The Mercer Award, given by the Ecological Society of America, honors an outstanding ecological research paper published by a lead author who is under 40 years old. Vahsen, who served as lead author, and her collaborators were recognized for their work titled Rapid plant trait evolution can alter coastal wetland resilience to sea level rise, published in Science.

The paper was based on work performed in Jason McLachlan’s lab at the University of Notre Dame, where Vahsen earned a Ph.D. in biology. Since earning her doctorate, she has served as a postdoctoral fellow at Utah State University and as adjunct faculty at Appalachian State University.

Vahsen’s research focuses on the effects of rapid evolution and genetic variation on population, community and ecosystem processes. Prospective students interested in joining her lab starting in January 2025 should apply through the Odum School of Ecology.