University of Illinois at Chicago
Ecology and Evolution
845 West Taylor St. (M/C 066)
Chicago, Il 60607
Background
I graduated from University of Maryland, College Park in 2003 with a B.S. in Animal Science. I worked during my undergraduate career in the Poultry Science department under the supervision of my advisor, Dr. John Doerr and graduate student, Dr. Nada Tamim. I assisted in a study that investigated the effect of putrefaction of poultry carcasses on biogenic amine accumulation and using fermentation as a method for preservation. I was responsible for preparing extraction and derivative samples for HPLC analysis, along with a host of other duties. After completing this position, I worked for the Maryland Department of Agriculture at the College Park Animal Health Lab as a Necropsy Technician and a Laboratory Technician. I worked under the supervision of Dr. James Davidson, the director of the lab. I was responsible for preparing animals for necropsy, assisting during necropsies, and sample collections for bacteriology, virology, and archived samples. I also collected and analyzed fecal samples. I performed a number of other duties, which included performing AGID, BAPA, and crabmeat testing for certification for the state of Maryland.
I began the M.S. program at Delaware State University in the spring of 2004 under the advisory of Dr. Kevina Vulinec. My thesis research investigated seed dispersal on Assateague Island, Maryland by feral horses (Equus caballus). I was particularly interested in examining how the feral horse population was dispersing seeds or predating seeds of native and exotic plant species. The native species I was most interested in were: Ammophila breviligulata, Distichlis spicata, Spartina alterniflora, and Spartina patens. These species of grasses are important pioneering species for the dune building process and are primary species in the marsh habitat.
Current interests
I entered the Biological Science department in Fall 2007 and am in the Ecology and Evolution section of the department. I am currently working in Henry Howe’s lab and am interested in seed dispersal by mammals in a restored site in Los Tuxtlas Mexico. I plan to examine how mammals view the restored site and how they use the restored site.
