MSB Mammal Division

(PI, William L. Gannon and co-PI, Robert R. Parmenter)

The Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology (UMEB) Program through NSF is designed to enable institutions to create programs that will encourage undergraduate students, especially those from under-represented groups, to pursue a career in environmental biology. The UMEB Program at UNM supports projects that provide year-round support for undergraduate students to gain research experience in environmental biology especially through the MSB, LTER, and other PI directed research projects. Environmental biology here includes studying organisms as they evolve, interact with each other, and/or interact with their environment, from perspectives that range from molecular to ecosystem levels. Field experience must be part of the research experience. Student-centered projects emphasize factors that encourage and enable members of under-represented groups to enter, and remain in, environmental biology.

UMEB Highlights
The Mammal Division has a number of students supported, in part, by NSF supported Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology (UMEB).

Meet the Students!

Emily Hodson Project Title: Beetle diversity at Mt. St. Helens in different disturbance zones Expected Date to Graduate from UNM: May 2008 Plans after UNM: Research; either as part of a graduate program or research project Best Part of Being a UMEB Student in the Museum: In the last 3 months, the best thing was wading in hip-high water catching frogs in ponds. I also really loved the live trapping and seeing all the neat things that we would catch!
Rachel Sampson Project Title: A temporal and spatial analysis of bat rabies testing and infection Expected Date to Graduate from UNM: May 2006 Plans after UNM: Graduate School in medical anthropology Best Part of Being a UMEB Student in the Museum: This project allowed me access to epidemiology labs and to observe rabies testing procedures and brain dissecting – that was neat.
Camille McClarin Project Title: Statistical analysis methods for UMEB studies Expected Date to Graduate from UNM: December 2006 Plans after UNM: Graduate School Best Part of Being a UMEB Student in the Museum: The field work in the Yukon this summer was awesome! Never have had that opportunity otherwise.
Erin McGinn Jackson Project Title: Use of Sound Space by Bats in the Rio Grande Bosque Expected Date to Graduate from UNM: May 2006 Plans after UNM: Graduate School Best Part of Being a UMEB Student in the Museum: My concepts of how research is conducted have really jelled. I have been able to travel – to Ireland, WA, CA, NY – and participate in research projects. This has given me an incredible perspective!
Melvin Foster Project Title: Carnivore morphology and molecular genetic patterns Expected Date to Graduate from UNM: May 2006 Plans after UNM: Graduate School Best Part of Being a UMEB Student in the Museum: I have learned so much to compliment my own experiences! I just love working in the prep room and being able to do this work.
Randle McCain Project Title: Coevolution of host and parasites in Lagomorpha Expected Date to Graduate from UNM: December 2007 Plans after UNM: Radiologist Best Part of Being a UMEB Student in the Museum: The opportunity to travel to the Yukon and elsewhere was awesome! I am learning so much about opportunities in mammalian biology that I never knew existed.
Melissa Hawkins Project Title: Continuous Anabat monitoring of Bat Activity at the Rio Grande Bosque Expected Date to Graduate from UNM: May 2006 Plans after UNM: Masters and Credential in Teacher Education Best Part of Being a UMEB Student in the Museum: I have learned so much being around the people in the division and being given opportunity and responsibility that I might not have ever had.
Andrea Chavez Project Title: new student Expected Date to Graduate from UNM: May 2007 Plans after UNM: unknown, maybe like to do research Best Part of Being a UMEB Student in the Museum: I am just starting!
Margo Dimas Project Title: Patch Use by Pika in the Jemez Mountain of Northern New Mexico. Expected Date to Graduate from UNM: May 2007 Plans after UNM: Graduate School Best Part of Being a UMEB Student in the Museum: The people and co-workers are awesome. I really appreciate all the opportunity that comes my way and hope to be in the field more often!
Krista Ortega Project Title: undecided Expected Date to Graduate from UNM: May 2006 Plans after UNM: Graduate School or medical school Best Part of Being a UMEB Student in the Museum: I really like being given responsibility and showing that I can do a good job.