Curriculum vitae

PDF Version | Academic Positions | Education | Courses Taught |
Awards & Grants | Seminars | Professional Memberships | Service |

Academic Positions

• Professor, Department of Biology, Clark University, September 2022 to Present
• Mary Despina Lekas Endowed Chair in Biology, June 2020 to Present
• Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Clark University, September 2016 to August 2022
• Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Clark University, January 2011 to August 2016


• G.G. Simpson Postdoctoral Fellow, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, September 2008 to November 2010

Education

• Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
• Studying body shape evolution in Squamate reptiles
• University of Massachusetts Amherst. Advisor: Duncan J. Irschick
• January 2004 to June 2008, at Tulane University 2004 to June 2006


• M.Sc. in Zoology, specializing in systematics and biogeography
• Studying gekkonid systematics and biogeography
• University of Calgary. Advisor: Anthony P. Russell
• September 2000 to August 2003


• B.Sc. with a double major in Ecology and Zoology
• University of Calgary, Divisions of Ecology and Zoology
• September 1995 to April 1999


• Diversity & Inclusion Certificate Program, Clark University, September 2020 to April 2022


• Teaching using Different Modalities online course, Clark University, June to August 2020


• Workshop on Inclusion & Diversity in STEM, Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology, January 2020


• Workshop on Inclusive Teaching, Society for Integrative& Comparative Biology, January 2019


• IACUC 101 & 201 Workshops, 2014
• Rochester, New York


• Howard Hughes Medical Institute Entering Mentoring Workshop, Spring 2008
• University of Massachusetts Amherst


• Model Based Inference in the Life Sciences Workshop, 2007
• State University of New York, Syracuse
• Taught by David Anderson


• Applied Phylogenetics Workshop, 2001
• University of California, Davis

Courses Taught

• Comparative Vertebrate and Human Anatomy (Biol 111), Clark University, Spring 2011-2018, 2020, 2022-2023


• Advanced Biostatistics (Biol 206/306), Clark, Fall 2012, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2023


• Science Careers & Effective Practice (Biol 290/390), Clark, Spring 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022


• Herpetology (Biol 119), Clark, Fall 2011, 2013, 2019, 2022


• Animal Locomotion (Biol 233/333), Clark, Spring 2013, 2015, 2017, 2021


• Seminar in Evolution (Biol 243/343), Clark, Spring 2012


• Herpetology (EEB 483), University of Arizona, Spring 2009 & 2010


• Diversity of Life (EEB 111), Tulane University, TA: 4 semesters 2004-2006


• Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (Zoology 377), University of Calgary, TA: 3 semesters 2001-2003


• Embryology (Zool 471), University of Calgary, TA: 3 semesters 2000-2002

Awards & Grants

• Mary Despina Lekas Endowed Chair in Biology, from Clark University. 2020-2024.

• Grant Incentive Award from Clark University. 2021.

• Faculty Development Grant from Clark University. 2020. $2850.

• Faculty Development Grant from Clark University. 2017. $3500.

• Collaborative Research: Developmental and functional mechanisms of complex trait re-evolution: Limb loss and gain in skink lizards from the National Science Foundation. 2014-2018. $153,158 ($665,963 total)

• Hodgkins Junior Faculty Fellowship from Clark University. 2014-2015.

• Faculty Development Grant from Clark University. 2014. $1500.

• LEEP Course Development Grant from Davis Foundation Grant to Clark University for Science Careers & Effective Practice. 2013. $2000.

• LEEP Course Development Grant from Davis Foundation Grant to Clark University for Advanced Biostatistics. 2012. $2000.

• LEEP Course Revision Grant from Davis Foundation Grant to Clark University for Comparative and Human Anatomy. 2011. $500.

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2008-10 (2 yrs) - $80,000, Declined

• G.G. Simpson Postdoctoral Fellowship from University of Arizona, 2008-10 (2.5 yrs) - $92,000

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2008-10 (2 yrs) - $80,000, Declined

• Graduate School Fellowship from University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2007-08 - $11,250

• Hall Award from the Canadian Society of Zoologists for best student presentation in comparative morphology and development, 2007 - $300

• Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Grant in Aid of Research, 2006 - $1,000

• Sigma Xi Grant in Aid of Research, 2005 - $300

• NSERC Post Graduate Studies, Doctoral award, 2004-05 (2 yrs) - $42,000

• Outstanding Contribution to Teaching award from the Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Calgary, 2003 - $500

• Sharon Wilkens Graduate Scholarship for research and teaching excellence, University of Calgary, 2003 - $700

• Cas Lindsey Book Prize, from the Canadian Society of Zoologists for best student presentation in ecology, ethology and evolution, 2003 - $150

• Province of Alberta Graduate Scholarship, 2002-03 - $9,300

• Alberta Heritage Fund Scholarship, 2001 - $2,000

• University of Calgary Conference Travel Grant, 2001 - $1,000

• Jake Duerksen Memorial Scholarship from the University of Calgary, 2001 - $2,000.

• University of Calgary Thesis Research Grant, 2001 - $1000

• Sherman A. Minton Travel Grant from the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles and Herpetologists' League, 2001 - $200

Departmental Seminars

• Spring 2020 - Brown University Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department: Convergent evolution of snake-like forms in vertebrates
• Spring 2020 - Clark University Biology Department: Convergent evolution of snake-like forms in vertebrates
• Spring 2019 - University of Oklahoma Biology Department: The how and the why of the evolution of snake-like body shapes
• Spring 2019 - Greater Worcester Humanists: On the persistence of intermediate varieties: A new take on one of Darwin's evolutionary worries. Darwin Day
• Spring 2016 - Clark University Physics Department: Complexity in relationships between form, function, and habitat use
• Fall 2015 - University of Massachusetts Amherst: Complexity in relationships between form, function, and habitat use
• Fall 2014 - College of Charleston: Phenotype-fuction-niche relationships
• Fall 2014 - University of Massachusetts Boston: Phenotype-fuction-niche relationships
• Fall 2013 - Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Phenotype-function-niche relationships
• Summer 2011 - Clark University, Active Matter Group: A biomechanical perspective of sprawling locomotion

• Spring 2010 - Clark University: The evolution of body shape in segmented animals

• Spring 2010 - University of Arizona: Characterizing macroevolution: Tempo and mode of vertebral and body shape evolution in lizards

• Fall 2009 - University of Northern Iowa: The evolution of body shape in segmented animals

• Fall 2008 - University of Arizona: The evolution of segmentation and body shape

• Summer 2008 - University of Massachusetts Amherst: A phylogenetic and functional approach to the study of the evolution of body shape in lizards (Squamata)

• Spring 2008 - University of Arizona: The evolution of body shape in segmented animals

• Fall 2005 - Brown University: The evolution and development of tail length in lizards

• Spring 2003 - University of Calgary: Application of Bayesian inference in the phylogenetic analysis of multiple data sources: Intraspecific systematics of the turnip-tailed gecko

• FAll 2002 - University of Calgary: Fieldwork in paradise, or meet Mr. Murphy and forget about planning

• Spring 2002 - University of Calgary: Biological applications of principal component analysis, with emphasis on evolutionary morphometrics

• Fall 2001 - University of Calgary: Aspects of phylogenetics

• Fall 2000 - University of Calgary: Species conceptualization: old and new problems in defining species

Professional memberships

• Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology: 2001-Present

• Society for the Study of Evolution: 2008-Present

• Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles: 2001-Present

• Canadian Society of Zoologists: 2001-Present

Service

• Reviewer for 38 journals (97 manuscripts, 71 while at Clark): American Naturalist (1), Anatomical Record (1), Animal Behaviour (1), Axios (1), Belgian Journal of Zoology (2), Biological Journal of the Linnean Society (2), Biology Letters (1), BMC Ecology (1), BMC Evolutionary Biology (8), Book chapters (2), Canadian Journal of Zoology (1), Ecology (1), Ethology (2), Evolution (5), Evolutionary Biology (5), Folia Zoologica (1), Functional Ecology (4), Herpetologica (2), Herpetological Conservation Biology (2), Insects (1), Integrative & Comaprative Biology (2), Journal of Experimental Biology (9), Journal of Experimental Zoology A (2), Journal of Herpetology (2), Journal of Morphology (7), Journal of Orthoptera Research (1), Journal of the Royal Society Interface (2), Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (3), Oecologia (2), Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B (2 issue Philip J. Bergmann - 13 proposals), Physiological & Biochemical Zoology (3), PLoS One (1), Proceedings of the Royal Society B (2), Quarterly Review of Biology (1), Springer Verlag (2 - book proposals), Southeast Naturalist (1), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (3), Zoologica Scripta (1), Zoology (6), and Zootaxa (1).

• Graduate Student Mentor

• Maxwell Olson. PhD Student. August 2021-Present.
• Achyuthan Srikanthan. PhD Student. January 2021-Present.
• Amy Cheu. PhD Student. August 2015-Present.
• Gen Morinaga. PhD Student. August 2012-December 2018.


• Quincy Milton III. MS Student. March 2020-Present.
• Isabel Tonelli-Sippel. MS Student. September 2018-Present.
• Sarah Mann. MS Student. May 2019-May 2020.
• Samantha Reed. MS Student. May 2019-June 2020.
• Marian Crockett. MS Student. May 2014-December 2017.
• Robert Holden. MS Student. May 2015-May 2017.
• Faye Harwell. MS Student. January 2014-July 2016.
• Cynthia Alonso. MS Student. January 2014-July 2015.
• Hannah Diebboll. MS Student. June 2013-May 2015.
• Kyle Pettinelli. MS Student. January 2012-December 2015.
• Allegra Mitchell. MS Student. January 2011-April 2014.
• Mandy Gaudreau. PhD Student. January 2012-April 2013.
• Natasha Tchamitchian. MA Student. March 2011-April 2012.


• Other PhD student committees: 4
• Other MS/MA student committees: 18



• Undergraduate Research Mentor

• 42 at Clark University: V. Adam (2012), M. Azeez (2015-16), C. Alonso (2014), J. Beebe (2021-Pres), D. Berry (2015-18), N. Bickford (2021-Pres), S. Charles (2020), E. Cobert (2019), M. Crockett (2014-15), H. Diebboll (2013-14), D. Dulak (2020), B. Gayman (2021), K. Giedymin (2012), K. Glennie (2017-18), H. Guss (2019-Pres), M. Hare- Drubka (2011-13), F. Harwell (2014-15), R. Holden (2015), S. Kaufman (2014-15), L. Le (2017-18), J. Majka (2016-18), S. Mann (2017-18), B. McEvoy (2018-2020), A. Mitchell (2011-13), M. Molloy (2016), D. Opp (2011), S. Palladino (2011-12), K. Pettinelli (2012- 14), L. Prosterman (2013-14), M. Provost (2013-15), D. Rabinowicz (2011-12), S. Reed (2017-2018), K. Richer (2012-13), R. Rood-Goldman (2013-14), E. Roth (2012-13), E. Schaper (2014-18), S. Schnurr (2012-13), L. Siegel-Reamer (2012-14), I. Tonelli-Sippel (2018-Pres), M. Torres Zelaya (2020-Pres), and A. Zelck (2011-12), V. Zhou (2015).
• 2 at University of Arizona: C.L. Frost and C.P. Berk (2009-2010).
• 5 at University of Massachusetts Amherst: A. Trombecky, H. Li, H.J. Kim (2007-2008), S. Miner and S. Robinson (2007).
• 2 at Tulane University: J. Wu (2004-06) and J. Fontain (2004).
• 7 at University of Calgary: S. Lessard, A.M. Hobbs, M.L. Kavalench (2001), A.D. Melin, M. Quarterro (2002), C. Staley and M. Johnson (2003).


• Other Clark Service
• Research Board: 2021-Present
• Chair: 2023-Present
• Academic Technology Committee: 2019-2022
• Chair: 2021-2022
• Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee: 2011-Present
• Co-Chair: 2014-2016
• Chair: 2016-Present
• Biology Graduate Studies Committee: 2011-2018, 2019-Present
• Chair: 2015-2018, 2019-2023
• Genomics Search Committee: 2019
• Research Board: 2016-2018
• Environmental Science Steering Committee: 2012-2018
• Ecology Faculty Search Committee: 2018
• Physics Faculty Search Committee: 2017
• Biology Seminar Series Organizer: 2012-2014
• Neurobiologist Faculty Search Committee: 2011
• Bumpus Symposium for Biology Graduate Student Research Organizer: 2012, 2013
• Animal Welfare Assurance Lead: 2013-2014
• University Open House Participant: 2011-2015


• Outside Service
• Mentor in Broadening Participation program for the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology: 2019, 2022, 2023.
• Judging student posters at the 2006 and 2010 Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology meetings
• College Preparedness Workshop with local high school teachers: 2014
• Functional Anatomy of Teeth Workshop for Upward Bound students: 2012
• Fieldwork Presentation for Upward Bound students: 2014
• Functional Anatomy of Burrowing for Upward Bound students: 2015
• Cat and Shark Anatomy Demo for Grade 9 UPCS science students: 2011-2019