Lab News

Highlights

2025: I continue to write up data on a bunch of projects, including invasive Black and White Tegu lizards in GA with collaborators from Georgia DNR and USGS.   The lab has three MS students (Euan Andrew, Elissa Colombo, Sylvia Hanson), a RaMP student (Gabriel Ortiz), and an honors undergraduate student working on a variety of projects.

Alumni

• Isaiah Samek (RaMP 2024-2025) began his MS training at WKU in Jarrett Johnson's lab. He will be exploring more questions related to population genetics in Florida Scrub lizards.

• Justin Sanclemente completed a GA Sea Grant internship at Jekyll Island and is now teaching in Texas...and herping and playing disc golf as usual.

• Michael Brennan is doing his PhD at UGA on Jekyll Island Rattlesnakes.

• David Tevs just is working his way through comps and data collection data in his PhD at Montana.

• Katie Roberts did plant survey work on various Hawaiian islands...and is busy traveling the world.

• Cheyenne Walker is employed the Florida Fish and Wildlife commission working on hunting lands in south FL.

• Sidney Anderson is a Science Communicator at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. 

• Dr. Chase Kinsey is a new assistant prof at Belmont University in Nashville.

• Richard Orton is working on a PhD in Canada on whale conservation. Get that degree and come back to the south!

• Dr. Lauren Neel  got hitched, lives in southern Oregon, and works for the National Parks Service...on plants!

• Seth Parker, wife Dr. Alicia Reigal, two kids, and a dog have started a new life in Virginia. Seth works at an ag research station.

• Matthew Kaunert (PhD at Ohio U!) is The new Director of the Clean Water Institute at Lycoming College in PA.

• Sarah Farmer: is likely lighting the world on fire somewhere.

• Dr. Clint Collins: is an associate professor at Cal State Sacramento....and studies Kangaroo rats now. Plus he got tenure! 

• Jessica Self: is a big playa in California water conservation. She is managing a water & conservation district in (essentially) her hometown! And Ava is about 9. Wow.

• Reed Stiller: works for Indiana Department of Natural Resource, managing the Kingsbury Fish and Wildlife Area.

• Dr. Derek Tucker: Returned to Phoenix AZ after a PhD at BYU, and a stint at U. West Florida.  He is a faculty member at his alma mater, AZ State!

• Jen O'Connor: She is working big pharma in metro Atlanta

• Steve Williams: has finally moved BACK to Ft. Collins, CO and has a great job with Colorado DNR

• Matt Schacht: teaches anatomy at a tech school in Manhattan, KS

• Dr. Tim Gowan (PhD UF) works for US Fish and Wildlife Service in Athens GA.

• Amy Gaskell-Thompson: Works for the Army Corp of Engineers on Everglades restoration projects

• Jennifer Korenek: environmental consultant in Houston, TX

• Josh Pierce: US Forest Service biologist in Nacogdoches, TX

• Dr. Mike Hitchcock: is a medical doctor in ...New England now. Still running and playing sax, I'm sure.