Kelsey Deal

I am originally from East Texas and received my bachelor’s degree at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. During my time as an undergraduate I assisted a study on freshwater turtles conducted by Dr. James Koukl with the University of Texas at Tyler.  For two summers I collected data on turtles’ movements from lakes to ponds using mark and recapture techniques. Texas Parks and Wildlife used the results of this study to demonstrate the need to develop regulations to protect semi-aquatic turtles in the state.

 

I was also selected to participate in a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates. I worked with Dr. Daniel Magoulick at the University of Arkansas to develop a project on crayfish ecology in the Ozark Highland steams. I found that crayfish abundance was related to substrate size but not canopy cover. I presented these results at the REU Student Poster Competition at the Arkansas Water Resources Center’s 2012 Annual Watershed and Research Conference. I also received an honorable mention award for my scientific poster at Scholar’s Week 2013 hosted by Baylor University’s Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement (URSA) Office.

 

After I earned my undergraduate degree I completed an entomology internship with the Texas Discovery Gardens in Dallas, Texas. The following spring I worked with the bird and reptile departments at the Caldwell Zoo as an animal care intern. Both of these experiences gave me the opportunity to develop my animal husbandry skills and my abilities to communicate biological information to the general public.

 

Currently I am a master’s student in Dr. Kristen Baum’s lab at Oklahoma State University. I will study host-parasite interactions in changing landscapes using the monarch butterfly and its parasites as a model system. This research will provide information regarding communities’ responses to habitat change. It will also further our ability to address the monarch butterfly’s substantial population decline. I am interested in incorporating citizen science data into my research and will promote participation in these activities through outreach events.