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Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UTA)                                      August 2014-May 2016 
Biology and Society-The University of Southern Mississippi 
Supervisor: Michael Sellers
  • Instructed and supervised students for laboratory component of course
  • Graded written reports, lab work and quizzes
  • Constructed study guides and handouts to simplify lab content
  • Assigned extra credit projects for students
  • Encouraged students to be proactive learners
  • Assigned final grades for laboratory portion of course
  • Developed public speakng skills
 
Tutor- General Biology- The University of Southern Mississippi                         January 2015-May 2016
Supervisor: Michael Sellers
  • Explained scientific concepts to small groups
  • Worked with multiple students and topics at once
  • Supervised student's work and study groups
  • Assisted with lab report writing
  • Admistered lab summaries to students that missed earlier labs
  • Developed efficient communication of key concepts with science and non-science major students
Work Experience
 

Curriculum vitae

Education
 
Marine Biology Bachelor of Science- The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
                                                                                                                  

 

Skills

Microscope use

Statistical method

Data organization

Fish Identification

3D scanner operation

Artificial reef construction

Gillnet operation

Removing/handling fish

YSI operation

Knot tying

Public speaking

Size classing species

Delicate handling

Bird banding

Mist netting

Net repair

Parasite mounting

ArcGIS mapping

Quantifying behavior

Feather stacking

Boating procedure

Trailering boats

Works well in teams

 

Research Experience
 

Internship- Gulf Coast Research Laboratory                                                          May-August 2015

Supervisor: Dr. Chet Rakocinski, Benthic Ecology Lab
  • Constructed and repaired nets for reef trays; complete ecosystem inhabitants retrieved
  • Enhanced reef tray design
  • Deployed and retrieved oyster reef trays at various reef sites
  • Quantified hardness of substrate 
  • Operated YSI for abiotic data collection
  • Identified and cataloged artificial reef inhabitants; microscope work and handpicking
  • Monitored mesocosm study of predation rate of Eastern oyster spat (Crassostrea virginica), oyster drills (Urosalpinx cinerea), Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), Gulf stone crab (Menippe adina) and Oystershell mud crabs (Panopeus simpsoni)
  • Operated a 3D scanner for rock surface area, relative to oyster spat growth coverage
  • Assisted in work up of elasmobranchs and sports fish
  • Deployed and retrieved gillnets for sports fish collection
  • Offshore trawling SEAMAP trip- identified crustaceans, mollusks, other invertebrates and gnathostomes 

 

Research Assistant- Gulf Coast Research Laboratory                           August 2014-August 2015

Supervisor: Dr. Chet Rakocinski, Benthic Ecology Lab
  • Identified and cataloged artificial reef inhabitants; microscope work and hand picking
  • Constructed 100+ artificial oyster reefs
  • Developed rope counter-weight balance system for reefs trays against wave action
  • Preformed reef site mapping
  • Innovated four point harness to stabilize reef trays
  • Participated in boat work; sample collection
  • Deployed and retrieved reef trays
  • Identified parameters for a model system
 

Research Project- Gulf Coast Research Laboratory                                            January-May 2015

Supervisor: Dr. Chet Rakocinski, Benthic Ecology Lab
  • Collect species of cryptic fish from 15 sites, for 4 time points during the year
  • Identified and cataloged artificial reef inhabitants; microscope work and hand picking
  • Identified and processed 1,000+ fish
  • Analyzed distribution of fish in correlation with abiotic factors (salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen)
  • Determine seasonality, abundance and diversity
  • Combined previous documents; created comprehensive, site specific fish identification guide
 
Field Assistant- The University of Southern Mississippi                          March 2014-August 2015
Supervisor: Lauren Gillespie, Ph.D candidate, Endocrine Lab
  • Observed and recorded parental provisioning rates to nestlings and in Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis)
  • Assisted in quantifying aggressive behaviors of individual bluebirds and pairs during simulated territory intrusions using a bluebird conspecific (STIs)
  • Assisted in mist netting, capture, handling, processing, and banding of bluebirds during STIs
  • Assisted in quantifying nest defense behavior, mist netting, capture, handling, processing, and banding of bluebirds during simulated predator intrusions using an American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) decoy
  • Assisted in nest attendance quantification: resighted banded birds and tracked locations of pairs within 10, 40, and 40+ meters of box
  • Assisted in passive capture of birds (trapped in box)
  • Assisted in handling, banding, bleeding, and processing of bluebird nestlings
  • Assisted in box construction and maintenance
  • Assisted in monitoring nestbox progress and fate
  • Assisted with maintenance of preventative predation protocols for nestlings
  • Assisted with ArcGIS mapping of nestbox locations
  • Public outreach of research with personnel and public visitors to both field sites
 
Field Researcher- The University of Southern Mississippi                                                  May 2014
Supervisors: Michael Sellers & Dr.Aimée Thomas, Tropical Ecology,
  • Captured arachnids for analysis
  • Collected illusive funnel web spider (Atracinae) caught in South Belize
  • Discovered two unidentified arachnids- under classification in Smithsonian
  • Joined team capture of Kissing Bugs (Triatominae)
  • Compiled species sightings for monitoring of populations
  • Recorded Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) sightings for conservation efforts 
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