Tasman Rosenfeld

Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences: Evolution, Ecology and Population Biology (PhD)
  • Partner University:
    US Scholars Program
  • Cohort Year:
    2024

Tasman Rosenfeld is a scientist, educator, and conservationist from the United States. At WashU, he is pursuing his PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology under the guidance of Dr. Jonathan Losos.

His current research interests are focused on the effect of historical contingencies in eco-evolutionary dynamics on evolutionary and ecological trajectories. Past projects—such as using oxygen isotopes from turtle fossils to determine their habitats in life and identifying the means and degree of localized adaptation to elevated salinity in spotted salamanders from coastal New England—have concerned reptile and amphibian evolution more broadly.

Apart from his research, Tasman is the vocalist for Half Inch Hero, an environmentally-themed emo rock band. Additionally, he is the founder of HonduHerp, an international NGO devoted to conserving the amphibians and reptiles of Honduras by protecting their habitats, supporting local biodiversity research, educating the public, and partnering with communities to make their land-use practices more sustainable. He also works as an educational consultant, designing and leading inquiry-based science curricula and learning experiences for high school students.

Prior to arriving at WashU, Tasman earned his B.S. in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Yale University and his M.Ed. in science education from Harvard University.