WeDigFLPlants citizen science project.  If you curate a biodiversity collection and would like to post your specimens on Notes from Nature, I encourage you to consider using BIOSPEX to do so.  I gave a webinar on the topic that was recorded and is available here.  And please take a moment to check out the Libraries of Life augmented reality cards and Apple iOS and Android App that I co-developed with Anne Basham—it's a lot of fun!  In my spare time I enjoy trail running, kayaking, and swimming in the region's seemingly endless local forests, savannas, springs, and beaches.