Norms, expectations, & resources
Under construction, check back soon!
Photo note: A wetland in central Minnesota we surveyed for turtles in Summer 2023. On the left you can see a floating, wooden basking platform with a trail camera facing it. On the right you can see a hoop net with an orange float in it. The floating vegetation in the center is largely a species of arrowhead (Sagittaria sp.).
Lab Members
Jennifer Y. Lamb (P.I., Associate Professor)
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Pronouns: She/Her (why pronouns matter)
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I joined the St. Cloud State University Dept. of Biology in August 2018. I enjoy asking questions about the ecology, natural history, behavior, and conservation of amphibians and reptiles. I also like using a variety of tools or different approaches to answer those questions.
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E-mail: jylamb@stcloudstate.edu
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2677-1490
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=5zWk8gcAAAAJ&hl=en
Photo note: Jen holding a Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer) in a prairie in Minnesota.
Current Graduate Students
Sam Skinner (M.S. Student - thesis track)
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Sam began their Masters in Biology in Fall 2024. They will be using eDNA to detect rare salamanders in Minnesota. Stay tuned for more details about their research!
Email: samantha.skinner.2 [at] go.stcloudstate.edu
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Photo note: Sam holds two toad friends during a night survey in Summer 2024.
Kerri Beers (M.S. Student - thesis track)
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Kerri began her Masters in Biology at SCSU in Spring 2024. Her thesis research will focus on how an amphibian's ecological niche affects the prevalence of chytrid fungi in populations in Minnesota.
Email: kmbeers [at] go.stcloudstate.edu
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Photo note: Kerri holding a Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) caught during fieldwork in Summer 2022.
Morgan Miedema (M.S. Student - thesis track)
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Morgan began her Masters in Biology at SCSU in Fall 2023. Her thesis research will ask whether biofluorescence in larval amphibians could be ecologically significant.
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Email: morgan.miedema [at] go.stcloudstate.edu
Photo note: Morgan holding a toad.
Alyssa Roberts (M.S. Student - thesis track)
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Alyssa began her Masters in Biology at SCSU in Fall 2022. Her thesis research will ask whether detection probability for the Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) varies when using different survey methods (e.g., eDNA vs. traditional nest and larval sampling). This is a collaborative project that will involve working closely with the MN Dept. of Natural Resources.
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Email: alyssa.roberts.2 [at] go.stcloudstate.edu
Photo note: Alyssa holding a blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale) while working on the Chippewa National Forest.
Current Undergraduate Students
Dayton Johnson (B.S. Student)
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Dayton is an undergraduate in the SCSU Biodiversity, Ecology, & Evolution Bachelors program. Dayton began working with the lab in Spring 2023 and has been working on our rare-turtle project.
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Photo note: Dayton holding a Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina ) caught during the Midwest PARC conference in 2023.
Curious about joining?
Are you an undergraduate interested in our research and looking for experience in a field or laboratory setting? Reach out to me (Dr. Lamb; jylamb@stcloudstate.edu) to introduce yourself and your career goals (they can be broad!). There may be positions available to contribute to or pursue independent, parallel research topics!
Positions for thesis-based Masters students for Fall 2024/Spring 2025 have been filled.
If you are interested in graduate school at a later date, please check out the Masters of Science offered by our Department. Contact me via email and be sure to include the following information:
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an overview of your research interests and how they might fit within our group,
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your broader career goal(s), and
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your Curriculum Vitae or Resume
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Important!: Masters students can apply for graduate Teaching Assistantships (TAs) or Graduate Assistantships (GAs). I am also happy to help you build applications for external funding and scholarships.
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Photo note: Andy is holding an Western Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii).
Lab Alumni
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Andy Fondren (M.S. Student)
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Bailey Richards (M.S. & B.S. Student)
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Alex Seymour (M.S. Student)
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Abbie Halvorson (B.S. Student)
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Savanna Droher (B.S. Student)
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Nicole Gruwell (B.S. Student)
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Ashley Kobernusz (B.S. Student)
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Michael Lee (B.S. Student)
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Taylor Idland (B.S. Student)
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Maxim Kroll (B.S. Student)
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Carly Portinen (B.S. Student)
Photo note: Bailey and a Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) captured during her Masters thesis research. Handled with appropriate permits.
Photo note: Michael weighing a male Western Painted Turtle during fieldwork in Summer 2021. Research completed with appropriate permits.