Alexander

J. Novarro
1210 Biology-Psychology Building,
University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
@TheSalexmander | www.alex-novarro.weebly.com


Education


2013-18 PhD in Biological Sciences Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics
(expected) University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD

2007-12 Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science Aquatic Ecology and Terrestrial Ecology
The College at Brockport, State University of New York, Brockport, NY


Publications


* Undergraduate Collaborator
Novarro, A. J., C. Gabor, C. Goff, T. Mezebish*, L. Thompson, and Kristine Grayson. Manuscript in prep.
Behavioral and hormonal responses to thermal stress in a terrestrial salamander across a
latitudinal population gradient.
Mezebish, T.*, A. Blackman*, and A. J. Novarro. Manuscript in prep. Climbing behavior as a response to
community composition in coexisting terrestrial salamanders.
Novarro, A. J., A. Blackman*, and S.D. Bailey*. 2017. Tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) as a short-
term anesthetic for the eastern red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus. Herpetological
Review 48(2): 320-322.
Novarro, A. J., J. Williams, and P. Nanjappa (Eds.). 2017. Annual Report: 2016. Partners in Amphibian
and Reptile Conservation (PARC), Annual Report No. 7. Hagerstown, MD. 20 pp.
Apodaca, J. J. and A. J. Novarro. 2016. Priority Amphibian and Reptile Areas (PARCAs) aim to jumpstart
conservation for North Americas rich amphibian and reptile diversity. FrogLog 24 (1) 117: 40.
Novarro, A. J., J. Williams, and P. Nanjappa (Eds.). 2016. Annual Report: 2015. Partners in Amphibian
and Reptile Conservation (PARC), Annual Report No. 6. Hagerstown, MD. 34 pp.


Presentations


* Undergraduate Collaborator
Timko, S.*, C. Law*, A. J. Novarro, L. Thompson, and K. Grayson. Population ecology of the red-backed
salamander at the southern range edge. Oral presentation. Virginia Academy of Science Annual
Meeting, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA. 18 May 2017.
Timko, S.*, C. Law*, K. Sanchez*, M. Seitz*, A. J. Novarro, L. Thompson, and K. Grayson. Uncovering what
lies beneath the leaves: red-backed salamanders at the southern range edge. Poster
presentation. University of Richmond Student Symposium. Richmond, VA. April 2017.
Novarro, A. J. Geographic patterns of thermal tolerance in a widespread lungless salamander. Oral
presentation. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Annual Meeting, New
Orleans, LA. 7 January 2017.
Earl, S.C.* and A. J. Novarro. Competition strategies of the eastern red-backed salamander. Poster
presentation. SICB Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. 5 January 2017.

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Medina-Baez, O. A.* and A. J. Novarro. Which species is better equipped for climate change? Thermal
limits in two widely distributed salamanders. Poster presentation. SICB Annual Meeting, New
Orleans, LA. 5 January 2017.
Mezebish, T. M.* and A. J. Novarro. Heated hunting: the impacts of temperature on the optimal foraging
strategy of the eastern red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus). Poster presentation. SICB
Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. 7 January 2017.
Griffin, M. T.* and A. J. Novarro. Ecological impacts of climate change: examining the limiting roles of
rainfall and intraspecific competition on red-backed salamander foraging success. Poster
presentation. SICB Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. 7 January 2017.
Apodaca, J. J., W. B. Sutton, and A. J. Novarro. A plethora of problems for the Plethodontids: An overview
of threats, trends, and opportunities for lungless salamander conservation. Oral presentation.
Highlands Conference on Plethodontid Salamander Biology, Highlands, NC. 5 Aug 2016.
Blackman, A.* and A. J. Novarro. Salamander coexistence in the presence of an introduced Plethodon
species. Poster presentation. Highlands Conference on Plethodontid Salamander Biology,
Highlands, NC. 5 Aug 2016.
Novarro, A. J. and T. Mezebish*. Hot and hungry: Foraging strategies to compensate for thermal stress in
the eastern red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus. Poster presentation. Highlands
Conference on Plethodontid Salamander Biology, Highlands, NC. 5 Aug 2016.
Blackman, A.* and A. J. Novarro. Do salamanders respond morphologically to an introduced species?
Oral presentation. Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference, Oxford, OH. 20 March 2016.
Novarro, A. J. and A. E. Bely. Why don't lungless salamanders follow Bergmanns rule? Oral presentation.
SICB Annual Meeting, Portland, OR. 4 January 2016.
Blackman, A.* and A. J. Novarro. Do salamanders respond morphologically to introduced species? Poster
presentation. SICB Annual Meeting, Portland, OR. 5 January 2016.
Bailey, S. D.* and A. J. Novarro. Retreat from the heat: Are burrowing traits in red-backed salamanders
correlated with climate? Poster presentation. SICB Annual Meeting, Portland, OR. 4 January 2016.
Novarro, A. J., J. Williams, and P. Nanjappa. Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation national
update. Oral presentation. Northeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (NE PARC)
Annual Meeting, West Greenwich, RI. 19 August 2015.
Novarro, A. J. and A. Blackman*. Investigating the effects of a non-native salamander on the native
salamander community at Mountain Lake Biological Station, Pembroke, Virginia. Poster
presentation. NE PARC Annual Meeting, West Greenwich, RI. 19 August 2015.
Novarro, A. J. Shaping the future of PARC: 15 years and forward. Oral presentation. Partners in
Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Joint National Steering Committee Meeting, North American
Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, Omaha, NE. 10 March 2015.
Novarro, A. J. Investigating intraspecific variation in the eastern red-backed salamander, Plethodon
cinereus. Oral presentation. Mountain Lake Biological Station Summer Seminar Series, Pembroke,
VA. 10 July 2014.


Awards & Honors


2017
Jane Pritchard Teaching Award, Department of Biology, University of Maryland
2017 Merit Award, Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of Maryland
2016 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Biology, University of Maryland
2015 Inducted into Lavender Leadership Honor Society, University of Maryland

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 Grants & Fellowships


2017 NE PARC Student Grant
$70
2017 Smithsonian Earth Optimism Summit Scholarship $575
2017 Wayne T. and Mary Hockmeyer Endowed Fellowship $5,000
2017 Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship $15,000
2017 SICB Fellowship of Graduate Student Travel $2,000
2016 SICB Broadening Participation Award $500
2016 University of Maryland Department of Biology Travel Award $400
2016 Mountain Lake Biological Station Horton H. Hobbs, Jr. Endowment Fund $3,500
Fellowship
2016 University of Maryland Goldhaber Travel Award $400
2016 SICB Broadening Participation Award $500
2015 University of Maryland Department of Biology Travel Award $175
2015 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR) Roger Conant $500
Grant in Herpetology: Laboratory Category
2015 Mountain Lake Biological Station Margaret Walton Fellowship $2,000
2015 The Explorers Club Exploration Fund Grant $1,000
2015 University of Maryland BISI Deans Fellow $5,000
2014 Mountain Lake Biological Station Margaret Walton Fellowship $2,000
2014 The Explorers Club Exploration Fund Grant $3,000
2014 University of Maryland BISI Deans Fellow $5,000


Research Experience


2016-17
Collaborative Research with Dr. JJ Apodaca, Warren Wilson College, and Lori Williams,
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Green salamander abundance and
demography in North Carolina.

2016-17 Collaborative Research with Dr. Kristine Grayson, University of Richmond, and Dr.
Caitlin Gabor, Texas State University. Geophysiological patterns of thermal stress in the
eastern red-backed salamander.

2015-17 Collaborative Research with Dr. Kevin Kohl, University of Pittsburgh. Integrating
microbiology and physiological ecology: Do gut microbiota and temperature
interactively regulate energy assimilation?

2013-17 Dissertation Research, University of Maryland. Integrating thermal ecology and
physiology to predict the effects of climate change on a widespread lungless
salamander, Plethodon cinereus.

2012 Post-baccalaureate Research, advised by Dr. John Wiens, Stony Brook University. Are
adult and larval body sizes correlated? A phylogenetic test using frogs and tadpoles.

2011 Undergraduate Research advised by Dr. Mark Norris, College at Brockport. Effects of
white-tailed deer herbivory on plant communities in Letchworth State Park, NY.

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 Teaching Experience


2016-17
Developed and led workshop series for NSF REUs, Mountain Lake Biological Station
SciComm 101: Drop the jargon and tell your story a 4-day intensive workshop to
produce short research films for chosen audiences.

2013-17 Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Maryland
Human Anatomy and Physiology I Lab
Conservation Biology Lab
Biology of Cancer (grading only)

2013-17 Workshop facilitator, LGBT Equity Center, University of Maryland
Trans* Advocacy Training: Fundamentals of transgender and gender variant issues
Rainbow Terrapin Network Training: Fundamentals of LGBTQ allyship and advocacy

2015 Guest Lecturer, University of Maryland
Words of Engagement Intergroup Dialogue: Gender
Teaching Science Graduate Seminar: Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom

2014-15 Guest Lecturer, Mountain Lake Biological Station
Field Herpetology
Field Methods in Wildlife Ecology

2012 Guest Speaker, Jericho Middle School, Jericho, NY
LGBTeach workshop for K-12 teachers


Research Students Mentored


* indicates NSF REU student, ** indicates Honors thesis project, indicates research credit

2016-17 Matthew Griffin**, University of Maryland
Melissa Marquez, University of Maryland
Tori Mezebish, University of Maryland
Hannah Whittaker, University of Maryland

2015-16 August Blackman, Oberlin College
Samantha Earl*, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Matthew Griffin**, University of Maryland
Melissa Marquez, University of Maryland
Osmary A. Medina Baez*, University of Puerto Rico
Tori Mezebish, University of Maryland

2014-15 Sarah Bailey, University of Virginia
August Blackman*, Oberlin College
Matthew Griffin**, University of Maryland
Tori Mezebish, University of Maryland
Omid Barr, University of Maryland

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2013-14 Logan McDonald, Florida Gulf Coast University


Service & Outreach


Peer Reviewer
2017 Ecology and Evolution
2017 Herpetological Review

Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Student Taskforce, University of
Maryland
2016 Graduate Student Research Award committee
2016 Graduate Student Retreat Planning committee
2015 Graduate Student Service Award committee
2014-15 Social chair

LGBTQ Campus Outreach, University of Maryland
2015-17 Lavender Leadership Honor Society: Founding member and active board member
2014-15 President of oSTEM (out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
2014 Transgender Day of Remembrance information table & memorial service coordinator
2013-14 TransU Facilitator (support group for transgender and gender nonconforming students)

Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
2016-17 Lead editor of the annual report
2015-17 Communications Specialist
2014-15 Communications Intern

Public Outreach
2017 Guest host on TrSci YouTube Live video podcast
2016 Research presentation for Youth Conservation Corps
2014-16 Open House Events: Salamander outreach and education
2015 Research presentation and field trip for Philadelphia ZooCREW
2014-15 Science fair judge, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, Greenbelt, MD
2014 Environmental interpreter, Maryland Wildlife Quest at Maryland Day
2013 Boo at the Zoo, National Zoo, Washington, DC: Salamander outreach and education


Advanced Coursework


Winter 2017
Data Modeling in Ecology and Environmental Sciences (BIOL799)
Fall 2015 Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (BIOL608K), Scientific Writing and
Presentations (BIOL608R)
Spring 2015 Physiological Ecology of Animals (MEES698E)
Fall 2014 Quantitative Methods in the Environmental Sciences (MEES607), Climate Change and the
Biosphere (MEES608V)
Spring 2014 Biostatistics II - Experimental Design and Analysis (BIOM602)
Fall 2013 Community Ecology (BIOL608E), Teaching Biology (BIOL701), Introduction to R for

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 Computation and Analysis in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (ENTM798V)


Additional Training


2013-18
University Teaching and Learning Program Level 3: Scholar, University of Maryland.
College Park, MD.
2016 Teaching Backwards: Learning Outcomes & Course Design, University of Maryland,
College Park, MD, 30 Nov 2016. Instructor: Dr. Scott Roberts.
2015 Modeling Abundance and Survival using BUGS and R, Patuxent Wildlife Research
Center, Laurel, MD. 9-13 November 2015. Instructors: Drs. Marc Kry and Andy Royle.
2015 Distilling Your Message workshop, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS. 3 August 2015.
Instructor: Dr. Christine OConnell, Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science.
2012 Biology of Plethodontid Salamanders, Highlands Biological Station, Highlands, NC. 4-16
June 2012. Instructors: Drs. Ken Kozak and Joe Pechmann.


Professional Memberships


2015-present Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals

2015-present Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
2014-present The Herpetologists League
2014-present American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
2011-present Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
2011-present Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
2011-13 Society of Wetland Scientists