My Experience
Graduate Research Assistant
June 2018 - present
Currently working as a graduate research assistant at Oklahoma State University, measuring the composition of floral resources used by bees, including macronutrients and pesticides. This will result in data on the quality of available resources in the landscape, as well as the quality of those resources collected by bees. Samples will be collected during canola flowering and at two other times during the growing season to test how floral resource availability and quality changes throughout the season. Availability and quality of floral resources outside of the canola flowering period is likely a key factor limiting bee populations in this agroecosystem, since many bee species require floral resources for longer or different time periods, or throughout the growing season.
Graduate Teaching Assistant
August 2017 - May 2018
During my teaching experience I had the opportunity to teach animal biology (ZO 310) 2-hour laboratory/lecture combination under the guidance of Dr. Timothy Judd. This course was used to show the student the diversity of animal life with an emphasis on invertebrates. Comparisons of the major animal phyla emphasizing integration of function and form. During Spring 2018, I taught a lab for cell and organismal biology (BI 173), this was geared towards freshmen, or other students wanting to take the class, to be introduced to different biological concepts and methods preformed in the lab.
Graduate Assistant
August 2016 - May 2017
Museum Curator: In August 2016, I became employed as a graduate assistant in charge of our specimen museums. This position is a supporting position that aids faculty with specimens and categorizing and maintaining computerized database. Maintain insect carrion colony used in cleaning the bones of recently skinned specimens. Supporting role to faculty members.
Volunteer Field Technician at the Attwater Prairie Chicken Nature Refuge
March 2016 - March 2016
Built habitat enclosure for the Attwater Prairie Chicken to ensure success of the breeding program. Participated in telemetry and bird call population monitoring. Also, worked with the Houston Toad and observed some of the problems, such as invasive species, affecting the population of toads. Worked to improve the environment and establish a breeding population of toads in the prairie which is part of its historic range.