This page tells you about the graduate and undergraduate students from my lab.

Interested Graduate Students

My general advice is to gain some prior research experience so that you feel confident in devoting 2-3 years to a M.S. degree.  This can be attained by getting involved in undergraduate research, working in a lab, serving as an intern, assisting in field work, or participating in research programs such as an NSF REU. 

If you find yourself interested in joining my lab, then send me an e-mail with a CV if you have one.  Let me know something about yourself, your academic history, and why you want to conduct research in my lab.  If you have some specific research interests in mind, let me know.

I expect my students to be active in the lab and department by attending seminars, participating in discussions, presenting data at professional meetings, applying for funds by writing grants, writing manuscripts for publication, and having fun being a productive graduate student. 

Current Graduate Students

• Jon Ashley, received B.S. from SUNY Potsdam, Thesis Project:  Habitat use in timber rattlesnakes. 

Former Students

• Chad Hanna, graduated 2005, M.S.  Thesis - Thermal Consequences of Nest-Site Selection in the Green Lynx Spider, Peucetia viridans (Araneae: Oxyopidae), received Ph.D. from University of Louisville, currently an associate professor of biology at California University of Pennsylvania.
• Jeff Green, graduated 2005, M.S.  Thesis - Thermal Biology of the Eastern Racer (Coluber constrictor) in Middle Tennessee, currently a biology instructor at Nashville State Community College.
• Brad Glorioso, graduated 2006, M.S.  Thesis - Population Ecology and Feeding Activity of the Skinkpot Turtle, Sternotherus odoratus Latreille (Kinosternidae), at Reelfoot Lake, Lake Co., Tennessee., currently an ecologist for the USGA in Louisiana.
• Jake Pruett, graduated 2006, B.S.  Worked on timber rattlesnake ecology movement and body temperature regulation at MTSU, received M.S. from University of Texas at Tyler and Ph.D. from Indiana State University, currently an assistant professor of biology at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
• Collin Jaeger, graduated 2008, M.S. Thesis - Spatial Ecology of the Painted Turtle and Red-eared Slider in Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee, received Ph.D. from at Northern Illinois University currently a biology instructor at McHenry County College in Illinois.
• Diane Massey, graduated 2009, M.S. Thesis - Thermal Effects on Prey Preference in Common Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula), was a Ph.D. student at Brock University.
• Lacy Danikas, graduated 2010, M.S. Thesis - Variation in Locomotor Performance of a Geographically Widespread Species, Nerodia sipedon, received Ph.D. from University of Tennessee, post-doc at Case Western University, currently a lead instructor in the STEMM program at Hawken Upper School in Ohio.
• Jerrod Shipman, graduated 2011, M.S. Thesis - Thermal Ecology of Hibernation in the Northern Watersnake, currently a biology faculty at Volunteer State Community College in Tennessee.
• Jacob Campbell, graduated 2012, M.S. Thesis - The Effect of Body Mass, Temperature, and Hypoxia/Hypercapnia on the Metabolic Rate of Terrestrial and Fossorial Snakes, received Ph.D. from Arizona State University, currently a post-doc for the USDA in North Dakota.
• Eric Nordberg, graduated 2013, M.S. Thesis - Thermal Ecology and Behavioral Activity in Hibernating Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus), received a Ph.D. from James Cook University in Australia and is currently a post-doc there.
• Alyssa Hoekstra, graduated 2015, M.S. Thesis - The Influence of Habitat on Body Temperature Regulation in the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), currently a conservation biologist for Wisconsin DNR.
• Sarah Kirkpatrick, graduated 2016, M.S. Thesis - Does Digestion Affect Thermoregulation in Free-ranging Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus)?, currently a small animal veterinary technician in Texas.