David S. McLeod
Recent Graduates
Find out who we are and what we are doing!
Sara Schoen
2015–2017, 2018-2020
Sara began in the lab in 2015 as an undergraduate interested in the statistical analysis of morphometric data. After graduation she worked for Americorps in the National Parks service and then returned to JMU as a M.S.student in Biology. Her thesis research investigates the utilization of statistical analysis on morphological data. The aim of her research is to create a statistical method as a means for delimiting species boundaries in the Limnonectes kuhlii complex. Her research goals for the future are to delve further into species complexes with that aid of statistical analyses and continue contributing to global conservation efforts. Sara travelled to Borneo in 2019 where she studied calling behavior in Pulchrana glandulosa while simultaneously hearding cats during a field course.
Sara is now pursuing a PhD at Florida International University.
Email: schoensn@jmu.edu
Alex Shafer
2015–2020
Alex Shafer is a Biology and Secondary Education teacher. At JMU she was a PASS Leader for an intro biology class, and president of JMU's chapter of the National Science Teacher's Association. Alex participated in the first JMU study abroad trip to Brunei in 2016 and got her first taste of field work there. She has been actively participating in field and lab projects since. Alex was responsible for initiating and running the JMU Herpetology Outreach Program (JMU HOP) that successfully introduced amphibians and reptiles to citizens through public outreach events that reached more than 20,000 people in just 3 years! She is an oustanding educator who has developed a passion for herpetology during her time at JMU.
Alex is now teaching high school biology. Her students are incredibly lucky to have her!
Email: shaferam@dukes.jmu.edu
David Weisenbeck
2017–2020
David is a rising star in herpetology. David began as a high school student conducting herpetofaunal surveys of Chippokes Plantation State Park near his home in Virginia. When he arrived at JMU he quickly became an active member of the lab and has been involved in a variety of projects including a mark-recapture study of a local turtle community, morphology in Limnonectes kuhlii complex frogs, and biodiversity surveys in the region. David has published several peer-reviewed articles while at JMU and is a Barry Goldwater Scholarship awardee. David got his first taste of SE Asian herpetofaunal diversity in 2018 when he travelled to Sarawak to conduct a survey at Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary.
After graduating, David has continued to pursue field research opportunities and is applying for PhD programs in herpetology.
Email: weisendr@dukes.jmu.edu
Kate Williams
2019–2020
Kate is a biology major and aspiring herpetologist. Kate accompanied us in the field in 2019 for the study abroad program in Sarawak. There she conducted a mark-recapture project with Cyrtodactylus geckos.
Email: willi7kr@dukes.jmu.edu
Emma Nelson
2019–2020
Emma started the first day of herpetology class in 2019 saying "I want to be a herpetologist". After unsuccessful attempts to discourage this path to poverty, Emma joined the lab and has become our DNA barcoding expert. In addition to meticulously processing our DNA samples, she is working on morphometrics and gaining as much experience as possible before heading to graduate school.
Email:nelsonee@dukes.jmu.edu
Paige Carrington
2018–2020
Paige began working with amphibians and reptiles during a summer course in 2018 where she was barcoding tadpole DNA to facilitate species identifications. She has been a contributor to the lab since then. In 2019, Paige travelled to Malaysian Borneo for her first adventure in tropical herpetology.
Email:carrinpe@dukes.jmu.edu