Samantha Lantz: PhD Student, Tulane University
I am a graduate student in Jordan Karubian’s lab at Tulane University. I completed my MS in Dale Gawlik’s lab at Florida Atlantic University where I focused on environmental factors affecting prey availability to foraging wading birds in the Everglades. Since then, bird jobs have taken me to Panama, Costa Rica, the Mariana Islands, and Australia, where I have worked on avian species including manakins and crows on questions involving sexual selection, female mate choice, dispersal, and more. For my PhD work I will be focusing on how environmental drivers such as fire and rain affect habitat quality, which in turn affects social organization and mating systems. My study system is the red-backed fairy-wren in the tropical savannah of the Northern Territory, Australia.
Undergraduate Participants
Kelly O’Toole: College of William & Mary
I am a sophomore at the College of William & Mary majoring in Anthropology and Biology. I have lived in Northern Virginia, fondly known as NOVA, my entire life. After deciding that I wanted to major in Anthropology when I was in eighth grade, I went on to W&M with intentions of focusing solely on cultural studies. It was only after my first semester that I discovered my love of biology and more specifically my interest in behavioral ecology. The IRES red-backed fairy-wren program is the first biological research project in which I have participated, so I am looking forward to getting started! In addition, I am very involved in community service, and I spend a great deal of time volunteering at my local animal shelter. I’m also an avid runner, reader, and music lover!
Tess Curry: College of William & Mary
I am a sophomore at William & Mary majoring in Biology and minoring in Music. I am from Potsdam, NY, a small town close to the Canadian border. I love to play the piano, as well as hike, swim, play soccer, and basically do anything else outside. I have researched the Spruce Grouse in the Adirondacks and the effects of hurricanes on the William & Mary College Woods. After graduating, I plan on attending graduate school and becoming a High School Biology teacher.
Mitchell Hinton: Tulane University
I am a Junior at Tulane University, majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Though I have lived in 8 different states throughout my life, I graduated high school in Los Angeles, CA. I first became extremely interested in ecology and evolution (specifically behavioral ecology) during my introductory Biology class here at Tulane, and soon thereafter found myself on the path towards ecological research. Since then I have worked as a volunteer at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, and I am currently conducting research on the amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis in Dr. Richards-Zawacki’s lab here at Tulane in addition to my involvement in this IRES behavioral project. Upon graduation I will pursue a Phd in ecology and evolutionary biology, with the ultimate goal of professorship and a career in behavioral research.
Kathleen Riley: Tulane University
I am a sophomore at Tulane university double majoring in Ecology/Evolutionary Biology and Anthropology. I plan to attend graduate school and ultimately earn a PhD. I am very interested in bird species and have participated research on Brown Pelicans.
Kathryn Grabenstein: Cornell Univerity
I’m a sophomore Biology major at Cornell University concentrating in Neurobiology and Behavior. I’ve spent the vast majority of my life in the beautiful state of Tennessee but I was originally born in Chicago. Implications? I’m 100% accent free and I say “pop”, not coke, or soda, or cola, etc. While I’ve been fascinated with animals pretty much from birth, running around the backcountry woods of East Tennessee gave me a greater appreciation for nature and all its intricacies than steel-studded skyscrapers ever could have. As far as interests go, I enjoy cooking/baking, hiking, gardening, reading (though my “must read” list hasn’t gotten any shorter over the years), soccer, and photography. I currently work in Mike Webster’s lab out at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology where I use molecular techniques to determine paternity in Red-backed Fairy-wren populations. After graduation, I would like to attend graduate school and pursue a degree in the life sciences.
Rose Tarsio: Cornell University
I am a junior at Cornell University majoring in Animal Science and minoring in Biology. Most of my life has been spent in Southwest, Florida but I am originally from Nyack, New York. I have always loved animals; my love for animals has led me to set my journey on attending veterinary school. I plan to focus on research in reproduction and behavior while in graduate school. I’m excited for the fairy wren project and this will be my first approach to research. Some of my interests include improvising on the piano, cooking, traveling, volunteering, and wildlife conservation.
