Amanda is currently working to earn a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. Where she is studying the behavior of fossil birds as interpreted through their footprints and other traces. Amanda recently traveled to South Korea to study Early Cretaceous bird tracks and has published two papers on fossil bird tracks, one in the journal Palaios and one in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology. Next, she will study Early Cretaceous fossil birds and bird tracks in China.
"My experience at Lake State, preparing an Undergraduate Thesis and seeing the project through definitely helped prepare me for graduate school. The interaction between the professors and the students at Lake State is far more similar to the interaction between a graduate student and their graduate advisor than the typical undergraduate student / undergraduate advisor rapport; it's much more personalized. It definitely helped prepare me for grad school."
Amanda Falk '07
Biology, minor in Chemistry
Biology
Faculty and Staff
Outstanding Faculty
Thomas Allan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
B.S. 1973, Central Michigan University
M.S. 1978, Michigan Technological University
Ph.D. 1984, University of Maine
Kristin Arend, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
B.A. 1996, Oberlin College
M.S. 2002, Ohio State University
Ph.D. 2008 Cornell University
Barbara I. Evans, Ph.D.
Professor
B.Sc. 1980 University of Ottawa, Canada
Ph.D. 1986 University of Kansas
Jason Garvon, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
B.S. 1998, Northern Michigan University
M.S. 2001, Northern Michigan University
Ph.D. 2005, Texas A&M University - Kingsville/Texas A&M University
Nancy Kirkpatrick, Ph.D.
Professor
B.S. 1972, Miami University
M.S. 1979, Ph.D. 1993, Miami University-Oxford, OH
Martha Hutchens, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
B.S. 2003, Michigan State University
Ph.D. 2008, University of Michigan
Jun Li, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
B.S. 1992, Wichan University
M.S. 1995, Institute of Hydobiology
Ph.D. 2002, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Dennis Merkel, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
B.S. 1977, MS 1983, State University of New York-Syracuse
Ph.D. 1988, Michigan State University
Ashley Moerke, Ph.D.
Professor
B.S. 1996, University of Minnesota Duluth
M.S. 2000, Ph.D. 2004, University of Notre Dame
Britton D. Ranson-Olson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
B.S. 1999, Lake Superior State University
M.S. 2001, Michigan Technological University
Ph.D. 2007 Oakland University
John Roese, Ph.D.
Professor
B.S.F 1982, MS 1984, Stephen F. Austin State University
Ph.D. 1989, Texas A & M University
Certified Wildlife Biologist
Geoff Steinhart, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
B.S. 1993, University of Wisconsin-Madison
M.S. 1997, Utah State University
Ph.D. 2004, Ohio State University
Donna White
Department Secretary (II)
Gregory Zimmerman, Ph.D.
Professor
Head, Department of Biological Sciences
B.S. 1977, Fort Hays State University
M.S. 1981, Oklahoma State University
M.S. 1983, North Dakota State University
Ph.D. 1987, Colorado State University
Outside the Classroom
"I have a number of projects I do that through the Binational Public Advisory Council that involve addressing local environmental concerns in the St. Marys River. It's not just academics, but also working with the community on real, current concerns. I rely on students to do a lot of that work. They have taken on responsibilities beyond what a typical undergrad would do. As a result, they've left here with very impressive resumes that helped them secure jobs in that field."
--Greg Zimmerman
Associate Professor,
Department Chair
Student Research...
Linden, Michigan
Jon assessed algae for potential biodiesel production. Two species were examined, Pediastrum sp. — which has never been assessed for the amount of oil it could produce — and Chlamydomonas sp., which has a known content of oil for biodiesel. The study found that Pediastrum sp. produced about 5% oil per dry mass compared to 24%. for Chlamydomonas sp. Hayes concludes that Pediastrum sp. would not be efficient for biodiesel production.
