Elizabeth Makings
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ASU Herbarium 734 W. Alameda TEMPE, AZ 85282-4108
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Mail code: 4501Campus: Tempe
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The Arizona State University Vascular Plant Herbarium is a scientific collection of over 340,000 pressed, dried, and archived specimens utilized by the botanical community for research, outreach, and applied purposes [https://biokic.asu.edu/]. I have been the Collections Manager for the ASU Herbarium since 2004 and my curatorial duties include acquisitioning, cataloging, and archiving specimens as well as managing loan and exchange programs with institutions worldwide.
I am an active member of the ASU community and teach Arizona Flora, Grasses of Arizona, and Sonoran Desert Field Botany. I mentor students and supervise interns and volunteers. I am the point person for local floristic expertise and respond to inquiries and requests from faculty, students, and the general public on a daily basis. I also engage in research, grant writing, and outreach. I am an administrator for the Southwest Environmental Information Network [http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/] where I contribute to maintaining the digital data, taxonomic thesaurus, and image library. I regularly conduct field work with students and colleagues.
My graduate research was a botanical inventory of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in Cochise Co. Arizona.
From 2003- 2010 I was the Botanist for the Terrestrial Ecological Inventory Unit (TEUI), a team of soil scientists responsible for mapping the vegetation and soils on Forest Service lands in Arizona and New Mexico.
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, Plant Biology, MS., 2003
University of Colorado, Boulder, Enviromental, Population,and Organismal Biology (EPOB), B.A., 1988
Makings is a botanist with expertise in the regional flora and the Collections Mangager of the ASU Vascular Plant Herbarium. Her research interests focus on the diversity, distribution, and evolutionary history of plants with the goal of applying this knowledge toward conservation, and outreach.
Yue M. Li, J. R. Simms, T. Condo, D. Wolkis, R. Wang, A. Hatch, E. Makings, S. Blackwell, M. Mayer. 2023. Population dynamics and life history of the endangered ciénega endemic Eryngium sparganophyllum in Arizona. Journal of Arid Environments. 2014: 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2023.104984
Wright, E. R., E. Makings, and M. A. Johnston. 2023. Notes on the feeding and behavior if Tegrodera aloga Skinner, 1902 (Coleoptera: Meloidae). The Pan Pacific Entomologist 99(1):81-86.
Carnahan, S.D., E. Makings, and J.D. Morefield. 2022. First report of Lasiopogon glomerulatus for Arizona, USA, and northern and western hemispheres. Phytoneuron 2022-34: 1–7. Published 8 April 2022. ISSN 2153 733X. https://www.phytoneuron.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/34PhytoN-LasiopogonArizona.pdf
Currier, C. M. and E. Makings. 2021. Solanaceae Part Seven: Browallia L. and Salpichroa Miers. Canotia (17): 46-60. https://canotia.org/volume17.php
Stromberg, J. C., E. Makings, D. E. Brown, and D. Wolkis. 2020. Conservation of the cienega endemic, Eryngium sparganophyllum Hemsl. (Apiaceae). Southwestern Naturalist 65(2):173-184. https://doi.org/10.1894/0038-4909-65.2.173
Makings, E., E., T. R. Van Devender, A. L. Reina-Guerrero, and S. F. Hale. 2018. A Preliminary Flora of the Sierra Juriquipa, Sonora, Mexico. Arizona Native Plant Society: The Plant Press 41(2): 33-40.
Makings, E., J. P. Solves. 2018. Solanaceae Part Six: Nicotiana L. Tobacco. Canotia (14): 54-62. https://canotia.org/volumes/vol14/Canotia14-8_Solanaceae-Nicotiana.pdf
Makings, E. 2018. In Memoriam: Donald J. Pinkava (29 August 1933–25 July 2017). Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas 12(1): 377-385.
McNair, D. M., J. Fox, R. Lindley, S. D. Carnahan, M. E. Taylor, and E. Makings. 2018. Identifying Abutilon parishii (Malvaceae) and similar species in Arizona and Sonora. Phytoneuron 2018-84:1-12.
Brown, D.E., E. Makings, A. Neils, D. Jenness, R. L. Glinski, R. D. Babb, M. B.Traphagen. 2017. Biotic Resources of the Lower Santa Cruz River Flats, Pinal County, Arizona. Desert Plants Vol. 32(2):51 pp.
Darrow, K. and E. Makings 2016. New Records for the Flora of Arizona: Hydrocotyle umbellata (Araliaceae), Bryophyllum daigremontianum (Crassulaceae), Malvastrum coromandelianum (Malvaceae). Canotia 12:86-89. https://canotia.org/volumes/Canotia12-NewRecords-Darrow-Makings8-13-16.pdf
Stromberg J.S., E. Makings, A. Eyden, R. Madera, J. Samsky III, F. Coburn, and B. Scott. 2016. Provincial and cosmopolitan: floristic composition of a dryland urban river. Urban Ecosystems 19:429-453
Bateman, H. L., J. C. Stromberg, M. J. Banville, E. Makings, B. D. Scott, A. Suchy and D. Wolkis 2015. Novel water sources restore plant and animal communities along an urban river. Ecohydrology 8:792–811.
Brown, D. E., and E. Makings. 2014. Grasslands of North America. Desert Plants Vol. 29(2):160 pp.
Makings, E. 2013. Vegetation and Flora of the St. David and Lewis Springs Cienegas, Cochise County, Arizona. In L. Collins, L. Eskew, J. Gottfried, et al., technical coordinators, Biodiversity and management of the Madrean Archipelago III: Merging Science and Management in a Rapidly Changing World. Tucson, AZ. Gen. Tech Rep. RM-GTR Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. [https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_p067/rmrs_p067_071_076.pdf]
Allred, K., E. Makings. 2010. Plant Distribution Reports, Hackelochloa granularis. New Mexico Botanist 51:3.
Bates, S. T., F. Farruggia, E. Gilbert, R. Gutierrez, D. Jenke, E. Makings, E. Manton, D. Newton and L. R. Landrum. 2009. Solanaceae, Potato Family, Part Two: key to the genera and Solanum L. Canotia 5(1):116.https://canotia.org/volumes/CANOTIA_2009_Vol5_1_Bates_et_al_Solanaceae2_Solanum.pdf
Makings, E. 2006. Flora of the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. Desert Plants 22(2): 104 pp.
Courses
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 494 | Special Topics |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| BIO 405 | Sonoran Desert Field Botany |
| PLB 598 | Special Topics |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2024 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 494 | Special Topics |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| BIO 405 | Sonoran Desert Field Botany |
| PLB 598 | Special Topics |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 494 | Special Topics |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| PLB 598 | Special Topics |
| BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| BIO 405 | Sonoran Desert Field Botany |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 498 | Pro-Seminar |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| BIO 498 | Pro-Seminar |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 494 | Special Topics |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| PLB 591 | Seminar |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| PLB 598 | Special Topics |
| BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| BIO 405 | Sonoran Desert Field Botany |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 498 | Pro-Seminar |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
2021 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 494 | Special Topics |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| PLB 591 | Seminar |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| BIO 498 | Pro-Seminar |
| BIO 498 | Pro-Seminar |
| PLB 598 | Special Topics |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 498 | Pro-Seminar |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
2020 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2020 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 494 | Special Topics |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| PLB 591 | Seminar |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| BIO 498 | Pro-Seminar |
| BIO 498 | Pro-Seminar |
| PLB 598 | Special Topics |
2019 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| BIO 498 | Pro-Seminar |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
| BIO 498 | Pro-Seminar |
| BIO 591 | Seminar |
Reviewer:
Flora of North America
Canotia [Canotia.org]
Society of Herbarium Curators
Arizona Native Plant Society
National Geographic Society
Graduate student committee member (graduate degree in progress)
Annie Weaver-Bryant, PhD
Kristen Countryman, MS
Brittany Burgard, MS
Donna LaGuardia, MS
Daniel Moses, MS
Zane Robertson, MS
Graduated
Luke Ramsey, May 2023. Accidental and Restored Wetlands of the Lower Salt River: A Portrait of Biodiversity and Community Composition Over a Decade of Urban Management. MS.
Bryce Sutter, May 2022. Structural Responses of Bouteloua eriopoda to Changes in Annual Precipitation:Interactive Effects of Amount and Duration. MS
Anthony Motta, May 2022. Nest Composition and Architecture of the Curve-billed Thrasher. MS
Isabella Bernatt, Barrett Honor’s College thesis “Botany on a Budget” 16 Mar 2022.
Zach Berry, May 2020. Flora of the Phoenix Zoo. MS
Alison Willis, May 2020. Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Clarification of Species Boundaries in Echinomastus erectocentrus var. acunensis and Close Relatives. MS.
Jean-Philippe Solves, May 2020. A Preliminary Flora for Las Cienegas National Conservation Area and Studies on the Life History of the Endangered Huachuca Water Umbel. MS
Kara Baron, December 2018. Fire and reseeding effects on Arizona Upland plant community composition and a florists inventory of Cave Creek Regional Park. MS.
Albatool Albedewi, December 2017. Developing a Virtual Flora Portal for Vascular Plants of Saudi Arabia. MS.
Danika Setaro December 2016. A seed bank study of Southwestern riparian areas: temperature effects and diversity. MS.
Dustin Wolkis May 2016. Plant ecology of desert marshes. MS.
Frankie Coburn, August 2015. Flora of the Upper Verde River, Arizona. MS.
Lane Butler, August 2015. Ecological effects of stream flow permanence on butterfly and plant communities of Sonoran Desert streams. MS
Doug Newton, April 2012. The vascular flora of the Eagletail Mountain Region. MS.
Darin Jenke, April 2011. The Phoenix Four Rivers flora, Maricopa County, Arizona. MS.
Bethany Lund, November 2008. The vascular flora of the Hummingbird Springs Wilderness, Maricopa County, Arizona. MS.
Undergraduate, Graduate, K-12 mentoring
Courtney Currier, Graduate research/Herbarium worker 2021, “Salpichroa (Solanaceae) treatment for CANOTIA: An Arizona journal publishing botanical and mycological papers [https://canotia.org/]
Kristen Countryman, Herbarium intern 2021
Seth Wielgus, Herbarium intern 2021
Eric Lopez, Herbarium intern 2021
Ritvik Vallambhatla, Basis High School, Chandler, AZ. Herbarium intern 2020
Elena Wegryn, Herbarium intern 2020
Isabella Bernat, Herbarium intern 2020
Eliem Smith, Herbarium intern 2020
Chrisovalantou Karakozis, Herbarium intern 2020
Kariah Slagel, Undergraduate research/Herbarium worker 2018 - 2019 “Jaltomata Schlechtendahl” treatment for CANOTIA: An Arizona journal publishing botanical and mycological papers [https://canotia.org/]
Annie Wolf, Herbarium intern 2019-2020
Gabriel Garcia, Herbarium intern 2019-2020
Christian Parrinello, Undergraduate research 2019-2020
Yasmine Parra, Undergraduate research, “Digitizing the Cochise County Herbarium donation.” 2018 - 2020
Sam Blevin, Herbarium intern 2019
Ana Kahn, Herbarium intern 2019
Chad Hauck, Honors Thesis, "The Diversity and History of the plants in the Alleyways of Tempe" 2018-2019.
Yasmine Parra, Undergraduate research, Digitizing the Cochise County Herbarium donation. 2018 - 2020
Jonathon Maranville, Undergraduate research/Herbarium worker 2018 - 2019 “Capsicum L. “ treatment for CANOTIA: An Arizona journal publishing botanical and mycological papers [https://canotia.org/]Botany[https://canotia.org/]
Amariel DeMarchi, Herbarium intern 2018-2019
Cristina Port, Herbarium intern 2018-2019
Dena Bergman Herbarium intern 2017
Victoria Canizales, Herbarium intern 2016-2017
Jean-Philippe Solves, Herbarium intern/Barrett Honor’s College thesis, 2013-2018 "Solanaceae Part Six: Nicotiana L. Tobacco" treatment for CANOTIA: An Arizona journal publishing botanical and mycological papers [https://canotia.org/]
Alexandra Brunet-Giambalvo, Herbarium intern, 2016-2017
Linh Ngo, Herbarium intern, 2014-2017
Lidia Peon, Herbarium intern, 2014-2017
Valia Brannan, Herbarium intern, 2014
Cris Brackenridge, Herbarium intern, 2014
Anni Poetzl, Herbarium intern, 2014- 2015
Aaron Boydston, Herbarium intern, 2014- 2015
Alandon Joe, Herbarium intern, 2014- 2015
Kara Barron, Herbarium intern/Honor’s College special project 2012
Katie Arrivas, Herbarium intern, 2011- 2013
Elizabeth Ochoa, Herbarium intern, 2011-2013
Robert Madera, Herbarium intern, 2012- 2012
Darin Jenke, Herbarium intern, 2007- 2008
Erin Manton, Barrett Honor’s College thesis, “Flora of Escudilla Mountain, Apache County, AZ” 2007- 2008
Emily Douglas, Herbarium intern, 2008
Bianca Despotides, Herbarium intern, 2007- 2008
Theresa Price, Herbarium intern, 2004- 2005
2004 - 2010: Botanist, Terrestrial Ecological Unit Inventory, Southwestern Region 3, United States Forest Service
1993 - 1999: Professional golfer
1989 - 1992: High school/middle school science teacher and girls basketball coach, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
- ASU Staff Council Sustainability Committee, Campus plants tour, 18 April 2023.
- Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs – tour of collections and Grass family presentation and workshop, 14 April 2023.
- “A Spring Walk in the Sonoran Desert with Liz Makings.” Spur Cross Conservation Area, Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, 29 March 2023. Natural History Institute, Prescott, AZ.
- https://naturalhistoryinstitute.org/event/a-spring-walk-in-the-sonoran-desert-with-liz-makings-2/ 29 March 2023
- “Listening to the Land: Engaging with the Desert Landscape.” Papago Park, field trip co-leader, 18 March 2023. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/listening-to-land-engaging-with-the-desert-landscape-tickets-430010853037
- Coyote Elementary 7th grade – interactive visit to Alameda Collections, 21 Feb 2023.
- Dr. John Alcock Memorial, invited speaker – 20 Feb 2023.
- Designed to Move: Seeds That Float, Fly or Hitchhike through the Desert Southwest, Exhibition using seeds and fruits from ASU collection – Scottsdale Civic Center Library Auditorium. July 7- Sept 30, 2022.
- “Art Under the Microscope” ASU Summer Camp, 11-15 July 2022. ASU Natural History Collections. Students aged 13-18 drawing, watercolor, collage, mounting, inspired by herbarium, fossil, lichen, and mammal specimens.
- Co-leader for the Arizona State University Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Biocollections Scholars Program, A six-week summer training program for BIPOC undergraduates to experience natural history collections science, including planning, fieldwork, instruction, and mentoring. 2021, 2022, 2023 (in progress)
- Natural History Institute – Wildflower hike, Spur Cross Conservation Area 19 March 2022
- Natural History Institute – Wildflower hike, Spur Cross Conservation Area 19 March 2022
- Central Arizona Chapter for the Society of Conservation Biology –ASU campus plants 15 April 2021
- Greatergood.org, Madrean Discovery Expeditions, Central Sonora Sky Islands – 2017, 2018, 2019
- Plant identification for capital murder case – Phoenix, PD, Yavapai County PD. 2019-2020
- Invited interviewee for Center for Biological Diversity film “Vigneto: Yes or No?” [https://watch.showandtell.film/watch/sanpedrofilm?subscriberID=8dbe18d4…]
- Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Arizona State University, “Botany For All: Learn Your Plants!” 9, 16 Sep 2019.
- Botany workshop, Prescott College Center for Cultural and Ecological Studies, Kino Bay, Mexico (5-7 March 2019).
- K-12 outreach at ASU Natural History Collections Building [https://biokic.asu.edu/] (ongoing)
- Site Steward, Mesquite Wash, Tonto National Forest, AZ State Parks Site Steward Program (2013- present)
- East Valley Tribune interview “Tumbleweeds take shape in iconic Chandler Christmas tree.” 27 Nov 2017
- Central Arizona Butterfly Association, annual butterfly count at Boyce-Thompson Arboretum (2013 - 2021)
- McDowell Sonoran Preserve, annual butterfly count (2013 - 2021)
- Wildflower walks and volunteer/staff wildflower identification training at Boyce Thompson Arboretum (2013, 2015, 2019)
- ASU School of Life Sciences, Night of the Open Door (annual)
- ASU School of Life Science: “Ask A Biologist,” Learning resource tool for teachers and K-12 (ongoing)
- Prescott College botany students guest instructor (19 Sept 2017)
- Donald J. Pinkava memorial (1 July 2017)
- ASU Night of the Open Door (annual)
- Boyce-Thompson Arboretum winter/spring annual wildflower training (2017-)
- “The Arizona State University Herbarium” in “The Herbarium, a Priceless Resource for Botanical Documentation, Research, and Understanding.” The Plant Press 37(1): 3-6. Spring 2014
- “The Nature of Creation, Joseph’s Hayden’s Oratorio and Beyond,” (Plant fossil displays and 3D images for Hayden Library exhibit). (April –October 2015)
- Grass workshop, Plant Atlas Project of Arizona, seminar and field trip (Sept 19, 20, 2015)
- Fossil Freeway Open House, ASU Natural History Collections Building (10 September 2015)
- ASU School of Life Science: “ASU Explores Outdoors” Field trip leader for interpretive hikes with in local natural areas (2013, 2014, 2015)
- Patten Herbal Collection photo archive of 18th Century Hanbury volumes (2015)
- SoLS Walking Club, interpretive hike of campus plants (February 2015)
- Field work and plant ID for desert plant wall photos in remodel of ASU Enterprise Marketing Hub building (2015)
- Grass identification workshop, Arizona Native Plant Society, September 9-10, 2014.
- Guest instructor Canyon Ridge Elementary School 4th grade class (19 May 2014)
- Tempe Historical Museum “Botany Day” (26 June 2013)
- SEINet tutorial for Forest Service Terrestrial Ecosystems Survey Team (4 June 2013)
- Master Gardener’s plant identification seminar (10 May 2013)
- Asclepias article for Arizona Riparian Council Newsletter (May 2013)
- Boy Scouts of America– desert plant identification at South Mountain (23 February 2013)
- Cooperative project with grounds crew identifying ASU Campus plants for digital database (2013)