Academic Publications

While much of my writing - and certainly the writing I do for Born Again Outdoors - centers around storytelling and the outdoors, I also have a background in academic environmental research. Publications featured on this page have been previously published in various journals and reflect my contributions to ecological science, wildlife husbandry, and conservation research.

Influences of Husbandry on Coloration of Turtles

Radiata, 29(1), 2020
Co-authored with Dr. John Steffen
Published in the German herpetoculture journal Radiata, this paper explores the relationship between carotenoid access, UV lighting, and coloration in captive turtles. This was my first ever academic publication, and to be the first author at that - as just a college junior - really makes me quite proud of this paper. It’s still by far and away the most-read and most-cited academic paper I’ve ever written, with nearly 2,000 reads on ResearchGate alone.

Linear and Scaled Bioremediation in the Chesapeake Watershed

SPARK Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, February, 2020
This article examines multi-scalar ecological restoration strategies across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. I am proud to have been the first and only biology student in Shepherd University history to be published in the now-retired SPARK Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works. While the writing reflects my status as an early-career scientist, the paper represents a sincere and well-researched effort to contribute to an important environmental issue, and the research and systems-based approach laid the foundation for my continued interest in conservation and ecological policy.

Colorful turtles lack a preference for carotenoid-based food that maintains stripe and spot color.

Proceedings of the West Virginia Academy of Sciences, 92(1), 95th Annual Meeting Abstracts.

Co-authored with Dr. John Steffen
This abstract, accepted for presentation at the 95th Annual Meeting (canceled due to COVID-19), was published in the conference proceedings. It explores dietary preferences in painted turtles.