Tara Smiley, an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Stony Brook University, has received a CAREER Award from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The award will support 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.”
Smiley’s research aims to develop new ways to analyze trait data from small-mammal fossils, focusing on dietary habits, habitat use, and ecological structures across various taxonomic, spatial, and temporal scales. The study will examine fossils from two regions: the Basin and Range Province in western North America and the East Africa Rift in Kenya. This comparative approach is intended to assess how global and regional climate change, expansion of C4 grasslands, and tectonic activity have influenced small mammals’ evolutionary history during the Miocene epoch.
By integrating fossil and geological records using multiple methods, Smiley hopes to address key questions about how ecological diversity is structured and how species adapt during periods of environmental change.
“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 studies how historical shifts in climate and landscapes influence mammalian diversity across different timescales. Her research combines fieldwork with laboratory analysis—using tools such as stable isotope ecology—and includes partnerships with organizations like Stony Brook University’s Turkana Basin Institute (TBI) in Kenya.
“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 educational component includes creating hands-on learning experiences for students in both fieldwork settings as well as laboratory environments. The project also seeks to build collaboration among U.S. and Kenyan researchers while providing technical training resources for local communities.
The NSF CAREER Award is considered one of the most significant honors available for early-career faculty in American higher education; it supports those expected to become leaders in research integration with education.
