Education
Current Doctorate of Philosphy in Biology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Emphasis: Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior
Research direction: biogeography, speciation, and evolution of Neotropical fishes
2005 Master of Science in Zoology, University of Manitoba
Emphasis: Ecology and Systematics
Thesis title: "Diversification in the Neotropical cichlid genus Cichla"
2003 Bachelor of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Texas A&M University
Emphasis: Fisheries Ecology and Management
Graduated summa cum laude
Refereed Publications
Willis, S.C., Nunes, M., Montaña, C.G., Farias, I.P., & N.R. Lovejoy. In Revision. The Casiquiare River acts as a dispersal corridor between the Amazonas and Orinoco River basins: Biogeographic analysis of the genus Cichla.
Willis, S.C., Nunes, M., Montaña, C.G., Farias, I.P., & N.R. Lovejoy. 2007. Systematics, biogeography, and evolution of the Neotropical peacock bassesCichla (Perciformes: Cichlidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 44: 291-307. PDF
Renno, J.-F., Hubert, N., Torrico, J.P., Duponchelle, F., Rodriguez, J. Nunez, Davila, C. Garcia, Willis, S.C., Desmarais, E. 2006. Phylogeography of Cichla (Cichlidae) in the upper Madera basin (Bolivian Amazon). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 41(2): 503-510. PDF
Willis, S.C., K.O. Winemiller, & H. Lopez-Fernandez. 2005. Habitat structural complexity and morphological diversity of fish assemblages in a Neotropical floodplain river. Oecologia, 142(2): 284-295. PDF
Professional Talks and Posters
Willis, S.C., Farias, I.P., & G. Orti. 2009. Testing species boundaries and phylogeny in SatanŐs fishes (Cichlidae) using unlinked gene genealogies. Oral Presentation at the Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference, Lincoln, NE.
Willis, S.C., Montaña, C.G., Farias, I.P., Orti, G. & N.R. Lovejoy. 2008. Molecules in a Neotropical veretebrate hybrid zone: preliminary results from the polyphyletic butterfly peacock bass. Poster at Evolution 2008, Minneapolis, MN.
Willis, S.C., Nunes, M., Montaña, C.G., Farias, I.P., & N.R. Lovejoy. 2007. Molecular systematics and inferring historical biogeography of Neotropical cichlids. Oral presentation at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, New Orleans, LA.
Willis, S.C. Phylogenetics and biogeography of tucunaré. 2006. Oral Presentation at the I International Congress on Fish Genetics and XI Brazilian Symposium on Fish Cytogenetics and Genetics, São Carlos, Brazil.
Invited Speaker
Willis, S.C., Nunes, M., Montaña, C.G., Farias, I.P., & N.R. Lovejoy. 2006. Influence of the Casiquiare on biogeography of Neotropical fishes: inferences from the mitochondria of peacock bass. Poster at the I International Congress on Fish Genetics and XI Brazilian Symposium on Fish Cytogenetics and Genetics, São Carlos, Brazil.
Willis, S.C., Nunes, M., Montaña, C.G., Farias, I.P., & N.R. Lovejoy. 2006. Influence of the Casiquiare on biogeography of Neotropical fishes: inferences from the mitochondria of peacock bass. Poster at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, New Orleans, LA, USA, July.
Willis, S.C., Nunes, M., Montaña, C.G., Farias, I.P., & N.R. Lovejoy. 2005. Diversification in the Neotropical cichlid genus Cichla. Oral Presentation at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Tampa, FL, USA, July 9.
Willis, S.C., H. Lopez-Fernandez, & K.O. Winemiller. 2003. Habitat complexity and fish morphological diversity in a Neotropical river. Oral Presentation at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Manaus, Brasil, June 30.
Popular Articles
Willis, S.C. 2007. Fish collections in the Upper Orinoco and Casiquiare of Venezuela-observations on biogeography and ecology: Part III Casiquiare Tributary Rivers Pasiba, Curamoni, and Pamoni. Buntbarsche Bulletin, the journal of the American Cichlid Association 238 (February), 10-15.
Willis, S.C. 2006. Fish collections in the Upper Orinoco and Casiquiare of Venezuela-observations on biogeography and ecology: Part II The Upper Orinoco, Ocamo, and Casiquiare Main Channel. Buntbarsche Bulletin, the journal of the American Cichlid Association 235 (August), 18-36.
Willis, S.C. 2006. Fish collections in the Upper Orinoco and Casiquiare of Venezuela-observations on biogeography and ecology: Part I The Upper Orinoco and Mavaca. Buntbarsche Bulletin, the journal of the American Cichlid Association 234 (June), 4-11.
Graduate Competitive Fellowships, Grants, and Awards
- School of Biological Sciences Special Funds Research and Travel Grants ($1,500 / $500) (2008)
- American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Raney Award ($1000) (2007)
- School of Biological Sciences Special Funds Research and Travel Grants ($1,500 / $500) (2007)
- School of Biological Sciences Annual Poster Competition – Best Student Poster (2006)
- Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research ($500) (2006)
- Society of Systematic Biologists Graduate Student Research Grants ($1500) (2006)
- Initiative in Ecological and Evolutionary Analysis Grants in Aid of Research ($300) (2006)
- School of Biological Sciences Special Funds Research and Travel Grants ($1000/$500) (2006)
- Life Sciences Interedisciplinary Graduate Recruitment Program Fellowship + Supplement, Univ. Nebraska ($30,000 x 2 yrs) (2005)
- Graduate Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation ($30,000 x 3 yrs) (2004)
- University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship ($12,000 Cdn.)(2003)
Undergraduate Scholarships and Honors
- Senior Merit Award – College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (2003)
- TAMU Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Outstanding Senior (2002)
- Goldwater National Science Scholarship – TAMU Nominee (2002)
- W.B. Davis Scholars Independent Wildlife/Fisheries Research Program (2001-2002)
- TAMU Chapter American Fisheries Society Outstanding Undergraduate (2001)
- Texas A&M President’s Endowed Scholarship (1999)
- National Merit Sponsorship (1999)
- Ceasar Kleberg Scholarship for Wildlife Conservation (1999)
- National Merit Scholar (1998)
Research/Laboratory Experience
Guillermo Orti Lab University of Nebraska-Lincoln:
- Graduate research assistant (September 2005 - present)
Nathan Lovejoy Lab University of Manitoba:
- Graduate research assistant (August 2003 - August 2005)
Kirk Winemiller Lab Texas A&M University:
- Undergraduate research assistant (January 2001-August 2003)
- Technician supervisor in cichlid ecomorphology experiments (Jan 2001-2002)
- Field assistant / lab technician for Army Corp of Engineers project in Texas hill country (2001)
- Technician for stable isotope preparations (1999-2000)
- Cichlid species husbandry for laboratory use (behavior experiments) (1999-2003)
Bryan Inland Fisheries Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
- Creel Survey, Lake Conroe (1999)
- Electroshock Sampling, Lakes Conroe and Sommerville (1999, 2000)
Teaching Experience
Teaching Assistant (volunteer), Molecular Phylogenetics (BIOS 924), Instructor: G. Orti, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Teaching Assistant (volunteer), Phylogenetic Biology (BIOS 829), Instructor: G. Orti, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Guest Lecture, "Maximum Likelihood analysis in Phylogenetics." Course: Plant Systematics. Dept. Botany, Univ. Manitoba (Mar 2005)
Supplimental Instruction. Course: Fundamentals of Ecology. Dept. Renewable Natural Resources, Texas A&M University (Fall 2002)
Professional International Experience
- Field expedition to Araguaia & Suia Missu (upper Xingu) Rivers, Brazil (2008)
- Genetics Laboratory Internship at Universidad Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brasil (2007)
- Field expedition to Paraguay, Teles Pires, Araguari, and Jari Rivers, Brazil (Oct 2006)
- Field expedition to upper Orinoco and Casiquiare regions of Venezuela (Jan 2005)
- Field expedition to Tapajós and Xingu rivers, lower Amazonas basin, Brasil (Nov 2004)
- Genetics Laboratory Internship at Universidad Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brasil (2004)
- Field expedition to Guyana shield and Llanos tributaries of Orinoco, Venezuela (Dec03-Apr04)
- Rio Negro expedition following ASIH meeting, Negro river, Brasil (2003)
- Internship at Museo de Zoologia, UNELLEZ, Venezuela (2003)
- Research expeditions to Cinaruco river, Apure, Venezuela (2001)(2002)
- International leadership seminar in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy (1999)
- Fish collection expeditions to Peruvian Amazon (1998, 1999, 2000)
Professional Memberships
- Neotropical Ichthyological Association (2003-present)
- Society for the Study of Evolution (2007-present)
- Society of Systematic Biologists (2005-present)
- American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (2001-present)
- American Cichlid Association (2001-present)
Communication/Leadership Activities
- President, Zoology Graduate Student Association, U. Manitoba (2004-2005)
- Academy for Future International Leaders – Bush Presidential Library Complex (2003)
- Secretary, American Fisheries Society (AFS) – Texas A&M Chapter (2002-2003)
- Activities Chair, AFS – TAMU Chapter (2001-2002)
- Vice President, AFS – TAMU Chapter (2000-2001)
- Aquatic Fauna volunteer for Society for Conservation Biology’s “BioBlitz” (2001, 2002, 2003)
- “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” Seminar Series (2001)
- Champe Fitzhugh International Honors Leadership Seminar (1999)
Reference Contacts
Guillermo Orti, Assoc. Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, gorti1 (at) unl.edu
Nathan R. Lovejoy, Asst. Professor, Integrative Behaviour and Neuroscience, University of Toronto-Scarborough, lovejoy (at) utsc.utoronto.ca
Kirk Winemiller, Professor, Section of Ecology and Evolution, Texas A&M University, k-winemiller (at) tamu.edu
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