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Survey on Public Engagement

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SSAR members can help out a PhD candidate at the University of Florida by taking a survey on their public engagement activities. Surveys must be completed by October 1.

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Dear SSAR members,

My name is Kirsten Hecht, and I am reaching out to ask for your assistance in my dissertation research. I am looking for participants with a wide range of experiences and viewpoints on public activities undertaken by scientists.

We are asking for your perspectives via an ~15-20 minute anonymous survey. Every 25th eligible participant who provides their email address after the survey will be contacted to receive a $10 prepaid debit card. Please click this link for more information or to take the survey.

https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cvkAKzlHbc8GQwB

Message regarding a Code of Conduct incident at JMIH

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Dear JMIH Meeting Attendees:

Over the last year the leadership of JMIH approved a code of conduct for the meeting.  We also hired a safety officer to have a person outside of the JMIH to serve as an Ombud.

While most of the complaints filed at the meeting were satisfactorily resolved, one was brought forward at the end of the meeting and has had to be investigated and resolved after the meeting.  There were rumors, resulting in a report, that David Hillis had bullied a postdoc (originally reported as a student) into changing his poster.  After reviewing the discussion with the poster presenter and a witness, this was determined to not be the case.  In fact, the presenter was upset to find out that these false rumors had begun and has sought to bring the facts to the Ombud. The postdoc’s poster was indeed later defaced by others, but David Hillis had nothing to do with this incident, and was not even present when it happened. The Ombud is currently working with the JMIH societies to address this incident with the individuals who were involved.

The remedy is that we are posting this official statement to correct the record and hopefully counteract the rumors that David Hillis acted inappropriately at the meeting – he did not.  As noted by the postdoc and witness, he was supportive, friendly, and appropriate at the poster session. If you encounter anything to the contrary, please help to end the rumors by pointing people to this statement.   These kinds of rumors are damaging and have resulted in harassment of someone innocent of the charges – we do not want that sort of culture at our meetings or in our field.  We will continue to work with the JMIH societies to address the inappropriate behavior by other individuals involved in this incident.

Behind the Scenes Pt. 9: A Series of Unfortunate Events (with a Happy Ending)

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In this ninth installment of the human stories behind herpetological research, we hear from Thiago de Carvalho. Thiago describes the trials and tribulations during fieldwork in which he and his colleagues discovered a new species of Adenomera. The description of this species appeared in Journal of Herpetology, and the citation is as follows:

de Carvalho, T.R., C.S. Cassini, P.P. Taucce, and C.F. Haddad. 2019. A New, Morphologically Cryptic Species of Adenomera Closely Related to Adenomera araucaria from the Atlantic Forest of Southern Brazil (Anura, Leptodactylidae). Journal of Herpetology, 53(2):131–143.

SSAR members can access this publication here.  For more information about SSAR membership, see here. Enjoy the story below!

The three biologists. From left to right: Juliane Monteiro, Marcus Thadeu Santos, and Thiago de Carvalho. © Juliane Monteiro

In November 2017, two lab colleagues/friends and I went on a herpetological fieldtrip to the Atlantic Forest of southern Brazil. We planned to visit specific localities across all three states in this Brazilian region, which would take us two weeks driving south and then all the way back to the university (in the state of São Paulo). It was perfect timing, because it was raining continuously and we happened to come across some interesting frog species throughout the trip, including two that are probably new to science.

On November 10th, we went on our longest and toughest trail to Pedra Branca do Araraquara. We were really excited about the possibility of finding long-lost and new frogs in the region. At the very beginning, we encountered a broken bridge near the trail head, which caused us to drive a bit farther to find any private property so the car would not be unattended all day long. From there, we started by getting across the rocky-bottom river (where there used to be a bridge) and began hiking up. Around half an hour later, while walking past a small bungalow next to the trail, three huge Belgian sheepdogs spotted us and actively ran towards us. We did not know exactly what to do facing three fully grown dogs at close range. After a few seconds of shaking in our boots, we found out that the dogs were friendly (lucky us) so we hung out with them a little bit while chatting with the owner of the property, then carried on with our hike.

Montane grasslands at the summit of Serra do Tabuleiro State Park, in southern Brazil. © Juliane Monteiro

After another hour hiking up, already well into the forest, out of the blue we ran into three guys hauling bundles of palm trees down back to the road—it is common in the region that unauthorized individuals cut down palm trees, used predominantly for hearts of palm. This is an entirely illegal activity, so we got nervous with the situation, but they only went their way down the trail. We got concerned about the chance of bumping into more people on our way up to the summit, but in fact we ended up being all alone for the next few hours of the hike. Several times, we had to jump over big trees fallen across the trail, so I decided to clear up bushy vegetation with a machete so we could have landmarks on our way back. The machete’s sheath was attached to one of my friends’ belts, but I decided to use the machete because I was leading the hike at that moment. One of those times, shortly after clearing up vegetation while stepping on a soft, organic soil, I tried to stick the machete into the soil next to me. But instead of being the soft soil I was standing on, it was a big, solid rock completely covered with moss. When the machete hit the rock, it rebounded back over my fingers, cutting three of them very badly (that was my impression right at the moment). My hand started bleeding a lot and I could see blood all around me. One my friends, as quick as possible, got some salt out of her backpack, spread over the wound in an attempt to contain the bleeding and wrapped my fingers up with a T-shirt. I was not even capable of feeling any pain while dealing with it. Shortly after containing the bleeding, I decided to cover my hand with an additional layer of fabric and a plastic bag (a drizzling rain had just begun). The three of us discussed all the possibilities and decided to walk all the way back to the car and drive straight to the small town where we were lodged, to find a hospital.

Adenomera kweti, a new frog species collected during the fieldtrip and recently published in Journal of Herpetology. © Thiago R. de Carvalho

The rain was getting stronger and stronger as we hiked down the trail. We could not believe what we were seeing when we reached the trail head: it had rained so intensely at the summit that the water level of the river had covered everything. That shallow rocky-bottom river at the beginning of the trail had turned into a fast-flowing river, the water hitting and splashing among big rocks. We were stuck on the opposite bank of the river and unable to reach the road. We attempted to use alternative trails using the GPS. We had to walk across a smaller river (flowing relatively fast though), the three of us holding each other’s hands, afraid of being dragged down by the water current. Our clothes were soaked through and my fingers started throbbing. Finally we reached a private property. We had to jump over the gate to search for the residents. After explaining the situation to the property’s janitor, we were able to reach the road after crossing another bridge. We then followed the road back to the place where we had left the car. At that point, we felt that things were going to come out well. We drove back to town and I got eight stitches on three of my fingers. Luckily, the cut was not so deep to the point that I would have to undergo surgery.

I decided to keep working in the field along with my friends as much as possible, but avoiding climbing or any other activity that could burst open the stitches on my fingers. Six days after that fateful day, we succeeded hiking up another trail at Serra do Tabuleiro State Park, where we collected frogs that were later described as a new species (Adenomera kweti) endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest of eastern Santa Catarina, published in Journal of Herpetology. The moral of this story from our experience is that we should always be aware and prepared for all eventualities that might happen, especially during field expeditions to wilderness areas, which are commonly a main/necessary component of research among field biologists.

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Thiago R. de Carvalho
University of the Pacific
Department of Biological Sciences
Stockton, California 95211, USA
thiago_decarvalho@yahoo.com.br

#ThisIsSSAR: Gastromyzophorous tadpoles and Umilaela Arifin

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This is the sixth post in this new series from SSAR! Our members often join SSAR to learn more about the organisms that fascinate them. Each month, we are excited to profile the herpetological interests of one of our community members and to feature their focal amphibian or reptile species/system.

Featured SSAR member: Umilaela Arifin

Sumatran gastromyzophorous tadpoles—genera Huia (left) and Sumaterana (right)

What is your study species (or species group) and why is it interesting?

Currently I am studying the species of Asian ranid frogs whose tadpoles have unique abdominal sucker, with special emphasis on Sumatran species. This group of frogs is very interesting because:

  • They possesses a unique larval type called gastromyzophorous tadpoles. Gastromyzophory is an eco-morphological adaptation to torrential stream habitats, found only on certain anuran taxa. The tadpoles are characterized by a large-adhesive abdominal sucker that help them cling to rocks in fast-flowing, turbulent cascades.
  • This type of larvae is very rare among anurans, only known for some bufonids and some Asian ranids. However, lack of samples (e.g., for Asian ranids genus Huia) from particular regions and lack of molecular studies to date, has led to perplexing phylogenetic problems for over a decade.
  • Despite its perplexing phylogenetic problems, the Asian ranid frogs with gastromyzophorous tadpoles has been hypothesized to have evolved independently twice.

Sumaterana

What is it about this species that you study?

Our existing knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships in the genus Huia is riddled with gaps and as a consequence the true diversity and evolutionary history of this enigmatic genus and related taxa remain unknown. Until my study, only Huia sumatrana was positively known to possess gastromyzophorous tadpoles on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, although numerous suitable cascading habitats are available (i.e., along the Bukit Barisan Selatan Mountain ranges that lies across the island). My study was the first to conduct thorough sampling of Sumatran ranid with abdominal-sucker tadpoles and also the first to generate the most comprehensive dataset for ranids with this type of larvae. Not surprisingly, my integrative taxonomy study shows that Sumatran Huia comprises of more diversity than currently known. Moreover, I also discovered a new genus and two new species displaying this unique larval type. My work suggest that larval form is as important as adults, particularly when adults show highly morphological similarity. I believe many more amphibian diversity in Sumatra and other tropical regions are still awaiting to be revealed.

Umilaela Arifin

Who are you, how did you get where you are, and what’s your story?

I spent most of my life in my home country (Indonesia) until the last five years when Imoved to Germany to pursue my PhD. It never crossed my mind during my childhood, especially through my high school years, that I would end up becoming a scientist. During my undergraduate study of Biology Program at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB)-Indonesia, my best friend was supposed to participate in a joint research expedition on herpetofauna in Sulawesi led by Prof. McGuire (UC Berkeley, USA). I asked the responsible professor at ITB (Prof. Iskandar, a pre-eminent Indonesian herpetologists) whether I could also join the expedition. He allowed it—but only on the condition that I either study frogs, snakes, or lizards. I was not interested in these animals at that time, but decided to find out more about frogs anyway and joined three months field research. Needless to say, I fell in love with amphibian and reptiles and the rest as they say is history. I was fortunate enough to complete my Bachelor’s degree by studying morphometry of Limnonectes frogs from Sulawesi under supervision of Prof. Iskandar. I decided to pursue higher education and enrolled in the same university for my Master in Science to study the molecular phylogeny of Bornean endemic frogs, in collaboration with the National University of Singapore. I became a freelance researcher in herpetology and biodiversity for scientific institutions and consultant companies to expand my research experience while preparing for scholarship applications to do a PhD overseas. It was during this time that my interest in amphibian and reptile diversity in the SE Asian region (particularly Indonesia) really matured, through numerous herpetofaunal projects either as a research assistant or team leader, with local and international scientists (Indonesian, American, Canadian, Singaporean, Australian, German). After several years of hunting for a PhD opportunity, a stipend from Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdiest (DAAD, German Academic Exchange Service) and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Science Foundation) funds to Prof. Haas eventually allowed me to pursue a PhD program at Universität Hamburg (UHH), Germany to study the phylogenetic systematics and diversity of Sumatran ranids. This was quite perfect because Prof. Haas had ample experience with Southeast Asian frogs, and tadpoles in particular. My PhD period has transformed me into young independent researcher with respect to my scientific skills and knowledges. Working in a different research environment with (Germany) during this period had also shaped my intercultural experience. Now that I am at the end of my PhD program (defending in January 2019), I am hoping to get a postdoc position or job that would accommodate my passion for the SE Asian amphibians and reptiles.

Huia

Why are you a member of SSAR?

Initially, I applied for SSAR membership only to have reduced fee for conference registration (I believe many others did too!). However, after becoming a member I realized the tremendous benefits of being part of such a dynamic society. I am still new to the society, but I believe SSAR is a good place for me to keep up with the most updated research in herpetology as well as to connect with others within the same interest. As a young researcher that is in the process of building a career in academia, meeting people and establishing networks as well as sharing and learning from each other is the best way to lay the foundation for good science.

SSAR Leadership Profiles: Conservation Committee

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For this installment of the SSAR leadership profiles, Student Participation Committee member Allison Bogisich interviewed Dr. Nicole Angeli, a current co-chair of the Conservation Committee.

 

Official duties

The SSAR explicitly includes conservation as part of our mission. The Conservation Committee plays a key role in bringing conservation issues that affect reptiles and amphibians to the attention of state and federal government agencies, non-government organizations, and herpetologists worldwide.

The Conservation Committee’s primary responsibility involves responding to requests for technical guidance on conservation efforts. These requests come from individuals within the society and the general public who require advice or support related to a conservation issue. The committee draws on the breadth of knowledge and experience of its members to respond with proper guidance or support as to how a conservation project could best be accomplished. Additionally, the committee may write letters of support endorsed by the society and its president for conservation organizations and groups that are looking to garner more clout.

The Conservation Committee is currently in transition, as committee members have been spearheading efforts to form a joint conservation committee among SSAR, the Herpetologists’ League (HL), and the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH). Dr. Angeli is pushing to create the joint conservation committee between societies with the hope of thereby making herpetological conservation recommendations more powerful, as they would be coming from one authoritative entity (rather than several). The idea of joining forces had been casually discussed for the past 10 years within SSAR at annual meetings, but no real actions had been taken until recently. The committee is drafting a report of progress made since the 2018 meeting to be presented for consideration at the 2019 annual meeting.

Activities throughout the year, including at the annual meeting

The SSAR Conservation Committee has worked on several big initiatives over the years. For example, after the international emergence of a fungal pathogen affecting salamanders and newts (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans or Bsal), Dr. Joe Mendelson and Dr. Karen Lips, in coordination with Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC), got the SSAR Conservation Committee involved. Committee members provided a review of the most current epidemiological research and shared their research including new and emerging work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) International Affairs Program. They also participated in what is now the Bsal Task Force. Consequently, the USFWS created a new rule under the Lacey Act (which bans trafficking of illegal wildlife) to help limit the moving of salamanders both into and around the US. The committee has posted a fact sheet on the SSAR website to help members navigate the new laws. As of now, this potentially lethal pathogen has not been detected in North America, largely thanks to the quick response on the part of conservation organizations and lawmakers. However, the risk remains high, as any future outbreak could severely impact 67 native species of salamanders.

Each member of the conservation committee brings different areas of expertise to the group, representing a wide spectrum of knowledge on conservation threats to amphibians and reptiles. For example, Ed Kabay, who serves as co-chair along with Nicole Angeli, is an environmental regulatory specialist at Resource Environmental Solutions (RES) LLC. RES specializes in ecological restoration and water resource solutions. Kabay supports clients in maintaining the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act compliance. He provides technical expertise on projects that may affect populations of federally or state listed reptiles and amphibians. Working on the applied side of conservation gives Kabay insight into the effect of the policies and actions advocated by SSAR. Kabay also has prior experience as a zookeeper, field technician, and science teacher. Some examples of research conducted by current members include investigating the impacts of fungal pathogens like chytrid, environmental pollutants, invasive species, captive breeding programs, and habitat loss. Several committee members also serve on specialist groups for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), while other members are wildlife biologists employed by either the Department of Natural Resources or the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Chairing the committee primarily involves email work, including responding to guidance requests, communicating with other committee members, and more recently with other societies’ conservation committees to form the potential joint committee. It also involves reading numerous documents associated with technical guidance requests and cost estimates. As April approaches, preparation for the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH) ramps up within the committee, resulting in many phone calls and round-robins of emails to get the annual review and agenda for the meeting in order. The Conservation Committee meets at JMIH to decide on any new issues or initiatives for the upcoming year. The committee chairs also attend the Board of Directors’ Meeting to discuss their annual report. At that time, they also give approved drafts of conservation initiatives to the SSAR president for approval.

Interactions with other SSAR committees and leaders

The committee works directly with the SSAR president since technical support responses or letters of support need to be signed and approved. Dr. Angeli has also been working closely with leaders of conservation committees from other herpetological societies to determine the logistics of a joint conservation committee.

Path to joining the Conservation Committee

Current co-chairs Nicole Angeli and Ed Kabay both took on the role shortly after JMIH 2018 at the invitation of the previous chairs, Betsie Rothermel and Joe Mendelson. The committee especially wanted conservation biologists with technical skills related to herpetology, qualities that Angeli possessed. Both Angeli and Kabay had extensive experience volunteering within SSAR. Prior to serving on the Conservation Committee, Angeli had served on the SSAR website oversight committee and had been an SSAR member since 2009. Separate from her activities on the Conservation Committee, Angeli has also done SSAR website blogging for the #HerpetologyHighlights series and is an administrator for the Facebook page. She also had highly relevant experience serving on the Caribbean Steering Committee for PARC and as co-chair, organized the 2017 and 2019 conference in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. Additionally, she is the Acting Director and Chief of Wildlife for the Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Division of Fish and Wildlife. She says the work experience she’s accrued in that position has been invaluable for responding to technical guidance questions. Kabay was an active member of the NC Herpetological society.

SSAR members tend to get tapped for the conservation committee (and committees in general) if they do one or more of the following activities: (1) publish conservation-related research, (2) mentor many students, and (3) become actively involved in the society as a whole. Angeli noted, “The more that you are involved, the more likely it is that you will be asked to serve. Because the committee is volunteer-run, the best way to be selected for leadership in the future is to start volunteering today!” She recommends deciding what aspects of SSAR interests you the most, and then reaching out to the relevant leader to ask how you might be able to volunteer (e.g. website support, creating or designing materials, attending meetings, etc.) and to apply for any scholarships which help you to both showcase your work and receive feedback at annual meetings. Angeli encourages members and non-members alike not to hesitate to contact committee leaders, as reaching out to SSAR committees is a primary way of determining interest in respective programs and gauging to what capacity a committee is supporting society members and the general public.

While the majority of the Conservation Committee’s positions go to those with PhDs or extensive fieldwork backgrounds, it doesn’t mean students can’t get involved. The committee is always interested in having one to two graduate student members working directly on the committee. Right now, they’d like a volunteer to help with the online advertisement of the types of support and guidance that the committee can provide to champion conservation causes.

Future of the committee

In addition to establishing the joint conservation committee and securing promotion for the committee, Dr. Angeli hopes to help see the creation of a new award within the next couple years in order to honor the conservation efforts of SSAR members. The committee is also potentially interested in developing a program to establish SSAR-sponsored certification or accreditation for herpetologists who would serve as education consultants to the public. Such a program would expand the reach of the committee to provide expert advice and factual knowledge about problems confronting amphibian and reptile populations.

 

Contact
If you are interested in volunteering on the committee in any capacity or if you would like to request assistance from the committee please contact Nicole Angeli (nicoleangeli1@gmail.com) or Ed Kabay (ekabay@gmail.com) directly.

Nicole Angeli

Ed Kabay

Herpetological Review 50(2) available online!

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2019 marks the 50th anniversary of Herpetological Review. The cover of this second issue takes a look back at the cover images published during the period of 2001 to 2006. Featured photographers were Steve Wilson, Jim Bridges, Will Brown, Tim Paine, Bill Love, William Lamar, Alejandro Solórzano, Michael Burger, Danté Fenolio, Masamichi Yamishita/Richard Wassersug, Michael Kern, Louis Porras, Indraneil Das, Brian Freiermuth, Lee Grismer, Nikolai Orlov, Paul Freed, Joan François Obbes (artist), and Guido Sterkendries.

This issue is scheduled to be mailed in late June, and full contents are now available online to SSAR members at https://ssarherps.org/herpetological-review-pdfs/. All Natural History Notes, Geographic Distribution Notes, Book Reviews, and other select sections are Open Access and are available for download at the same link. If you are not a member of SSAR, please consider joining the leading international herpetological society. Student and online-only rates available. See here for more details: https://ssarherps.org/about-ssar/membership/.

#ThisIsSSAR: Oz, Sea Snakes, and Rick Shine

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This is the fifth post in this new series from SSAR! Our members often join SSAR to learn more about the organisms that fascinate them. Each month, we are excited to profile the herpetological interests of one of our community members and to feature their focal amphibian or reptile species/system.

Featured SSAR member: Rick Shine

Hydrophis major, the Greater Sea Snake

What is your study species (or species group) and why is it interesting?

I have worked on many species of reptiles and amphibians—but mostly on snakes and on invasive cane toads, in Australia. I never met a herp species I didn’t like, but some fascinate me more than others. At the moment I am in the Pacific nation of New Caledonia, on my 16th annual trip for a mark-recapture and general ecological study of the sea snakes that live there. The challenges involved in the transition from the land to the sea make sea snakes a particularly fascinating group of reptiles. And snorkeling on coral reefs makes for very pleasant fieldwork!

What is it about this species that you study?

Sea snakes have attracted so little ecological and behavioural research, because it’s difficult to study animals underwater! But I managed to find some sites where these snakes are common and easy to study, so I have tried to take advantage of that opportunity by looking at many aspects of the lives of these creatures. That’s included conventional ecology (diets, habitat use, etc.) reproductive biology (mating systems), and conservation issues (why are sea snakes declining over so much of their former range?). We have even looked at why most of the Turtle-Headed Sea Snakes in inshore (polluted) bays are black not banded; we think it’s because the melanin in their skin binds to heavy-metal contaminants, so that the snakes can expel more pollutants from their bodies when they shed their skins.

Who are you, how did you get where you are, and what’s your story?

Catching a Turtle-Headed Sea Snake, Emydocephalus annulatus

I was born in Australia, and have always been fascinated by herps. I’ve spent most of my career in Oz, primarily at the University of Sydney and as a research-only professor for quite a lot of that time. I recently transferred across to Macquarie Uni (which is also in Sydney) to another research position. I’ve had the enormous privilege of spending my professional life working with the animals that most excite me.

Why are you a member of SSAR?

I have been a member of all three major US herp societies for about 40 years, and I was president of SSAR for the last couple of years (2017 and 2018). SSAR has given me terrific opportunities to meet with my colleagues—both younger and older—and to share our knowledge and enthusiasm. Most members of the general public don’t have a passion for herps, and it’s a great experience to spend time with people who share my obsessions. Membership of the SSAR has been a boon for my career, and a hell of a lot of fun as well.

#ThisIsSSAR: Salamander behavior and Jennifer Deitloff

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This is the fourth post in this new series from SSAR! Our members often join SSAR to learn more about the organisms that fascinate them. Each month, we are excited to profile the herpetological interest of one of our community members and to feature their focal amphibian or reptile species/system.

Featured SSAR member: Jennifer Deitloff

An eastern red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus)

What is your study species (or species group) and why is it interesting?

I work with a lot of different species, but most commonly Plethodon cinereus and other salamanders that can be found in the Northeast US. I think salamanders are interesting because their behavior is much more complicated that what most people think. They can recognize other individuals, form socially monogamous pair bonds, and have some parental care.

What is it about this species that you study?

I typically study different aspects of behavioral ecology and how it relates to morphology and/or sexual selection.

 

 

Jennifer Deitloff with an indigo snake

Who are you, how did you get where you are, and what’s your story?

I’m an Associate Professor at Lock Haven University, which is a small undergraduate university in central Pennsylvania. I’m currently in my 5th year, and I really enjoy my position and the area where I live. I was an undergrad at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and received my PhD at Iowa State University. I completed a postdoc at Auburn, and a second postdoc (unrelated to herpetology) at ISU. I also taught at Grand View University in Des Moines before accepting my position at LHU.

Why are you a member of SSAR?

Since graduate school, I’ve been a member of SSAR and/or other herp societies. I’ve been consistently a member in more recent years. I involve many undergraduates in my research and strongly encourage them to attend annual meetings. For this reason, I really appreciate the travel and grant funds available for these students.

SSAR Leadership Profiles: Live Auction Committee

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For this installment of the SSAR leadership profiles, Student Participation Committee Member John Bellah interviewed Dr. Samantha Kahl, the current chair of the Live Auction Committee.

Dr. Kahl is looking for someone to help run the auction this year, as she will be unable to attend JMIH. This is a great opportunity for particularly well-organized individuals looking to gain valuable committee experience, so please contact Dr. Kahl ASAP (samantha.kahl@ttu.edu) if that’s you!

 

Official duties

The Live Auction Committee organizes and runs the SSAR/Herpetologist’s League (HL) Live Auction during the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH). The live auction helps fund student travel awards to JMIH. The committee chair takes care of most of the Live Auction Committee’s duties for the majority of the year,  with other volunteers getting involved at JMIH to ensure the auction runs smoothly.

Activities throughout the year, including at the annual meeting

The main responsibility of this position is to correspond with people who want to donate items to the live auction. SSAR accepts a wide range of herp-related donations, including books, t-shirts, memorabilia, art, and field equipment such as hooks and tongs. Anyone with questions about whether something is suitable for donation, planning to deduct the donation on their taxes, or interested in donating a high value item should check with SSAR first, however. It is the responsibility of the chair of the Live Auction Committee to keep track of these many items. They must also find someone who lives near the meeting venue to store and transport donations that year. Additional responsibilities include securing an auctioneer to run the auction and recruiting volunteers. Volunteer recruitment occurs mostly at the meeting, and the volunteers are responsible for keeping track of the items to be auctioned.

The majority of this committee’s work takes place at JMIH. The chair meets with hotel management prior to the auction to inspect the room for appropriate layout (i.e. table and podium location). They also coordinate with hotel management regarding food and beverages during the auction and make sure the microphone and sound system are working correctly. Once the room is ready, the chair then organizes donations to auction off in ways that are most likely to entice bidders, for example by combining shirts with books. The chair also considers the order in which items will be auctioned off. During the auction, volunteers help ensure it runs smoothly. Their duties include advertising and delivering items to winning bidders (similar to being Vanna White on Wheel of Fortune!) and making sure the crowd doesn’t get too rowdy. The committee’s biggest accomplishment on a year-to-year basis is successfully organizing and running the auction to raise funds for student travel awards.

Interactions with other SSAR committees and leaders

The Live Auction Committee works closely with the chair of the Student Travel Award Committee, who runs the Silent Auction, as proceeds from both auctions support the student travel grants offered by SSAR and HL. The Live Auction Committee also works closely with the treasurer, who handles the all financial dealings of SSAR.

Path to joining the Live Auction Committee

Dr. Kahl volunteered at the live auction while attending her first JMIH, an experience she enjoyed so much she continued to do it while pursuing both her master’s and PhD. Around 2013 she officially took over as chair of the Live Auction Committee and has been in that role ever since. Dr. Kahl advises people interested in this committee to contact her, as she is always looking for volunteers. Chairing this committee requires a high degree of organization,  and it also requires experience in seeing how the auction is planned and organized. Students who volunteer at the live auction learn how the committee operates, gaining experience that can allow them to eventually chair the Live Auction Committee. Prior to taking over as Live Auction Committee chair, Dr. Kahl served on the Presidential Nominations Committee.

Future of the committee

Overall, Dr. Kahl doesn’t see any major changes in the committee occurring in the near future. The main goal will always be to organize and run the auction as successfully as possible to ensure the availability of student travel awards. These awards are typically divided between SSAR and HL, so a successful auction benefits students from both organizations. The live auction is typically held on Sunday night of JMIH. However, the SSAR and HL leadership may look into changing it to Saturday night to accommodate people who have to travel home on Sunday evening.

 

Contact

If you would like to volunteer for the live auction, please contact Samantha Kahl (samantha.kahl@ttu.edu). Anyone interested in donating items for the live auction can find more information near the bottom of the General Information page of the JMIH website.

Samantha Kahl

In Memory of David Sever

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Dr. David M. Sever passed away on 19 April 2019. David was well known in the herpetological community for over 40 years of work on the natural history of amphibians and reptiles, specifically the evolution of primary and secondary sexual characteristics. David was a long-time member of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR), and its predecessor, The Ohio Herpetological Society, and had been attending herpetological conferences since the early 1970s. David recognized the importance of scientific societies and presenting research at conferences and encouraged all of his students to attend the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, sponsored by three societies of which he was an active member (American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, The Herpetologists’ League, and SSAR). In lieu of flowers and other gifts, Marlis Sever (David’s wife) has requested that donations be made in his name to a travel fund that SSAR has agreed to maintain and earmark for student travel to SSAR–sponsored conferences. Those donations can be made here.

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