PhD Student, Indiana
University, Department of Biology.
'00-'04:
B.A. College of
William and
Mary. Major in Biology (GPA = 3.79).
Honors Thesis:
Kleptoparasitism in Herring Gulls: Who claims the clams?
Research
My research focuses on the mating system and sexual
selection in the
lined seahorse, Hippocampus
erectus.
I am investigating the effects of the operational sex ratio (OSR) on
the opportunities for selection (I) on both sexes in wild populations
off the west coast of Florida. In addition, I am looking at the
pairbonds that form between males and females during a breeding season
and examining the effects of size similarity of the mates, latency from
bond formation, and degree of successful brood formation on the
strength of the pairbond. To learn more, download this.
Teaching
Spring
'06
L113: General
Biology Lab.
AI with Jim Hengeveld.
Fall
'06
L340:
Biological Basis of Sex Differences.
AI with Troy Smith.
Fall
'05
L113:
General
Biology Lab.
AI with Jim Hengeveld.
Honors
2009:
CISAB
Training Fellowship - $8,330
2008:
Louise Constable
Hoover Fellowship - $2,500
2008:
Sears Crowell
Scholarship - $500
2007:
Animal Behavior
Society Research Grant - $970
2007:
Indiana Academy of
Science Research Grant - $1320
2007:
NSF Predoctoral
fellowship: Honorable Mention
2007:
Sears Crowell
Scholarship - $500
2007:
CTRD Training
Fellowship - $12,117
2006:
Sigma
Xi
Grant - $1000
2006:
Teaching fellowship:
L340 - Biological Basis of Sex Differences
2006:
NSF
Predoctoral fellowship: Honorable Mention
2006:
Sears
Crowell
Scholarship - $500
2006:
CISAB
Pilot
Research Award - $500
2006:
CISAB
Summer
Stipend - $3000
05-06:
Teaching
fellowship: L113 - Biology Laboratory
2005:
IU EEB Departmental
Fellowship
Research Experience
2008:
Continued laboratory
studies on the mating behavior of Hippocampus
erectus
2007:
Microsatellite
analysis of tissue samples collected summer of 2006
2007:
Laboratory studies on
the mating behavior of Hippocampus erectus
2006:
Pilot field season in
Florida studying Hippocampus erectus
-Tagged, measured, and
tissue sampled 77 individuals from 3 populations of H. erectus
2004:
Research
Intern at Dolphin Research Center
-Numbers
concept research – daily sessions investigating a dolphin’s concept of
more versus less and number series
-Calf social development – daily observations of calf activity
-Match to sample – training research techniques to a young animal
03-04:
Honors Thesis: Who
claims the clams?: Kleptoparasitism in Herring Gulls
-Ran
independent field manipulations, altering resource availability to
investigate optimal foraging strategies in different age classes
of Herring Gulls, Larus argentatus.
Educational Outreach
2008:
Relay for Life – part
of IU graduate team; raised $990 for American Cancer Society
2008:
Science Fair Judge
for the Regional Junior and Senior High Science Fair
07-08:
Math Tutor – weekly
tutor for local sixth grader in remedial math and algebra
06-07:
WonderLab - weekly
volunteer at local children's science museum
2006:
Earth Day - designed
and
ran a children's conservation exhibit
2005:
Science Olympiad
Coach for
Ecology at Bloomington High School South
Won gold at the regional and state levels of competition
Publications 3) Akst, J. 200X. Effects of
size and social context on the courtship behavior of Hippocampus erectus – in prep 2) Akst, J.
200X. Genetic variability in wild populations of Hippocampus erectus – in prep 1) Akst,
J. 2004.
Kleptoparasitism in Herring Gulls: Who claims the clams? Honors thesis
presented to the Department of Biology at the College of William &
Mary.
