Fisheries and wildlife graduate students
Carice godbey
Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. Tom Nupp
Thesis title:
- TBD
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.
Trevor Jensen
Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. Tom Nupp
Thesis title:
Research interests:
Emily Jonagen
Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. John Jackson
Thesis title:
- An Evaluation of the Genetic Distribution of Sauger (Sander canadensis) in Arkansas Rivers.
Bio and Research Interests:
-
I completed my undergraduate degree in Environmental Science at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. After graduating, I held an aquatic ecology technician position with the Illinois Natural History Survey, where I decided I wanted to continue to work in fisheries. I am currently working on sampling sauger from the Arkansas River and other nearby tributaries. The goal is to take samples of DNA from these fish and evaluate how environmental separation and the construction of dams have impacted the genetic population structure of sauger in this region.
Free Kashon
Faculty Advisor:
- Dr. Chris Kellner
Thesis title:
- The spatial and behavioral ecology of the prairie lizard, Sceloporus consobrinus in the Arkansas River Valley.
Bio and Research interests:
- My research looks at how different habitat structures influence the space usage and personality types of lizards living in the Arkansas River Valley. I utilize radio telemetry and repeated behavior trials to determine the home range and behavior patterns of individual lizards, and compare data across forested, rocky, and mixed habitats.
I graduated from Wabash College, located in Crawfordsville, Indiana with a major in Biology, and after I complete my thesis, I hope to become a wildlife biologist for a state or federal agency.
When I'm not conducting field research or writing my thesis, I can be found playing Dungeons & Dragons or looking for salamanders and snakes at the local park.
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.
