Current projects

Matt Balazik

Ph.D. student, Life Sciences
Adviser: Steve McIninch, Ph.D.
Project title: The spatial distribution of young-of-the-year sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) in the James River, Va.

Elizabeth Collins

M.E. student, Center for Environmental Studies
Adviser: Chris Gough, Ph.D.
Project title: Forest carbon sequestration and nitrogen retention in response to chronic nutrient amendments

Morgan Duke and Nathan Conway

B.S. students, Biology
Adviser: Lesley Bulluck, Ph.D.
Project title: Prothonotary Warbler breeding density in natural and nest box sites and factors influencing nest box selection

John Furry

M.S. student, Biology
Adviser: Rima Franklin, Ph.D.
Project title: Characterizing planktonic bacterial pathogens in the Lower James River

Zack Ghahramani

M.S. student, Biology
Adviser: Mike Fine, Ph.D.
Project title: Variation in sound production in the blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus.

Jaime Gillespie

B.S. student, Environmental Studies
Adviser: Rima Franklin, Ph.D.
Project title: A study of microbial community similarity among freshwater wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Amy Jenkins

Ph.D. student, Integrative Life Sciences
Adviser: Rima Franklin, Ph.D.
Project title: Wetland microbial carbon and nitrogen cycling

Catherine Luria

M.S. student, Biology
Adviser: Paul Bukaveckas, Ph.D.
Project title: Are metabolic activity states of aquatic bacteria responsive to availability of nutrients and labile organic matter?

Crystal A. Meadows

M.S. student, Biology
Adviser: Rodney Dyer, Ph.D.
Project title: Using integrative landscape genetic techniques to determine environmental barriers to gene flow in Cornus florida L. (Cornacea) an insect pollinated understory

Rana Mehr

B.S. student, Biology
Adviser: Rima Franklin, Ph.D.
Project title: Microbial physiological profiles in an emergent freshwater marsh

Amberly Moon

M.S. student, Biology
Adviser: Joy Ware, Ph.D.
Project title: Head-start juvenile and adult resident Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina): Winter ecology and survivorship

Jonathan Moore

Ph.D. student, Biology, Virginia Tech
Adviser: Jeffrey Walters, Ph.D.
Project title: Response of prothonotary warblers to climate change induced mistiming of breeding events

Christine Prasse

M.S. student, Biology
Adviser: Rima Franklin, Ph.D.
Project title: Hydrology and vegetation effects on microbal community structure and extracellular enzyme activity in the sediments of freshwater wetlands

Anna Riggan

M.S. student, Center for Environmental Studies
Adviser: Kevin Caillouet, Ph.D.
Project title: Bird - mosquito interactions

Anne Schlegel

M.S. student, Biology
Adviser: Paul Bukaveckas, Ph.D.
Project title: The influence of rainfall and tidal surge events on water quality in Kimages Creek

Sheri A. Shiflett

Ph.D. student, Life Sciences
Adviser: Don Young, Ph.D.
Project title: Comparisons of physiology, anatomy, and structure among three evergreen shrubs in a temperate forest understory

Molly Sobotka

M.S. student, Biology
Adviser: Paul Bukaveckas, Ph.D.
Project title: Legacy sediments in streams: effects on nutrient partitioning during simulated resuspension events

Katie Wallace

M.S. student, Biology
Adviser: Ghislaine Mayer, Ph.D.
Project title: Molecular analysis of vectors of avian malaria and flaviviruses on breeding grounds of Prothontary Warblers in Central Virginia