Tara Smiley, an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook University, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award for her research on small-mammal fossils. Her project, titled “Unlocking the small-mammal fossil record to investigate eco-evolutionary responses to landscape and climate dynamics: a multi-proxy and cross-scale approach,” aims to analyze how small mammals responded to environmental changes during the Miocene epoch.
Smiley’s research will focus on fossil records from two regions: the Basin and Range Province in western North America and the East Africa Rift in Kenya. By comparing these areas, she plans to study the effects of global and regional climate change, grassland expansion, and tectonic activity on small mammal evolution. The work will use multiple data sources from both fossils and geological records to address questions about ecological diversity and species adaptation during periods of environmental upheaval.
“I’m thrilled to receive the NSF CAREER award to advance our knowledge of eco-evolutionary responses to landscape and climate change across space and time,” Smiley said. “This support from the NSF will help us gain an understanding of an understudied group of mammals — small mammals — that may act as first responders to environmental changes like climate warming and habitat transitions. I am especially pleased that, through partnership with Stony Brook University’s Turkana Basin Institute, this work will provide high-impact training opportunities for students, strengthen international collaborations across career stages, and promote capacity-building for emerging national and international scholars in paleontology.”
Joshua Rest, associate professor and chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook University, commented on Smiley’s achievement: “Tara’s work exemplifies the power of paleontology to illuminate the connections between life and climate — by unlocking the small-mammal fossil record, she is revealing how ecological and evolutionary processes respond to environmental change across time scales. This CAREER award recognizes not only Tara’s innovative research on how landscapes and climates shape biodiversity, but also her dedication to mentoring students and building a program that bridges the fossil record, modern ecology, and the classroom. Her achievement reflects the exciting trajectory of the Department of Ecology and Evolution at SBU and aligns with our vision of addressing the great challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss through integrative and quantitative science. It underscores our shared commitment to understanding how life responds to changing environments.”
Smiley specializes in evolutionary ecology with a focus on how historical changes in climate, tectonics, topography, and habitats have influenced mammalian diversity over time. Her group uses methods such as stable isotope analysis for paleoenvironmental reconstruction as well as trait variation studies combined with geological modeling.
The project includes educational goals such as developing fieldwork opportunities for students both in collections-based settings as well as laboratories. It also aims to support collaborative research between U.S.-based scientists at Stony Brook University’s Turkana Basin Institute (TBI) in Kenya along with Kenyan scholars.
“TBI is such a tremendous resource here at SBU and their involvement is key to the success of the grant,” Smiley said. “[TBI Director] Dino Martins wrote a strong letter of collaboration for the proposal. Both he and Gabrielle Russo (deputy director of TBI) know about the CAREER project and have been very supportive all along the way.”
The NSF CAREER Award is considered one of highest honors available for early-career faculty members in American higher education institutions. It recognizes those who show potential for leadership roles combining research with education.
