Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
2020-present. PhD. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Tulane University, New Orleans, La. U.S.A.
2015 Fall . BSc. Biology, minor Chemistry. University of the Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas
2012 Fall. AA. Biology, minor Chemistry. Bahamas Baptist Community College, Nassau, Bahamas
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Feb 2018- Jul 2020 Assistant Retreat Curator at Bahamas National Trust Retreat Garden
New Providence Island, Bahamas
Manage the horticulture program, accessions, and palm collections for the Garden, with a focus on propagating native Palms and developing nursery stocks.
Coordinate with Science & Policy Department to facilitate research and outreach.
Manage grounds staff, interns and volunteers, and oversee the execution of work plans.
July-Aug 2015; Oct 2016-Aug 2017 Resident Intern at Forfar Field Station International Field Studies, Inc. Andros Island, Bahamas, Supervisors: Kate Hammond and Elizabeth Richardson
Facilitated remote field study courses and research resources for educators. PADI SCUBA diving program.
Organized and taught ornithology, island botany and biology, and herpetology field studies.
Co-instructed sailing program from Andros Island to Berry Islands in The Bahamas (lead snorkel trips and mentor students)
Assisted with field research (Bahamian Land Crab Project, Andros Island)
Performed general grounds-keeping and maintenance duties including watercraft operation and maintenance and off-road vehicle operation.
PUBLICATIONS
Johnson, S., & Yates, S. S. (2020). First records of the North American Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea) on New Providence, The Bahamas . IRCF Journal , 257-258
Herrmann, N. C., Yates, S. S., Fredette, J. R., Leavens, M. K., Moretti, R., & Reynolds, R. G. 2018. Lizards on Islands within Islands: Microhabitat Use, Movement, and Cannibalism in Anolis sagrei (Brown Anole) and Anolis smaragdinus (Bahamas Green Anole). Caribbean Naturalist 50:1-17.
Stonko, D.C., L.E. Rolle, L.S. Smith, A.L. Scarselletta, J.L. Christhilf, M.G. Rowley, S.S. Yates, S. Cant-Woodside, L. Brace, S.B. Johnson, and K.E. Omland. 2018. New documentation of pine forest nesting by the Critically Endangered Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi). Journal of Caribbean Ornithology 31:1-5.
Johnson, S., P. Loring, D. Jones, and S. Yates. 2018. Atypical foraging habitat use by Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) in the Bahamas. Journal of Caribbean Ornithology 31:65-67.
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
Feb 2016 Piping Plover Census January North and Central Andros, and Ragged Island, Bahamas
Conduct bird census and identify other shore bird species.
Feb 2016- Ecology and Population Biology of Ameiva auberi bilateralis
Independent undergraduate student research, Ragged Island, Bahamas
capture Ameiva spp., temporary tag animals with white out, collect biometric data in remote location
2013-2014 Biology of Rhinella marina, a Newly Introduced Species in the Bahamas
Independent undergraduate student research
Collect toads, determine sex, dissect and analyze stomach content, collect biological data.
May – Jul 2015 Ecology of Ameiva auberi thoracica
Summer internship research, Leon Levy Plant Preserve, Eleuthera Island, Bahamas
Capture Ameiva spp., collect biological data in remote location,
FIELD RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
May 2019 -Convergence of Urban Adaptive Responses in the Lizard Genus Anolis
Kingston, Jamaica; mentor: Kristin Winchell (Losos Lab, Washington University)
Captured two species of Anolis. Tagged lizards with injectable elastomer, assisted with x-ray, digital toe pad scans, dewlap photos and spectrophotometry. Collected ecological habitat data.
Jul-Aug 2016- Sympatric speciation of Anolis spp.
Long Island, Bahamas; mentor: Nicholas Hermann (Losos Lab, Harvard University)
Captured two species of Anolis, tagged lizards with injectable elastomer, and assisted with x-ray and digital toe pad scan in remote locations.
May - Jul 2016-Bahamas Swallow Project
Abaco, Bahamas; mentor: Maya Wilson (Virginia Tech)
Conducted pine forest plot and snag surveys and captured swallows by mist, band birds and collect DNA blood samples-net in remote locations.
Apr 2014, Apr 2015; Jun 2016 -John G. Shedd Aquarium of Chicago, Illinois
Exuma Cays and South Andros, Bahamas; mentor: Charles R. Knapp
Captured lizards Cyclura cychlura spp., took blood samples, and Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagged rock iguanas in remote locations.
Jun 2016 -Bahamas Oriole (Icterus northropi) Project
Andros, Bahamas; mentor: Kevin Omland (Omland Lab-UMBC)
Captured I. northropi by mist net, band birds and collect DNA blood samples- in remote locations.
Apr -May 2016 Anolis sagrei Speciation Project
Staniel Cay, Exuma, Conception Bank, Bahamas; mentor: Anthony Geneva (Losos Lab, Harvard)
Capture Anolis Lizards in, remote location
March 2016- Cyclura rileyi Repatriation Relocation Check-up
Pigeon Cay, Exuma, Bahamas; mentors: Sandra Buckner and Jill Jolly
Capture Cyclura rileyi, take DNA blood samples, insert PIT tags, and probe for sex identification and biometrics in remote location
PRESENTATIONS
Ecology and population of the Ameiva auberi bilateralis and Ameiva auberi thoracica in Bahamas
Oral Presentation, 3rd Bahamas National History Conference, Nassau, Bahamas; 2016.
Size and fecundity in the toad Rhinella marina
Oral Presentation, 2nd Bahamas National History Conference, Nassau, Bahamas, 2014
AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
Bahamas National Trust- Amieva auberi spp and piping plover census Ragged Island, Bahamas ($700.00 awarded), 2016
Donald Gerace Student Presentation Award, Bahamas Natural History Conference.
2nd place, 2016
Donald Gerace Student Presentation Award, Bahamas Natural History Conference.
1st place, 2014
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
2013-2016- Bahamas National Trust, New Providence, Bahamas
2014, 2015-Christmas Bird Count (Audubon Society), NE New Providence, Bahamas
2010-2014- Bahamas AIDS Foundation
MISCELLANEOUS SKILLS & CERTIFICATIONS
Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (SPSS)
Operation of small boats and off-road vehicles in rough terrain
Reptile husbandry
2017-(certified ) PADI SCUBA Rescue Diver
2016-2018-NOLS Wilderness First Aid
City & Guilds Certificate in Word Processing Techniques Essential First Class Pass
Fluent in Jamaican Patois and Bahamian Creole languages