Student Research
supervised by LINDA FINK 1995-2007

Biology Senior research

2007 Jennifer Summerfield, Effects of crayfish chemical cues on hatching of spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum)
2007 Brittany Lambert, Temporal changes in gut content composition of the fishes of Sweet Briar Creek, Sweet Briar, Virginia
2006 Jenn Wiley, Do monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) histolyze flight muscles during the overwintering period?
2006 Cara Cherry, The nectaring biology of the overwintering monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
2005 Abby Adams, DNA fingerprinting used to determine paternity of the Northern Walkingstick (Diapheromera femorata): developing a technique to optimize PCR results
2005 Tamara Himelright, Monarch cold hardiness
2004 Lisa Moore, The effects of algae on spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) egg development
2004 Kelly Robinson, The effects of the eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) on spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) eggs and larvae
2004 Stacey Maddox, Why isn't there an HIV vaccine? (library project)
2003 Christina Tannahill, The effects of Japanese stilt grass, Microstegium vimineum, on earthworm abundance and diversity
2003 Laurel Speilman, The role of fungal competition and tannin chemistry in chestnut and oak resistance to Cryphonectria parasitica (Honors thesis)
2002 Michi Krohn, The mating ecology of the northern walkingstick, Diapheromera femorata: does size matter?
2002 Lizzy Meyer, Pain in dogs and cats (Library project)
2002 Megan Ogilvie, The effect of Vinca minor on microhabitat selection by Peromyscus mice (Environmental Science senior research)
2001 Shelly Kellogg, Effects of an exotic tachinid fly parasitoid on luna moth caterpillar survival, Summer Honors Research Fellowship
2001 Serena Basten, On the ability of migratory and overwintering female monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) to convert sucrose to lipids (Honors thesis)
2001 Salina Woodard, The status of the wood roach, Cryptocercus punctulatus, in the forests of Sweet Briar College
2001 Lorna Brod, The evolution of animal consciousness (library project)
2000 Tricia Hamilton, The effects of stocked trout on macroinvertebrates in Virginia mountain streams
2000 Kim Leach, The effects of abiotic factors on the calling intensities of the Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) and the American Toad (Bufo americanus)
2000 Marlena Koper, The effect of Vinca minor on the population density of Peromyscus mice
1999 Julissa Yabar, Monarch butterfly flight orientation, Summer VFIC minority fellowship
1999 Andrea Capano, The effects of Hurricane Hazel on Quercus alba, Quercus prinus and Liriodendron tulipifera in central Virginia
1999 Sara Seyfarth, White-tailed deer use of various habitat and edge types
1997-98 Heather Thomas, Hide and seek: the effects of light quality and background on prey visibility
1997 Leigh Wilson, Diversity of microorganisms in the forest floor of Boone-Prior Sanctuary
1996 Amy Campbell, The effect of Vinca minor on Quercus alba in four sites on the Sweet Briar College campus
1996 Michelle Janiak, Determination of apple feeding preferences in wasps
1995-96 Juli Bechard, Automimicry and the palatability spectrum (Honors thesis)
1995 Rachel Cooper, The cutting activity and behavior of beavers at Sweet Briar College
1995 Gigi Ostrow, Will birds hunt behaviorally dimorphic prey in a frequency-dependent manner?

Independent, Directed, Special Study, and Summer Research

2007 Nicole Jackson, Casey Pacheco, Monarch butterfly respirometry and lipids, Directed study
2006 Samantha Clark, Michelle Degnin, Lauren Burke, Reproductive anatomy of walkingsticks, Directed study
2006 Brittany Lambert, Winter ecology of Sweet Briar fishes, Independent study
2005 Cara Cherry, The presence of Ophryocystis elektroscirrha in commercially bred monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) and its effects on freezing temperatures, Junior Honors
2004 Hollie Hall (Lynchburg College), Cryobiology of the life history stages of the monarch butterfly, Independent study
2003 Rachael Chilton and Christina Tannahill, The effects of logging on the occurrence of an invasive exotic grass, Microstegium vimineum, Independent study
2002 Christy Pitts, Effects of tannins on the growth of chestnut blight in liquid culture, Junior Honors
2001 Laurel Speilman, Resistance of chestnut trees to chestnut blight, Independent study and Summer Honors Research Fellowship
2000 Tricia Hamilton, Behavioral responses of mayfly nymphs to trout "odor", Summer Honors Research Fellowship
1999 Andrea Capano, A dendrochronologic study of two hardwood forests, Summer Honors fellowship
1998 Adefunmi Omisade, A study of links between algae, chlorine demand and trihalomethanes
1997 Fionna Matheson, Dosage-dependent behaviors in the fiddler crab Uca pugilator when injected with the venom of Glycera dibranchiata
1996 Gigi Ostrow, Frequency-dependent bird predation, Summer Honors fellowship