Hi! My name is Tianyi, and I joined the Kemp Lab in 2022. I was born and raised in Shanghai, China, where my love for nature began with family road trips to explore natural history museums and remarkable landscapes across the country. These experiences sparked my passion for wildlife and inspired me to study ecology and evolution to better understand how organisms interact with each other and their environments.

I moved to the United States after high school and received my Bachelor of Science in Biology with Highest Honors from Emory University in 2022. My current research focuses on phenotypic variation and biodiversity of reptiles, with a particular focus on Caribbean ecosystems. I’m especially interested in using fossil and modern data to understand how biodiversity responds to global change and how insights from the past can inform conservation and management.

Outside of research, I’m passionate about science outreach and public engagement. As Co-President of Science Under The Stars, a monthly public lecture series in Austin, I help make science accessible and engaging for the broader community. In my free time, I enjoy wildlife and landscape photography, exploring national parks, outdoor sports, and design. I also love spending time with my cats, leopard gecko, leopard tortoise, and parakeets.