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Home Dr. Hembree Research Continental Ichnology Laboratory Students Publications Courses News and Opportunities Links
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I am currently
seeking motivated graduate students who are interested in studying various aspects
of continental ichnology and paleopedology, including the relationships
between Pennsylvanian and Permian soil organisms, paleosols, and
paleoenvironmental changes in the distal Appalachian basin. Undergraduate
students are also an important part of any research laboratory. I currently
have several small-scale projects that can be completed as part of a senior
thesis. Please see News and Opportunities for
projects and funding opportunities. |
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Current Graduate Students |
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Jennifer Crowell, MS Jennifer joined the lab in the Fall 2020 semester after earning
her BS in Geology and Biology from Southern Utah University. Jennifer is
conducting a study of changing fluvial ichnofossil assemblages from the
middle Pennsylvanian to Early Permian of southeastern Ohio and West Virginia.
Jennifer presented preliminary results of her project, “Climate induced changes in fluvial ichnofossil
assemblages of the Pennsylvanian-Permian Appalachian Basin,” at the 2021
Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon. |
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Skyler Houser, MS Skyler joined the lab in the Fall 2021 semester after earning his
BS in Biology from Mount St. Joseph University. Skyler is conducting research
with different species of burrowing scorpions to connect discrete elements of
burrow morphology to specific behaviors and burrowing techniques. |
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Current Undergraduate
Students |
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Rachel
Wawrzynski, BS Rachel joined the CIRL in 2020 as an undergraduate laboratory assistant funded through
the OHIO PACE program. She conducts daily animal
care in the lab and assists with experimental setup and data collection
associated with ongoing experiments with burrowing arthropod predators. |
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Alumni |
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Krista Smilek, MS 2009 Krista completed her Master’s thesis
“Using Ichnology and Sedimentology to Determine the Paleoenvironmental and
Paleoecological Conditions of a Nearshore Depositional Environment: Case
Studies from the Pennsylvanian Ames Limestone and Modern Holothurians” in
2009. In her thesis research Krista conducted the first detailed
investigation of the ichnology of the Ames Limestone from outcrops in the
vicinity of Athens, Ohio. She also completed a neoichnological study of the
holothurian Thyonella in order to
document the suite of possible trace fossils produced by burrowing sea
cucumbers in different substrates. Krista received a Geological Society of
America Grant-in-Aid in 2008 to help fund her field and laboratory research.
Krista has presented her thesis research at the 2008 and 2009 Geological
Society of America Annual Meetings. Krista’s Thyonella research was
published in The Open Journal of Paleontology in 2012. Krista is currently
the Academic Director of the University of Cincinnati Department of Geology. |
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Bart Rasor, BS 2010 Bart completed his undergraduate thesis in 2010. He was part a
National Geographic funded research team from Ohio University to the South
Pacific island of Lifou. The purpose of this expedition was to document the
first known modern, shallow water deposit of Nautilus shells in two bays in the southern part of the island.
Bart helped to analyze the sedimentology of the shallow bays and the
taphonomic signatures of the shells in order to develop a modern analog for
fossil cephalopod deposits. Bart helped to present this research at the 2009
Geological of Society of America Annual Meeting and was a coauthor on a paper
published in Palaios in 2011. Bart earned his Master’s degree in the
Department of Geology and Earth Sciences at Miami University. Bart is
currently employed as a geophysicist by Continental Resources. |
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Angeline Catena, MS
2012 Angeline completed her Master’s thesis “Neoichnology of two scincoid lizards and Pennsylvanian paleosols: improving
interpretations of continental tracemakers and soil environments” in 2012.
Angeline’s Master’s thesis research involved the study of the burrowing
behaviors and biogenic structures of two species of skinks, the ocellated sand skink (Chacides ocellatus) and the gold skink (Mabuya multifasciata). Angeline documented the different styles
of burrowing and resulting burrow morphologies of these two skinks as well as
investigated the effects of variations in changes in soil composition and
moisture on their burrowing behavior. Angeline also conducted a detailed
study of the paleosols and ichnofossils within an outcrop of the Upper
Pennsylvanian Casselman Formation in southeastern Ohio. Angeline received a
Geological Society of America grant to help fund her laboratory research.
Angeline presented her thesis research at the 2011 and 2012 Geological of
Society of America Annual Meeting. Angeline’s Casselman paleosol study was
published in Geosciences in 2012. Angeline has earned her Ph.D. from the
Department of Biology at Case Western Reserve University. |
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Nicole Dzenowski, MS
2012 Nicole completed her Master’s thesis “The neoichnology of two
Ambystomatid salamanders, Pennsylvanian paleosols, and their use in
paleoenvironmental, paleoecological, and paleoclimatic interpretations” in
2012. Nicole’s Master’s thesis research involved the study of the burrowing
behaviors and biogenic structures of two species of salamanders, the tiger
salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) and
the marbled salamander (Ambystoma
opacum). Nicole documented the different styles of burrowing and the
different burrow morphologies of these two salamanders as well as variations
with changes in soil composition and moisture. Nicole also conducted a
detailed study of the paleosols and ichnofossils within an outcrop of the
Upper Pennsylvanian Glenshaw Formation in southeastern Ohio. Nicole received
a SEPM grant to help fund her field research. Nicole presented her thesis
research at the 2011 Geological of Society of America Annual Meeting. Nicole’s Glenshaw paleosol study was
published in Geosciences in 2012. Nicole is currently employed as a seasonal
ranger at Petrified Forest National Park. |
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Jared Bowen, MS 2013 Jared completed his Master’s thesis, “The neoichnology of juliform millipedes and Upper Monongahela to Lower Dunkard
group paleosols: a multi-proxy approach to paleolandscape variability,” in
2013. Jared’s thesis research involved the study of the burrowing behaviors
and biogenic structures of two species of millipedes, Narceus americanus and Floridobolus
penneri. Jared documented the burrowing techniques and burrow
morphologies produced by these millipedes as well as the effects of changes
in soil composition and moisture on their burrowing behavior. Jared also
conducted a detailed study of the paleosols and ichnofossils preserved within
the Upper Pennsylvanian–Lower Permian Monongahela and Dunkard groups of
southeastern Ohio. Jared received a SEPM Ed Picou
Fellowship to help support his research and presented at the 2012 Geological
of Society of America Annual Meeting.
The results of Jared’s research were published in Palaeontologia
Electronica (17.1.18A:1-48) and PALAIOS (v. 32, p. 295-320). Jared is
currently employed as a Geologist at Innova
Exploration. |
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Mike Hils, MS 2014 Mike completed his Master’s thesis, “Neoichnology of the burrowing spiders Gorgyrella inermis (Araneae:
Mygalomorphae) and Hogna lenta
(Araneae: Araneomorphae),” in 2014. Mike’s thesis
research involved neoichnological
experiments with two species of burrowing spiders, Gorgyrella sp. (South African trapdoor spider) and Hogna lenta (wolf spider), documenting
their burrowing morphologies and their behavioral responses to changes in
environmental conditions, and comparing spider burrows to the burrows of
other terrestrial animals as well as trace fossils. Mike received grants from
the Geological Society of America and the Paleontological Society to help
support his research and presented at the 2013 Geological Society of America
Annual Meeting. The results of Mike’s research were published in Palaeontologia Electronica (18.1.7A:1-62). |
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Michael Blair, MS
2015 Michael completed his Master’s thesis, “A Paleopedological and
Ichnological Approach to Spatial and Temporal Variability in Pennsylvanian-Permian Strata of the Lower Dunkard Group,” in
2015. Michael’s thesis research involved a study of Permian Dunkard Group
paleosols and continental ichnofossils in West Virginia. Michael received a
grant from the Geological Society of America and presented the results of his
research at the 2014 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting. The
results of his research were published in Palaeogeography,
Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
(v. 454, p. 246-266). |
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Lauren
Johnson, BS 2015 Lauren completed her undergraduate thesis, “Understanding
Anuran Burrows: Neoichnology of the Eastern Spadefoot Toad, Scaphiopus holbrookii,” in 2015 and
graduated with two BS degrees in Geological Sciences and Anthropology. Lauren’s undergraduate research focused on an
experimental study of the burrowing behavior and burrow morphology of the
eastern spadefoot toad, Scaphiopus
holbrookii. Lauren received a Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fund grant
to support her research and presented at the 2014 Southeastern Geological
Society of America Meeting and the 2014 Geological Society of America Annual
Meeting. The results of Lauren’s research were published in Palaeontologia Electronica (18.2.43A:1-29). |
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Jennifer Carnes, MS
2017 Jennifer completed her Master’s thesis, “Response of soils and
soil ecosystems to the Pennsylvanian-Permian climate transition in the upper
fluvial plain of the Dunkard Basin, southeastern Ohio, USA”, in 2017.
Jennifer’s thesis research involved a field and laboratory study of paleosols
and continental ichnofossils from the Late Pennsylvanian to Permian
Monongahela and Dunkard group of Meigs County,
Ohio. Jennifer presented the initial results of her research at the 2016
Geological Society of American Annual Meeting in Denver. The results of
Jenni’s research were published in Geosciences (v. 8, no. 208, 35 p.). |
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Emma Swaninger, BS
2017 Emma completed her undergraduate thesis, “Large burrows in
fluvial deposits of the Early Permian (Asselian) Dunkard Group, southeast
Ohio, USA”, in 2017. Emma’s undergraduate research involved a study of large
burrows assigned to Camborygma
found in fluvial sandstones of the Early Permian Dunkard Group. Emma also
worked as an
undergraduate laboratory assistant funded through the OU PACE program
conducting daily animal care and
assisting with experiments conducted with various burrowing terrestrial
animals. Emma presented her research at the 2017 Northeastern/North-central
section Geological Society of America meeting in Pittsburgh. The results of
her research have been published in Palaeogeography,
Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
(v. 491, p. 137-151). |
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Sarah Kogler, MS 2018 Sarah joined the lab in the Fall 2016 semester after earning her
BS in Soil Science and Biology from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.
Sarah conducted a study of impact of modern weathering trends on the
geochemistry of paleosols in southeastern Ohio as part of her Master’s thesis
entitled, “Influences of modern
pedogenesis on paleoclimate estimates from Pennsylvanian and Permian paleosols,
southeast Ohio, USA.” Sarah obtained graduate research grants from the
Geological Society of America and the Society for Sedimentary Geology to
support her research. Sarah presented the results of her research at the 2017
Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Seattle. Sarah is currently
pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Geosciences at Baylor University. |
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Connor McFadden, MS
2019 Connor joined the lab in the Fall 2017 semester after earning his
BS in Geology from Youngstown State University. Connor conducted a study of
changes in paleosol properties and ichnofossil assemblages from the Late
Pennsylvanian Monongahela Group to the Early Permian Dunkard Group through
southern Athens County, Ohio in order to assess the effects of regional
climate change on soil environments and ecosystems. Connor defended his
thesis “Analysis of landscape variability through the Pennsylvanian and Permian
Monongahela and Dunkard groups, southeastern Ohio, USA” in 2019. Connor
presented the results of his research at the 2018 Geological Society of
America Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. Connor is currently employed by Civil
and Environmental Consultants, Inc. |
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Hayden
Thacker, BS 2020 Hayden joined the CIRL in 2018 as an undergraduate laboratory assistant funded through
the OU PACE program and in 2019 he started
an undergraduate thesis. Hayden defended his thesis entitled “Neoichnological study of burrowing darkling beetles
(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)
from larval to adult stages” in April 2020.
In his thesis Hayden described the traces produced by two species of
burrowing darkling beetles from their larval to adult life stages. Hayden was
set to present the results of his research at the 2020 Joint
Southeastern/Northeastern GSA section meeting, but unfortunately the meeting
was cancelled due to COVID-19. Hayden will begin working on his MS degree in
geology with Dr.Ilya Buynevich at Temple University in Fall 2020. |
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Joe Wislocki, MS 2021 Joe joined the lab in the Fall 2019 semester after earning his BS
in Geology from Kent State University. Joe conducted a neoichnological study
of three species of burrowing beetles from larval to adult life stages under
varying substrate conditions. Joe defended his thesis, “Understanding larval
to adult beetle ichnofossils using experimental neoichnology,” in 2021. Joe
presented the results of his research at the 2020 Geological Society of
America Annual Meeting which was held online. Joe is currently an instructor
for the Ohio University Department of Geological Sciences. |
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Former Undergraduate
Laboratory Assistants |
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Lee Johnson Lee worked in the CIRL from 2009-2011. He assisted with animal
care, the construction of a neoichnology database, and the experimental setup
and data collection associated with the Arizona desert scorpions (Hadrurus arizonensis). |
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Robert Tenwalde Lee worked in the CIRL from 2009-2011. He assisted with animal
care, the construction of a neoichnology database, and the experimental setup
and data collection associated with the Arizona desert scorpions (Hadrurus arizonensis). |
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Brian Atkinson Brian worked in the CIRL in 2011. He assisted with the
experimental setup and data collection associated with emperor scorpions (Pandinus imperator) and Asian forest
scorpions (Heterometrus spinifer). |
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Allison
Durkee Allison worked in the CIRL from 2012-2013 as an
undergraduate laboratory assistant funded through the OU PACE program. She
conducted daily animal care, helped
with the neoichnology database, and assisted in experimental setup and data
collection associated with burrowing terrestrial arthropods. Allison also
worked as a field assistant helping to describe Pennsylvanian-Permian Dunkard
Group paleosols and trace fossils. |
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Madeline
Ingle Madeline worked in the CIRL from 2013-2014 as an undergraduate laboratory assistant funded through the OU PACE program. She conducted daily animal care, helped with the neoichnology database, and assisted in experimental setup and data collection associated with various burrowing terrestrial animals. |
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Samantha
Hampton Samantha worked in the CIRL from 2014-2015 as an undergraduate laboratory
assistant. She conducted daily animal
care, helped with the neoichnology database, and assisted in experimental
setup and data collection associated with various burrowing terrestrial
animals. |
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Wesley Parker Wes worked in the CIRL from 2014-2015 as a web
designer assisting in the development of a new continental neoichnology
database and website funded through the OU PACE program and the National
Science Foundation. |
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Seth Barot Seth worked in the CIRL from 2015-16 as an undergraduate laboratory
assistant funded through the OU PACE program. He conducted daily animal care and assisted in experimental setup and
data collection associated with various burrowing terrestrial animals. |
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Mary
Reichle Mary worked in the CIRL from 2019-20 as an undergraduate laboratory
assistant funded through the OU PACE program. She conducted daily animal care in the lab and assisted with
experimental setup and data collection associated with ongoing experiments
with beetles and arthropod predators. |
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Copyright © 2007 Daniel Hembree Last revised: 10/2021 |
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