Fieldwork
Working in the US and Abroad
My passion for ecology is derived from the time I have spent in the field. After finishing up my Bachelor's degree, I spent 5+ years moving all over the US, with a few international stops as well. These experiences gave me expertise in a wide range of field techniques, from PIT-tagging to tree-climbing, plus a lot of time dedicated to developing skills in leadership and logistics.
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My field experiences are described below in two main sections:
US Fieldwork
Herpetologist, State of Wyoming
2016-17
Back with the WY Game & Fish Dept, I led a small team of technicians in planning and performing of fieldwork throughout central Wyoming, from the Wind River Range to the Red Desert. I also got to do some monitoring of my favorite North American amphibian, spadefoots! Other activities included helping lead a BioBlitz, teaching WGFD employees to tube rattlesnakes, and tons of interesting interactions with private landowners.
Field Crew Leader, American Conservation Experience
Summer 2015
I led a field crew in early-morning population demographic surveys of the Flat-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma mcallii) in southern California, just across from the Mexican border.
Field Crew Leader, FSU Lemmon Lab
Winters of 2014, 2015
I got hired on twice, each time to lead small field crews on a project to collect tons of Upland Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris feriarum) for the Lemmon Lab from all over the southeastern US: FL, SC, NC, VA, AL, MS, TN, KY. We then conducted mate-choice behavioral tests on female frogs to assess their ability to recognize con-specific males in areas of sympatry with various other Pseudacris species.
Herpetology Technician, State of Wyoming
Spring/Summer 2013
I worked for the Herpetologist of the WY Game & Fish Dept as a technician, where I gained valuable experience in data collection, herp ID, driving 4WD vehicles with trailers, and back-country camping.
Herpetology Technician, Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center
Fall 2012Â - Spring 2013
I was part of a team that surveyed for a scoped Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) on private properties across southern Georgia. This is where I learned about perseverance and the joys of spending tons of time outside!
Field Technician, Corridor Project
Summer/Fall 2012
My first field job out of undergrad, I got to work on a 10-person team at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Our job: construct hundreds upon hundreds of seed traps, mark select plant species with stable-Nitrogen isotopes, and see where those seeds travel across an experimentally fragmented landscape.
International Experiences
Arboreal Researcher, UF Scheffers Lab in Madagascar
Fall 2019 - Winter 2020
Three months of conducting tree-climbings surveys for frogs and chameleons in Ranomafana and Andasibe-Mantadia National Parks in Madagascar. We also placed select animals in a series of experiments to test thermal, moisture, and vertical niche characteristics. This happened during the time between the end of my Master's and the start of my PhD (and COVID).
Research Assistant, Brazil
Summer 2017
I assisted my eventual labmate at John Carroll University, Julia Laterza Barbosa, with her Master's research on translocation of herpetofauna. We did mark-recapture surveys of Amazonian frogs at a small reserve in the State of Rondônia, Brazil.
Behavioral Research Assistant, Guyana
Spring 2017
Prior to starting my Master's I got this position helping then-PhD student James Tumulty with his research on territoriality of Rocket Frogs (genus Anomaloglossus) in spectacular Kaieteur National Park, Guyana. Five weeks of early morning behavioral tests, afternoon data entry, and nighttime hikes in one of the most beautiful places imaginable! This work resulted in a publication in Evolution in 2022!
Field Volunteer, across South America
Spring/Summer 2014
For 6 months I traveled through Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, with field volunteer gigs interspersed throughout the trip. In addition to gaining valuable tropical field experience, this trip got my Spanish to a pretty functional level. This adventure also spawned my travel blog:
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- Peruvian Andes: for 2 weeks I assisted then-PhD student Kelsey Reider with her research on the highest-elevation frogs on the planet, at over 5,000m!
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- Peruvian Amazon: for 1 month I did transect surveys with herpetologist Roy Santa Cruz at the Los Amigos Biological Station! The frogs were incredible! I also got to contribute to the field volunteer program blog.
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- Zamora, Ecuador: for 2 weeks I assisted with a collecting trip for new species of frogs in southern Ecuador with Dr. Santiago Ron.
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- Tolima, Colombia: for 2 weeks I helped a Master's student of Dr. Andrew Crawford with specimen collections in a dry forest region of central Colombia.
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- Quindío, Colombia: for 2 weeks I was a WWOOF volunteer for a small coffee farm in Colombia's "Zona Cafetera." In my spare time I took the property owner on night hikes to see various species of beautiful translucent Glass Frogs!