A selection of undergraduate research projects
John Stanek. Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus minimus) winter habitat study. Western State College of Colorado Science Seminar series. John is currently in graduate school at the University of Wyoming.
Russell Beam. An Investigation into the relationship between ant diversity and abundance, habitat type and ecosystem health in a sagebrush steppe habitat. Western State College of Colorado Science Seminar series.
Christine Clapp, Life History of Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) (Co-advisor Nancy Buschhaus). Christine is currently a graduate student at Colorado State University.
Crystal Petersen, A comparative study of life history traits of Mountain Bluebirds and Tree Swallows at low and high elevations (co/advised w/Nancy Buscchaus University of Tennessee and Rocky Mountain Biological Lab. Crystal is a Colorado Division of Wildlife Officer.
Matt Vasquez, Determination of winter use of sagebrush subspecies by Gunnison Sage-Grouse on Flat Top Mountain: Assessment for prescribed fire planning. Matt is a biologist with the US Forest Service.
Mary Lehl, Population Distribution of Rough-legged Hawks in Gunnison, Colorado. Mary completed her Ph.D at the University of Idaho.
Leslie Maddox, Western State College, CO, "Summer and fall diet choices of Gunnison Sage Grouse" Leslie is a public school teacher.
Craig Stanton, Western State College, CO, "Genetic comparison of White-tailed Ptarmigan populations and subspecies." Currently, Craig is finishing a Veterinary degree and MBA at Colorado State University .
Destin Harrel, Western State College, CO, "Forest structure in Northern Goshawk nesting site areas in the Gunnison Basin." Destin is a wildlife biologist for the Bureau of Land Management in Wyoming.
Brandon Diamond, Western State College, CO, "Using GIS to Compare Abiotic Factors Influencing Habitat Use by Bighorn Sheep in Two Introduced Populations." (co-directed with A Stork). Brandon is a regional wildlife biologist for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Michele Sewolt, Western State College, Gunnison, CO. "Conservation of white-tailed ptarmigan on Vancouver Island." Michele is a co-director of a conservation organization for Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Sisk-a-dee).
Jennifer A. Hill, Purdue University, IN (w/R. Howard) "Female sage grouse vocal communication on the lek." Jennifer received her Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico.
Laura A. Higgins, Purdue University, IN (w/R. Howard) "Spatiotemporal associations of sage grouse on a lek." Laura received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas and works for SAS.
Chris Henkel, Western State College, CO (w/M. Apley) "Summer habitat of Gunnison sage grouse." Chris owns a local horse ranch.
Tracy Swedlund, Western State College, CO (w/S. Adams) "Gunnison Basin sage grouse investigations." Tracy is a public school teacher.
Undergraduate Presentations
John Stanek. (2004) Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus minimus) winter habitat study. Western State College of Colorado Science Seminar series.
Russell Beam An Investigation into the relationship between ant diversity and abundance, habitat type and ecosystem health in a sagebrush steppe habitat. Western State College of Colorado Science Seminar series.
Crystal Petersen, A Life History Study of Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) in the Gunnison Basin. The Tri-Beta National Meetings (San Antonio, TX) and the Tri Beta Annual Regional Conference (Gunnison, Colorado - Won the Brooks Award at both the Regional (1st place) and the National Conference (3rd place)
Matthew Vasquez Determination of winter use of sagebrush subspecies by Gunnison Sage-Grouse on Flat Top Mountain. The 23rd Western States Sage and Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Symposium, Bicknell, Utah; The Tri-Beta National Meetings (San Antonio, TX) and the Tri-Beta Annual Regional Conference (Gunnison, Colorado – 3rd place winner in Ecology)
Mary Lehl, Rough Legged Hawk habitat preference. The Tri-Beta National Meetings (San Antonio, TX) and the Tri-Beta Annual Regional Conference (Gunnison, Colorado – 3rd place winner in Ecology)
Mary Lehl, An investigation of female aggressive behavior on sage-grouse leks. Tri-Beta Annual Conference, Trinidad CO.
Leslie Maddox, Summer and Fall diet choices of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse. Tri-Beta Annual Conference, Trinidad CO.
Destin Harrell, Forest Structure in Northern Goshawk Nesting Site Areas in the Gunnison Basin. Guild of Rocky Mountain Population Biologist Annual Meeting, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gothic, Colorado.
Stephanie Wahl and Jessica R. Young, Gunnison sage grouse response to playbacks: evolutionary and management implications. Guild of Rocky Mountain Population Biologist Annual Meeting, University of Colorado, Mountain Research Station.
Brandon Diamond, Using GIS to Compare Abiotic Factors Influencing Habitat Use by Bighorn Sheep in Two Introduced Populations. Western State College Science Department Seminar.
Colette Weganast, Dorothy Schaub, Mary Crow, and Jessica Young, "Is there a dinner bell in the ring-billed gulls call? A test of the recruitment hypothesis." The International Society for Behavioural Ecology, Pacific Grove, California.
Alex Upchurch, Molecular sex identification of eastern screech owls. NCUR, Maryland.
Laura Higgins, Jennifer Hill, Jessica Young, Richard Howard, Female social behavior on sage grouse. International Grouse Symposium. Fort Collins, Colorado.
Thomas Verry, A GIS analysis of big horned sheep habitat use in the Collegiate Peaks." Tri-Beta Regionals, New Mexico.
Eric Fraass. "A comparison of DNA yields from tissues samples using three non-invasive techniques." Tri-Beta Regionals, New Mexico.
Tracy Swedlund, Brood-rearing habitat of sage grouse in the Gunnison Basin. Tri-Beta regional meeting.
