Previous Undergraduates & Scholars
Below are undergraduate students, scholars, and employees that have worked in the lab and contributed to its projects.
Chip Gallagher, Undergraduate Researcher
Chip was an undergraduate researcher and mentee of Dr. Sonia Hernandez's, beginning his work with the lab in the spring of 2015, during which he primarily reviewed video footage for the Kitty Cam Project. He also worked as a research assistant for the White Ibis Project during the Spring 2016 field season. He is now in his first year of vet school at UGA and hopes to use his research experience to further his understanding of the interface between human and animal health.
Kathryn Leamon, Assistant Researcher
Kathryn is a UGA graduate from Suwanee, GA with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.A. in Women's Studies. She is passionate about working within the intersections of environmental advocacy and social justice. She was an assistant researcher on the White Ibis Project during the Spring 2016 field season.
Dr. Maureen Murray, Post Doc
I am an ecologist primarily interested in the effects of urban development on wildlife behavioral ecology and their consequences for conservation and human-wildlife conflict. I received my PhD from the University of Alberta with Colleen Cassady St. Clair, where I studied how individual variation in urban coyote movement and diet, often mediated by parasite infection, could promote conflict with people. I followed my PhD with a postdoctoral research project at the University of Alberta studying grizzly bear use of anthropogenic food attractants near rail lines in Banff National Park and how both attractant and rail use varies across bears of different age and size classes, which may increase risk of train collision. My interests in the relationships between anthropogenic food and disease in urban wildlife led me to the White Ibis Project with Dr. Hernandez, where I will study how supplemental feeding in urban areas may promote the transmission of pathogens between ibises and increase their susceptibility to infection.
Taylor Ellison, Research Technician
Taylor graduated from the University of Georgia with her Bachelor’s in Biology and worked as a student researcher in a genetics lab which focused on the genetics of plant life such as kudzu and passionflowers. As a research technician for the White Ibis Project, she hopes to broaden her skills and experiences in order to pursue her interests in animal behavior.
Kenzie Schwartz, Undergraduate Researcher
I am a senior at UGA majoring in wildlife science with a pre-veterinary emphasis. I co-founded the Warnell pre-vet club and am a part of the UGA pre-vet club and the herpetological society. I hope to work in wildlife/exotic or conservation medicine following vet school. My senior thesis is focused on environmental enrichment of the captive ibises that are a part of the White Ibis Project. I have also done work as a photographer on the Georgia Dolphin Ecology Project. I am working at Good Hands Animal Hospital, the large animal department of the UGA vet school, and The Grit.
Amanda Saulnier, Undergraduate Researcher
Amanda Saulnier is a senior majoring in wildlife science with a pre-veterinary emphasis. I am a member of the UGA club equestrian team, Warnell pre-vet club, Xi Sigma Pi, and the Wildlife Society. My career goals are to be a clinician at a zoo following vet school. My senior thesis is focused on diet preferences of the captive ibises that are a part of the White Ibis Project. I am working at Athens Animal Medical Clinic and currently applying for internships for after graduation.
Meghan Lewis, Undergraduate Researcher
Meghan Lewis is a 3rd year Animal Science major with and emphasis in Animal Biology and intends on attending Veterinary School. She has done blood parasite research in SCWDS since 2015 working mainly on Neoehrlichia lotoris. She hopes to emphasize on small and exotic animals in veterinary school and worked with the ibis project to gain experience with wildlife.
Catie Welch, Research Technician
Catie Welch, previously a graduate student of Dr. Hernandez's, graduated with her MS in Forest Resources in May 2016. She was one of the first graduate students to work on the White Ibis Project, establishing the Band & Re-sighting Project and investigating the land use preferences of urban white ibises captured in urban South Florida. Since graduating, she has continued her involvement with the second phase of the White Ibis Project while also working with the USDA, Kenyan Wildlife Service, and Kenyan Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, investigating the disease dynamics of New Castles Disease in domestic and wild birds in Kenya. This project looks to examine the movement of New Castles Disease in wild bird populations, both residential and migratory, as well as the possibility for transmission between wild and domestic birds.
Olivia Sieverts, Undergraduate Researcher
Olivia is a fifth year student from Alpharetta, GA pursuing a degree in wildlife sciences with a french minor. I hope to end up in a career where I can work on conservation projects around the world through zoos and other related organizations. After graduating I plan on pursing a graduate degree in zoo and aquarium management.
Lora Haas, Undergraduate Researcher
Lora Haas is currently in her third year at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, working towards earning her B.S.F.R. in Wildlife Sciences. She is currently a Warnell ambassador, a member of The Wildlife Society and the state chapter of The Society for Conservation Biology, and serves as an officer for UGA’s chapter of Xi Sigma Pi. Currently, she is working under one of Dr. Hernandez’s PhD students, Andrea Ayala, studying Newcastle Disease transmission between songbirds and domestic poultry. Upon graduation, she plans on attending graduate school and obtaining at least a master’s degree.
James Dornbush, Undergraduate Researcher
James Dornbush is a 3rd year undergraduate working towards his B.S.A in Biological Sciences. He holds officer positions in UGA's Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity, UGA's Interfraternity Council, and UGA's chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha. His post-undergrad goals are to attend medical school where he will discover his passion towards a specific area of specialization. He has been working under Andrea Ayala, a PhD candidate working with Dr. Hernandez, since March 2017. As a part of her team, they study Newcastle Disease transmission among domestic poultry and wild songbirds. He is currently studying for the MCAT and is continuously working on his med-school application.
Shannon Curry, Post Doc
Shannon is ultimately a wildlife disease ecologist. However, she also strives to increase public support for wildlife conservation, and motivate people to act in ways that improve wildlife (and public) health. Shannon received her BA in Anthropology (Archaeology) and PhD in Forest Resources (Wildlife Ecology) from the University of Georgia. Her doctoral research with Dr. Hernandez investigated human-wildlife relationships: Specifically, what motivates people to interact with and feed wild birds, and how does anthropogenic habitat use and supplemental feeding impact avian health? As a postdoctoral researcher, Shannon continues her research of disease ecology in human-altered systems by investigating how complex factors influence wildlife health in human-altered landscapes. She also investigates how birds respond immunologically to anthropogenic diets, and if this impacts bacterial colonization. In addition to research, Shannon dedicates time to creative writing and educational outreach, to help promote positive human-wildlife relationships and environmental stewardship.