Genevieve Metzger, President

M.S. Student in Dr. Parkinson's Lab
gmetzger "at" knights.ucf.edu

I have wide ranging interests in biology, including phylogenetics, population genetics, conservation, behavior, and disease ecology and especially the unifying theme of evolution. My thesis work focuses on genetic diversity in the endangered Florida native plant Polygonella myriophylla and my undergraduate research was a phylogenetic study of New Guinea snakes in the genus Aspidomorphus. When I graduate from UCF, I hope to pursue a PhD that will allow me to combine my experience in phylogenetics and population genetics with my other interests.

Joe Waddell, Vice President

PhD Student in Dr. Crampton's lab

joecwaddell "at" knights.ucf.edu

The underlying theme of my graduate work is the investigation of factors that regulate biodiversity in tropical ecosystems, using South American electric fish as my model group. To do this I am assessing both electric signal diversity and ecological niche partitioning; analyzing the neuroanatomy of electric organ morphology and recordings of electric signals to quantify electric waveform diversity, while assessing ecological diversity through stable isotope analysis, habitat surveys, and various other methods.

Allyson Fenwick, Treasurer

Ph.D. Candidate in Dr. Parkinson’s lab

afenwick "at" knights.ucf.edu

My graduate research focuses on resolving evolutionary relationships among pitvipers and answering questions that rely on an understanding of those relationships. This involves combining genetic data and physical characters to build a hypothesis based on all available evidence. I enjoy doing basic research and contributing to a field like phylogenetics that is fundamental to so many other directions in biology.

My undergraduate background is in zoo and aquarium science, and I spent a summer as a naturalist at the Indiana Dunes. I enjoy the teaching component of zoos, parks, and universities. My goal is to join a department with a strong commitment to teaching, and to continue my phylogenetic research.

Camille Brescacin, Secretary

M.S. student in Dr. Jenkins' lab

Thesis: The role of the feral hog (sus scrofa) as a seed disperser and disturbance agent.

            Ever since I could remember, I have been interested in biology and working with animals. You know you are supposed to be a biologist when your only 10 and keeping detailed growth records of your pets. For my undergraduate degree, I worked mainly with reptiles and amphibians on various UCF research projects including four years with the Marine Sea Turtle Research crew. During my year off after graduation, I had the opportunity for work as an Intern for the Seminole county natural lands programs. I took care of all the animals at the nature center, took children on nature hikes, and helped manage and monitor the natural areas. During this internship, I really gained an appreciation for Florida's ecosystems and learned how to identify native and exotic vegetation. I also encountered a lot of feral hog damage and become very interested in the effects it was having on these plant communities. For my graduate degree, I decided to branch out and follow up on my interest in plant-animal interactions.

Jessica Hightower, Faculty Liason

M.S. Student in Dr. Weishampel's lab

jhightower "at" knights.ucf.edu

Gregory Territo, Social Chair

M.S. student in Dr. Parkinson's Lab

gregory.territo "at" knights.ucf.edu

I have many, broad-ranging interests which include biological study, education, entertainment, and digital media.  My research focus at UCF is concentrated upon determining the genetic diversity and taxonomic status of the federally-threatened Atlantic Salt Marsh snake, Nerodia clarkia taeniata.  I am also using multivariate morphometric analyses to assess the utility of morphological characters in the delimitation of lineages of the Neotropical snake genus Leptodeira (cat-eyed snakes).  Furthermore, I am combining morphometrics, niche modeling, and molecular phylogenetics to create a revised taxonomy that reflects evolutionary history of the genus.  I have had the pleasure of working in the zoological, veterinary, and news media settings, and my future career and research goals are continuously improving.  Throughout these experiences, my ultimate goal, to increase and promote scientific knowledge and understanding in the global community, has remained constant.
        “…absolute certainty is not something that the methods of science are able or intended to deliver.” –T. Ryan Gregory. Evolution as Fact, Theory, and Path (2008).