Claire Winfrey

Hi! I am an ecologist broadly interested in the biogeography and dispersal of microorganisms, with a special love for understanding the soil fungi and bacteria that are so integral to soil health. Relatedly, I am also fascinated by host-microbiome relationships and how these may scale up to affect ecosystem functioning. Other than my research, I enjoy exploring Colorado’s mountains every way I can, gardening native plants, crafting, and reading nerdy books.

I am a PhD candidate co-advised by Noah Fierer and Julian Resasco at the University of Colorado Boulder in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Currently, I am also a Graduate Research Award Fellow through the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES). My dissertation research primarily focuses on how habitat fragmentation shapes soil and airborne microbial communities, linking spatial distributions to traits such as sporulation, morphology, and mycorrhizal association.