2020 - Present Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,
The University of Oklahoma
Dissertation topic: Genomics of
morphological convergence in deep-sea fishes
(Lophiiformes and Tetraodontiformes).
Supervisor: Dr. Dahiana Arcila

2018 - 2020 M.S. in Biological Science,
Southeastern Louisiana University
Thesis: Resolving taxonomic difficulties
between Poeciliopsis pleurospilus and
Poeciliopsis gracilis (Cyprinodontiformes:
Poeciliidae).
Supervisor: Dr. Kyle Piller

2013 - 2017 B.S. in Zoo and Wildlife Biology,
Bob Jones University
Undergraduate Research: Ecology of an
Eastern Musk Turtle (Stenotherus odoratus)
assemblage in an urban landscape.
Supervisor: Dr. Christopher Carmichael

2021 Cashner Student Award
Am. Soc. of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Diversity Award, $1,000

2021 Hill Fund Award
The University of Oklahoma - Dept. of Biology
Travel Grant to fund conference travel, $500

2020 Graduate Student Senate Research Award
The University of Oklahoma
Research Grant (SCUBA Certification), $750

2020 Hill Fund Award
The University of Oklahoma - Dept. of Biology
Travel Grant to fund conference travel, $500

2019 Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Grant
American Museum of Natural History
Travel Grant to fund collection trip to Mexico
(Master's research), $3,250

2022 - Present Fisheries Technician
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Stocking and restoration of American Shad
Supervisors: Josh Newhard & Rob Bourdon

2021 Graduate Research Assistant
The University of Oklahoma
Hybridization of Cyprinella lutrensis and Cyprinella venusta
Supervisor: Rich Broughton

Fall 2020 Graduate Teaching Assistant
The University of Oklahoma
TA for BIOL-1124 - Molecules, Cells, and Physiology
Supervisor: Tarren Shaw

2019 – 2020 Ichthyology Collections Manager
Southeastern Louisiana
Managed ichthyology collection at the Vertebrate Museum
Supervisor: Kyle Piller

2018 – 2019 Graduate Teaching Assistant
Southeastern Louisiana University
TA for GBIO-152 - General Biology Laboratory I
Supervisor: Frank Campo

Fall 2017 Science Faculty
Bangkok Grace International School (Thailand)
6th Grade General Science, Physical Science, Life Science, General Biology
and Human Anatomy and Physiology teacher at K-12 school
Supervisor: Val Lazo

2014 – 2017 Serpentarium Lab Assistant
Bob Jones University
Caring for nearly 200 reptiles and leading educational tours of our facility
Supervisor: Chris Carmichael

July 2021 Ward, S.J. , C.D. McMahan, and K.R. Piller
(talk) Resolving taxonomic difficulties between
Poeciliopsis pleurospilus and Poecilipsis gracilis
(Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae).
Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and
Herpetologists (JMIH), Phoenix, Arizona.

February 2021 Ward, S.J. , C.D. McMahan, and K.R. Piller
(talk) Resolving taxonomic difficulties between
Poeciliopsis pleurospilus and Poecilipsis gracilis.
Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution of Poeciliid
Fishes, Virtual Forum, Kansas State Univ.

April 2020 Ward, S.J.
(invited talk) Sustaining the environment with genetics and
molecular biology.
Career Paths 101 Series, Bob Jones Univ.

July 2019 Ward, S.J. and K.R. Piller
(poster) Assessing molecular variation of the Largespot
Livebearer (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae)
(Poeciliopsis pleurospilus).
JMIH - Snowbird, Utah.

March 2016 Ward, S.J., V. Antignani, K. Knisely, S. Figard
(undergrad poster) Using JMP-SAS To Test a Hypothesis in Plant
Ecology.
South Carolina Academy of Sciences.

2020 – Present The Society of Systematic Biologists

2019 – Present American Society of Ichthyologists and
Herpetologists (ASIH)

2018 – 2021 Southeastern Fishes Council

2018 – 2020 Biology Graduate Student Organization

2016 – 2017 Collegiate Biology Association
Vice President and Founding Member

2019 Girl Scout BIG Event, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

2018 Science Fair Judge
Southeastern Louisiana University Lab School and
Regional Middle School Competition

2014 - 2017 Greenville Juvenile Detention Facility
Worked with the coordinator of a local detention
facility to lead a group of science majors in
conducting basic science experiments and mentoring
incarcerated youths on a weekly basis. Continued by
current students for at least six years after I started
the outreach.

2014 - 2017 Science Fair Judge
Bob Jones Academy
Judging the 5th-grade science fair projects each year
for 4 years during my undergraduate years.

Fieldwork

• Electrofishing

• Seining

• Gillnetting

• Boating and Trailering

• Manual spawning

• PADI SCUBA Certified

- Next-Gen Data Processing (RStudio, Unix)

- Sanger Data Processing
(Geneious, iqTree, FigTree, PopArt)

- Morphological Data Processing
(tpsDig, tpsUtil, MorphoJ, ImageJ)

- Biogeographical Data Processing (GenGIS, ArcGIS)

- Museum Data Processing (Specify, FishNet-2)