About Us
Curt Elderkin holds a Ph.D. in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology. I have previously attended University of Lousiana, Western Illinois University, and Indiana Universtiy. I have held positions previously at Miami University (Ohio), Illinois Natural History Survey, and Stone Laboratory (Ohio State University). My background is a combination of evolutionary biology, ecology, aquatic field biology, and large river ecology. Currently I am interested in population genetics of freshwater mussels in the Atlantic Slope Drainage.
Alex Rass is a junior Biology major at The College of New Jersey. He has been working in Dr. Elderkin's ecology lab since his second semester freshman year, including two summer internships sponsored by the Lancy foundation and the MUSE program at TCNJ. Though he is interested in the field of research, his main interest lies in the field of medicine.
Kenneth “KJ” Rapp is a junior Biology major at The College of New Jersey. His eventual goal is to attend medical school and attain a career in neurology or neurosurgery. KJ’s research experience includes one semester of shadowing two students in Dr. Elderkin’s lab and participation in the Mentored Undergraduate Summer Experience (MUSE) program at TCNJ over summer 2008. KJ’s current project includes sequencing the remaining mitochondrial DNA of mussels from the Susquehanna River, Delaware River, and Maine.
Liron is a senior Biology major at the College of New Jersey. She has taken Ecology, Genetics, Genomics, Eukaryotic Cell Biology, Evolution, and Entomology at the college. She is currently working in Dr. Elderkin's Lab for her Independent Study. Since January '08, Liron has worked for Dr. Elderkin on phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial and microsattelite DNA of Eliptio complanata (freshwater mussels). Additionally, she conducted research for Dr. Elderkin in the Mentored Undergraduate Summer Experience (MUSE) program in the summer of '08. In MUSE, she was able to experience field work by going on excursions to collect freshwater mussels in several major Northeastern Rivers and then work to sequence the DNA of those very mussels. After completing her BS degree, Liron plans on attending Graduate School with the goal of recieving a PhD in the field of genetics and one day conducting research as a geneticist
Larissa is a senior Criminology and Justice Studies major with a minor in Biology and is the newest addition to Dr. Elderkin’s laboratory group. Research objectives include the application of genetics and systematics to forensic science techniques and preparation for graduate study.
your text here
your text here
your text here
your text here
your text here
your text here