Fisheries and wildlife graduate students
Carice godbey
Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. Tom Nupp
Thesis title:
- Influences on interior least tern (Sternula antillarum antillarum) colony success: site features, disturbances, and predation
Bio and Research interests:
- My name is Carice Godbey and I will be working with least terns (Sternula antillarum) on the Arkansas River. I’m specifically interested in different factors of least tern colony site selection, like predator distribution along the river, perception of predator presence, and features of sand bars influencing site selection. I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Sciences from Mississippi State University. My main career goal is to become an academic advisor for incoming wildlife biology students. I have spent the last 5 years of my career obtaining a diverse set of experiences in the biological field, and I will continue the next 10 gaining even more in the interest of being best equipped to advise a high variety of students. I love teaching and want to help lead in the next generation of wildlife biologists.
Anthony Zenga
Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. Sue Colvin
Thesis title:
Research interests: I received my bachelors degree in Wildlife Ecology with a Fisheries concentration from the University of Maine. After graduating, I worked as a fish intern for the American Conservation Experience in Shenandoah National Park, and worked as a hatchery technician for the Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation. My thesis will be looking at how roadside crossing barriers impact fish assemblage and habitat, specifically in the Northwest Karst region of Arkansas where present and historical sites of Arkansas and Least darter are found.
Emily Jonagan
Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. John Jackson
Thesis title:
- A genetic evaluation of the impacts of dams on Sauger (Stizostedion canadensis) movement patterns in the Arkansas River
Bio and Research Interests:
-
I grew up in St. Louis, MO, then made my way to Cincinnati, OH to complete my bachelor's degree in Environmental Science. After graduating, I held an aquatic ecology technician position with the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS). While with the INHS, I decided I wanted to further my education in fisheries science and move states again! I am currently working on processing and analyzing genetic samples from Sauger collected in the Arkansas River during the last two winters. My goal is to evaluate how environmental separation and the construction of dams have impacted the genetic population structure of Sauger in this region. I hope to work as a fisheries biologist for a local or federal agency, preferably with imperiled species, after receiving my master's degree.
Anju Ghimirey
Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. Chris Kellner
Thesis title:
- TBD
Bio and Research interests:
-
My name is Anju Ghimirey, and I moved to Arkansas in July to begin my graduate studies at Arkansas Tech University. I am looking at mark and recapture and tail break frequency of Sceloporus consobrinus (prairie lizard) in three different types of habitats in central Arkansas. Though born in Nepal, I lived in Pennsylvania for a good half of my life. I received my bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Lebanon Valley College (LVC) in Annville, PA, where I did my undergraduate thesis on the effect of road salt on aquatic carnivorous bladderworts.
Araks "Roxy" Ohanyan
Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. Chris Kellner
Thesis title:
- Age- and Sex- Specific Habitat Use and Survival of Rusty Blackbirds Wintering in Arkansas.
Bio and Research interests:
- I was born in Armenia, grew up in California, then moved to Philadelphia to complete my undergraduate degree in Biology at Drexel University. For several years, I travelled around the country – and abroad – working as a seasonal avian technician for various research organizations. I moved to Arkansas last year to begin my graduate studies at Tech. The subject of my thesis is Age- and Sex- Specific Habitat Use and Survival of Rusty Blackbirds Wintering in Arkansas. Rusty Blackbirds are one of the most rapidly declining songbirds in North America, but little is known about the factors influencing their population loss. My goal is to learn more about their wintering ecology in order to help provide the groundwork for management recommendations in Arkansas and beyond.
Aaron Tormanen
Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. Jorista Garrie
Thesis title:
- Impacts of Prescribed Burning and Mechanical Thinning on Insect Communities in the Arkansas Ozarks.
Bio and Research interests:
-
The topic of my thesis is the Impacts of Prescribed Burning and Mechanical Thinning on Insect Communities in the Arkansas Ozarks. I am looking at how burn frequency and the combination of burning and thinning in the Ozark National Forest affects the diversity and biomass of insect pollinators and insect prey for bats. I received my B.S. in Biology from Washington State University in 2016, and have work other field positions involving insects, bats, and birds.
