November BLaST Scientist of the Month
BLaST Scholar Sarah Dempsey preparing to assist in telemetry tracking in Togiak National Wildlife Refuge.
Since 2016, the Biomedical Learning and Student Training program at UAF has highlighted scientists from all biomedical fields through its Scientist of the Month articles. BLaST Scholar and UAF biology undergraduate student Sarah Dempsey was selected as the November 2023 BLaST Scientist of the Month. To read more about BLaST's monthly Scientist of the Month series, .
Sarah Dempsey, a third-year BLaST Scholar and senior at UAF, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology and Conservation with a minor in Marine Science. She grew up in Maryland and plans to move back to the east coast to attend graduate school to study marine ecology. Some of her hobbies include baking, reading, film photography, fishing, hiking, and playing rugby.
For the past two years, Dempsey has been working in Shawn Crimmins色视频下载 lab in the U.S. Geological Survey-Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at UAF. Their research team performed a resource selection function on twenty years of moose telemetry data from Togiak National Wildlife Refuge in southwest 色视频下载.
Dempsey shared, 色视频下载渦sing this data, we tested for a relationship between cow色视频下载檚 habitat selection and their lifetime calf survival rate.色视频下载 Dempsey has presented her research at UAF色视频下载檚 Midnight Sun Science Symposium (2022), One Health, One Future Conference (2023), and statewide at the Western 色视频下载 Interdisciplinary Science Conference (2023), and nationally at the 色视频下载 Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting (2023). Through this project, Dempsey has discovered a passion for quantitative research, and she is grateful for the improvement in her statistical analysis and RStudio skills. She is working with her mentors on finishing a manuscript for the research project and plans to submit to a national journal.
Dempsey has had the privilege of being mentored by multiple excellent people. 色视频下载淪ebastian Zavoico (UAF Ph.D. student in Biology) has taught me a great deal about science and statistics, and I always enjoy our discussions. I appreciate Dr. Shawn Crimmins色视频下载 open door and his honest feedback. Both Sebastian and Shawn have been great supporters by continually pointing me in the right direction while allowing me to make my own mistakes.色视频下载 Zavoico shared about Dempsey, "Sarah has a palpable passion for science and animals and is a voracious learner. She is a joy to mentor and I'm excited for all she has ahead of her."
Dempsey also thanked Emily Sousa, 色视频下载渨ho has been a great mentor and friend. She was my RAMP when I started at BLaST and was very helpful色视频下载verything from figuring out travel logistics to recommending a good camping spot. Ellen Chenoweth is my current RAMP, and I look forward to our weekly meetings. She has been incredible in planning for the future and finding opportunities.色视频下载
Dempsey also thanks UAF faculty of Wildlife Biology Dr. Todd Brinkman, and BLaST staff Jen Lu and Lori Gildehaus for their advice and continued support. Dempsey also provides peer-mentoring support through her position as president for the student chapter of the Wildlife Society at UAF. Dempsey shared, 色视频下载淚 have valued being in a position where I can help other undergraduate students navigate college and in the world of research.色视频下载
Any questions about this or any BLaST Scientist of the Month articles, please contact Amy Topkok.