Past undergraduate students have studied the systematics of Cavendishia, Menziesia, Monotropoideae, and Kalmia.
Current graduate students are working on the systematics of members of Ericaceae and Polygonaceae. Within Ericaceae students are (or have recently) investigating the phylogeny and flavonoid evolution in the Rhododendron section Pentanthera, diversification and pollinator variation in Erica, a phylogeny and revision of Elliottia and the phylogeny and biogeography of Diplycosia and its relatives. Studies in Polygonaceae include family level molecular systematics and also phylogenetic relationships within the Eriogonum group.