{"id":4,"date":"2016-01-28T17:08:51","date_gmt":"2016-01-28T17:08:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/faculty.cnr.ncsu.edu\/christophersdeperno\/?page_id=4"},"modified":"2025-08-20T15:28:27","modified_gmt":"2025-08-20T15:28:27","slug":"graduate-students","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/faculty.cnr.ncsu.edu\/christophersdeperno\/graduate-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduate Students"},"content":{"rendered":"

Current Graduate Students (as of Fall 2025)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben Smith (M. S. student)\u00a0 – Ben is conducting an evaluation of wildlife use in areas occupied by rhododendron.\u00a0 Co-advised with Dr. Aimee P. Rockhill, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Will Mayfield (M. S. student) – Will is conducting research to enhance North Carolina’s ASF response capabilities in feral swine populations.\u00a0 Co-advised with Dr. Luke Dollar, Catawba College, Salisbury, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Past Graduate Students<\/strong><\/p>\n

Todd Brinkman<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) – Mortality of white-tailed deer in southwest Minnesota.\u00a0 Co-advised with\u00a0Dr. Jonathan A. Jenks<\/strong><\/a>, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota.\u00a0 Graduated 2003.Completed a Ph.D. at\u00a0University of Alaska-Fairbanks\u00a0in 2009.<\/p>\n

Assistant Professor in the Institute of Artic Biology, University of Alaska-Fairbanks.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chris C. Swanson<\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) –\u00a0Movement and association of white-tailed deer in southwest Minnesota.\u00a0 Co-advised with\u00a0Dr. Jonathan A. Jenks<\/strong><\/a>, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota.\u00a0 Graduated 2005.\u00a0\u00a0Completed a Ph.D. at South Dakota State University in 2009.<\/p>\n

Fish And Wildlife Administrator with\u00a0the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\u2019s Southeast Region, Atlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Stan Hutchens<\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) –\u00a0Inventory and assessment of the herpetofauna of Bull Neck Swamp, Washington County, North Carolina.\u00a0 North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina. Graduated 2008.<\/p>\n

Regional Data Technician at Go Triangle, Durham, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gabe Karns\u00a0<\/strong>(M.S.) –\u00a0Movement, activity, and habitat use of adult male white-tailed deer related to hunting pressure and breeding season at Chesapeake Farms, Maryland.\u00a0 Co-advised with Dr. Richard A. Lancia, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2008.<\/p>\n

Visiting Assistant Professor at Ohio State University.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chris Ayers\u00a0<\/strong>(M.S.) \u2013 Effects of different mowing regimes on the efficacy of Anthraquinone (FlightControl Plus TM) as a Canada Goose repellent.\u00a0Co-advised with Dr. Christopher E. Moorman, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2009.<\/p>\n

Instructor, Curator of Collections at Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Colter M. Chitwood<\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) \u2013 Assessment of hunters and white-tailed deer of Hofmann Forest, North Carolina. Co-advised with Dr. Richard A. Lancia, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2010.<\/p>\n

Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Wildlife Biology Program at the University of Montana.\u00a0 Co-Supervised with Dr. Chris Moorman,\u00a0North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mark Sandfoss<\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) \u2013 Population modeling of feral pigs and white-tailed deer at Howell Woods, North Carolina. Co-advised with Dr. Richard Lancia,\u00a0North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2010.<\/p>\n

Post-Doctoral Associate at the Memphis Zoo.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brandon Sherrill\u00a0<\/strong>(M.S.) \u2013 Movement, habitat selection, and baseline condition of deer on Bald Head Island, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina. Graduated 2010.<\/p>\n

Lineman with Duke Energy.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Katherine Golden<\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) \u2013 Surveying North Carolina Non-Industrialized Private Landowner.\u00a0 Co-advised with Dr. Chris Moorman,\u00a0North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0Graduated 2010.<\/p>\n

Pursuing a Ph.D. at Oklahoma State University.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sara Marschhauser\u00a0<\/strong>(M.S.)\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Ghost crab (Ocypode quadrata<\/em>) abundance and depredation on Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)<\/em>\u00a0hatchlings on Onslow Beach, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0 Graduated 2011.<\/p>\n

Conservation Coordinator at the Piedmont Wildlife Center in Durham, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Emily Blackman<\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) – American Woodcock Winter Habitat Use in an Agricultural Landscape.\u00a0Co-advised with Dr. Nils Peterson amd Dr. Chris Moorman,\u00a0North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2011.<\/p>\n

Land Preservation Associate and the Manager of the Native Plant Nursery at D&R Greenway Land Trust (Princeton, New Jersey).<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Melissa Turner<\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) – Paternity and intracranial abscessation in white-tailed deer under quality deer management. Co-advised with Dr. Richard Lancia\u00a0North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2011.<\/p>\n

Health\/Medical Editor for SmartBrief Incorporated, Washington D.C.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Amy Raker (Raybuck)<\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) –\u00a0Short-term response of small mammals and\u00a0Plethodon<\/em>\u00a0salamanders following oak regeneration silvicultural treatments.\u00a0\u00a0(Co-advisor \u2013 Dr. Chris Moorman)<\/p>\n

Assistant Gulf Restoration Coordinator with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Shannon\u00a0Bowling\u00a0<\/strong>(M.S.) – Multi-scale factors that influence northern bobwhite and songbird use of CP33 borders.\u00a0 Co-advised with Dr. Chris Moorman, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0 Graduated 2012.<\/p>\n

Wildlife Biologist with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kimberly Porter<\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) – Vegetative impact of feral horses, feral pigs, and white-tailed deer on the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge.\u00a0 Graduated 2013.<\/p>\n

Wildlife Biologist with USDA-APHIS-WS<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eric Kilburg<\/strong>\u00a0(M.S.) – Wild turkey nesting ecology and nest survival in the presence of frequent growing-season fire. \u00a0Co-advised with Dr. Chris Moorman, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0Graduated 2013.<\/p>\n

Land Management Biologist with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Maria Palamar<\/strong>, DVM, (Ph.D.) – Challenges and opportunities for raccoon (Procyon lotor<\/em>) oral rabies vaccination and public health campaigns in urban environments.\u00a0\u00a0Co-advised with Dr. Maria Correa, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2013.<\/p>\n

Deputy Director of Outreach, Engagement & Wildlife Health for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.<\/p>\n

Dissertation<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Annemarie Prince\u00a0<\/strong>(M.S.) – Habitat selection, survival, and home range size of the southeastern fox squirrel. \u00a0Co-advised with Dr. Chris Moorman, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0Graduated 2013.<\/p>\n

District Wildlife Biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

M. Elizabeth Rutledge<\/strong>, (Ph.D.) – Impacts of resident Canada goose movements on zoonotic disease transmission and human safety at suburban airports.\u00a0\u00a0Co-advised with Dr. Chris Moorman, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2013.<\/p>\n

Wildlife Specialist with The North Carolina Wildlife Federation, Raleigh, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Dissertation<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Aimee Rockhill<\/strong>, (Ph.D.) – The ecology of bobcats in coastal North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Co-advised with Dr. Roger Powell, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2013.<\/p>\n

Assistant Professor in Natural Resource Conservation and Management at Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Dissertation<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Colter Chitwood<\/strong>, (Ph.D.) – White-tailed deer population dynamics in the presence of a novel predator.\u00a0\u00a0Co-advised with Dr. Chris Moorman, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2014.<\/p>\n

Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Wildlife Biology Program at the University of Montana.\u00a0 Co-Supervised with Dr. Chris Moorman,\u00a0North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Dissertation<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Marcus Lashley<\/strong>, (Ph.D.) – The importance of including natural variability in fire prescriptions: fruits, forages, and white-tailed deer space use.\u00a0\u00a0Co-advised with Dr. Chris Moorman, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.\u00a0\u00a0Graduated 2014.<\/p>\n

Assistant Professor in the Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Department at the University of Florida.\u00a0 Co-Supervised with Dr. Chris Moorman, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Dissertation<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Morgan Swingen<\/strong>\u00a0(Elfelt)\u00a0<\/strong>(M.S.) –\u00a0Coyote movement ecology and food habits at Fort Bragg Military Installation.\u00a0(Co-advisor – Dr. Chris Moorman)<\/span><\/p>\n

Wildlife Biologist at 1854 Treaty Authority, Duluth, Minnesota.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Beth Stevenson (M.S.)<\/strong> – Coyote survival and habitat selection in a longleaf pine ecosystem (Co-advisor – Dr. Chris Moorman).<\/p>\n

Zoologist at Colorado State University, Colorado Natural Heritage Program
\nFort Collins, Colorado.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mark McAlister (M.S.)<\/strong> – Resident Canada goose abundance and occurrence at variable spatial extents (Co-advisor – Dr. Chris Moorman).<\/p>\n

Biologist with South Carolina Department of Natural Resource<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ellinor Sahl\u00e9n (Ph.D.)<\/strong> – Indirect effects of predation in human-modified landscapes.\u00a0 (Co-advisor – Dr. G\u00f6ran Spong, Swedish Agricultural University).<\/p>\n

Predator Biologist with\u00a0L\u00e4nsstyrelsen V\u00e4sterbottenin in\u00a0Ume\u00e5, Sweden.<\/p>\n

Dissertation<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Alex Fish (M.S.)<\/strong><\/a> – Effects of ground-based military training on\u00a0Bachman\u2019s Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis<\/em>) breeding ecology.\u00a0(Co-advisor – Dr. Chris Moorman)<\/p>\n

Endangered and Threatened Species Coordinator, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sarah Rosche (M.S.)<\/strong> –\u00a0Effects of prescribed fire on northern bobwhite nest success and breeding season habitat selection.\u00a0 (Co-advisor – Dr. Chris Moorman)<\/p>\n

Biologist for Midwest Natural Resources, St. Paul, Minnesota<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Byron Levon (M.S.)<\/strong> – Evaluation of priority game species use and propagation feasibility of high value sandhills native wildlife plants.\u00a0 (Co-advisor – Dr. Chris Moorman)<\/p>\n

Environmental Scientist, Three Oaks Engineering, Raleigh, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Non-Thesis<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Charles Sanders (M.S.) <\/strong>– The age structure, diet, health, and reproductive habits of the North American river otter in North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Community Conservationist with Dare County Soil & Water Conservation District, Manteo, North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dan Hannon (M.S.)<\/strong> – Predictors of upland hardwood distribution and the relationship between hardwood distribution and avian occupancy in fire maintained longleaf pine forests.\u00a0 (Co-advisor – Dr. Chris Moorman)<\/p>\n

Protection and Outreach Specialist, Virginia Natural Heritage Program<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tony Kroeger (M.S.)<\/strong> – Multi-scale assessment of Northern bobwhite and white-tailed deer habitat selection in longleaf pine woodlands. \u00a0(Co-advisor – Dr. Chris Moorman)<\/p>\n

Wildlife Biologist, Georgia Department of Natural Resources<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nicholas Gould (Ph.D.)<\/strong> – Ecology of American black bears in an urban environment.<\/p>\n

USFS Postdoc in Forest Landscape Ecology & Decision Science<\/p>\n

Dissertation<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Micah Walker (M. S.)<\/strong> – Evaluation of the use of GonaCon\u2122 on wild white-tailed deer and a comparison of two darting techniques.\u00a0 (Co-advisor – Dr. Chris Shank, Bald Head Island Conservancy)<\/p>\n

District Wildlife Biologist, Rouge-River Siskiyou National Forest, US Forest Service<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Daniel Choi (M. F.)<\/strong>–\u00a0 Breeding-season survival, home-range size, and habitat selection of female Bachman’s sparrows. (Co-advised – Dr. Christopher E. Moorman)<\/p>\n

Paper<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Cara Franceschini (M. S.)<\/strong>-. Denning chronology of female American black bears in a temperate climate and urban environment.<\/p>\n

Gopher Tortoise Resource Biologist at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Ethan Marburger (M. S.) – Field evaluation of condensed quebracho tannins (CQT) as a
\nwhite-tailed deer repellent for soybeans.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Sarah Wyrick (M. S.) – Evaluating BearWise\u00ae effectiveness in Asheville, North Carolina:
\nA before-after impact control study of public perceptions and human-bear interactions.<\/p>\n

Thesis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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