Cathy is a Professor of Biology at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, where she has taught since 2004. Mentored by Kenneth T. Wilkins, Cathy was the first student to complete a PhD in Biology at Baylor University; her dissertation was titled “Response of Small Mammals in Native Tallgrass Prairie to an Invasive Species, Red Imported Fire Ants.” She is most interested in behavioral ecology, especially in mammals and birds. Cathy teaches several field courses including Ornithology, Plant Taxonomy, and Natural History Expedition (which includes a 10-day trip to the Big Bend region of Texas). She also leads the freshman Biology day trip to Colorado Bend State park every semester. Most of her students are pre-health professions majors; however, she succeeds in developing their appreciation of the biodiversity in the natural world that exists outside of a clinical setting.

Dana is an Associate Professor of Biology at Cameron University. She received her bachelor’s and master’s of science in biology from Angelo State University and her PhD in zoology from Oklahoma State University. At Cameron University, she teaches courses such as Principles of Biology 1, Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Cell Biology and maintains an active research program with the help of undergraduate students. Her research focuses on using molecular biology techniques to answer questions about wildlife.

Joel is a professor of biology at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. Joel earned is PhD from Texas Tech University and is broadly interested in the natural history of mammals in Texas. Current research projects tend to focus on the population ecology of small mammals around Abilene and the community ecology of rodents and bats in the Southern Rolling Plains of Texas.

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Michelle is a professor at the University of Central Oklahoma. Her research interests lie in mammalian population genetics and molecular systematics. She is interested in using genetic markers to address conservation and evolutionary questions, with most of her current research focusing on comparative hybrid zone studies and the identification of cryptic species. She also is interested in genomic drivers of the speciation process and local adaptations. She got her PhD from Texas Tech University.