Rebecca Hufft Kao is the NEON Fundamental Sentinel Unit Scientist at the Science and Education Office in Boulder, Colorado. Dr. Kao earned her BA in Biology at the University of Chicago and her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2003 she completed an intensive course in field research and tropical ecology in Costa Rica through the Organization for Tropical Studies. Most recently she was a PRIMES Postdoctoral Research Associate with Dr. Ruth Hufbauer in the Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management and the Program for Interdisciplinary Mathematics, Ecology, and Statistics at Colorado State University. Her research explores the link between plant morphological and genetic variation, focusing on evolution in novel environments and the evolution of species interactions. She employs a combination of techniques to address the evolutionary response of organisms to heterogeneous or changing environments. They include molecular genetics, field surveys, greenhouse and field experiments, and mathematic modeling. Dr. Kao is committed to linking basic evolutionary and ecological research to important issues of concern for species management and conservation. Her restoration work has focused on the reproductive and evolutionary consequences of fragmentation in a remnant native grass species. In the context of invasive species, she is also interested in the evolution of species interactions and host specificity in new environments and the consequences for biological control.