ANNE C. HUGHES
ABOUT ME
My Story
Over my lifetime, I have seen challenges and road blocks as opportunities to learn and grow as person and as a scientist. My unique take on life, ability to take challenges head on, and find joy in the world, makes me a person you will want to get to know. If you are ready to get to know more about me, please keep reading and get in touch with me.
EDUCATION
What I’ve Learned
June 2021 - Present
Masters' of Science, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana
September 2016 - January 2019
Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Dean's List and Scholarship recipient: Pence-Boyce Summer Research, Phi Theta Kappa.
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY
January 2015 - June 2016
COLLEGE OF DUPAGE
Associate of Science, Biology, Dean's List and Scholarship Recipient. Member, Phi Theta Kappa.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, USDA-FS, PENCE-BOYCE SUMMER RESEARCH PROJECT
"Survey of the Critically Endangered Rusty Patched Bumblebee (Bombus affinis) at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (USDA-FS), IL.”
Advisor: Dr. Derek W. Rosenberger
Partnering with ONU and USDA-Forest Service
Following USFWS protocols for routine transects and random sample transects over 4 months in restored prairies, cattle, and bison pastures
Collected more than 2,000 Bumble bees and recorded weather conditions, floral species, and GPS data in compilation with Bombus spp. frequencies
Analyzing data and will begin reporting at Midewin Winter lecture series (January 24, 2019), Wild Things conference (February 23, 2019), and Illinois State Academy of Sciences (April 5-6, 2019)
Will submit to publish by summer 2020
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, ZOOLOGY ORNITHOLOGY RESEARCH PROJECT
“A Point Center Survey of Avian Species Richness and Abundance in Late Winter and Spring in Fermilab Natural Areas”
Advisor: Dr. Derek W. Rosenberger
Used the Grinnell method for field research notes; repeated avian surveys for migration
Conducted 7 surveys over time at 6 locations with 100m-long transects, identifying, counting, and recording all avian species located each time
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, BIOLOGY GENETICS RESEARCH PROJECT
“The Ligation, Transformation & Analysis of Recombinant Plasmids from Escherichia coli DNA”
Advisor: Dr. Dwight Ginn
Worked with a team using standard practices to cut, insert, and replicate pieces of DNA from bacterial samples using clean techniques
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, BIOLOGY ECOLOGY RESEARCH PROJECT
“Comparing Soil Composition and Biodiversity in Organic and Inorganic Fields”
Advisor Dr. Randall Johnson
Worked with a team to conceive, design, and implement a soil mineral and chemical composition study on a farm in Kankakee County
Compared minerals and chemicals found in soils collected from organic fields compared to chemically treated fields, both soybeans
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, ZOOLOGY ANIMAL BEHAVIOR RESEARCH PROJECT
“Foraging Frequency of the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) on Water and Land”
Advisor Dr. Derek. W. Rosenberger
Worked with a team to conceive of and design a behavioral observational study of Canada geese at Kankakee River State Park
Observed feeding and compared terrestrial and water feeding behaviors of adult geese
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, ARCTIC BIOLOGY FIELD RESEARCH PROJECT
"The Effects of Petrochelidon pyrrhonota, Pond Location and Tundra on density of Mosquito populations" performed in Noatak, Alaska
Advisors Dr. Derek W. Rosenberger and Dr. Leo Finkenbinder
Worked with a team collecting data on densities of mosquitos at 3 different locations near a pond, in town and in the tundra, with varying densities of swallow predation in the arctic tundra
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, ZOOLOGY VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY RESEARCH PROJECT
“Small mammal survey at Kankakee River State Park”
Advisor Dr. Derek W. Rosenberger
Worked as a team to repeat Hoffman 1996 small mammal survey conducted at Kankakee State Park to compare changes in species diversity and abundance using live traps and boards
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY, RESEARCH PROJECT
“The Frequency of Natural Active Behaviors Displayed by Captive Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) dependent on added enrichment”
Advisor Dr. Daniel Sharda
Worked independently to conceive, design and implement experiment on captive red foxes at 3 different facilities
Built pvc deployment methods for enrichments items, then conducted behavioral observations on a sample size of 14 individuals
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, RESEARCH PROJECT
“Developmental, physiological, and mortality effects of toxic chemicals tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene, found in local water supplies on Xenopus laevis eggs”
Advisor Dr. Dwight Ginn
Worked with a team to conceive, design, organize materials, and implement experiment testing developmental changes resulting from exposure to carcinogens on amphibian eggs
Used clean techniques and live animals’ specimens from a biological supply company and exposed to different gradients of dilutions of the toxic chemicals
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, ZOOLOGY INVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY RESEARCH PROJECT
Diversity and Abundance of Earthworms in Willowhaven agricultural field Kankakee County, IL”
Advisor Dr. Derek W. Rosenberger
Worked with a team to collect worms in soil located in an agricultural field at Willowhaven Nature Center; used mustard water along a randomly selected set of 3 10m-long transects
Contained collected animals in the lab and measured, weighed, and identified species
Compiled data and used Excel to run statistical analysis
OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, ZOOLOGY INVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY RESEARCH PROJECT
“Bumble Bee (Bombus spp.) Diversity at Perry Farm site in Bradley, IL”
Advisor Dr. Derek W. Rosenberger
As part of a team, repeated 100m transects to survey the Bombus spp. present and the frequencies at Perry Farm in Bradley, IL
Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost
