Student Research

    This page tells you about the graduate and undergraduate students working in my lab. 

    Interested Graduate Students

    My general advice is to gain some prior research experience so that you feel confident in devoting 2-3 years to a M.S. degree.  This can be attained by getting involved in undergraduate research, working in a lab, serving as an intern, assisting in field work, or participating in research programs such as an NSF REU. 

    If you find yourself interested in joining my lab, then send me an e-mail with a CV if you have one.  Let me know something about yourself, your academic history, and why you want to conduct research in my lab.  If you have some specific research interests in mind, let me know.

    Just to let you know, I expect my students to be active in the lab and department by attending seminars, participating in discussions, presenting data at professional meetings, applying for funds by writing grants, writing manuscripts for publication, and having fun being a productive graduate student. 

    Currently, I am not accepting any new graduate students, unless, you have already contacted me about joining the lab. 
     

    Graduate Students

    Timothy Worrall (in the bandana)

    • Received his B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University
    • Thesis Project:  Mercury contamination in a population of cottonmouths in East Texas.
    • Plans to finish in 2010

     
     

    Carrie Casteel

    • Received her B.S. from University of Tennessee at Martin
    • Thesis Project:  Effect of nest emergence timing on whole body performances of hatchling turtles. 
    • Plans to finish in 2009

     

    Lacy Danikas

    • Received her B.S. from Francis Marion University
    • Thesis Project: Latitudinal cline in the thermal physiology of the watersnake Nerodia sipedon.
    • Plans to finish in 2009

     
     

    Jerrod Shipman

    • Received his B.S. from Bowling Green State University
    • Thesis Project:  Thermal biology of hibernation in Nerodia sipedon in Middle Tennessee.

     

    Undergraduate Students

    Carly Neilson & Hailey Burton

     

    Ginny Schlitt

    Recent Students

    • Chad Hanna, graduated 2005, M.S.  Thesis - Thermal Consequences of Nest-Site Selection in the Green Lynx Spider, Peucetia viridans (Araneae: Oxyopidae), currently an assistant professor of biology at California University of Pennsylvania.
    • Jeff Green, graduated 2005, M.S.  Thesis - Thermal Biology of the Eastern Racer (Coluber constrictor) in Middle Tennessee, currently a biology instructor at Nashville State Community College.
    • Brad Glorioso, graduated 2006, M.S.  Thesis - Population Ecology and Feeding Activity of the Skinkpot Turtle, Sternotherus odoratus Latreille (Kinosternidae), at Reelfoot Lake, Lake Co., Tennessee., currently a field biologist in Louisiana.
    • Jake Pruett, graduated 2006, B.S.  Researched rattlesnake movement and body temperature via telemetry, recently finished a M.S.at University of Texas at Tyler and did thesis work on cottonmouth thermal ecology.
    • Collin Jaeger, graduated 2008, M.S. Thesis - Spatial Ecology of the Painted Turtle and Red-eared Slider in Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee, currently a Ph.D. student at Northern Illinois University.
    • Diane Massey, graduated 2009, M.S. Thesis - Thermal Effects on Prey Preference in Common Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula), currently a Ph.D. student at Brock University.


    If any MTSU biology major is interested in getting some research experience with reptiles, please contact me.  We can consider current or new projects.  I would consider thermal projects on a variety of organisms.

    • Current Projects
    • Publications and Presentations 
    • Herpetological Links 
    • Contact Information 
    • Snake Surgery Pics

    Last Update: 8/24/09 
    Page Design and Layout: Chris Hebertson and Vincent Cobb