Thesis Work at Austin Peay

I am currently working on measuring color and UV reflectance in the winter plumage of White-throated Sparrows.
I am using a Flame Spectrometer to take measurements of the sparrows throat, lore, supercillum, and median crown stripe.

Banding

Birds are captured in mist nets and brought back to station for processing. The birds are given leg bands and measured. We age and sex each bird as well. White-throated Sparrows are also bled for a blood sample. All birds are released safely.

Measurements

White-throated Sparrows are measured with a Flame Spectrometer for spectral data. The throat, lore, supercillum, and median crown stripe are measured three times per bird. Spectral data is saved as a text file and is processed in R using the pavo 2 package.

Data

Spectral data analyses is performed in R. Blood samples from the sparrows are used to extract DNA. Extracted DNA is used in PCR to identify the sex and morph of each sparrow. Sex and morph are only reliably identified by PCR when the sparrows are in winter plumage.

My Past Experiences

I have been thankful to have worked on previous field studies during my undergraduate career.
These studies have allowed me to travel to remote locations and work with threatnened species.

Greenland Field Experience

Summer 2019, I traveled with the High Arctic Institute to Thule Air Base in Greenland to assist with their research. I helped survey for Peregrine and Gyrfalcon nests, band passerines around the base, and help band and measure seabirds. I was able to sharpen my critical thinking skills due to the demands of the work and was able to start handling birds. I was fortunate enough to see a plethora of bird species in the high Arctic!

My time in Greenland helped capture my passion for field biology and allowed me to continue my journey to work with a plethora of amazing species.

Painted Turtle Physiology

I assisted with Painted Turtle cold hardiness research at Augustana College with my mentor, Dr. Tim Muir.
We investigated how the importance of the yolk in hatchling turtles and where nutrients ended up in the turtles body. .

A Passion for Wildlife

Nature has always encompassed a large part of my life. As a kid, I was enamoured with Steve Irwin and his love for the animals we share our planet with. My family took me camping, hiking, and fishing often and showed me the beauty of what was in my own country. They introduced me to birding as well. My dad and I would go birding almost every weekend to nearby parks hoping to get a glimpse owls, cranes, and other beautiful bird species.

My love for wildlife continued into undergrad, where I furthered my education in biology. I assisted in field research and developed my skills as a scientist. Despite the pandemic, I was still able to present a poster on my painted turtle research at the end of my senior year.

I decided to take a gap year between undergrad and graduate school. However, I struggled to land a job in wildlife due to the competetion and low job avalibility. I worked at a hospital instead as a patient transporter. While it was not my dream job, I developed both work and life skills that serve me to this day. The job was grueling, especially during the omnicron wave, but I persevered.

Around April 2022, I was accepted to Austin Peay State University to work with Dr. Woltmann in Clarksville, Tennessee. I was nervous but ready for the next step. I visited Austin Peay before I started and was convinced this was the place for me.

In August 2023, I moved down to Clarksville and began my gradute school experience.

My time at Austin Peay has been great so far. I have learned so much from my advisor and the faculty. I have taken courses in ornithology, icthyology, and advance data analyses. I was never aware of the biodiversity of freshwater fish in the southeastern United States until Austin Peay. As of now, my main focus in completing my thesis. My thesis is progrssing, and I hope to defend by next summer.

After Austin Peay, I plan on taking two years off of school to work and gain more experience. I then plan to pursue a PhD when the time comes.

Contact Me!

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch, please leave a message down below!
I usually respond within 24-48 hours. I look forward to hearing from you!