Science and Biotech

Department of Biology: •••••. •••••; Major, Zoology; Undergraduate research, The effect of cannibalism on life history characteristics of the endangered fresh water isopod Thermosphearoma thermophilum.

WORK EXPERIENCE
Insect Production Worker 5/••••• - Present
(Quality Control Technician)
USDA, APHIS, PPQ
Phoenix/AZ
Salary: $•••••/Hr
Hours per week: •••••

-Experience conducting experiments to determine efficiency of a large scale insect production facility.
-Experience writing detailed daily shipment and quality control reports.
-Worked closely with other insect production workers to maximize daily efficiency.

Biological Science Technician 4/••••• 8/•••••
(Grasshopper Survey)
USDA, APHIS, PPQ
Phoenix/AZ
Salary: $•••••/Hr.
Hours per week: •••••

-Experience conducting a state wide survey of economically and non-economically important grasshopper and cricket species of Arizona.
-Used sweep nets and random sampling techniques to acquire samples and densities data.
-Used and maintained government vehicles in remote field locations.
-Experience identifying numerous grasshopper species using field guides and innovative government software.
-Experience generating detailed Excel spreadsheets on PDAs and PCUs for national grasshopper densities forecasts.

Biological Science Technician 5/••••• •••••/•••••
USDA, APHIS, PPQ, DS&PMSL
Phoenix/AZ
Salary: $•••••/Hr
Hours per week: •••••

-Facilitated and maintained life cycles, genetics, and behaviors of the Pink Bollworm Moth to perform laboratory and field studies.
-Worked within all areas of the Pink Boll Worm mass rearing facility in Phoenix, AZ, implementing tests aimed at finding more economical ways of rearing insects for release.
-Responsible for performing many research tests that required accurate sampling techniques and running basic statistical analysis of the data gathered.
-Developed detailed spreadsheets with Microsoft Excel and compiled
data into many basic statistical methods.
-Knowledge and experience in the use of ELISA analysis on Bt and non-Bt strains of cotton in the field and laboratory.
-Knowledge operating and maintaining laboratory and field equipment including various microscopes, fluorescence microscopy, clean air benches, growth chambers, and autoclaves.
-Knowledge of the use and set up of quarantine level field cages and quarantine protocol.
-Experienced in the use of insect traps with pheromones and mating tables.

Veterinary Assistant 8/••••• - 1/•••••
Prescott Animal Hospital
Prescott/AZ
Salary: $•••••
Hours per week: •••••
Position Title: Veterinary Assistant
-Assisted three veterinarians with hospital operations, including treatments and surgeries.
-Experience and knowledge in identification of animal parasites using multiple fecal flotation methods and light microscopy.
-Experience in routine lab analysis of blood, urine, and other bodily fluids and byproducts that were scrutinized for disease and or health concerns using common serologic techniques such as agar gel amino diffusion (AGID) Snap tests, ELISA antigen test.
-Experience and knowledge preparing, staining and identifying microbial cultures for identification.

5/••••• - 8/•••••
National Science Foundation funded Research Experience for Undergraduates
Flagstaff/AZ
Salary: $•••••
Hours per week: •••••
Position Title: Research Intern
-Experience in generating research objectives concerning the endangered fresh water isopod Thermosphearoma thermophilum.
-Constructed experimental set up and design for body length verse levels of cannibalism in controlled and natural environments.
-Experience analyzing data and preparing scientific posters for presentation.
-Presentation of results in an international conference.

Hooper Undergraduate Research Fellow •••••/••••• - 5/•••••
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff/AZ
Salary: $•••••
Hours per week: •••••

-Independently identified research objectives concerning the endangered fresh water isopod Thermosphearoma thermophilum.
-Experience and knowledge constructing experimental set up and design.
-Experience observing behavior of animals in both natural and artificial habitat.
-Experienced in the evaluation of current propagation practices and habitat quality of T. thermophilum.

Laboratory Assistant •••••/••••• - 8/•••••
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff/AZ
Salary: Volunteer
Hours per week: •••••

-Experience generating research objectives and experimental designs.
-Experience and knowledge collecting animals from remote field sites.
-Maintenance and rearing of isopod (Paracerceis sculpta) families in a controlled laboratory setting.
-Experience and knowledge conducting genetic research using protein gel electrophoresis.
-Experience analyzing data and organizing technical report writing.
-Experience and knowledge in the curation and maintenance of the invertebrate specimen collections at Northern Arizona Universitys Museum of Invertebrate Zoology.

JOB-RELATED TRAINING COURSES
COURSEWORK:(BIOLOGY)PLANT BIOLOGY*, ANIMAL BIOLOGY*,MICROBIOLOGY* VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY*, ANIMAL BEHAVIOR, HIGHER INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY*, GENETICS & EVOLUTION, ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY, CELLULAR & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, MAMMALOGY*, and PARASITOLOGY* (*Lab Included).
(CHEMISTRY)GENERAL CHEMISTRY I*, GENERAL CHEMISTRY II* , GENERAL ORGANIC CHEM I*, and GENERAL ORGANIC CHEM II*(*Lab Included).
(RELATED) TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING and APPLIED STATISTICS.

PUBLISHED ABSTRACTS (resulting from a Professional Presentation)

R.L. •••••, and S.M. Shuster (Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ) and Brian Lang (New Mexico Department of Game and Fish). The effects of cannibalism on life history characteristics in the endangered Socorro Isopod Thermosphaeroma thermophilum (Crustacea: Isopoda). J. Ariz. Nevad. Acad. Sci. •••••: •••••

R.L. •••••, E.C. Omana, and S.M. Shuster (Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ). COLONIZATION OF ARTIFICIAL CAVITIES AT BIOSPHERE II. J. Ariz. Nevad. Acad. Sci. •••••: •••••


Curmi, R. M., K. M. Adkins, R. L. •••••, K. M. Serrato, M. White, H. V. Yarborough, J. Learned and S. M. Shuster. ••••• Species diversity within tests of the barnacle, Tetraclita squamosa, at Pelican Point, Puerto Peasco, Sonora, Mexico. J. Ariz. Nevad. Acad. Sci. •••••:•••••

Agosta, A., E. Burke, S. J. Embry, K. E. Garcia, M. Kelly, R. L. •••••, S. A. Vuturo, H. C. Wildey, and S. M. Shuster. ••••• The distribution and abundance of mud shrimp in a Mexican estero. J. Ariz. Nevad. Acad. Sci. •••••: •••••

PRESENTATIONS (at Professional Meetings)

•••••th Annual Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science Conference; Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ. The effects of cannibalism on life history characteristics in the endangered Socorro Isopod Thermosphaeroma thermophilum (Crustacea: Isopoda) (April •••••).

•••••th Annual Animal Behavior Society Meeting; Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. The effects of cannibalism on body size and sexual dimorphism in the endangered Isopod, Thermosphaeroma thermophilum (Crustacea: Isopoda). (July •••••).

•••••th Annual Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science Conference; Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ. COLONIZATION OF ARTIFICIAL CAVITIES AT BIOSPHERE II (April •••••).


AWARDS

Hooper Undergraduate Research Grant, Northern Arizona University
(November •••••May •••••)

Charles H. Turner Diversity Travel Award-funded by the National Science Foundation and the Animal Behavior Society, (July •••••)

COMPUTER SKILLS

Windows XP, Microsoft Word/Publisher/Excel/PowerPoint, JMP Statistical Software