Biology :: Undergraduate Alumni :: University of Memphis

Amiee Dunlap, Class of 2000

A triple major at The University of Memphis, Dr. Dunlap was graduated in 2000 with degrees in Biology, History and English. During her time at the University she worked closely with Dr. Jerry Wolff researching mate choice and sexual behavior of prairie voles. Her research focuses on the evolution of learning, memory and decision making and how this interacts with patterns of change in the environment. After earning her Masters degree from Northern Arizona University where her research focused on social learning, spatial memory for food caches and aspects of social foraging she completed her Ph.D at the University of Minnesota. Her work there was a combination of mathematical modeling, operant learning experiments with blue jays and experimental evolution studies with fruit flies. She is currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow at The University of Arizona where she is working with bumblebees and modeling to answer questions about the value and use of information.

Dr. Dunlap has recently presented at the Animal Behavior Society meeting in Pirenopolis, Brazil and has published several papers, including others currently in review.

Keith Pecor, Class of 2000

During his undergraduate degree program he worked with Dr. William H. N. Gutzke on several projects, all of which considered the ecology of aquatic animals. Continuing his post-graduate education at The University of Michigan he studied the chemical ecology in crayfish and was awarded a Masters of Science and Doctorate of Philosophy. His dissertation research focused on the use of chemical signals (e.g., sex pheromones) by crayfish native to the Great Lakes region and crayfish that were introduced to that region by humans. Of particular interest were the impacts of introduced crayfish on native species. After completing a two-year faculty position at Rhodes College, he is now an Assistant Professor of Biology at The College of New Jersey, where he teaches Ecology and Aquatic Ecology. His current research efforts are divided among studies of crayfish chemical ecology, the ecology of introduced crayfish, and crayfish natural history.

Rachel E. Savoy, Class of 2009

Ms. Savoy was graduated in 2009 and is now pursuing an advanced degree from The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.

Amy Combs, Class of 2009

Ms. Combs, a participant in the Student Research Form, having presented at The National Conference of Undergraduate Research and Ecological Society of America, Tennessee Academy of Science and having completed an internship with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency was graduated in 2009. She plans to begin Optometry school in 2010. Her mentor was Dr. Matthew Parris.