Lab members

Zachary David

PhD Candidate

Zachary is interested in taking a scientific approach to inform conservation and management decisions. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2016 with a BS in Biology and has since worked with Giant Pandas, Northern Spotted Owls, Greater Sage-Grouse, spiders, and bats through various technician jobs around the world. Zachary is studying seasonal metabolism changes in Asiatic Black Bears and other Ursidae species in southern Asia while working towards his PhD at Old Dominion University. 

Austin Jameson

PhD Student

Austin is interested in how animals physiologically cope with resource restriction in their environment, with a focus on application to wildlife conservation. He graduated with his BS in Biology in 2023. Before joining the Whiteman lab, Austin did work with hydroponics and threatened plant species. He is now using stable isotope analysis to investigate how food restriction affects the water balance of terrestrial animals, from small arthropods to large mammals.

Patty Schenke, DVM

MS student

Patty is interested in utilizing physiology research in order to assist in wildlife conservation. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Justus-Liebig-Universität in Germany in 2008. During her time in Veterinary School, she completed internships in various biomedical laboratories, which ultimately led to her pursuit of a PhD at the Paul Ehrlich Institut in Germany. Her research included the development of a human smallpox vaccine adapted from a murine mousepox model. 

Upon relocating to the United States, she volunteered at the Virginia Zoo, gaining valuable insights into the field of conservation. This experience ignited her commitment to contribute to wildlife preservation. Patty is eager to combine her love of research and conservation for her MS. She is joining the Whiteman lab examining the water balance in polar bears to draw conclusions pertaining to their water needs and possible adaptations in their physiology. This research could bring more clarity to the impact of global warming on polar bears and subsequently be of use to the field of polar bear conservation.