|
Philosophy
of Graduate Student Supervision & Graduate
Students
PHILOSOPHY OF GRADUATE
STUDENT SUPERVISION
| Any
prospective graduate student desiring
to conduct research under my supervision
must be willing to meet several general
expectations. It must be understood
at the outset that my highest priority
for a graduate student is for the student
to find rewarding employment once leaving
my laboratory. Whether this employment
emphasizes education, academic research,
conservation, applied product development
in industry, or a combination of these,
is immaterial. What is important is
the understanding that, although advanced
degrees will be earned in the recommended
period of time, or sooner, students
are expected to work hard and show trajectories
of productivity and the attainment of
technical, analytical |
 |
 |
and
communication skills during their graduate
studies that are required to be competitive
for the employment opportunity they
desire. I function as a facilitator,
collaborator and an unrelenting advocate
for the student, but in return I expect
students to work hard, be conscientious,
strive for excellence, and work synergistically
and amiably within a community of like-minded
individuals to attain personal and collaborative
research goals. |
Graduate school can be a relaxing interlude
in one's life, but it is exceedingly rare
that this pace will lead to rewarding employment,
nor even result in the completion of advanced
degrees.Thus, I am committed at the earliest
moment to establishing and promoting student-driven,
goal trajectories that if followed will
assure that students earn advanced degrees
and exciting employment.
RECENT AWARDS OF SUPERVISED
GRADUATE STUDENTS
| 1999 |
John
C. Maerz |
University
Award for Excellence in Graduate Research |
| 1999 |
John
C. Maerz |
University
Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching |
| 2000 |
Jason
Rohr |
University
Dissertation Year Fellowship |
| 2001 |
Aaron
Sullivan |
NSF
Dissertation Improvement Grant |
| 2002 |
Jason
Rohr |
University
Award for Excellence in Research |
| 2002 |
Aaron
Sullivan |
University
Dissertation Year Fellowship |
| 2003 |
Aaron Sullivan |
University Award for Excellence in Graduate Research |
| 2004 |
Aaron Sullivan |
University Distinguished Dissertation Award in Science and Mathematics
|
 THESES
DIRECTED (*anticipated completion)
Undergraduate Honors Theses
| 1984 |
G.
Simon |
"Individual
recognition in salamanders: cloacal
odors" (Published in Animal Behaviour)
|
| 1984 |
M.
Imossi |
"Sex
identification and seasonal variation
of intraspecific odor preferences in
the red-backed salamander (Plethodon
cinereus)" |
| 1985 |
L.
Hurwitz |
"Stud
male role in prevention of pregnancy
block in Microtus ochrogaster" |
| 1986 |
R.
Buchholz |
"Optimal
foraging in Peromyscus leucopus; use
of olfaction" |
| 1997 |
K.
Wareing |
"Maternal
care and kin recognition of the red-backed
salamander, Plethodon cinereus" (Published
in Herpetological Review; others inpreparation) |
| 1998 |
J.
Davis |
"The ontogeny of photoresponse in
Triops longicaudatus" (Published in
Crustaceana)
|
Master's Theses
| 1977 |
P.
Caplis |
"Neighbor
recognition by the meadow vole (Microtus
pennsylvanicus) and the role of olfactory
cues" [awarded at McGill University,
Montreal] |
| 1982 |
R.
Pagano |
"Coexistence
of two vole species, Microtus, in an
orchard" (Publication in the Proceedings
of the 5th and 6th Eastern Pine and
Meadow Vole Symposium) |
| 1984 |
J.
Dyer |
"The
reproductive ecology of red-backed salamanders,
Plethodon cinereus" |
| 1989 |
A.
Antipas |
"Activity
rhythms in the short-tailed shrew, Blarina
brevicauda" (Published in Physiology
& Behavior) |
| 1990 |
A.
Peterson |
"The
impact of electric transmission rights-of-way
upon headwater
brook trout habitat and populations
in forested areas in New York State" |
| 1993 |
M.
Young |
"Winter
aggregation of meadow voles and the
thermal benefits of communal nesting" |
| 1997 |
D.
Blais |
"Movement,
home range, and other aspects of the
biology of the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus
alleganiensis alleganiensis): a radio
telemetric study" |
| 1997 |
J.
McDarby |
"Chemosensory
avoidance of predators by the red-backed
salamander, Plethodon cinereus" (Published
in Advances in Chemical Signals in Vertebrates) |
| 1998 |
K.
Wareing |
"Aspects
of the mother-offspring bond in the
red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus):
maternal care and kin recognition" (Published
in Herpetological Review; other chapters
in preparation) |
| 2000 |
K.
Walker |
"A
comparison of breeding period and operational
sex ratios in a two year study of Bufo
americanus and Ambystoma maculatum" |
| 2000 |
J.
Karuzas |
"The
assessment and use of substrate-borne
chemical cues in the red backed salamander
(Plethodon cinereus)" |
| 2002 |
L.
Hecker |
"Histology
of alarm scent production in salamanders" |
| 2003 |
M. Machura |
“Effects of age on a behavior-mediating chemical cue in a predator-prey system” Published in Chemical Signals X
|
| 2003 |
M.
McKenna |
"Chemical
prey defenses in salamanders" |
| 2004 |
Stacey Magliaro |
“Effect of ultraviolet light on the chemical cue that elicits amphibian anti-predator behavior” |
| 2005* |
David Taylor |
“Geographic differences in predator avoidance behavior: genetic distance or environmental conditioning” |
Ph.D. Theses
| 1984 |
Randall
FitzGerald |
"Population
ecology and social biology of a free-ranging
population of pine voles, Microtus pinetorum" |
Currently
an Associate Professor, New Jersey School
of Conservation, Montclair St. College,
Branchville, New Jersey |
| 1985 |
William
McShea |
"Influences
on the postpartum behavior of female
meadow voles in a natural population" |
William
McShea is now a research associate at
the Smithsonian Institution's Center
for Conservation and Research at Front
Royal, VA |
| 1986 |
Peter
Petokas |
"Patterns
of reproduction and growth in the freshwater
turtle Emydoidea blandingii" |
Peter
is now a faculty member in biology at
Indiana University of Pennsylvania,
Punxsutawney Campus, Punxsutawney, PA. |
| 2000 |
John
C. Maerz |
"Prey
availability and phenotypic differences
between local terrestrial salamander
populations" |
He
is currently a Research Associate at
Cornell University in the Department
of Natural Resources. He has become
an invaluable connection to Cornell
University, to the herpetological community
there, and especially to the strong
Invasive Species Unit in the Department
of Natural Resources, Cornell University,
Ithaca, New York. |
| 2001 |
Victor
Lamoureux |
"Movement
dynamics and habitat use of green frogs,
Rana clamitans, through the annual cycle:
a radiotelemetric study" |
Victor
is a dedicated educator and his first
choice for a career was to become a
high school biology teacher at Union-Endicott
High School, Endicott, New York. |
| 2002 |
J.
Rohr |
"Dynamics
of chemosensory responses of the red-spotted
newt Notophthalmus viridescens to social
pheromones and predator alarm substances:
a field and laboratory study" |
Jason currently is a Research Associate at Pennsylvania State University where he oversees research progress in a major, multi-faculty research grant. |
| 2003 |
E.
McGowan |
"Behavioral
and reproductive ecology of free-ranging
timber rattlesnakes as revealed by radiotelemetry"
|
He is the Science Director of the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference. |
| 2004 |
A.
Sullivan |
“Chemically-mediated predator assessment by a terrestrial salamander” Published in multiple journals and symposia |
He currently is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Houghton College , New York . |
| 2007* |
Valorie Titus |
“Conservation biology of the endangered tiger salamander in New York State ” |
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