Professional Background

As a post- baccalaureate scholar, I strengthened my research skills while working in Louisiana State University's biology department. Participating in an initial research boot camp, I learned wet lab skills, how to code with R for data analysis, and how to be an effective science communicator. 

At the conclusion of the boot camp, I was assigned to work within the LSU Museum of Natural Science (LSUMNS). Under my mentor, Dr. Nicholas Mason, I gained valuable skills that will aid me in pursuing my PhD. In addition to curatorial tasks, I conducted research on temporal and spatial trends in Common Nighthawk's (Chordeiles minor) trophic ecology using specimens in the LSUMNS collection. 

Working within a growing collection of nearly 30,000 avian specimens, I spent most of my time assisting in curatorial tasks such as study skin preparation, cataloging, and installation. However, my primary assignment was re-spacing 18 cases worth of large avian specimens to account for new installments. Throughout my time at the BRTC, I gained a strong understanding of the scientific value held by avian specimens and the importance of collections management. 

During my time at Texas A&M University's on-campus aviary, I held the roles of animal caretaker and enrichment coordinator. In my position, I was tasked with providing daily care for over 300 parrots, including feeding, sanitation, enrichment installation, and medicine administration. Our birds were naturally infected with avian bornavirus, so I routinely assisted veterinarians in the capturing and handling of the parrots for health examinations. 

However, my favorite part of the job had little to with the birds themselves. During my time at the aviary, I assisted in the developing an educational program for students K-12. Presenting about the importance of banding, ornithological research, outdoor ethics, enrichment making, and our protocol for animal care, I gained a deep understanding of the importance of scientific communication and community outreach. 

In partnership with the Lights Out initiative, my research team utilized avian window strike fatalities collected by volunteers in major Texas cities to track the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in migrating passerines. We'd sample these window strike birds before preparing them into study skins for the University's collection. This project is ongoing, and the results of HPAI positives from our 1000 samples are pending.

Working under PhD student Keith Andringa, I strengthened my wet lab and field skills while assisting in studies analyzing ecotoxins and contaminant burdens in birds.

In the salt marshes of South Texas, I participated in the flushing, mist netting, and banding of Clapper Rails. Once banded, samples of the crop's contents were collected via lavaging and blood was drawn. I helped take and record morphological measurements, collect samples, and prepare blood slides. 

In the lab, we utilized the gastrointestinal tracts donated by duck hunters to analyze microplastic accumulation in the gastrointenstinal tract. Keith and I developed the methods for our study that involved dissecting stomachs and gizzards, recording any identifiable contents, and eventually disintegrating the organic tissue of the gastrointestinal tract via alkaline digestion. Each solution of digested GI tract was then filtered until only small, unorganic contents remained. These contents were later analyzed and microplastic counts were conducted by Keith.

Within my internship at the SPWRC, I rehabilitated Texas wildlife through daily care including medicine administration, feedings, and enclosure upkeep. Additionally, I worked with the "ambassador birds", a group of raptors unfit for release due to detrimental injuries. I assisted in taming these birds by increasing their exposure to humans and practicing their glove perching skills as pictured above. Once comfortable with handling, I'd utilize these ambassadors to conduct outreach programs, teaching the community about the wildlife they can find in their own backyard.