Former SURF Fellows
 |
Student Name: LUKE MUELLER University and Major: University of New Hampshire, Environmental Engineering with a focus on Sustainability, Class of 2019 Mentor Name: Dr. Theodora Pinou SURF Year: 2017 Project: “Tracking Triploid Grass Carp in Candlewood Lake, Danbury, CT” Project Outcomes: Luke presented his work to the WCSU community in August 2017 Where is Luke Now? Luke is an Environmental Engineer for Sanborn, Head and Associates in Westford, MA. He is also enrolled in the Master of Science in Sustainable Building Program at Northeastern University |
 |
Student Name: JASMINE GREY University and Major: Western Connecticut State University, Biology, Class of 2020 Mentor Name: Dr. Hannah Reynolds SURF Year: 2018 Project: “Developing LAMP (Loop-Amplification Mediated PCR) to be specific and sensitive for the detection of Pseudogymnoascus destructans” Project Outcomes: 1) Presented work to the WCSU Community in December 2018 2) Poster presentation at the Northeast Regional Sigma Xi Student Research Conference in April 2019 at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT 3) Won the Library Research Award at Western Research Day in 2019 4) Presented research findings at the Mycological Society of America meeting in 2020 (virtually) Where is Jasmine now? Jasmine is currently enrolled in the PhD program in Biochemistry, Cellular, and Molecular Biology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Jasmine was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship to support her thesis work on germline stem cell survival in Drosophila. |
 |
Student Name: KAYLA DEGUZMAN University and Major: Western Connecticut State University, Biology, Class of 2019 Mentor Name: Dr. Theodora Pinou SURF Year: 2018 Project: “An interspecific behavior analysis of post-rehabilitated Long Island Sound juvenile sea turtles” Project Outcomes: 1) Presented work to the WCSU Community in December 2018 2) Poster presentation at the 2019 International Sea Turtle Symposium in Charleston, South Carolina 3) Poster presentation at the 2019 Long Island Sound Research Conference in Port Jefferson, New York 4) Publication: Robinson N., Deguzman K., Bonacci-Sullivan L., DiGiovanni R., Pinou T. 2020. Do rehabilitated sea turtles resume typical migratory behaviors? Satellite tracking juvenile loggerhead, green, and Kemp’s ridley turtles in the northeastern USA. Endangered Species Research 43: 133-143, DOI.org/10.3354/esr01065. Where is Kayla now? After completing her Master of Science in Integrated Biological Diversity at Western Connecticut State University, Kayla is now an Associate Scientist at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. . . |
 |
Student Name: JACOB BETHIN University and Major: Western Connecticut State University, Biology – Ecological Sciences, Class of 2021 Mentor Name: Dr. Neeta Pardanani Connally SURF Year: 2019 Project: “Investigating the role of songbirds as hosts for the exotic Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, in the eastern US.” The project was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Holly Gaff at Old Dominion University in Virginia) and Dr. Chad Seewagen at Great Hollow Nature Preserve (Connecticut). Project Outcomes: 1) Presented at the Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting [virtual] in 2020 2) Imaged a female Asian longhorned tick, which was featured in the following publication: Schappach B.L., Krell R.K., Hornbostel V.L., Connally N. P. 2020. Exotic Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) in the United States: Biology, Ecology, and Strategies for Management. Journal of Integrated Pest Management. 11: 1-11. DOI.org/10.1093/jipm/pmaa019 Where is Jacob now? After graduating from Western Connecticut State University Jacob will be starting a M.S. In Entomology at the University of Florida in Fall 2022. Jacob’s program will be fully funded through his work as a Graduate Research Assistant at the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the Florida Museum of Natural History. . |
 |
Student Name: EMILY HOEGLER University and Major: Western Connecticut State University, Biology – Class of 2021 Mentor Name: Dr. Joshua Cordeira SURF Year: 2020 (re-scheduled to 2021) Project: “Investigating the interrelationship between food, exercise, and dopamine.” Project Outcomes: (Virtual) poster presentation at Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting 2021 Where is Emily now? Emily is a law student at Regent University Law School |
 |
Student Name: JAMES D. HANNON University and Major: Western Connecticut State University, Biology, Class of 2022 Mentor Name: Dr. Michelle Monette SURF Year: 2021 Project: “Investigating the impact of warm temperature on the osmoregulatory flexibility of Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus).” Project Outcomes: 1) Presented work to the University community in December 2021, 2) Received an Undergraduate Research Fellowship ($5,000) from Connecticut Sea Grant, 3) Received a Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research ($1,000) Where is James now? James plans to pursue a career in Conservation Biology and Biodiversity |
 |
Student Name: JOCELYN VILLACRESES University and Major: Western Connecticut State University, Biology, Class of 2024 Mentor Name: Dr. Michelle Monette SURF Year: 2022 Project: “The role of osmotic stress transcription factor in seawater acclimation in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)” Project Outcomes: Jocelyn plans to present her work at Western Research Day in May 2023 Where is Jocelyn now? Jocelyn plans to continue her research project with Dr. Monette in the Spring of 2023 as part of BIO490 Advanced Senior Research. |
|
|
|
|
Former SURF Fellows | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
