Jeffrey Hill, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Plant Biology

Office: Life Sciences 439

(208) 282-2650

hilljeff@isu.edu

Teaching

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BIOL 405 Plant Form & Function
BIOL 406 Plant Diversity & Evolution
BIOL 417 Organic Evolution
BIOL 491/492 Senior Seminar

Biographical Sketch

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Jeff received his PhD in Botany from the University of California, Riverside in 1989. After a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Georgia, he joined the faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences at Idaho State University in 1991. His research initially focused on understanding patterns and processes of floral evolution (especially in relation to the evolution of self-pollination) through comparative studies of plant development at the phenotypic level. The lab subsequently focused on the functional and developmental biology of alternation of generations in the non-seed plants, relying on the model fern Ceratopteris. For example, the free-living haploid phase proved useful for testing ideas about the effects of nutrient limitation on labile sex expression, and the interplay between sexual lability and phenotypic plasticity.

A relatively recent research interest is on issues in contemporary regional food systems, especially with respect to winter access to real plant food in the cold temperate climates in intermountain west. These initiatives are driven by an increasing concern over pressing sustainability issues looming ahead, with a focus on seeking environmentally benign solutions that add resilience to our local food system.

Jeff has always been interested in the development and implementation of effective practices in university life science education. He participated as a co-principle investigator in a National Science Foundation (NSF) graduate fellowship program intended to foster improved science communication skills in graduate fellows through instructional partnerships with regional K-12 schools in southeast Idaho. He was principle investigator on a subsequent NSF award conceived to integrate discovery research into the introductory biology laboratory curriculum. He has also sponsored outreach educational activities to bring K-12 kids closer to the biology of their own food.

 

Education

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1989, Ph.D. Botany, University of California, Riverside, CA
1984, M.S. Botany, University of California, Davis, CA
1982, B.S. Biology, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY

1990-1991, Postdoctoral fellow, University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Selected Publications

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Goodnoe, T.T. and J.P. Hill. 2018. Plasticity of Female Reproductive Resource Allocation Depends on the Presence or Absence of Prior Environmental Sex Determination in Ceratopteris richardii. Ecology and Evolution 8(12): 6133-6143           https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ece3.4159

Goodnoe, T.T. and J.P. Hill. 2016. Absolute and Relative Content of Carbon and Nitrogen Differ by Sex in Ceratopteris richardii Gametophytes. Botany  94(5): 405-410 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/cjb-2015-0254#.WAeh-ZMrKRs

Goodnoe, T.T., J.P. Hill, and K. Aho. 2016.Effects of Variation in Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Molarity and Stoichiometry on Sex Determination in the Fern Ceratopteris richardii. Botany 94: 249-259, http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/cjb-2015-0187#.WAehrpMrKRs

Fishman, P.M. Beardsley, L. A. Stathos, C.F. Williams, and J.P. Hill. 2015. The genetic architecture of traits associated with the evolution of self-pollination in Mimulus. New Phytologist 205:907-17 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.13091/full

Fishman, L. A. Stathos, P.M. Beardsley, C.F. Williams, and J.P. Hill. 2013. Chromosomal rearrangements and the genetics of reproductive barriers in Mimulus (monkeyflowers). Evolution 67: 2547-2560. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evo.12154/pdf