Katherine Hill

Motivated to protect wildlife who cannot protect themselves. Most specifically animals such as bats who have been demonized in the media for years. I hope to be one of the biologists that helps conserve these species, as well as one that educates the public on their importance. While pursuing this dream, I have gained skills in and out of the field, and am ecstatic to see what other knowledge I will be able to gain in the future.

• [NASA WV Space Grant] - In 2023 I received a research grant to help complete my capstone research.
• ["Snake Project"] - The “Snake Project” is a research project stemmed from the Loughman Lab where we track Regina septemvittata (Queensnakes) and Nerodia sipedon (Common watersnakes) using traps and PIT Tags in order to track their range and natural behaviors in the wild. This data will be composed in order to study their natural history in the future.
• [Population studies of Bats in West Virginia National Parks and Forests] - For my Capstone research I am studying the populations of native microbats in West Virginia. In order to collect this data, I complete walking transects with Wildlife Acoustics handheld recorder to collect different calls. These transects are taking place in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, New River Gorge National Park, and Monongahela National Forest
• [West Liberty Herpetological Society] - In early January, some of my close friends and classmates came together to create the WLU Herp. Society. Our goal with this club is to introduce new people to the world of reptiles and amphibians through citizen science, while collecting data from different areas of W.V. I am currently the social media manager for our club, with hopes to create a following who is excited to learn about animals that the public typically deems less than.
• [West Liberty University Astacology Conservation Lab] -I am a part of Dr.Loughman and Dr.Graham's crayfish laboratory where I have been able to assist on multiple crayfish research trips. One of the most notable being “Project Crawdad” which is an outreach program where lab members go to underrepresented elementary schools in Southern West Virginia to teach them about crayfish conservation, while also allowing them to realize that they can grow up to be scientists just like us.
• [Elected Team Leader of WLU Track and Field] - While being a full time student, I am also a hammer thrower on my university's track team
• Assistance on: Holbert, Hannah & Loughman, Zachary & Graham, Zackary. (2024). Shelter Use in Cambarus robustus, a Surrogate Species for the Federally Listed Cambarus callainus and Cambarus veteranus. Freshwater Crayfish. 29. 1-8. 10.5869/fc.2024.v29-1.1.
• Assistance with the graduate thesis:"Costa Rican Zebra Tarantula (Aphonopelma seemanni) as a Model Organism to Improve Husbandry in Arachnoculture Utilizing Natural History and the Impact of Diet on Growth in Tarantulas"

• Diana Barber, Ph.D.-Email: diana.barber@westliberty.edu-Phone: 304-336-8213
• Zachary Loughman ,Ph.D.-Email: zloughman@westliberty.edu-Phone: 304-231-7033
• Beth Ward-Email: beth.ward@osucascades.edu-Phone: 540-798-2366
• Angette Pastuszek-Email: jettpastuszek@gmail.com-Phone: 970-317-9229
• Sara Rose-Email: sara.rose@osucascades.edu-Phone: 541-699-6232
• Annalyse Williams-Phone: 904-705-9572
• Paty Valdez-Phone: 813-220-3142
• Meghan Ingson-Email: me.ingson@gmail.com
• Elizabeth Hostler-Email: elizhostler@gmail.com