Latest News
Kennedy students were able to participate in a 25 year study led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Alaska District and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Region.
This year's research team was composed of two scholars from Mississippi State University—Riley Porter, graduate student, and George Williams, undergraduate student.
Read more at https://www.army.mil/article/259604
Download the 2020-2021 Kennedy Chair Annual Report.
A new paper is out from our research describing an uncommon bee in Mississippi. It is the first record of a specimen from this species displaying morphological characteristics of both males and females. And perhaps most unique about this finding is that the bee was found using sunflowers (mid-June 2016) planted for dove or other hunting the following fall.
Alumni
Below is a list of Alumni compiled from past and present students. If you find an error or can add information to an alumni, please contact Karen Brasher
William "Bill" R. Alexander
Degree: M.S. Degree (1988-1990)
Current Position: Refuge Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bald Knob National Wildlife Refuge
Location: Searcy, AR
Barb (Lercel) Avers
Degree: M.S. Degree (1995-1997)
Current Position: State Waterfowl Biologist, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Location: Lansing, MI
Scott Barras
Degree: B.S. & M.S. Degrees (1990-1993)
Current Position: Virginia State Director, Animal Plant and Health Inspection Services
Location: Moseley, VA
Steve Barry
Degree: M.S. Degree (1990-1992)
Advisor: Richard Kaminski and Ed Hill
Current Position: Deceased
Michael Brasher
Degree: M.S. Degree (1998-2000)
Current Position: Biological Team Leader, Gulf Coast Joint Venture
Location: Lafayette, LA
Kevin Brunke
Degree: M.S. Degree (2004-2007)
Thesis: The Role Of Expectations On Waterfowl Hunter Satisfaction
Advisor: Kevin Hunt and Richard Kaminski
Current Position: Conservation Resources Biologist, Migratory Game Bird Program, Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks
Location: Jackson, MS
James Callicut
Degree: B.S. Degree (2007)
Thesis: Decrescendo Vocalizations Of Female Mallards And Mimicry By Duck Callers
Degree: M.S. Degree (2010)
Current Position: Conservation Resources Biologist, Waterfowl Program, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks
Location: Jackson, MS
Matt Chouinard
Degree: M.S. Degree (2001-2003)
Current Position: Staff Biologist, Delta Waterfowl Foundation
Location: Morris, MN
Terrel Christie
Degree: M.S. Degree (2019)
Thesis: Predation risk of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) on commercial catfish production in the Mississippi Delta (2019)
Current Position: Biological Sciences
Stephan A. Clements
Degree: M.S. Degree (2019)
Thesis: Foraging ecology and depredation impact of scaup on commercial baitfish and sportfish farms in eastern Arkansas (2019)
Current Position: PhD, WFA, Mississippi State University
Dr. Jose A. Cruz-Burgos
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (2000-2005)
Advisor: Francisco Vilella and Richard Kaminski
Current Position: Wetlands/Wildlife Biologist, Puerto Rico Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Location: San Juan, PR
Dr. J. Brian Davis
Degree: M.S. & Ph.D. Degrees (1995-2001)
Advisor: Richard Kaminski and Bruce Leopold
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University
Location: Mississippi State, MS
Dean W. Demarest
Degree: M.S. Degree (1990-1993)
Current Position: Office of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Location: Atlanta, GA
Dr. Jim A. Dubovsky
Degree: M.S. & Ph.D. Degrees (1984-1990)
Current Position: Central Flyway Representative, Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Location: Denver, CO
James Feaga
Degree: M.S. Degree (2011-2013)
Thesis: Winter Waterbird Use and Food Resources of Aquaculture Lands in Mississippi
Advisor: Francisco Vilella
Current Position:
Alexis Firth
Degree: M.S. Degree (2018)
Advisor: Dr. Beth Backer
Current Position:
David Fishman
Degree: Ph.D. Degree
Current Position:
K. Sarah Fleming
Degree: M.S. Degree (2010)
Thesis: Effects of management and hydrology on vegetation, winter waterbird use, and water quality on wetlands reserve program lands, Mississippi
Current Position: Regional Biologist, Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
Location: Ann Arbor, MN
Justyn Foth
Degree: M.S. Degree (2010) and Ph.D. Student
Thesis: Aquatic invertebrate biomass and community composition in greentree reservoirs and naturally flooded forests in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and interior flatwoods
Dissertation: Fall Migrant Waterbird Community Structure and Stable Isotope Ecology in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and Northern Gulf of Mexico: Use of Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative Sites and Other Wetlands
Advisor: Francisco Vilella
Current Position:
Dr. David. R. Gordon
Degree: Post-doctoral fellow (1985)
Current Position: Chief, Branch of Science and Planning, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Location: Washington, D.C.
Dr. Brian T. Gray
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (1988-1992)
Current Position: Assistant Deputy Minister, Science Branch, Environment Canada
Location: Gatineau, Quebec Canada
Matthew J. Gray
Degree: M.S. Degree (1993-1995)
Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee
Location: Knoxville, TN
Heath M. Hagy
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (2011)
Thesis: Winter food and waterfowl dynamics in managed moist-soil wetlands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley
Current Position: Director, Frank C. Bellrose Memorial Lab, Illinois Natural History Survey
Location: Havana, IL
J. Houston Havens
Degree: M.S. Degree (2004-2007)
Current Position: Conservation Resources Biologist, Migratory Game Bird Program Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
Location: Jackson, MS
Jeremy James
Degree: M.S. Degree (1998-2001)
Advisor: Steve Schoenholtz and Richard Kaminski
Current Position: Religious minister
Location: Memphis, TN
Molly Kneece
Degree: M.S. Degree (2016)
Thesis: Breeding and brood rearing ecology of Mottled Ducks in the Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Rivers Basin, South Carolina (2016)
Current Position: Wildlife Biologist, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Location: SC
Jennifer P. Kross
Degree: M.S. Degree (2003-2006)
Current Position: Regional Biologist, Ducks Unlimited Great Plains Regional Office
Location: Bismarck, ND
Joe Lancaster
Degree: M.S. Degree (2013)
Thesis: Survival, habitat use, and spatiotemporal use of wildlife management areas by female mallards in Mississippi’s Alluvial Valley (2013)
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (2018)
Dissertation: Winter ecology of radiomarked female Mallards in Mississippi’s Alluvial Valley (2018)
Advisor: Brian Davis
Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Illinois Natural History Survey
Location: IL
Alan Leach
Degree: M.S. Degree (2011)
Thesis: Red Oak Acorn Production, Mass, and Gross Energy Dynamics in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley
Current Position: Ph.D. student, University of Nevada
Location: Reno, NE
Charles R. Loesch
Degree: M.S. Degree (1986-1988)
Current Position: Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Location: Bismarck, ND
Marisel Lopez-Florez
Degree: M.S. Degree (2002-2005)
Advisor: Richard Kaminski and Francisco Vilella
Current Position: Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Location: San Juan, PR
Dr. Scott Manley
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (1994-1998)
Current Position: Director of Conservation Programs, Ducks Unlimited Southern Regional Office
Location: Jackson, MS
Joe Marty
Degree: M.S. Degree (2013)
Thesis: Seed and waterbird abundances in ricelands in the Gulf Coast Prairies of Louisiana and Texas (2013)
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (2017)
Dissertation: Estimates of waste rice, natural seeds, and wetland birds in Gulf Coast Prairie ricelands during fall–winter (2017)
Advisor: Brian Davis
Current Position: Biological Supervisor/Research Coordinator, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Location: Rockefeller Refuge, LA
Kira Monroe
Degree: M.S. Degree (2014)
Thesis: Survival and habit selection of American Black Ducks in Tennessee (2014)
Current Position: Monitoring Coordinator, Hummingbird Monitoring Network
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Dr. Aaron T. Pearse
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (2002-2007)
Current Position: Research Wildlife Biologist, Northern Prairie Research Station, U.S. Geological Survey
Location: Jamestown, ND
Edward Penny
Degree: M.S. Degree (2001-2003)
Current Position: Chief of Wildlife (Wetlands), Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks
Location: Jackson, MS
Tom Peterson
Degree: M.S. Degree (2014)
Thesis: Wintering waterfowl use of Delta National Forest, Mississippi (2014)
Current Position: Regional Biologist
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
David M. Richardson
Degree: M.S. Degree (1987-1989)
Current Position: Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Location: Grenada, MS
Dr. Michael Schummer
Degree: Post-doc (2007-2010)
Current Position: Research Scientist, Long Point Waterfowl (Bird Studies Canada)
Location: Long Point, Ontario
David E. Sherman
Degree: M.S. Degree (1988-1990)
Current Position: Biologist, Division of Wildlife, Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Location: Columbus, OH
Clay Shipes
Degree: M.S. Student (2014)
Thesis: Aspects of the ecology and management of mottled ducks in Coastal South Carolina (2014)
Advisor: Brian Davis
Current Position: Wildlife Biologist (Natural Resource Specialist), J. D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area
Location: Port Arthur, TX
Amy Spencer
Degree: M.S. Degree, Ph.D. Degree (2003-2014)
Thesis: Habitat Characteristics and Fish Assemblage Structure of Deep Pools in the Upper Tombigbee River, Mississippi
Current Position:
Elizabeth St. James
Degree: M.S. Student (2011)
Thesis: Effect Of Hunting Frequency On Duck Abundance, Harvest, And Hunt Quality In Mississippi
Advisor: Richard Kaminski and Michael Schummer
Current Position: Ph.D. student, University of Illinois
Location: Champaign-Urbana, IL
Dr. Joshua D. Stafford
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (2001-2005)
Current Position: Assistant Unit Leader, South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, South Dakota State University
Location: Brookings, SD
Victoria Starnes
Degree: M.S. Degree (2021)
Advisor: Dr. Mike Colvin
Current Position:
Scott Stephens
Degree: M.S. Degree (1992-1995)
Advisor: Bruce Leopold and Richard Kaminski
Current Position: Director of Conservation, Ducks Unlimited-Canada
Location: Oak Hammock, Manitoba
Jake Straub
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (2008-2012)
Thesis: Estimating and Modeling Red Oak Acorn Yield and Abundance in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Environmental Science/Ecology
Location: State University of New York-Plattsburgh
Adam Tullos
Degree: M.S. Degree (2000)
Advisor: Richard Kaminski and Stephen Grado
Current Position: Mississippi State University Extension
Location: Verona, MS
Dr. Bill W. Uihlein, III
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (1993-2000)
Current Position: Assistant Regional Director, Region 4, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Location: Atlanta, GA
Josh Vest
Degree: M.S. Degree (1999-2002)
Current Position: Science Coordinator, Intermountain West Joint Venture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Location: Missoula, MT
Dr. Mark P. Vrtiska
Degree: Ph.D. Degree (1995)
Current Position: Waterfowl Program Manager, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Location: Lincoln, NE
Mitch Weegman
Degree: B.S. Degree (2010)
Current Position: Ph.D. student, University of Exeter
Location: Exeter, England
Matt Weegman
Degree: M.S. Degree (2011-2013)
Thesis: Waterbird and Seed Abundances in Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative and Non-Managed Wetlands in Mississippi and Louisiana
Advisor: Rick Kaminski
Current Position: Biologist, Ducks Unlimited
Location: Rancho Cordova, CA
Brett Wehrle
Degree: M.S. Degree (1990-1992)
Current Position: Refuge Manager, Central Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Location: Marksville, LA
Alicia J. Wiseman
Degree: B.S. Degree, M.S. Degree (2006-2009)
Thesis: Waterfowl foods and use in managed grain sorghum and other habitats in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley
Current Position: Biologist, Ducks Unlimited, South Louisiana Field Station
Location: Lafayette, LA
Dan Zekor
Degree: Research Assistant (1985-1987)
Current Position: Federal Aid Coordinator, Missouri Department of Conservation
Location: Columbia, MO