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Previous Post-doctoral Students

Suzanne Estes
Dr. Estes worked with both Dr. Mason and Dr. Arnold to study interpopulation genetic variation in the red-sided garter snake. estess@pdx.edu

Previous Graduate Students

Ehren Bentz (Ph.D., 2019): Characterizing the Function of the Hardarian Gland and its Interactions with the Vomeronasal Organ to Facilitate Chemoreception in the Red-sided Garter Snake. bentze@science.oregonstate.edu

Leslie Blakemore (M.S., 2017): Sex and Survival: Reproduction and Anti-Microbial Defense in the Red-Sided Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis)

Emily J. Uhrig (Ph.D., 2015): Reproductive implications of parasitic infections and immune challenges in garter snakes*uhrige@science.oregonstate.edu

Christopher R. Friesen (Ph.D., 2013): Patterns and mechanisms: postcopulatory sexual selection and sexual conflict in a novel mating system*christopher.friesen@sydney.edu.au

M. Rockwell Parker (Ph.D., 2010): Activation, modification and suppression of sex pheromone production in garter snakes*parke3mr@jmu.edu

Heather L. Waye (Ph.D., 2007): Reproductive biology and behavior of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) on Guam.*wayex001@morris.umn.edu

Deborah I. Lutterschmidt (Ph.D., 2006): Chronobiology of garter snakes: environmental and hormonal mechanisms mediating hibernation and reproduction.*D.Lutterschmidt@pdx.edu

Ryan O'Donnell (M.S., 2004): Behavioral adaptations and the minimization of reproductive costs in the male red-sided garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis.*tsirtalis@hotmail.com

Michael P. LeMaster (Ph.D., 2001): Phenotypic variation in the sexual attractiveness pheromone of the red-sided garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis. lemastm@wou.edu

Ignacio T. Moore (Ph.D., 1999): Stress and reproduction in male garter snakes. itmoore@vt.edu

Darren T. Lerner(M.S., 1998): The ontogeny and mediation of sexual size dimorphism of the red-spotted garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis concinnus. dlerner@forwild.umass.edu

Michael J. Greene (Ph.D., 1998): Pheromonal mediation of reproductive behavior in the Brown Tree Snake. michael.greene@cudenver.edu

Mitchel T. Smith (M.S., 1994): The role of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone in the regulation of courtship behavior in the male red-sided garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis.

Previous Undergraduate Students

Samuel Petshow (B.S., 2015, OSU): URISC/SURE student who worked with Emily Uhrig to investigate behavioral fever in garter snakes.

Kaitlyn Rudie (B.S. with Honors, 2015, OSU): URISC/HHMI student who worked with Emily Uhrig to investigate the effects of captivity on the pheromone profiles of female red-sided garter snakes.

Lindsey Broadus (B.S., 2014, OSU): Student who assisted with snake husbandry and parasite counting.

Anna Vigeland (B.S. with Honors, 2011, OSU): URISC/HHMI student who worked with Rocky Parker and Emily Uhrig to understand the role that temperature, shedding and UV play in pheromone production in female red-sided garter snakes.

King Yabut (B.S., 2011, OSU): HHMI student who examined the regeneration of the Harderian gland, with special emphasis on the relationship between the gland's secretions (protein content) and feeding response over the course of regeneration.

David Chin (B.S., 2010, OSU): URISC student who examined IP3 production by the VNO epithelium of male garter snakes and perfected a method for isolating Harderian gland secretions from the ducts of the VNO.

Mattie Squire(B.S., 2010, OSU): URISC/HHMI student who worked with Chris Friesen on PCR preparation of DNA samples in several multiple paternity studies, sperm counts, and sperm mobility assays.

Andy Fraser (B.S., 2009, OSU): HHMI student who studied the effects of unilateral and bilateral Harderianectomy on the trailing behavior of male garter snakes.

Robert Cressman (B.S., 2008, OSU): Work study student who continued on to conduct experiments on the habitat preferences of garter snakes during hibernation and also did chemical ecology experiments with a surrogate snake model, kingsnakes (Lampropeltis gettula), for the endangered indigo snake (Drymarchon corais).

Dan Preston (B.S. with Honors, 2008, OSU): HHMI student who studied different aspects to anesthesia in the garter snakes for his thesis: Sources of variability in duration of anesthesia with brevital sodium in snakes*

Emily Uhrig (B.S., 2008, WOU): HHMI student from Western Oregon University who, in collaboration with Dr. Mason at OSU and Dr. Michael LeMaster at Western Oregon University, described interspecific differences of pheromone composition in the red-sided garter snake.

Amelia Kerns (B.S. with Honors, 2008, OSU): HHMI/URISC student who, working with Chris Friesen, used genetic techniques to study issues of sexual conflict in the garter snake system: Sperm depletion and sperm competition in the red-sided garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis*

Sten Erickson (B.S. with Honors, 2007, OSU): HHMI/URISC student who examined basic aspects to the structure of the Harderian gland in garter snakes for his thesis: Sexual dimorphism and seasonal changes in the Harderian gland of the red-sided garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis*

Arianne Cease (B.S. 2004, OSU): HHMI student who worked with Deb Lutterschmidt on the stress responses of garter snakes when they disperse following the spring breeding season.

Sarah Johnson: Volunteer who worked with Emily Uhrig to count parasites.

Mariaelena Del Rio: Volunteer who worked with Emily Uhrig to count sperm and prepare tissues samples for parasite counting.

Adrienne Stedford: Volunteer who conducted sperm counts.

Kaylie Stowell: Volunteer who worked with Chris Friesen to analyze video footage of metabolic cost of courtship trials to assess time budgeting.

Christina Lackey: URISC/HHMI student who studied the regeneration of the Harderian gland using both behavioral assays and histology.

Emi Ikeda: Work study student who managed our website and trained the grad students in all-things-HTML.

Kata Haeberlin: volunteer who helped with the general maintenance of the snakes, assisted Rocky Parker with the collection and processing of blood samples from experimental animals and assisted with Chris Friesen's dissertation work by conducting sperm counts.

Dolly Do: volunteer who learned how to isolate and dissect out the VNO epithelium from garter snakes and then process this sensory tissue for its use in the IP3 assay and worked with Chris Friesen on sperm counts.

Ben Burke: work study student who maintained the 500+ snakes in our lab as well as being our general savior when it came to taking care of the lab.

Lauren Welch: work study student who cared for the many snakes in our lab and helped keep our lab space organized.

Mike Muniz: volunteer who assisted Chris Friesen with genotyping for paternity analyses.