Kelly Speare, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Kelly is a community ecologist and her research investigates how local stressors such as pollution and fishing and global climate change interact to shape community assembly and resilience. Kelly is an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University.  She was previously  an NSF Ocean Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Donovan Lab at Arizona State University and a postdoctoral scholar in the Burkepile Lab and the Moorea Coral Reef LTER at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Kelly earned her  doctorate at the University of California, Santa Barbara and her B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Kelly also spent time studying coral reefs in Bermuda and American Samoa, and worked at the Sea Education Association. 

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Claire Vossler
​Research Lab Technician

Claire joined the Speare Lab as a Research Lab Technician in 2026. In this role, she supports field research projects, utilizing AAUS Scientific Diving methods to collect data and perform experimental maintenance and safety protocol, and is responsible for data organization and analysis. Claire is interested in marine ecology, conservation, and restoration in the wake of human stressors impacting fragile ecosystems. Claire received her BS in Aquatic Biology and Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2025.  Beyond research, Claire enjoys  hobbies such as rock climbing, hiking, baking, and any other outdoor activity she can get involved with.

Roger Wilder
​Ph.D. Student

Roger joined the lab as a Ph.D. student in 2026. He recently earned his B.A. in Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where he also studied history and Japanese language. Roger has previously conducted research on evergreen tree physiology, coral microbiology at the Smithsonian Marine Station on Florida’s Treasure Coast and at Mote Marine Laboratory in the Keys, kelp aquaculture ecology with NOAA in Juneau, Alaska, and reef fish evolution at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan. Roger is Interested in coastal ecosystem conservation and looks forward to studying the effects of repetitive stress on community structure and coral health in shallow reef habitats through his doctoral research. In his spare time, Roger also enjoys tennis, ultimate frisbee, hiking and playing the steel drum.