curriculum vitae of
JENNIFER L. MORTENSEN Aug 2015
EDUCATION
Tufts University | Department of Biology 163 Packard Avenue, Medford, MA 02155 USA 215‐287‐3241 |
[email protected]
Ph.D. candidate in Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA Planned Fall 2015 M.S. in Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA 2009 B.S. in Biology & Biological Aspects of Conservation, 2003 Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
2010‐Present. Ph.D. Research, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA My research focus is on understanding how avian social behavior affects population dynamics and extinction risk. I’m interested in a broad range of social and mating behaviors, but my current focus is on cooperative breeding – whereby individuals help raise non‐descendent kin – and whether this behavior may buffer the short‐term population dynamics following significant habitat loss. I conduct field work in Saint Lucia and Martinique. Advisor: J. Michael Reed, Ph.D.
2007‐2010. Project Coordinator, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA Oversaw and coordinated the administration of a 5‐year, $2.5 million project investigating the ecological and social impacts of climate change in northern Mongolia (NSF – PIRE) during the project’s first 3 years. Facilitated the PIRE collaboration by coordinating and tracking the activities of researchers and students at the University of Pennsylvania, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and the National University of Mongolia. Member of the field research team in Mongolia in 2008‐2010.
2005‐2008. M.S. Research, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA Investigated the impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation on the reproduction of the endangered White‐breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus). Studied thrashers within undamaged forest and habitat fragments in order to document the immediate effects of deforestation on the population’s viability. Advisor: Robert L. Curry, Ph.D.
2005. Field Technician, University of Kentucky; Daniel Boone National Forest, KY Examined Neotropical migrant warbler ecology and conservation in Kentucky, focusing on Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) distribution and abundance.
2004. Field Technician, Arizona State University; Gulf of California, Mexico Assessed the relationship between breeding site selection and population persistence of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) in the Gulf of California.
2002‐2003. Lab Technician, University of Wisconsin Water Science and Engineering Lab, Madison, WI, USA Investigated mercury cycling and transport in Wisconsin fresh water systems.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Conservation Biology, Ornithology, Ecological Modeling, Population and Community Ecology, Behavioral Ecology
PUBLICATIONS & TECHNICAL REPORTS
(*) denotes undergraduate co‐authors Mortensen, J. L. and J. M. Reed. Population viability and vital rate sensitivity of an endangered avian cooperative breeder. In review.
C.V. Jennifer L. Mortensen, 2 Sass, E.*, J. L. Mortensen, and J. M. Reed. Predicted habitat suitability for the endangered White‐breasted Thrasher Ramphocinclus brachyurus in Saint Lucia. In review. Felix, M. L., J. L. Mortensen, M. N. Morton, and J. Tschirky. 2014. The Gòj Blan Plan: an action plan for recovering the white‐breasted thrasher on Saint Lucia. Report to the Trust for the Management of Rivers, Saint Lucia Forestry Department, Saint Lucia National Trust, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, and the American Bird Conservancy. Mortensen, J. L., K. F. Freeman, M. N. Morton. 2014. White‐breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus), Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; retrieved from Neotropical Birds Online: http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=559116 Mortensen, J. L. 2013. Understanding extinction risk of an endangered, cooperatively breeding passerine: the White‐breasted Thrasher of Saint Lucia. 2nd technical report to the Saint Lucia Forestry Department. Mortensen, J. L. 2012. Understanding extinction risk of an endangered, cooperatively breeding passerine: the White‐breasted Thrasher of Saint Lucia. 1st technical report to the Saint Lucia Forestry Department. LaPergola J. B., J. L. Mortensen and R. L. Curry. 2011. Nest, eggs, and nesting behavior of the Gray Trembler (Cinclocerthia gutturalis) on St. Lucia, West Indies. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123(2): 390‐395. Mortensen, J. L. 2009. Short‐term behavioral and demographic responses of the White‐ breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus) to habitat loss and fragmentation. Master’s Thesis. Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA.
PAPERS IN PREPARATION
Mortensen, J. L., T. Mink*, B. Barnes*, J. M. Reed. Group size effects on incubation constancy in a Neotropical cooperative breeder. In preparation. J. L. Mortensen, Miller, M., J. DaCosta, M. Sorenson, R. L. Curry, J. R. Gros‐Désormeaux, A. G. Tayalay, T. Lesales, and J. M. Reed. Genetic and phenotypic evidence for species‐level differences between Martinique and Saint Lucia populations of an endangered mimid (Ramphocinclus sp.). In preparation. Mortensen, J. L. and R. L. Curry. Occupancy and movements of the endangered Saint Lucia White‐breasted Thrasher after habitat loss and fragmentation. In preparation.
AWARDS & FUNDING
2014 – Tufts Institute of the Environment Data Collection Grant ($850) 2014 – Outstanding Graduate Student Contribution to Tufts Undergraduate Education (Special Mention) 2013‐2015 – N.S.F. Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant ($11,000) 2013 – P.E.O. Scholar Award ($15,000) 2013 – American Ornithologists’ Union Alexander Wetmore Memorial Research Award ($2,100) 2012 – Ornithological Council Grant for Research in Latin American and the Caribbean ($3,000) 2012 – Tufts Graduate Student Research Grants‐in‐Aid ($700) 2012 – Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Kathleen S. Anderson Award ($500) 2012 – Nuttall Ornithological Society Blake‐Nuttall Fund ($3,000) 2012 – Graduate Women in Science Alpha Omega Chapter travel grant ($400) 2012 – Graduate Women in Science Fellowship (Honorable Mention) 2012 – Tufts Institute of the Environment Data Collection Grant ($700)
C.V. Jennifer L. Mortensen, 3 2011 – Nuttall Ornithological Society Blake‐Nuttall Fund ($2,500) 2011 – The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research ($4,800) 2011– Tufts Institute of the Environment Graduate Student Fellowship ($3,000) 2011– Tufts Graduate Student Research Grants‐in‐Aid ($640) 2006‐2007 – Villanova University Department of Biology Research Fellowship ($15,000) 2007 – Villanova University Graduate Student Research Award ($2,000) 2007 – Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Grant‐in‐Aid of Research ($922) 2007 – Cooper Ornithological Society Mewaldt‐King Student Research Award ($1,000) 2007 – Wilson Ornithological Society Paul A. Stewart Student Research Grant ($500) 2007 – Association of Field Ornithologists Bergstrom Memorial Research Award ($1,000) 2007 – Wilson Ornithological Society Travel Award ($400) 2006 – Villanova Graduate Student Travel Award ($550) 2006 – Sigma Xi Grant‐in‐Aid of Research ($600)
TEACHING
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Tufts University, Department of Biology 2011‐2015
EXPERIENCE
Human Reproduction and Development (Bio 012), Spring 2015 semester
Ecology of Animal Movements (Bio 135), Fall 2014 semester
Conservation Biology (Bio 144), Spring 2014 and Spring 2012 semesters
Animal Behavior (Bio 130), Spring 2013 semester
Biostatistics (Bio 132), Fall 2011 and Fall 2012 semesters Graduate Laboratory Instructor, Tufts University, Department of Biology, 2010‐2011 Organisms and Populations (Bio 14), Spring 2011 semester Cells and Organisms (Bio 13), Fall 2010 semester Graduate Teaching Assistant, Villanova University, Department of Biology, 2005‐2006 Parasitology (Bio 3755), Evolution (Bio 4305), Spring 2006 semester Introductory Ecology (Bio 3255), Fall 2005 semester Invited Guest Lectures 2013 Tufts University – Animal Cognition 2008 Villanova University – Using Program MARK for analysis of avian nest survival data 2006 Saint Lucia Forestry Department – Avian Conservation
UNDERGRAD MENTORING
Ben Barnes, Tufts University. Project title: Incubation constancy in the cooperatively breeding White‐breasted Thrasher. Hanna Buechi, Tufts University. Project title: Threats to cooperatively versus non‐cooperatively breeding bird species on the IUCN Red List. Hillevi Jaegerman, Tufts University. Research assistant in Saint Lucia. Project title: Comparison of density estimates versus reproductive output in determining habitat quality. Thea Mink, Tufts University. Research assistant in Saint Lucia. Project title: Incubation dynamics in the Neotropical, cooperatively breeding White‐breasted Thrasher. Emma Sass, Tufts University. Project title: Habitat suitability for the endangered White‐ breasted Thrasher on Saint Lucia. In preparation for submission to Bird Conservation International.
C.V. Jennifer L. Mortensen, 4
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
2014 – present. Science Advisor Technical advisor for the White‐breasted Thrasher species action plan, which was developed in collaboration with the Saint Lucia Trust for the Management of Rivers, Saint Lucia National Trust, Saint Lucia Forestry Department, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, and American Bird Conservancy
2013. Technical Contributor Contributor to the BirdLife International IUCN Red List status review of the White‐breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus)
2009. Organizing Committee 127th Stated Meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Philadelphia, PA
Journal and Grant Refereeing Bird Conservation International, Tufts Graduate Student Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Grants‐in‐Aid
COMMUNITY
Workshops 2014. North Grafton (North Grafton, MA) Elementary – Developed and taught a hands on workshop for 120 first graders introducing them to ornithology and the scientific process.
OUTREACH
2013. Bird Carnival – Developed, organized, and ran a half‐day workshop for 50 children (ages 3‐14) in the community of Praslin, Saint Lucia. Children were introduced to avian conservation and field ornithology. Science Fair Judging 2014. Judge for the Medford High School (Medford, MA) 9‐12th grade science fair. 2014. Judge for the UAL (UP Academy Leonard Middle School, Lawrence, MA) 8th grade science fair. Popular writing July‐September 2015 issues of ZiNG, in‐flight magazine for LIAT airlines. Caribbean Bird Watch: expert advice to help you appreciate our region’s beautiful birds.
PRESENTED PAPERS
(*) denotes undergraduate co‐authors J. L. Mortensen, and J. M. Reed. Population viability and vital rate sensitivity of the Saint Lucia White‐breasted Thrasher. 20th International Meeting of Birds Caribbean, Kingston, Jamaica, 2015. Miller, M. J., J. L. Mortensen, K. Freeman, J. M. Reed, and R. L. Curry. Genetic and phenotypic evidence for species‐level difference between Martinique and St. Lucia populations of an endangered mimid (Ramphocinclus sp.). Joint meeting of the American Ornithologists Union and the Cooper Ornithological Society, Norman, OK, 2015. Mortensen, J. L. and J. M. Reed. Conservation of White‐breasted Thrasher populations in Saint Lucia and Martinique. First annual Boston Bird meeting, Cambridge, MA, 2015. Mortensen, J. L. and J. M. Reed. Population viability of an endangered avian cooperative breeder following habitat loss. 2nd North American Congress for Conservation Biology (NAACB), Missoula, MT, 2014. Joint meeting of the Association of Field Ornithologists & Wilson Ornithological Society, Newport, RI, 2014.
C.V. Jennifer L. Mortensen, 5 Sass, E.*, J. L. Mortensen, and J.M. Reed. Habitat suitability model for the White‐breasted Thrasher in St. Lucia. 2nd North American Congress for Conservation Biology (NAACB), Missoula, MT, 2014. Joint meeting of the Association of Field Ornithologists & Wilson Ornithological Society, Newport, RI, 2014. Mortensen, J. L. and J. M. Reed. The role of social behavior in buffering populations from extinction: persistence of the endangered cooperatively breeding White‐breasted Thrasher on St. Lucia. North American Ornithological Conference, Vancouver, BC, 2012. Mortensen, J. L. Can social behaviors protect populations from extinction? Student Conference on Conservation Science, New York, NY, 2011. Mortensen, J. L. and R. L. Curry. Conservation ecology of endemic Caribbean mimids. American Ornithologist’s Union, Philadelphia, PA. Invited oral symposium participant. 2009. Mortensen, J. L. H. J. Temple, and R. L. Curry. Conservation ecology and social organization of the endangered White‐breasted Thrasher on St. Lucia, West Indies. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Boston, MA, 2009 North American Ornithological Conference, Veracruz, Mexico, 2006
Mortensen, J. L. and R. L. Curry. Effects of habitat loss on social ecology and reproduction of the endangered White‐ breasted Thrasher Ramphocinclus brachyurus. Wilson Ornithological Society Meeting, Boston, MA. 2007.
INVITED TALKS
2014. The White‐breasted Thrasher: an endangered, cooperative breeder. Nuttall Ornithological Club, Cambridge, MA. 2014. White‐breasted Thrasher Biology. White‐breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus sanctaeluciae). Species Action Planning Workshop, Praslin, Saint Lucia. 2014. Rampho 5: First Blood (genetic methods to determine population connectivity of Ramphocinclus brachyurus). Tufts University Department of Biology Seminar Series, Medford, MA. 2013. Eagle, albatross, condor: Persistence of an endangered birdie following golf course construction. Tufts University Department of Biology Seminar Series, Medford, MA. 2012. Use of Thermochron iButtons to understand differential patterns of incubation in the cooperatively breeding White‐breasted Thrasher. 8th Northeast Workshop on Comparative Physiological Ecology, Hubbardston, MA. 2012. The action of TLS polymerases in trinucleotide repeat expansions localizing to the nuclear periphery in avian blood cells. Tufts University Department of Biology Seminar Series, Medford, MA. 2011. Exploring extinction risk with individual‐based models. Tufts University Department of Biology Seminar Series, Medford, MA. 2011. Modeling the viability of an endangered cooperatively breeding songbird. Tufts University Department of Biology Seminar Series, Medford, MA. 2010. Short‐term dynamics after habitat loss – case‐study of the endangered cooperatively breeding White‐breasted Thrasher. Northeast Workshop on Comparative Physiological Ecology, Hubbardston, MA.
C.V. Jennifer L. Mortensen, 6
WORKSHOPS ATTENDED
“Bird study skin preparation workshop”, facilitated by Brad Walker, Mary Margeret Feraro, and Jeff Gerbracht (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) at the 20th International Meeting of BirdsCaribbean, 24 July 2015. “Presentation Skills”, led by the Tufts University drama department, 29 Sept 2014. “Sharing Science with the Conservation Community”, led at the 2nd North American Congress for Conservation Biology (NACCB), 17 July 2014. “Intro to Research Data Management”, led by Regina Raboin (former Tufts University science librarian), 21 Feb 2014. “Best practices for productive writing”, led by the Associate Director of the Academic Resource Center at Tufts University, 23 Jan 2014.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Ornithologists’ Union BirdsCaribbean (formerly the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds) Graduate Women in Science Society for Conservation Biology Wilson Ornithological Society