Faculty Mentor: Dr. Scott Burt

Research Thesis: Ectoparasites of a North Missouri Bat Community

Research Description:

My original thesis project involved radio-tracking bats to their roosts in order to assess the habitat requirements of the bat species that occur in Missouri.  Unfortunately, this was an expensive project and I was unable to secure the external funding that I would have needed to do the study.  Therefore, I examined the relationship between bats and their parasites by comparing bat species, sex, roosting strategy, and age with parasite load and composition.  Bats are difficult to find in winter in this area, so my sampling was limited to summer.  I have found some differences in the above comparisons and I have only just begun my analyses!  Being nocturnal and volant creatures, bats are more difficult to study than most other vertebrates.  As a result, we still have much to learn about the natural history of bats and their roles in the ecosystem.  The study I am conducting gives those interested in bats a more complete picture of how bats interact with their environments.

Expected Date of Graduation: May, 2004

Undergraduate Education: Truman State University, B.S. Biology, May 2001

Why did you choose Truman? One of the most important parts about graduate school is finding a research advisor.  This is a person with whom you will spend a lot of time.  If you end up not getting along, graduate school can be a painful, disheartening experience.  Since I was here for my undergraduate education as well, I had already developed a relationship with my thesis advisor.  At Truman, I was able to choose a topic I was interested in and I developed my own thesis project with the help of my advisor.  At larger institutions, you generally don’t get as much flexibility and often, you will become involved with a project that someone else developed.  Thus, you may have fewer opportunities to truly make your research your own.

Hometown: Dubuque, Iowa

Hobbies: Camping, backpacking, canoeing, and other outdoor fun!