Renee joined the Bernard Research Lab in Fall 2021 and is investigating bat population and community composition world at Wind Cave National Park, Mt. Rushmore National Monument, and Jewel Cave National Monument. Her research will be used to help the National Park Service make informed management decisions that will aid in the conservation of WNS-sensitive species. She is looking forward to collaborating with the National Parks Service and the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database to make natural resource conservation more inclusive and accessible to all. Renee's research is funded by the National Park Service.

When she is not taking classes and collecting field data, she enjoys rock climbing, hiking, birding, and camping (especially in the National Parks). She also enjoys visiting her hometown of Lakewood, CO, and catching up with friends over a nice cup of espresso.

Academic Background:

B.Sc., Ecosystem Science and Sustainability (with a Minor in History), Colorado State University, 2020

Media:

USFWS - To catch a bat, you must become a bat

Julia will join the Bernard Research Lab as the Lead technician for the Guernsey Bat Project in June and transition to her Master's position Fall 2023. The focus of Julia's master's project will be to improve our understanding of Corynorhinus townsendii (COTO; Townsend's big-eared bat) roosting and movement behavior. The information gained from her project will be implemented in the Wyoming Game and Fish COTO management plan.

When not out in the field, Julia enjoys caving, horseback riding, hiking, downhill and cross country skiing and spending time with her cat. She is very outgoing and loves hanging out with old friends and meeting new people. 

Academic Background:

B.Sc., Forest Resources/Fisheries and Wildlife (Wildlife Sciences emphasis), University of Georgia, 2021

Nick joined the Bernard Research Lab in Summer 2021 and will be conducting research on Camp Guernsey Joint Military Base to examine the habitat and roost selection of three species at risk of decline due to white-nose syndrome. While M. septentrionalis, M. lucifugus and Perimyotis subflavus have experienced dramatic declines in the eastern extent of their range, little is known how they may be affected in the West. Nick's research is funded by the Wyoming Military Department and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Academic Background:

B.Sc., Fish & Wildlife Management, Eastern Kentucky University, 2016

A.Sc., Fish & Wildlife Management Technology, Haywood Community College, 2013

Joel joined the Bernard Research Lab in Summer 2022 to assist Logan Detweiler on the Bats and Bridges project. After the field season, Joel joined the Lab as a WY INBRE student researcher. His project is focused on using genetic techniques to identify bat species and their prey from guano collected at bridge roosts. Joel will be a Bernard Research Lab Technician in Summer 2023.

Academic Background:

Casper College & University of Wyoming (Biology & Zoology double major)

Noah joined the Bernard Research Lab in Fall 2022 to assist Renee Lile and Nick Kovacs with ectoparasite identification. Noah is currently working as a Wyoming INBRE undergraduate researcher for the lab. His research focuses on ectoparasites loads found on bats in the eastern Wyoming and western South Dakota regions. As research in these regions on bat ectoparasites is sparse he hopes that this research will help build more knowledge in this area. In his free time Noah enjoys reading, hiking, birding, playing games (board and video), and going to coffee shops.

Academic Background:

University of Wyoming

Taylor joined the Bernard Research Lab as an undergraduate researcher in Fall 2021 working on identifying Eimeria in bat guano collected from bridge roosts. After some time trying out other fields, she joined the lab as a summer technician on Renee Lile's PhD project in the South Dakota Black Hills in 2023. Now she is diving into her own research trying to investigate when VHF signals are lost in rock and crevice roosts, a question that plagued her and the team this summer. 

Academic Background:

B.Sc., Zoology, University of Wyoming, Anticipated 2024

A.Sc., Biology, Casper College

Logan completed his Master's Fall 2023. His project investigated the use of bridges by bats in Wyoming. Logan's research was funded by the University of Wyoming Department of Zoology & Physiology, University of Wyoming Arts and Science, Wyoming INBRE, Wyoming Department of Transportation and Wyoming Game and Fish Department (Wyoming Governor's Big Game License Coalition Grant). He worked collaboratively with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Wyoming Department of Transportation.

Academic Background:

M.Sc., Zoology & Physiology, University of Wyoming, 2023

B.Sc., Biology, University of Wyoming, 2020

A.Sc., Biology, Casper College, 2017

Ava joined the Bernard Research Lab in Summer 2022 to assist Nick Kovacs on the habitat selection project on Camp Guernsey Joint Military Base. This was Ava's first time working with bats in Wyoming, having previously worked with Catalina foxes, New Mexico meadow jumping mice and various bird species.

Academic Background:

B.Sc., Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, 2020

Tai Mei joined the Bernard Research Lab in Summer 2022 to assist Renee Lile in Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Mount Rushmore National Monument on her graduate research. She will be joining Renee's team again in summer 2024. Tai Mei is originally from San Francisco, CA, and a graduate of Colorado State University. 

Academic Background:

B.Sc., Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 2022