Meet the Team
Samniqueka Halsey (Primary Investigator)
Assistant Professor, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA My research stresses the importance of using long-term data sets, GIS, and remote sensing. She uses computational approaches to understand the mechanisms involved in the patterns we see in nature. Most of my work involves using modeling approaches to delineate how spatial and temporal changes in ecological interactions influence a focal species. I hold a particular interest in informing management actions with my models. I earned my Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology from the University of Illinois-Urbana - Champaign. My dissertation research focused on advancing our understanding of the mechanisms involved int he ecology of Lyme disease through quantitative reviews and building spatially-explicit models depicting tick-pathogen-host interactions. I hold a MS in Biological Sciences from Chicago State University where I aided the continued conservation of Cirsium pitcheri by determining whether restoration efforts improved meta-population viability. Teaching: Graduate Emphasis Areas: Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Undergraduate Emphasis Areas: Natural Resource Science and Management Courses: Ecosystem Management (FW 4600W/7600) Ecological Restoration (NATR 8200) Natural Resource Biometrics (NATR 4110/7110) Disease Ecology (FW 4810/7810) |
Graduate Students
Evan Aljundi Degree Program: Masters Student in Natural Resources Emphasis: Fisheries and Wildlife Project: Identifying Patterns of Chronic Wasting Disease Prevalence in Missouri’s Odocoileus virginianus Population Evan graduated with a Bachelors in Natural Resources Science and Management with an emphasis in Fisheries and Wildlife. My research interests are conservation and disease ecology surrounding mammal |
Alyssa Smolensky
Degree Program: Masters Student in Natural Resources Emphasis: Fisheries and Wildlife Science Project: A case study in quantifying urban afforestation as a conservation strategy for endangered wildlife species Alyssa is a graduate from the University of Vermont with a major in Wildlife and Fisheries Biology and a minor in Community and International Development. Her research interests include urban ecology and wildlife conservation. |
Chantelle Wimms Degree Program: Masters Student in Natural Resources Emphasis: Fisheries and Wildlife Science Project: Identifying relationships between Fire Management, Vegetation Composition, Arthropod Vectors and Small Mammals in Tall Grass Prairies Chantelle is a graduate Truman State University with a major in Biology. Her research interests include animal behavior and wildlife conservation. |
ALumni
Kirsten Hirst
Degree Program: Masters in Natural Resources, Emphasis: Fisheries and Wildlife, December 2022
Thesis: Understanding bacterial zoonotic disease infection and its severity on wildlife populations
Degree Program: Masters in Natural Resources, Emphasis: Fisheries and Wildlife, December 2022
Thesis: Understanding bacterial zoonotic disease infection and its severity on wildlife populations
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Current Summer Field Technicians
Past Summer Field Technicians |