I participate in the Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies program at Coastal Carolina Uiversity, which leads to a Master's of Science degree. Students who are interested in working with me in the program should contact me for further information in the fall of the year before they wish to enter the program.
Major advisor for the following current students:
| Student | Photo | Project |
|---|---|---|
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Committee member for the following current CMWS students:
- Alison Bojarski
- Katie Eyring
- Kristen Trevey
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Morgan, Alex, Amanda, Whitney, and Julie at the 2010 Association of Southeastern Biologists meeting in Asheville, NC |
CMWS graduates of the Hutchens' lab:
| Student | Photo | Thesis |
|---|---|---|
Jennifer Jackson B.S. University of New Hampshire |
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Response of high marsh benthic invertebrate assemblages to shoreline development in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, USA Poster presentation at the Southeastern Estuarine Research Society meeting, March 2008 Graduated August 2008 BIOL 101 coordinator & instructor, CCU |
Jessie Kanes B.S. Rhodes College Co-advisor: Dr. Keith Walters |
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Micro-metazoan use of Spartina alterniflora stems of different ages Poster presentation at the Southeastern Estuarine Research Society meeting, March 2008 Graduated May 2009 Sea turtle intern, Sapelo Island, GA |
Chris King B.S. Coastal Carolina University |
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Assessing a hydrogeomorphic approach to riverine blackwater wetlands in the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, SC Graduated December 2010 Environmental consultant, Conway, SC |
Bryana Libby B.S. Coastal Carolina University |
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Effects of riverine and wetland macroconsumers on litter breakdown in Coastal Plain blackwater river swamps Graduated December 2013 PhD student, University of Georgia Entomology |
Meredith Penland B.S. University of North Carolina at Wilmington |
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Trophic linkages between riverine fishes and tidal impoundments in South Carolina Graduated August 2011 Education Specialist, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Site, FL
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Whitney Ruppel B.S. University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee |
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Relationship between macroinvertebrate assemblage structure and ecosystem function in two Coastal Plain blackwater streams Poster presentation at the Association of Southeastern Biologists meeting, April 2010. Won the Quaterman-Keever Award for best student poster in ecology. Graduated May 2011 Environmental consultant, Sheboygan, WI
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Beth Trott B.S. Auburn University |
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Competition between Littoraria irrorata (Say) and Melampus bidentatus (Say) in the high marsh on Waites Island, South Carolina Poster presentation at the Southeastern Estuarine Research Society meeting, March 2008 Graduated August 2008 Lab instructor, CCU |
Zofia (Zaplatynski) Noe B.S. St. Mary's College of Maryland |
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Effect of shoreline development on plant composition and physical structure in a South Carolina high marsh Graduated August 2009 Natural Resources Biologist, Maryland DNR |
Committee member for the following CMWS graduates:
- Lorrie Laliberte: Graduated May 2006, thesis title: Plant distribution along the rims of Carolina bays at Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve, SC; employed as an ecologist for a consulting company in NC
- Danielle Zoellner: Graduated May 2007, thesis title: Ecological characterization of plant communities in nine Carolina bays of northeastern South Carolina; enrolled in PhD program at Clemson University
- Kirstin Berben: Graduated May 2008, thesis title: Effects of fire management on herpetofauna assemblages of Sandy Island, coastal South Carolina; employed as a technician in an evolutionary ecology laboratory at Syracuse University
- Monica Malowe: Graduated August 2008, thesis title: Status and trends of a globally imperiled Atlantic Coastal Plain wetland: Links to hydrogeologic setting and conservation; employed as a high school teacher in New York
- Rachel Hillard: Graduated August 2008, thesis title: Prevalence, patterns, and effects of shell damage on Guekensia demissa in South Carolina intertidal estuaries
- Kerri Dikun: Graduated December 2008, thesis title: Nest-site selection of Wilson's Plovers (Charadrius wilsonia) in South Carolina
- Laura Shappell: Graduated May 2009, thesis title: Examining the conservation implications of fire management on plant assemblage structure in isolated wetlands and longleaf pine uplands at Sandy Island, South Carolina; enrolled in PhD program at Rutgers University
- Eric Tosso: Graduated May 2009, thesis title: A comparison of herpetofauna assemblages among tropical forest fragments and subsistence plantations adjacent to an Ecuadorian Ramsar wetland; enrolled in Master's program in Journalism at the University of Alabama
- Megan Savard: Graduated August 2010, thesis title: An examination of soil surface temperatures in high marsh plant habitats at Waties Island, SC
- Morgan Marsh: Graduated December 2010, thesis title: Microbial activity and diversity associated with decomposing Spartina wrack in coastal ecosystems
- Laura Canton: Graduated August 2011, thesis title: Factors affecting the selection and consumption of oyster reef prey (Crassostrea virginica, Geukensia demissa) by mud crabs (Panopeus herbstii)
- Julie Barker: Graduated December 2011, thesis title: Invertebrate assemblages on water hyacinth roots in the Waccamaw River; ORISE intern at USEPA research facility in Duluth, MN
- Caitlin Wessel: Graduated August 2012, thesis title: Connections between bivalve settlement, growth, survival, and water quality within South Carolina tidal creeks
- Grant Lockridge: Graduated August 2012, thesis title: A limnological assessment of a rare lacustrine wetland complex: Laguna de Cube, Ramsar site 1143, Ecuador
- Kim Trinkle: Graduated May 2013, thesis title: Differences in habitat at two spatial scales fail to predict differing occurrences of three species of wintering Ammodramus sparrows in South Carolina salt marshes
- Tim Burns: Graduated December 2013, thesis title: Effects of dissolved nutrient ratios and concentrations on litter-associated microbial activity in streamside channels
- Hannah Catherman: Graduated May 2016, Professional internship report title: Bridging the Gap between Formal and Informal Science Education at the Playcard Environmental Education Center: Promoting conservation awareness in grades K-12 through the development of engaging, hands-on learning experiences in nature
- Yianni Laskaris: Graduated August 2016, thesis title: Assessing MacGillivray's Seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus macgillivraii) demographics and incubation behavior, improving monitoring methods, and connecting occupancy by breeding sparrows to habitat variables; USFWS seasonal biologist working with Piping plovers
- Daniela Silva: Graduated August 2016, thesis title: Use of photo-identification and mark-recapture techniques to identify characteristics of the stock structure of coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) off northern South Carolina
- Madeleine Gillis: Graduated August 2016