Current Graduate Students (click here for information about the CU BioSci graduate program) KELLY DIAMOND Kelly earned her BS at University of Central Florida (2013), and is finishing her MSc at Clemson University (2015). She will be starting her Ph.D. at Clemson University in the Blob lab in fall 2015. Research • For her MSc, Kelly is investigating how environmental conditions impact predator prey interactions in the Hawaiian Goby Scicyopterus stimpsoni. Honors • 2014 Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research • 2014 Clemson Biological Sciences Graduate Student Association Commitment to Student Research Award CHRISTOPHER MAYERL Christopher earned his BS at Humboldt State University (2011), and his MSc at Vrije Universiteit Brussels (2013). Research • Christopher's dissertation is focused on the functional morphology of pleurodire turtles, and how the fusion of the pelvis to the bottom part of the shell in these animals may have influenced their habitat use and locomotor performance. Honors • 2015 Company of Biologists Travel Grant • 2014 Society for Experimental Biology annual meeting Best poster award (3rd place) • 2014 Clemson University Biological Sciences Annual Student Symposium Best Oral Presentation • 2013 Clemson University Alumni Fellowship VANESSA YOUNG Vanessa earned her BS at Erskine College (2010) and MSc at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock (2012). Research • Vanessa's dissertation examines biomechanics associated with locomotion in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The goals of this project are to build an understanding of the mechanism for morphological change in limb bone shape in secondarily aquatic vertebrates. Lab Alumni Postdoctoral MICHAEL BUTCHER (2006-2008) • Now Assistant Professor at Youngstown State University • Mike's website Lab Research • Comparative locomotor loading mechanics of turtle and opossum hindlimbs Lab Publications PhD Sandy earned her BS at the University of California-Davis (2008). Research • Sandy's dissertation examined how locomotor biomechanics influenced the evolutionary invasion of land by vertebrates, using mudskippers and salamanders as experimental models. • Sandy also has extensive experience using studies of morphological selection to evaluate functional tradeoffs across waterfall climbing species of gobiid fishes • See Sandy's website for more details! Honors • 2011, 2012 Clemson Wade Stackhouse Fellowship • 2011 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Graduate Student Teaching Award • 2010 ASIH Raney award • 2010 Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research Lab Publications TAKASHI MAIE (2013) Takashi earned his BS at St. Cloud State (2004) and MSc in my lab at Clemson (2007). Research • Takashi's dissertation is examining the biomechanics of feeding and substrate adhesion in waterfall climbing gobiid fishes Honors • 2009, 2010 Clemson Anderson Fellowship • 2007 ASIH Raney award Lab Publications ANGELA RIVERA (2011) • Now Postdoc at Harvard University Dissertation • Comparative forelimb muscle function in turtles: tests of environmental variation and neuromotor conservation Lab Publications GABRIEL RIVERA (2009) • Now Assistant professor at Creighton University Dissertation • Hydrodynamics of freshwater turtles: maneuverability, stability, and effects of shell shape Lab Publications MSc CASEY GOSNELL (2010) • Now with National Marine Fisheries Service Thesis • Femoral loading mechanics in Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana): torsion and mediolateral bending in mammalian parasagittal locomotion Lab Publications MEGAN SHEFFIELD (2008) • Now Science Librarian at University of South Florida • Megan's website Thesis • Loading mechanics in femora of tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) and tegu lizards (Tupinambis merianae): implications for the evolution of limb bone design Lab Publications • Blob, R. W., Wright, K. M, Becker, M, Maie, T., Iverson, T. J., Julius, M. L., Schoenfuss, H. L. 2007. Ontogenetic change in novel functions: waterfall climbing in adult Hawaiian gobiid fishes. Journal of Zoology 273:200-209. Available HERE |
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