Current Graduate Students

Sadie Stone, MS Student
My interests (in terms of my thesis work) is looking at the historical use of prescribed fire in New England as a management tool (to aid in land conservation, native species growth/regeneration, as well as soil study) and the importance of its continued practice. I am hoping to look into different areas where fire has been used to manage land, and the history the burning has had on areas (regularly burned), compared to lands that haven't been managed by fire (or where the fire management has been let go). With the results of this study and comparison, ideally, I would like to promote the importance of using prescribed fire management in New England and try to get more funding to areas (like The Kennebunk sand grass plains in Maine) so they can continue managing their lands and not have to sacrifice certain areas just because they don't necessarily have the funding. Those are sort of my "dreams" and "long-term goals" that I would like to delve into more and more in the future, as all of this starts unfolding.

Erica Hermsen, MS Student
As a result of my passion for wildlife conservation and environmental education, the two topics of most importance to me are human-wildlife conflict and community-based conservation. I am particularly interested in the interactions between humans and large migratory mammals as well as conflict with carnivores. As humans continue to compete with wildlife for perpetually depleting resources and space, it is of upmost urgency to implement effective and long- lasting conservation programs to decrease conflict and ensure the wellbeing of all species involved. The tropical ecosystems of our planet are some of the most threatened and it is within these regions where I would like to focus much of my graduate work.

Charissa “Charzy” Jones, MS Candidate
I am interested in tropical ecology and conservation in the context of community centered conservation and place-based education as well as the effectiveness of capacity building programs in the tropics, particularly in Suriname and the Giuana Shield Region, that focus on conservation and education. Because it is imperative, in my opinion, to involve communities in the conservation research surrounding them, I am interested in focusing not only the social and ecological perspectives of biological conservation but also on the interface of these natural and cultural environments, particularly in tropical areas where these are intricately entwined. Focusing on these aspects will help increase environ awareness and interest in land stewardship and the importance of biodiversity.

Richard Couse, MS Candidate
I am interested in wildlife advocacy and endangered species conservation and management. I believe the best way to protect species biodiversity is through large scale habitat preservation. My focus in tropical ecology has largely been centered on keeping, collecting and breeding freshwater tropical fish, particularly livebearers. But with the closing of my fish room I have followed the path of avian ecology into graduate school. Birds have always been a passion of mine and they will be the subject of my master's work here at Antioch. However, recent opportunities have allowed me to gain a greater understanding of snake ecology and this is an area I can see myself stepping into for further graduate studies. I like bugs and bats too!

Laura Hilberg, MS Candidate
I am interested in bird conservation, particularly neotropical migrants and the negative effects that environmental mercury could be having on their fitness, reproductive success, and survival during migration. I would like to focus my efforts specifically on behavioral indicators of toxicity, such as birdsong. These signs could indicate subtle effects not recognized by typical toxicity measurements like mercury level of blood and feathers, egg size and shell thickness, and other more obvious signs of decreased fitness. Beyond this project, I have four broad areas of interest: animal behavior and communication, boreal and northern hardwood forest ecology and conservation, long-distance migration of all species, and bird conservation (especially songbirds and cavity nesters).

Toby Jacobs, MS Candidate
My main research interests are mangrove and cloud forest ecology. I've lived and traveled in the Neotropics (mostly Costa Rica and Honduras) off and on for the last five years pursuing those very subjects. In 2008, I co-started Guanaja Mangrove Restoration, a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to replanting mangroves on Isla de Guanaja, Honduras. I think that tropical regions worldwide are of crucial importance as the earth's systems are continually stressed, and it will take a concerted effort from all conservationists to preserve the extraordinary level of diversity that currently exists.

Amber Kleiman, MS Candidate, Information Coordinator
I have two main interests within the conservation field. The first is the socio-ecological factors determining the movement patterns and habitat use of elephants in corridors. The second is the adaptability of primates to live in fragmented habitat. Both of these interests stem from my desire to learn more about human - wildlife conflict so that I may make conservation recommendations for the longterm survival of both species.

Tierney Rosenstock, MS Candidate, Education Coordinator
I was fortunate to participate in a Tropical Ecosystems course, traveling to Costa Rica, which required me to select a research topic. At the time I knew very little about the tropics, when Orchids was suggested as at topic I did not even know what they were. Since then this amazingly unique and diverse plant family has captivated me and I intend to focus my thesis on deepening out knowledge of pollination biology and use this knowledge in conservation efforts.

Last Updated: 12/9/11