Thomas (Tom) Luhring
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
(First Generation, He/Him/His)
I'm an ecologist with a warm spot for ectotherms (environmental chambers). Our lab investigates the effects of climate change on ectotherms and constraints on their responses.
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
(First Generation, He/Him/His)
I'm an ecologist with a warm spot for ectotherms (environmental chambers). Our lab investigates the effects of climate change on ectotherms and constraints on their responses.
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Graduate Students
Shania Burkhead
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2022 - Present)
Highlights
Conducted a field mesocosm experiment investigating the effects of drying, refilling, and density on larval caudate growth and vital rates and odonate communities.
Manuscripts
Burkhead et al., 2022 Aquatic Systems of the Wichita State University Biological Field Station: Youngmeyer Ranch, Elk County, Kansas. Trans. KS Acad. Sci. 125:109-118
Ward et al., 2023 No free refills: Prior drying and vertebrate colonisation alter ecological functioning and vertebrate fitness within experimental aquatic systems. Freshwater Biology 68:1614-1626
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2022 - Present)
Highlights
Conducted a field mesocosm experiment investigating the effects of drying, refilling, and density on larval caudate growth and vital rates and odonate communities.
Manuscripts
Burkhead et al., 2022 Aquatic Systems of the Wichita State University Biological Field Station: Youngmeyer Ranch, Elk County, Kansas. Trans. KS Acad. Sci. 125:109-118
Ward et al., 2023 No free refills: Prior drying and vertebrate colonisation alter ecological functioning and vertebrate fitness within experimental aquatic systems. Freshwater Biology 68:1614-1626
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
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Sydney Falcon
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences (Spring 2023 - Present) Highlights Investigating the initial and cumulative stress impacts of PIT tags vs image recognition in wild, free ranging Siren intermedia. Working on a collaborative Wild Animal Initiative project investigating factors affecting individual juvenile salamander welfare in Eastern Texas (Co-PIs: Drs. Caitlin Gabor, Carmen Montaña, and Christopher Schalk). |
Jacob Kearns
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2022 - Present)
Highlights
Investigating the efficacy and costs of PIT tags versus image recognition in wild, free ranging Siren intermedia.
Working on a collaborative Wild Animal Initiative project investigating factors affecting individual juvenile salamander welfare in Eastern Texas (Co-PIs: Drs. Caitlin Gabor, Carmen Montaña, and Christopher Schalk).
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2022 - Present)
Highlights
Investigating the efficacy and costs of PIT tags versus image recognition in wild, free ranging Siren intermedia.
Working on a collaborative Wild Animal Initiative project investigating factors affecting individual juvenile salamander welfare in Eastern Texas (Co-PIs: Drs. Caitlin Gabor, Carmen Montaña, and Christopher Schalk).
Stephanie Bristow
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2021 - Spring 2023)
Highlights
Investigated constraints on phenotypic plasticity in the face of climate change.
Awards (also see undergrad awards)
2022 - Student Travel Award (MW PARC)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2021 - Spring 2023)
Highlights
Investigated constraints on phenotypic plasticity in the face of climate change.
Awards (also see undergrad awards)
2022 - Student Travel Award (MW PARC)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Samantha (Sam) Skerlec
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2021 - Spring 2023)
Highlights
Conducted a field mesocosm experiment investigating the effects of drying, refilling, and density on larval amphibian growth and vital rates.
Awards
2022 - Student Travel Award (MW PARC)
2022 - Rachel Snyder Memorial Scholarship (Grassland Heritage Foundation)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2021 - Spring 2023)
Highlights
Conducted a field mesocosm experiment investigating the effects of drying, refilling, and density on larval amphibian growth and vital rates.
Awards
2022 - Student Travel Award (MW PARC)
2022 - Rachel Snyder Memorial Scholarship (Grassland Heritage Foundation)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Krista J. Ward (Graduated Spring 2022)
(LinkedIn Profile)
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2020 - Spring 2022)
Highlights
Conducted a field mesocosm experiment investigating the effects of drying, refilling, and fish colonization on larval amphibian growth and vital rates.
Procured funding for, designed, and initiated a long-term snake monitoring project at the Ninnescah Reserve (WSU Biological Field Station)
Investigated the ecology of fish-amphibian interactions in intermittent streams at Youngmeyer Ranch in the Flint Hills.
Over 10 Lead or Coauthored presentations at regional or national meetings
Awards
2022 Best Poster Award (Kansas Natural Resources Conference)
2021 Howard K. Gloyd-Edward H. Taylor Scholarship (Kansas Herpetological Society)
2021 Walter Meshaka Award for Excellence in Ecology (Kansas Herpetological Society)
2021 Rachel Snyder Memorial Scholarship (Grassland Heritage Foundation)
2020 Alan H. Kamb Grant for Research on Kansas Snakes (Kansas Herpetological Society)
Christine Streid (Graduated Summer 2021)
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2019 - Summer 2021)
Highlights
Christine investigated the ecology of freshwater invertebrates in intermittent streams at Youngmeyer Ranch in the Flint Hills.
She also ran a full-fledged manipulative mesocosm experiment in her backyard because of COVID-19!
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2019 - Summer 2021)
Highlights
Christine investigated the ecology of freshwater invertebrates in intermittent streams at Youngmeyer Ranch in the Flint Hills.
She also ran a full-fledged manipulative mesocosm experiment in her backyard because of COVID-19!
Jake Wright (Graduated Spring 2021)
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2019 - Spring 2021)
Highlights
Jake investigated the ecology of amphibians in intermittent streams at Youngmeyer Ranch in the Flint Hills.
Awards
2020 Howard K. Gloyd-Edward H. Taylor Scholarship (Kansas Herpetological Society)
M.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2019 - Spring 2021)
Highlights
Jake investigated the ecology of amphibians in intermittent streams at Youngmeyer Ranch in the Flint Hills.
Awards
2020 Howard K. Gloyd-Edward H. Taylor Scholarship (Kansas Herpetological Society)
Undergraduate Students |
Mitch Baker
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2021 - Fall 2021)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2021 - Fall 2021)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Ashley Carpenter
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2021)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2021)
Lindsey "LC" Choi
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Spring 2022 - Present)
2022 McNair Scholar
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Spring 2022 - Present)
2022 McNair Scholar
Sydney Falcon
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2021 - Fall 2022)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2021 - Fall 2022)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Jacob Kearns
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2021 - Spring 2022)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2021 - Spring 2022)
Justin Oettle
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Spring 2020 - Spring 2022)
Summer 2021 - NSF REU
2022 Rosa Lee & Alvin Sarachek Award for Scholarly Excellence in Natural Sciences
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Spring 2020 - Spring 2022)
Summer 2021 - NSF REU
2022 Rosa Lee & Alvin Sarachek Award for Scholarly Excellence in Natural Sciences
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Adam Rogers
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2021 - Summer 2022)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2021 - Summer 2022)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Stephanie Bristow (Graduated - Spring 2021)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Spring 2020 - Spring 2021)
2021 Rosa Lee & Alvin Sarachek Award for Scholarly Excellence in Natural Sciences
KINBRE Scholar (Fall 2020 & Spring 2021): Temperature dependence of bacteria-protist interactions.
2021 URCAF Second Place Poster Presentation
Summer 2020 - Youngmeyer Ranch Field Technician
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Spring 2020 - Spring 2021)
2021 Rosa Lee & Alvin Sarachek Award for Scholarly Excellence in Natural Sciences
KINBRE Scholar (Fall 2020 & Spring 2021): Temperature dependence of bacteria-protist interactions.
2021 URCAF Second Place Poster Presentation
Summer 2020 - Youngmeyer Ranch Field Technician
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Shania Burkhead (Graduated - Spring 2021)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Spring 2020 - Spring 2021)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Spring 2020 - Spring 2021)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Tiffani Holman (Graduated - Fall 2020)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2020 - Fall 2020)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Summer 2020 - Fall 2020)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Morgan Simon (Graduated - Spring 2021)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Fall 2020 - Spring 2021)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Emily Stybr (Graduated - Spring 2021)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Spring 2020 - Spring 2021)
Summer 2020 - Youngmeyer Ranch Field Technician
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
B.S. Student, Biological Sciences
(Spring 2020 - Spring 2021)
Summer 2020 - Youngmeyer Ranch Field Technician
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Not Pictured
Jessica Gulaskey (Summer 2021)
Phi Long Huang (Spring 2020, Fall 2020 - Graduated Fall 2020)
Traci Kalloff (Summer 2021 WSU Watkins Summer Fellow - High School Science Teacher at Southeast High School, USD 259)
Ariel Langenberger (Fall 2020, Spring 2021)
Zane Liu (Fall 2020)
Ethan Oltean (Summer 2021 WSU Watkins Summer Fellow - High School Science Teacher at North High School, USD 259)
Annie Pham (Spring 2020, Fall 2020 - Graduated Fall 2020)
Sarah Pulliam (Spring 2020 - Graduated Spring 2020)
Jessica Tran (Fall 2020, Spring 2021)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Jessica Gulaskey (Summer 2021)
Phi Long Huang (Spring 2020, Fall 2020 - Graduated Fall 2020)
Traci Kalloff (Summer 2021 WSU Watkins Summer Fellow - High School Science Teacher at Southeast High School, USD 259)
Ariel Langenberger (Fall 2020, Spring 2021)
Zane Liu (Fall 2020)
Ethan Oltean (Summer 2021 WSU Watkins Summer Fellow - High School Science Teacher at North High School, USD 259)
Annie Pham (Spring 2020, Fall 2020 - Graduated Fall 2020)
Sarah Pulliam (Spring 2020 - Graduated Spring 2020)
Jessica Tran (Fall 2020, Spring 2021)
(Photo: Dexter Mardis)
Other Members
Dexter Mardis
WSU Field Station Manager, Biological Sciences
Dexter is a general naturalist with an extensive knowledge of Kansas flora & fauna. He also takes most of the photos of people on the site! Also also, he facilitates our use of field station properties!
Dexter Mardis
WSU Field Station Manager, Biological Sciences
Dexter is a general naturalist with an extensive knowledge of Kansas flora & fauna. He also takes most of the photos of people on the site! Also also, he facilitates our use of field station properties!
Clarke Burgert
Field Technician
Clarke helped extensively with Sam Skerlec's 2022 mesocosm project.
Field Technician
Clarke helped extensively with Sam Skerlec's 2022 mesocosm project.