EDUCATION

2004 ~ Pres. — Emory University, PhD candidate, Emory University
1997 ~ 2001 — University of Georgia, B.S. Biology

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2005 ~ Pres. — Instructor, Emory University
2003 ~ 2004 — Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Microbiologist Fellow
2001 ~ 2003 — Ecolodge San Luis & Research Station, Resident Naturalist
1998 ~ 2001 — Laboratory Assistant, University of Georgia

Instructor, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.

I am currently a laboratory instructor for Biology 141/142. My objectives in this class are that students learn the basics of how to set up and design an experiment. The key principle in this laboratory is collaborative learning through peer teaching and critical thinking.
Supervisor: Alexander Escobar, 404-727-7525

Microbiologist Fellow, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Influenza Branch, Molecular Genetics Section, Atlanta, Georgia.

Developed and characterized a live, attenuated influenza vaccine bearing avian hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes for pandemic preparedness. Vaccine development was based on the application of plasmid based reverse genetics. I worked with techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, automated nucleotide sequencing, sequence analysis, hybridization, enzyme immunoassay for detection of antigens and serum antibodies, agarose and acrylamide gel electrophoresis, BSL 3+ laboratory techniques including select agents, and animal handling.
Supervisor: Yumiko Matsuoka, 404-639-1370.

Resident Naturalist, Ecolodge San Luis & Research Station, University of Georgia, San Luis de Santa Elena, Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

At Ecolodge San Luis I guided natural history hikes and horseback rides, led plant and insect taxonomy courses, and gave lectures and slide presentations on local flora, fauna, geology, and culture. These activities were provided for ecotourist, high school and university students. During my time at Ecolodge San Luis I worked closely and traveled with professors and their students to provide academic and logistical support. In addition to my duties at Ecolodge, I taught English in the local kindergarten and tutored high school students. I participated in two doctoral projects: “Seedling Recruitment and the Effects of Crab Predation,” Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve, Costa Rica and “Bromeliad Seed Dispersal in Primary Cloud Forest,” San Luis de Santa Elena, Monteverde, Costa Rica. I was involved in a yearlong, self-designed study of the Rio Guacimal Watershed, Monteverde, Costa Rica. I conducted biological and physical habitat assessments that were used to determine factors that affect species composition within this watershed. This data was used to determine the relative health of streams within this watershed. This research was presented to high school students who will continue to monitor the water quality in this area.
Supervisors: Drs. Milton & Diana Lieberman, 011-506-645-5277

Undergraduate Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia & Mal Pais, Costa Rica. Department of Plant Biology. Studied genetic variation of an isolated population of tropical dry forest trees: “Genetic Variation of Enterlobium cyclocarpum and Luehea semannii at Two Costa Rican Locations.” Supervisors: Dr. Jim Hamrick & Dr. Diana Lieberman.

Laboratory Assistant, Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. Duties included genomic DNA extractions, gel electrophoresis, allelic scoring & data entry, southern blots, radioactive labeling and media preparation. This was a two-year study genotyping populations of Johnson grass to determine its potential to serve as a conduit for escaped sorghum transgenes. I worked in support of Dr. Peter Morrell.

SCHOLARSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS AND HONORS

• Howard Hughes teacher-scholar, Emory University, 2006-2007.
• Marine Biological Laboratory, graduate student fellowship in molecular evolution. Summer 2005.
• Population Biology, Ecology & Evolution Graduate Fellowship, Emory University, 2004-current.
• ORISE Fellow, Oak Ridge National Universities, 2003-2004.
• Georgia Hope Scholarship, 1997-2001.

LANGUAGE AND TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
I have experience living abroad. I lived in Costa Rica for two years and I have spent time in Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico. I am fluent in conversational Spanish.

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Having worked as an instructor at Emory University, as a resident naturalist at Ecolodge San Luis and as a microbiologist at the CDC, I am experienced at presenting information to large groups and interfacing with the public. I am comfortable working alone or as a team member.

COMPUTER SKILLS
I have worked in a Linux/Unix environment for over two years and am skilled with bioinformatic programs (i.e. BLAST, Spidey, RepeatMasker) and programs used in molecular evolutionary analysis (i.e. PAML, Phylip, MrBayes). I can program in HTML and R. I am currently learning PERL.

PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS

• Summer Institute in Statistical Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. June 14 – 24, 2006.
• Workshop on Molecular Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts. July 24 – August 5, 2005.
• Genomic Applications in Heart, Lung, Blood and Sleep Disorder Research. Workshop sponsored by the NHLBI Program for Genomic Applications (PGA). Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia. May 2, 2005.

MEETINGS ATTENDED

• Genomes, Evolution and Bioinformatics. Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. May 24 - 28, 2006.
• Summer Symposium in Molecular Biology: Comparative and Functional Genomics. Pennsylvania State University. July 20-23, 2005.
• Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. March 11-13, 2005.
• International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases. Atlanta, Georgia. February 29 – March 3, 2004

POSTER PRESENTATIONS.

Gene duplication and inactivation in the vertebrate HPRT-gene family. Alaine C. Keebaugh, Robert T. Sullivan, NISC Comparative Sequencing Program, and James W. Thomas. Genomes, Evolution and Bioinformatics. Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. May 2006.

Insights into genome evolution from the HPRT gene family. Alaine C. Keebaugh, Robert T. Sullivan, NISC Comparative Sequencing Program, and James W. Thomas. Summer Symposium in Molecular Biology. Pennsylvania State University. July 2005.

INSTITUTIONAL AND OTHER SERVICE

Outreach and community service
• Tutor, Clark Central High School, Athens, Georgia. Tutored high school students in math and science. May 1999-December 2001.
• Program Speaker at Copper Middle School: Development of a Live, Cold-Adapted H5N2 Influenza Vaccine for Pandemic Preparedness: What Happened to the Cold-Adapted Phenotype? March 2004.

Professional service
• Judge, State science fair competition, senior division, Athens, Georgia, 2001.

SOCIETAL MEMBERSHIPS

Society for Molecular Biology & Evolution, 2006.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS SUPERVISED
• Sicily Garvin. Emory University and The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2003-2004.

DOCTORAL ADVISOR
• James W. Thomas

PUBLICATIONS

Gene duplication and inactivation in the vertebrate HPRT-gene family. Alaine C. Keebaugh, Robert T. Sullivan, NISC Comparative Sequencing Program, and James W. Thomas (manuscript submitted).