Guest Science Writers

Cassie Apostolou is just a run-of-the-mill student at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point majoring in Wildlife Ecology: Research and Management with a minor in Biology. Cassie’s area of interests includes wildlife diseases, habitat management and invasive species. She has been an animal nut ever since she was little, wanting to catch and play with any animal that came across her path. She is also involved in the student chapter of the Wildlife Society at UW- Stevens Point where she is conducting a research project involving the abundance and diversity of small mammal populations depending on different habitat types/successions. Cassie has many passions in life, some of them being camping, drawing, watching movies, kayaking, and fishing. Check out her post at Just Another Day.

Britta Bibbo is a senior at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point majoring in Biology and minoring in Captive Wildlife. During her time here, she pursued interests in entomology, parasitology, wildlife disease, and sexual behavior in animals. She is currently working to become a Veterinary Technician to work hands-on with captive and free-ranging wildlife. Read her post, Fatal Attraction: Praying Mantises.


Alexis Brauner is a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point majoring in Biology with a minor in Captive Wildlife. She came to UWSP with the goal of becoming an exotic veterinarian, but has since changed her mind. Her current career goal of entering the animal care field as a zookeeper was established after her summer internship at Henry Vilas Zoo where she worked with a variety of critters including a two-toed sloth, a pair of capybaras, emperor tamarins, ornate box turtles, a tawny frogmouth, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, and, occasionally, assassin bugs. Read her post, Tiny Ninjas, Big Bites.


Ana Breit is currently at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Biology and minoring in Economics. As part of both the Cross Country and Track and Field teams she has a lot of experience with both long-distance running and Iron-deficient anemia. During her indoor track season her sophomore year of college she became severely anemic and was unable to compete. Once she began replenishing her iron stores and starting running again, her time in the 1500 meter run dropped considerably, eventually qualifying her for the National Championship. Now that she knows the symptoms and causes of iron deficiency, she can apply her knowledge to help others with this relatively unknown disease. See her post: Effects of Iron Deficiency in Female Runners.


Sam Brunner is a senior at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point studying Wildlife Ecology and German. Nearly fluent in the German language after 5 months studying abroad in Marburg, and independently studying Spanish, her lifetime goal is to someday become a polyglot. She is fascinated by the formation of language, and especially interested in how language is observed in non-human animals. Check out her post at Did that Rock Just Ink on Me?

Maranda Cardiel majored in Biology with an emphasis on zoology and minored in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She currently works at her local animal hospital where she gets to help pets receive the care they need to be happy and healthy. She has had a variety of animals in her family, including frogs, turtles, fish, cats, dogs, and a rabbit. Her favorite animals are birds (especially owls) and she recently became the owner of an adorable green budgerigar named Greg. Maranda has been fascinated with all living creatures ever since she was a child, and she would often explore her back yard looking for bugs and other interesting critters. She is also particularly concerned with the wellbeing of both captive and wild animals as a result of human actions. Maranda enjoys bird watching, visiting zoos, and taking walks in the woods where she can observe the diversity of the flora and fauna. Some of her other hobbies include drawing, playing video games, and watching scary movies. Check out her posts at Need a Hand? Just Grow It Back! How Salamanders Regenerate Limbs and Mosquitoes Don’t Like Parasites Either.

Porscha Carriveau is a non-traditional student at U.W.S.P. double majoring in Biology and Psychology, as there is no animal behavior degree offered on campus. Porscha’s area of interest is in animal behavior focused around animal learning/cognition, communication, and enrichment. She is currently researching the effectiveness of the model rival training technique that was established by Irene Pepperburg with her famous African grey parrot ALEX (Avian Learning EXperiment). Porscha is looking at the ability of the model rival training procedure to teach a parrot, past the critical period in life, to make association and reproduce human vocalizations. Anyone who has ever met Porscha knows that her pet parrots control her life; as well as her belief that that mushrooms can save the world. Check out her post, Who Said What?

Jon Clark is the marketing and outreach manager for DK Grand Safaris. When not on safari, Jon enjoys participating in philanthropic events, all things coffee related, and spending time with his dogs. Check out his post, Exploring How Predators Hunt.

Brittanie Delorit is a senior finishing up her last year at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. There she’s majoring in Biology and minoring in Psychology. Brittanie is currently a member and the secretary for the Ichthyology and Aquarium Science Society Club at Stevens Point, through the club Brittanie also dedicates her time volunteering in UWSP’s live herpetology and ichthyology wet lab where she feeds fish and cleans tanks. She and her boyfriend also have a few tanks and critters at home, including a snake, dart frogs, many fish, and of course Brittanie’s turtle, Bukolta, who will be 3 years old in April! For the past two summers Brittanie has been a volunteer and an intern at the NEW Zoo in Suamico, Wi where she cleaned exhibits, did diet prep, and fed many of the animals. Although she loved every second she spent at the zoo her real passion is marine life. Her overall career goal and dream is to one day work at an aquarium taking care of its marine mammals. Brittanie loves many things in life, some of which include, the beach, her family, cotton candy, traveling, tattoos, being barefoot, and wild flowers, to name a few. Check out her post, With a Fish in Your Pooper, Things Are Never Super.

Alyssa DeRubeis is finishing her last semester at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UW-SP). She is double-majoring in Wildlife Ecology (Research and Management) and Biology and is minoring in Spanish. After graduation, she plans on taking a year off to work technician jobs in North and Central America before attending graduate school. Alyssa is from Golden Valley, a suburb of Minneapolis, MN. She has been fascinated with all sorts of critters ever since she was a toddler, so she knew that she wanted to do something with wildlife for a long time. Currently, Alyssa dedicates much of her free time to The Wildlife Society (UW-SP student chapter) as the vice president and Wild Bird Project co-leader. She is also active in Women in Natural Resources and the Herpetology Society, which are two other student organizations on campus. Alyssa also loves to travel and partake in many outdoor recreational activities such as birding, biking, canoeing, hiking, fishing, hunting, and photography, to name a few. If you asked her friends, family, or boyfriend to describe her, they would use words such as enthusiastic, curious, goofy, artistic, and driven. They may also use other words such as ‘worry-wort,’ ‘stubborn,’ or ‘busy.’ Check out her post at Birds, Vitamin E, and the Race Against Time.

Emma Doden is an avid animal and outdoors lover. Her passions drew her to major in Biology and Wildlife Ecology: Research and Management at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She is involved in The Wildlife Society student organization as a co-leader for one of the club’s student research projects. As a co-leader for the Canine Project she enjoys utilizing her track identification skills and trail cameras to teach other club members about various canid species such as coyote, fox, and wolf. Emma recently studied abroad to South Africa where she spent 3 weeks in different national parks and nature reserves conducting research and gawking at animals she had only ever seen in zoos before. Though she does miss the wildlife of Africa (the giraffes and zebras especially!), her heart will always lie in the North Woods of Wisconsin, where she spent much of her childhood and the past two summers living at her grandparents’ lakeside cabin. It was Up North where she became entranced with the graceful and mysterious common loon. By day she observes them tending to their chicks and at night listens to their melancholy cries floating in through the cabin window. Check out her post on loons called Loony Locomotion.

Emily Fandrey graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in May 2017. She majored in Biology with a Pre-Veterinary emphasis and minored in Chemistry and Psychology. Since she was a little girl, Emily experienced pets ranging from cats and dogs to guinea pigs and rabbits. These experiences helped grow a passion for animals and helping others, leading her to pursue a career in the veterinary world. Emily is currently working as a veterinarian assistant at a veterinary clinic in her hometown. She loves all animals, but her favorites are dogs, horses, and rabbits. Emily also enjoys camping, biking, scrapbooking, reading, writing, swimming, and traveling to new places with friends and family. Check out her article, The Olympic Athlete of the Animal Kingdom: The Circulatory System of a Horse.


Kayla Fuller majored in Biology and Water Resources with a minor in Natural Science Broadfield at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She conducted research in aquaponics during her senior year at the Aquaponics Innovation Center in Montello, WI and the summer following. She was the Education Outreach Coordinator for the Ichthyology and Aquarium Science Society for 3 ½ years, a member of the UWSP chapters of the Fisheries and Wildlife Societies, and inducted into the Xi Sigma Pi Natural Resources Honor Society (Alpha Xi Chapter). One experience that inspired her to pursue Biology and Water Resources degrees was becoming SCUBA certified when she was 10 years old. Since her certification, she has explored the Gulf Coast, Florida caverns, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. She and her fiancĂ© have a plott hound puppy named Emmie and a few aquariums in their home. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, hunting, fishing, hiking, downhill skiing, traveling, and scuba diving. In time, she would like to get her Master’s degree or above in a discipline related to aquatic biology. Her dream career would be working for National Geographic as a research scientist or photographer. Check out her post Bottlenose Dolphins: The Ultimate Sea Bully?


Eugene Gabriel has always been fascinated about sleep and also from time to time he writes about human sleep. He helps his readers improve the quality of their sleep by giving sleeping tips and mattress reviews. Read his post, Astonishing Animal Sleeping Patterns and follow him on Twitter @eugenegabrielj.

Erin Gellings is a Senior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where she majors in Psychology with a concentration in Human Services and a minor in Neuroscience and Behavior. Erin’s love of learning and passion for working with people led her to be an active member of a research team in the campus social psychology lab where she helped design and conduct experiments related to perceived verses experienced prejudice. She also invested her time working as a UWSP writing lab consultant helping college students develop their communication skills. Erin’s hobbies include traveling, writing, and napping. As someone who appreciates sleep, Erin enjoys learning about sleep hygiene, patterns, and yawning. Be sure to check out her article A Yawn & Man’s Best Friend.


Nick Gremban is a current senior at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point (UWSP), double majoring in Biology and Wildlife Ecology. While his interests range to almost all areas of biology, Nick’s passions lie predominantly within ecology and protecting our world’s biodiversity. His recent summer positions with mapping wild lupine for the endangered Karner blue butterfly and as a biological science technician for the Forest Service under the Native Plants & Pollinator Program, has driven a specific interest in protecting native pollinators, particularly butterflies. Nick also has an interest in birds, carnivores (with a soft spot for wolves), and wildflowers. Extracurricular activities Nick is involved in include being President of the biological honor society at UWSP and co-leader of Wolf Project for the student chapter of The Wildlife Society. Hiking, exercising, listening to music, and a growing love for nature photography are a few hobbies Nick enjoys. Read his post, Are Territory Disputes Between Male Butterflies Influenced by Motivation?


Mary Harman is a current senior at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point majoring in Biology with minors in Psychology and Chemistry. She has been the president of the Pre-Veterinary Medicine Society on campus for the past 2 years. Her areas of interest include animal behavior and comparative anatomy. She has been an animal lover since she was a little girl. She was involved in horse-back riding and dog shows as early as the age of 5. During high school, she worked as an assistant dog trainer, a bather at a grooming facility, and participated in several Backstage Adventures at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. She currently works at a dog training business in Illinois. She has owned pets her entire life and has earned her novice Trick Dog title with her current dog Aurora. After graduation, she hopes to be working in a zoo or in graduate school. Her hobbies include: dog training, photography, and reading. Check out her advice in: How to Get into Veterinary School: The General Application Process.


My name is Celia Hein. I’m a student at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point majoring in Wildlife Ecology: Research and Management and Biology with a minor in Spanish. I grew up on a family farm in south central Wisconsin. We rode horses, raised hogs, and grew field crops. Because of the farm, I spent most of my time outside, which inflamed my innate passion for the natural world. In high school I was fortunate enough to be sponsored to participate in 2 summer-long cultural exchanges in consecutive years, the first in Switzerland and the second in Costa Rica. These international experiences opened my mind and inspired my thirst for culture and language, which is a major reason that I am pursuing a Spanish minor. Because of UWSP’s excellent College of Natural Resources and study abroad programs, it was a perfect choice for me. I have become quite involved in The Wildlife Society and Women in Natural Resources, which are campus student organizations. I also have two jobs on campus, one as a Supplemental Instructor (SI) for Biology and the other as a stockroom clerk/student driver for the CNR. I particularly enjoy the teaching aspect of my SI work, just as I did during my time as a Teaching Assistant at Treehaven. In the future I hope to attend graduate school, and pursue a career in education or research. Read my post: Help Protect African Rhinos!


My name is Spencer Henkel. I am a senior at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point majoring in Wildlife Ecology Research and Management and minoring in Spanish. Nature and I go back quite a ways. As a child, I would learn as much as I could about animals, their habitats, and their prehistoric origins. I loved to climb the trees in the park near my house and observe the wildlife that would pass through, once encountering a muskrat, a stray cat, and a great horned owl all in one night! My drive to learn about the natural world eventually brought me to Stevens Point where I enrolled in the renowned College of Natural Resources. Through the CNR I was able to take my first overseas trip to Costa Rica, and that journey truly changed my life. Not only was I blessed with seeing spectacular vistas and colorful wildlife, but I was also able to put my knowledge of the Spanish language to the test in pleasant conversation with the locals. Apart from nature, I also enjoy learning about ancient cultures, mythologies, languages, and the interconnectedness of the three. Read my post: A True Underdog… or Undermouse.


Tricia Horvath is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in Biology (neuroscience focus) and Psychology. She is currently taking a year off to work as a laboratory technician for Dr. Cirelli in the Department of Psychiatry in UW-Madison. Tricia would like to then attend graduate school to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. Molecular mechanisms of psychiatric disorders are especially of interest to her. She also enjoys singing, dancing, travelling, and just being outside. Her current favorite animal is the red panda. Check out her post at Epigenetics: The Fusion of Nature and Nurture. Check out her post, Epigenetics: The Fusion of Nature and Nurture.


Evan Hovey is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He majored in biology with a minor in chemistry. This fall he is going to be pursuing his master’s degree at the University of Miami where he will be focusing his studies on coral reef and other coastal ecosystems conservation research. At Stevens Point, Evan was involved in the Ichthyology and Aquarium Science Society Club and played on the Ultimate Frisbee team. As a person who grew up along the coast of Lake Michigan, he has always had an interest in water ecosystems and over time grew a strong love for the ocean. Evan has an intense love for travelling having been to nearly all 50 states and 3 countries with a fourth country already set up for January. Some other passions of his are photography, finding and trying beers made by local breweries, kayaking, camping, SCUBA diving, and pretty much anything that involves being on the water. Check out his post at Eye Didn't See That.


Sarah Johanson is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, majoring in Wildlife Ecology: Information and Education with a Captive Wildlife and Biology Minor. She has always wanted to work with animals and is now pursuing dreams in being a zoo keeper and wildlife educator. Besides working with furry and feathery friends she also enjoys dance, wildlife photography, painting and long bow archery. Growing up there was always a hunting dog in the house which got her interested in understanding pedigrees and dog genetics. Check out some of what she learned in How Fashion Destroyed my Best Friend.



Jessica Klein is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a major in Biology and a minor in Conservation Biology. When she was a child she wanted to become a veterinarian, so her parents allowed her to have many pets (as long as they were not snakes). During her time at UWSP she decided to pursue conservation biology instead, and is now working as an Aquatic Invasive Species intern in Washington County. After her current internship she hopes to have a few more before looking for full time employment within her field. Eventually she hopes to pursue her master’s degree as well, but she is still unsure of what she wants to study! Check out her post at A Tiny Surprise in Regards to Regeneration.


Hello! My name is Jake Klemm and I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at UWSP in December of 2018. I am currently a PhD student in the Molecular and Cellular Biology PhD program at Arizona State University. I work in Dr. Harris’s lab where we study tissue regeneration in Drosophila. My research is geared towards understanding at the genomic level why Drosophila lose the ability to regenerate their tissues as they age. In my free time I enjoy hiking, reading, and spending time with friends. I enjoy the change in climate and opportunity to pursue this degree, but I must say I will miss the snow-ridden winters of Wisconsin (the desert heat has proven to be a formidable opponent). Thank you for reading my article, A Master of Disguise! Cuttlefish are quite interesting and clever creatures.


Nathan Kueffer is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point who is majoring in Wildlife Ecology and Biology. Nathan's interests within his major are habitat management and birds of any kind. His career goal is to one day study birds, he has enjoyed birding and exploring the woods at his cabin since an early age. Nathan's hobbies include fishing, hunting, birding, hiking, playing lacrosse, and traveling. Check out his post, Vole Pee: An Epiphany.



Jefferson Le is an alumnus from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a Bachelor’s degree in biology. During his time at the university, he loved studying different animal taxa and educating the public about animals and their importance. He taught the public about the importance of reptiles and amphibians by volunteering through the Herpetology Society of Stevens Point. Outside of academics and extra-curriculars, he enjoys cooking, trying different foods, hiking, travelling, playing ultimate Frisbee, and learning more about the animal world. Check out his post, Who Can Swim Further: A Race to the Depths and Back.


Tawny Liebe is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point with a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Ecology and a minor in Biology. She is currently taking time off of school to start her career and experience life before beginning her Master’s degree in Ecology. She loves traveling, nature photography, various crafts/DIY projects, singing in the car/shower, and many outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking and camping. Her favorite animals are squirrels and snow leopards (what a combo, huh?) and aspires to backpack many famous trails including the entire Appalachian Trail and to build her own home and become self-sustaining. Check out her post at Is That Lizard Possessed!?


My name is Caitlin Lockard. I am a current 5th year senior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. I am majoring in Biology with a Pre-Physician Assistant Emphasis. I also have minors in Chemistry and Psychology. Next year I will be heading off to PA school in Ohio. My goal is to one day work in pediatrics, specifically alongside children with cancer. Some of my interests include traveling, spending time with friends/family and playing with my black lab, Taja. While in my senior seminar this past semester I became fascinated with ostracods! Check out my post: Catch Him if You Can.


Emily Masterton majored in Wildlife Ecology Research and Management with a minor in Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Her areas of interests include urban ecology, wildlife diseases, and carnivores. She conducted research on urban and rural coyote diets during her senior and junior year in central Wisconsin. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, photography, horseback riding, kayaking, traveling, and scuba diving. As of January 2019, she is currently working with the Michigan Predator-Prey Project as a wildlife technician. Ultimately, she would like to get her Master’s degree and Ph.D. in a discipline related to wildlife ecology. Her dream career would be working as an urban biologist or carnivore biologist. Check out her post One of These Sharks is Not Like the Others.


Joseph McDonald is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Psychology, Social Welfare, and Global Health. He is especially interested in epidemiology and policy development to combat health disparities from an ecological perspective. He likes grilling outdoors, hiking, and the occasional romantic comedy. Maybe at the same time… one day. Check out his post, Friends Without Benefits.



Jenna Miskowic is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, majoring in Communication with an emphasis in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication and minors in Biology and Spanish. During her time at the university, she enjoyed educating the public about the animals and their importance through the Museum of Natural History and the Herpetology Society. Through both of these on campus organizations, she has discovered her passion for education and animals by giving tours, presenting educational shows about herptiles, and providing enrichment to the animals in the herpetology labs. Besides spending time with the animals, she loves to read, sing, and hike. Read her post, A Snail’s Dart of Love.


Maggie Nannenhorn is currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She is double majoring in Biology and Wildlife Ecology: Information and Education and is minoring in Captive Wildlife Management. She has had a passion for animals her whole life, and decided in second grade she would one day be a zoologist. She currently is a co-president of the Animal Behavior Club and volunteers in UWSP’s live herpetology lab, feeding the animals and cleaning. She is also a Supplemental Instruction Leader for a general zoology class on campus. Through her tutoring work, she discovered a love for teaching. She hopes to combine her love for animals, biology, and education when she graduates. She currently has her own website aimed at educating others, particularly children, about wildlife. She also hopes to incorporate world travel into her future career. She has currently studied abroad throughout Europe and in South Africa where she solidified her love for wildlife. Besides traveling, she loves to take wildlife photography, craft, read, and bake. Read her post, Can You Feel the Love Tonight?


Rachael Pahl is a senior at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Psychology. Anybody who knows Rachael will say that her passion is working with, taking care of, and playing with animals. She has an intense fascination for behavior and is hoping to follow a related career path studying animal behaviors. Rachael is from Grayslake, IL where she discovered her calling for animals by frequently visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago; spending most of the time in the Primate house. Currently, Rachael is working as a dog trainer at Petco where she can share her knowledge and passion with pet parents; and play with puppies, of course! In her free time, she enjoys reading, biking, kayaking, yoga, hiking, and photography; among many other things. Check out her post about bed bug sex: The Bed Bug’s Piercing Penis.



Sara ‘Wesley’ Pederson is a senior at UW Stevens Point, majoring in wildlife ecology with a minor in captive wildlife. They are involved in various student organizations and research projects on campus, in addition to holding office as the President of Animal Behavior Club. Wesley is an enthusiastic individual with a passion for all things wild and free; particularly the feathered varieties. Everything from the smallest components to the big picture of our world fascinates them, and they will happily share this fascination with anyone willing to listen. Regardless of what field they ultimately end up in Wesley hopes to be able to share their knowledge and love of nature while educating others about our impacts on the earth, and what we can do to conserve our planet for generations to come. Check out their post at How to Become a Zoo Keeper.


Anna Schneider is currently a Biology and Wildlife Ecology and Management student at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. Anna has always had a passion and curiosity for wildlife, but was unsure if that was to be her career choice until she began volunteering at Mosquito Hill Nature Center’s butterfly house in high school. There, she became skilled in handling monarch butterflies and testing them for the protozoan parasite Oe. That experience landed her an internship at the University of Georgia in the summer of 2015 studying monarch behavior. Though monarchs hold a special place in Anna’s heart, her main research interests are wildlife diseases and parasites. In her spare time, she enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking, and crocheting. Upon graduation this May, Anna start a graduate assistantship at the University of North Dakota and her research will involve urban striped skunk ecology. Read her post about butterfly navigation at Why Ask for Directions?


Shelly Sonsalla is a student at the University of Wisconsin--Stevens Point (UWSP) triple majoring in Biochemistry, Biology, and Natural Science. She is particularly interested in microbiology and molecular biology, especially pertaining to the environment or animals. She is currently doing research on bacteria found in aquaponics systems and works at the Water and Environmental Analysis Laboratory on campus. After she graduates from UWSP, she hopes to pursue a Masters in microbiology. When she’s not in class, work, or doing research, she can be found at home working on her small business selling handmade Renaissance supplies with her fiancĂ©, reading, or playing video games. Most weekends during the summer, she can be found around Wisconsin at Renaissance Faires, SCA events, or larp events—often with her dog and rabbit in tow. Check out her post at Komodo Dragons: Their Bite is Worse than Their Bark.


Stephanie Stanton graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point in May of 2016 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Psychology. After graduating, she took a 15-month internship in the Bahamas, where she had the pleasure of caring for Aldabra tortoises, Toco Toucans, and 3 different species of Macaws. Stephanie spends her free time playing musical instruments, exploring the outdoors, telling punny jokes, creating art, and playing rugby. Currently she is pursuing her M.S. in Biology, studying anthropogenic noise effects on bird song behavior. Check out her article: The Contagious Cancer.


Tabi Starjnski-Schneider is a recent non-trad graduate from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP), leaving with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology: Resource & Management and minors in Biology and Chemistry. After beginning her education at Northland College, Tabi was deployed, transferred to UW-Madison, deployed again, and transferred lastly to UWSP. Point was the best fit for her and she was able to get involved in student organizations reflecting her goals and interests: UWSP Veteran’s Club, Pre-Veterinary Medicine Society, Izaak Walton League, and The Wildlife Society. She is currently living in Madison, WI with her husband (Jason) and is applying for veterinary school. Tabi’s ultimate goal is to merge her Wildlife degree with a veterinary degree and work on wildlife animals with various wildlife biologists, rehabilitation centers, the DNR, and/or the government. When not working, Tabi and Jason like to go boating, hunting, fishing, 4-wheeling, or just anything outside. Check out her post at The Truth Behind Those Sleeping Bears.


Ian Straus is a senior studying Wildlife Ecology and Captive Wildlife at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. During a summer job at the Madison Primate Center, Ian became deeply fascinated in animal behavior and the lives of animals who have found themselves in human captivity. When he isn't in school, or traveling the globe, Ian likes to spend his time reading, playing video games and messing with his Home-built PC. Check out his post at Did that Rock Just Ink on Me?


Hayley Trzinski is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She is double majoring in Wildlife Ecology: Information and Education and Biology with a minor in Captive Wildlife. She started loving animals and natural resources at a young age from spending time with her family at her grandparent’s bait shop. She has also traveled to many different zoos, aquariums, and wildlife areas with her family over the years. She has recently completed a wildlife rehabilitation and education internship at Treehouse Wildlife Center in Dow, IL. She hopes to continue in wildlife rehabilitation and information/education at a wildlife center or zoo after graduation. Check out her post about sex-changing frogs at The Princess IS the Frog.


Eric VanNatta recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point in 2015, earning a B.S. in wildlife ecology - research & management and minors in GIS and Biology. Coming from an outdoors family he enjoys backpacking, skiing, snorkeling, biking, hunting, and fishing. It was the culmination of these interests that initially drew him to the ecology discipline within the College of Natural Resources. During his time as a student at UWSP, he was involved in many research projects including bioacoustics and bat ecology, timber wolf monitoring techniques, and Northern saw-whet owl migration patterns. Eric is currently a wildlife biologist technician with the USDA APHIS National Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins, CO. Read his post, Let’s Hope She Doesn’t Have Twins!


Samantha Vold is a student at University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point, majoring in biology with a French minor and a chemistry minor. She’s loved all kinds of animals since she was a little kid, and always had some kind of critter as a pet. Lately, she’s taken an interest in dinosaurs, but would probably claim sloths as her favorite animal. After she completes her undergraduate studies, she hopes to pursue a PhD in a yet undecided field. When she’s not in school, she likes to spend her time adventuring, reading, and catching up on all the geeky trends she’s fallen behind on. Check out her post, The Beginnings of Jurassic Park: Dinosaur Blood Discovered?


Rachel Wang is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Psychology, Linguistics, and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). She is fascinated with how language works in humans, although she thinks that we may be more like animals than we'd like to think! Rachel likes making sushi, lists, and bad puns. She has always felt that she would make an excellent cat. Check out her post at Baby, You Light Up My World Like Nobody Else.



Matthew Whitley is a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and is majoring in Biology with minors in German and International Studies. He is involved with the German Club and Sport Taekwondo Club on campus. He has always been fascinated by animals and nature. He is most passionate about discussing and learning about humans’ place in the natural world and our interactions with it. Additionally he loves hiking, food, martial arts, film, musicals, and history. Check out his post at Risking Limb for Life?

My name is Yunhan Zhao. I am a senior psychology student and also an international student in the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I come from an eastern city where The Great Wall and tons of delicious cuisines were created—Beijing, China. Although English is my second language, I could be expressive especially when I am writing and singing. After being a member of school chorus for 6 years, I am continuing my vocal journey by practicing classical western Art songs under professional vocalists in the UW-Madison. When I am not in school, I love to travel. My favorite places in the U.S. are Seattle city and the wizarding world of Harry Potter in Universal Orlando! Check out her post at Uncontrollable Love: A Guest Post.


Devin Zingsheim is a senior finishing his last semester at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. He is majoring in biology with a captive wildlife minor. After graduation he plans on working in a zoo. Devin is also very fascinated with the large felines, and his ultimate goal would be to one day work with wild felines like tigers. Devin enjoys reading, playing video games, and visiting zoos. Check out his post at Infidelity in Nature: a Lion’s Story.