Schubot Reseach Mini-Grants (up to $2500 each)
The intended objective of these awards is to facilitate data collection by members of the Schubot Center to advance avian research, with an emphasis on avian health, conservation, genetics, behavior, or related fields. These grants support research initiatives and provide valuable opportunities for career advancement. They also provide invaluable mentorship opportunities for the recipients across multiple departments.
The recipients represent a diverse array of research topics within the fields of ecology, biology, and veterinary science.
Schubot Mini-grants Recipients
Spring 2024
| Name | Position | Dept | Mentor | Tittle |
| Kalina Eskew | PhD Student | ECCB | Dr. Jessica Youzinski | Influence of vehicle light and noise on avian hormone concentrations |
| Jenna Turpin | PhD Student | ECCB | Dr. Jessica Youzinski | Antipredator behavior in Captivity Under ALAN |
| Sope Adenijii | PhD Student | Biology | Dr. Kira Delmore | DNA methylation: impacts by hybridization and contributions to speciation |
| Dr. Steph Blain | Post Doc | Biology | Dr. Kira Delmore | Patterns of introgression across and avian migratory divide |
| Lauren Doelinger | MS Student | Biology | Dr. Kira Delmore | Mitonuclear Incompatibilities in Two Subspecies of Swainson’s Thrush |
| Logan Thomas PhD | Post Doc | VTPB | Dr. Walt Cook | Pathogen Surveillance at a Domestic Poultry-Wild Turkey Interface |
| Mycha Van Allen MS | PhD Student | BIMS | Dr. Sarah Hamer | Examination of Brown-headed Cowbirds As Potential Carriers for Ticks of Zoonotic Concern |
Spring 2023
| Name | Position | Dept | Mentor | Tittle |
| Amanda Beckman | PhD Student | EEB | Dr. Sarah Hamer | Building the Butterball: Anthropogenic Impacts on Domestic and Wild Turkeys |
| Cassandra Durden | MS Student | VIBS | Dr. Sarah Hamer | Systemic insecticide treatment of chickens results in mortality in Triatoma gerstaeckeri, vector of the agent of Chagas disease |
| Kalina Eskew | PhD Student | ECCB | Dr. Yorzinski | Influence of light and noise pollution from vehicles on avian reproduction |
| Dr. Don Brightsmith + Simon Kaicz | Faculty | VTPB | Dr. Brightsmith | Mapping the risk to the Critically Endangered Yellow-naped Parrot in Costa Rica |
| Dr. Jill Heatley + Dr. Karen Russell | Faculty | SACS | Dr. Jill Heatley | Assay validation and reference Interval creation for cardiac troponin I in quaker parrots |
| Dr. Francisco Ferreira | Asst. Research Scientist | ENTO | Dr. Gabriel Hamer | Dynamics of malaria parasites and related haemosporidians infecting sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis): a 21-years long study |
| Jenna Turpin | PhD Student | ECCB | Dr. Yorzinski | Urban Ecology of Avian Antiredator Behavior at Night |
| Dr. Kira Delmore | Faculty | BIOL | Dr. Delmore | Developing teaching materials on the topics of migration evolution and conservation for Latin America |
Spring 2022
| Name | Position | Dept. | Mentor | Tittle |
| Kira Delmore, PhD | BIOL | Genome – Wide Epigenetic Regulation of Birds Migration | ||
| Elena Duran | PhD Candidate | ECCB | Jacquie Grace, PhD | Impacts of Anthropogenic Mercury on Avian Parental Health and Behavior, and Direct and Indirect Effects on Offspring Health |
| R. Keith Andringa | Graduate Student | ECCB | Jacquie Grace, PhD | A proposal for the establishment of Purple Martin (Progne subis) colonies for research and outreach |
| J. Jill Heatley DVM MS DABVP DACZM & Sonya Gordon DVM DACV IM | Clinical Associate Professor Professor | VSCS VTPB | – | Assay validation and reference Interval creation for a novel renal biomarker in quaker parrots |
| Hannah Justen | PhD Candidate | BIOL | ira Delmore, PhD | Has the microbiome the potential to influence speciation in birds? |
| Simon Kiacz | PhD Candidate | VTPB | Don Brightsmith PhD | Vocal variation and its implications in released Yellow – naped Parrots (Amazona auropalliata) |
| Jennifer Rudolf | Undergraduate | BIOL | Kira Delmore, PhD | Female Preference in Hummingbirds |
| Musfirat Shubaita | Undergraduate | BIOL | Kira Delmore P hD | Black-chinned and Ruby-throated Hummingbird Hybrid Courtship Display Sonation and Male Gorget Angle Analysis |
Fall 2019
| Name | Position | Dept. | Mentor | Title |
| Dr. Wes Brashear | Postdoc | BIOL | Dr. Kira Delmore | Study of a natural avian hybrid zone to assess temporal patterns of hybridization and genomic introgression |
| Viridiana Martinez | PhD student | WFSC | Dr. Jacquie Grace | Interactions between stress hormones and blood parasites in birds along elevation gradients |
| Dr. Abigail Kimmitt | Postdoc | BIOL | Dr. Kira Delmore | Viability selection against hybrids in a songbird migratory divide |
| Amanda Beckman | PhD student | EEB | Dr. Michael Morrison | Struttin’ with two brothers versus eight cousins: investigating how relatedness influences cooperative coalitions and parasite dynamics |
| Spencer DeBrock | PhD student | VIBS | Dr. Sarah Hamer | The role of migratory birds in the spread and dispersal of parasites |
| Hannah Justen | PhD student | EEB | Dr. Kira Delmore | Can we predict how juvenile migrants will respond to environmental changes? |
| Mariel Ortega | undergraduate | WFSC | Dr. Jacquie Grace | The Effects of Pishing and Playback on Avian Fitness |
| Randall ‘Keith’ Andringa | undergraduate | WFSC | Dr. Jacquie Grace | Stable isotope analysis of features to analyze dietary shifts in dabbling ducks |
