W J. B. A: Hitney Nthonysamy
W J. B. A: Hitney Nthonysamy
W J. B. A: Hitney Nthonysamy
ANTHONYSAMY
Department of Basic Sciences
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy
1 Pharmacy Place
St. Louis, MO 63110
(217) 343-0603, whitney.anthonysamy@uhsp.edu
www.whitneyanthonysamy.weebly.com
www.stlwildifeproject.org
EDUCATION_________________________________________________________________
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, PhD.
Graduated: May 2012
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE________________________________________________
2015-2017 Post Doctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences, J.W. Fulbright College of
Arts and Sciences, University of AR
2012-2015 Post Doctoral Research Associate, Conservation and Molecular Ecology Lab, Illinois
Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of IL
TEACHING EXPERIENCE____________________________________________________
2021 Instructor, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, Department of Basic Sciences,
Biology Seminar; BIOL 4310 (1 section; undergraduates)
Created practice opportunities for students to develop skills in communication such as
summarizing and presenting scientific journal articles to a group of peers.
Created practice opportunities for students to critique scientific presentations and
provide constructive feedback to peers.
Guided students in preparation of leading discussions and peer-evaluation of
presentations.
2016 Guest Lecture in Conservation Genetics, “Non-invasive sampling, Individual ID, and
Mark-recapture”
2014 Guest Field Instructor for Wildlife Field Techniques, “Field Techniques for Amphibians
and Reptiles”
2014 Guest Lecture in Wildlife Population Ecology, “Conservation Genetics in Wildlife
Populations”
2013 Guest Lecture in Wildlife Population Ecology, “Conservation Genetics in Wildlife
Populations”
2012 Guest Field Instructor for Wildlife Field Techniques, “Field Techniques for Amphibians
and Reptiles”
2012 Guest Lecture in Herpetology, “Spatial Ecology and Territoriality in Reptiles and
Amphibians”
2008 Guest Lecture in Herpetology, “Ecology of Freshwater Turtles”
Lindsey Holhubner, Acoustic Monitoring of Bats Along an Urban Gradient in St. Louis (1
semester)
Lily Zahrai, Measuring Biodiversity along an Urban-Rural Gradient in the Greater St. Louis
Area (4 semesters)
August Camarato, Measuring Biodiversity along an Urban-Rural Gradient in the Greater St.
Louis Area and Genetic Diversity in Spotted Turtle in Illinois (6 semesters)
Madison Moylan, Measuring Biodiversity along an Urban-Rural Gradient in the Greater St.
Louis Area (6 semesters)
Abigail Herman, Sampling of pond breeding amphibians at Tyson Research Center
in St. Louis County, Missouri (3 semesters)
Lindsey James, Phylogenetic reassessment of proposed subspecies of the Orangethroat Darter
(Etheostoma spectabile) (2 semesters)
Kailey Harrell, Phylogeography of Tiger Whiptail Lizards in the Western United States, Honors
College, University of Arkansas (3 semesters)
Jared Cole, Identifying Evolutionary Significant Units in Eastern Collared Lizard, Honors
College, University of Arkansas (3 semesters)
Hayden Elliot, Population genetics of Eastern Collared Lizard in Arkansas, Honors College,
University of Arkansas (2 semesters)
Carsten Leimer, Fine-Scale Phylogeography of the Orangethroat Darter (Etheostoma spectabile)
on the Ozark Plateau, Honors College, University of Arkansas (1 semester)
GRANTS _______________________________________________________
2021 University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty Research Incentive Fund Award,
Acoustic Monitoring of Birds and Bats Along an Urban Gradient in St. Louis ($4,923)
2018 St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Women’s Giving Initiative, Surveying Amphibian
Biodiversity in Saint Louis County ($815). Awarded to Abigail Herman Spring 2018.
2018 St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Faculty Research Incentive Fund Award, Measuring
Biodiversity along an Urban-Rural Gradient in the Greater St. Louis Area. Co-investigated with
E. Biro and Dr. S. Adalsteinsson ($9,994).
2015 Arkansas State Wildlife Grant Program, Genetic examination of the Ringed Crayfish species
group, with special emphasis on the endemic Gapped Ringed Crayfish (Orconectes neglectus
chaenodactylus). Co-investigated and written with B. K. Wagner, and Drs. M. R. Douglas, and
M. E. Douglas ($16,412).
2014 Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Aquaculture and Aquatic Nuisance Species
Program, Proof of Concept 2: Using genomic markers to identify and track invasive Hydrilla
verticillata. Co-investigated and written with Drs. M. R. Douglas and M. E. Douglas ($54,932).
2012 Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Phase one assessment of the genetic health of the
Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) in Clinton County, Illinois. Co-investigated and
written with Sarah Wylie and Drs. M. J. Dreslik, M. R. Douglas, C. A. Phillips ($14,000).
2012 Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Aquaculture and Aquatic Nuisance Species
Program, Proof of Concept: Microsatellite DNA loci in the genome of Hydrilla verticillata, a
submerged aquatic invasive plant (Family Hydrocharitaceae). Co-investigated and written with
Drs. M. R. Douglas and M. E. Douglas ($10,000).
2010 Illinois State Academy of Sciences, Assessing multiple paternity in Blanding’s Turtles
(Emydoidea blandingii) ($500).
2009 Chicago Herpetological Society, Impacts of landscape alteration on turtle populations ($657).
2007 Forest Preserve District of Will County, Framework for a Final Phase of Spotted Turtle
Research at Romeoville Prairie Nature Preserve in 2007. Co-investigated and written with Dr. M.
J. Dreslik ($37,958).
2006 Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Preservation Fund, Nesting ecology of
the Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) at the Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve, Will
County, Illinois. ($5,897).
2006 Forest Preserve District of Will County, Role of the Blanding's Turtle in the freshwater turtle
community at Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve, Will County, Illinois. Co-investigated and
written with Dr. M. J. Dreslik. ($32,561).
2005 Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Preservation Fund, Large Project,
Spatial ecology of the Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) at Lockport Prairie Nature
Preserve, Will County, Illinois. Co-investigated and written with Drs. M. J. Dreslik and C. A.
Phillips ($6,820).
2021 Judge for Student Presentations (Storer Award) at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and
Herpetologists (JMIH)
2021 Task Force for Development of Asynchronous Online Courses, UHSP
2020-present Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, UHSP
2020 Chair, Margaret Stewart Award Committee, American Society of Ichthyologists and
Herpetologists (ASIH)
2019 Judge for student Variety Show, St. Louis College of Pharmacy
2018-present Faculty mentor for Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, UHSP
2018-present Academic Advisor, UHSP
2018-2020 Awards Committee, St. Louis College of Pharmacy
2018-present Assessment Committee, School of Arts and Sciences, UHSP
2018, 2019 Teaching Peer-reviewer for Basic Science faculty, St. Louis College of Pharmacy
2018 Appointed as Biodiversity Fellow, Living Earth Collaborative, Washington University,
St. Louis
2018 Judge for Student Presentations at St. Louis Area Undergraduate Researcher Symposium
2016 Judge for Student Presentations (Stoye Award) at JMIH/ASIH
2016 Member of the ASIH Nominating Committee
2015 Judge for Student Presentations (Stoye Award) at JMIH/ASIH
2015 Chaired oral presentation session at JMIH/ASIH
2015 Co-organizer for ASIH student/professional speed-networking event
2014 Member of ILTWS meeting organizing committee
2014 Member of the advisory board for Midwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile
Conservation (PARC)
2014 Member of Illinois Natural History Survey Safety Committee
2014 Chaired oral presentation session (Stoye student competition) at JMIH/ASIH
2014 Co-organizer for ASIH student/professional speed-networking event
2013 Judge for Student Presentations at Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of
Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles
2013 Chaired oral presentation session at JMIH/ASIH
2013 Judge for Student Presentations (Storer Award) at JMIH/ASIH
2013 Co-organizer for ASIH student/professional speed-networking event
2012 Co-organizer for ASIH student/professional speed-networking event
2012 Judge for Student Presentations at the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Meeting
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS_____________________________________
PUBLICATIONS
Anthonysamy, W.J. B., M. J. Dreslik, and C. A. Phillips. 2013. Disruptive Influences of Drought on the
activity of a freshwater turtle. American Midland Naturalist 169:322-335.
Dreslik, M. J., W. J. Banning, N. K. Marioni, and C. A. Phillips. 2011. Monitoring of the Blanding’s
Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) at the I-355 Des Plaines River Bridge Crossing: Final Report Illinois
Natural History Survey Technical Report 2011(3):1-237.
Banning, W. J. 2010. Conservation Genetics of the State Endangered Spotted Turtle, Clemmys guttata.
Illinois Natural History Survey Technical Report 2010(6): 1-18.
Dreslik, M. J., W. J. Banning, and D. Kirk. 2010. Population Size and Genetics of the Blanding's
Turtles at Goose Lake State Natural Area Grundy County Illinois (Year 1). Illinois Natural History
Survey Technical Report 2010(11):1-50.
Dreslik, M. J., N. K. Marioni, W. J. Banning, and C. A. Phillips. 2010. Monitoring of the Blanding's
Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) at the I-355 Des Plaines River Bridge Crossing: Phase III - Post-
Construction Monitoring. Illinois Natural History Survey Technical Report 2010(2):1-98.
Anthonysamy, Curriculum Vitae Page 8
Banning, W. J. and M. J. Dreslik. 2009. Framework for a final phase of spotted turtle research at
Romeoville Prairie Nature Preserve. Illinois Natural History Survey Technical Report
2009(2):1-143.
Dreslik, M. J., C. A. Phillips, and W. J. Banning. 2008. Monitoring of the Blanding’s turtle
(Emydoidea blandingii) at the I-355 Des Plaines River bridge crossing: construction phase.
Illinois Natural History Survey Technical Report 2008(11):1-63.
Banning W. J. 2007. Nesting Ecology of the Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) at the
Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve, Will County, Illinois. Report to: Forest Preserve District of
Will County. Illinois Natural History Survey Technical Report 2007(40): 1-25.
Banning W. J., M. J. Dreslik, and C. A. Phillips. 2006. Continued study of the ecology of the
freshwater turtle community at Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve: With special emphasis on the
Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii). Illinois Natural History Survey Technical Report 2006(4):1–
259.
POPULAR ARTICLES
Anthonysamy, W. J. B., M. A. Davis, M. R. Douglas, and M. E. Douglas. Fall 2014. From feathers to
forensics: Genetic monitoring of Illinois Greater Prairie Chicken. Illinois Audubon.
Banning, W. J. Summer 2009. Tracking spotted turtles in Illinois. Endangered Species Update:
Illinois Audubon.
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Banning, W. J., M. J. Dreslik, M. R. Douglas, N. K. Marioni, and C. A. Phillips. 2011. Mating Systems
and Reproductive Success in Blanding’s Turtles. Annual Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference,
Carbondale, IL.
Banning, W. J., M. J. Dreslik, and C. A. Phillips. 2007. Spatial ecology and habitat preference
of a turtle community in a northeastern Illinois prairie wetland. Joint Meetings of Ichthyologists and
Herpetologists, Louis, MO.
Banning, W. J., M. J. Dreslik, and C. A. Phillips. 2006. Spatial ecology and habitat preference of the
Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) in a northeastern Illinois prairie wetland community. Joint
Meetings of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, New Orleans, LA.
Banning, W. J., M. J. Dreslik, J. K. Warner, and A. M. Readel. 2005. Habitat use of juvenile
sliders (Trachemys scripta). Annual Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference, Carbondale, Illinois.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Banning, W. J., M. J. Dreslik, C. A. Phillips, J. K. Warner, and A. M. Readel. 2005. Habitat use of
juvenile sliders (Trachemys scripta). (JMIH), Tampa, FL.
2019 St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Nominated for Faculty Excellence Award
2019 St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Nominated for Bright Spot Award
2012 University of Illinois, Included on the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their
Students
2011 University of Illinois, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences,
Dissertation Completion Fellowship
2011 University of Illinois, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences,
Student Travel Award
2008 Illinois Highway Toll Authority, Certificate of appreciation in recognition of valuable
contributions to research and conservation efforts
2007 University of Illinois, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences,
Student Travel Award