Hello! I'm Claire Barnett, a sophomore majoring in Animal Studies and minoring in marine biology. I have experience with the Eckerd Marketing Team, writing articles and running campaigns for the campus, as well as creating and operating events for State Parks. I hope to continue to interact with and inform people about how to protect wildlife and the wonders of nature. I am excited to be able to help this team and support their research! 

My name is Galen McKenna, I am a 2026 Eckerd graduate from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I’m pursuing a BA in both Animals Studies and Anthropology. I would like to go into a career pursuing work in conservation, or naturalistic journalism centered around animals such as herptiles, who do not get the recognition they deserve. My favorite herptile is the saltwater crocodile. My relevant past experiences include working at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand studying Asian Elephant behavior and spending time in Scotland researching the training of sheep dogs. I’m excited to work with the herp lab to make science more accessible to others, and to potentially assist in direct research opportunities within the lab. 

Hey, I'm Jules. I have a lot of animal handling experience, primarily with reptiles like snakes and box turtles from back home in New Jersey at Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. In the HERP Lab, I'm super excited to teach kids about how unique and interesting reptiles are, and hopefully inspire their conservation in future generations. I'm not sure what I want to do in my career, but I do know I want to work with animals, specifically reptiles, obviously, and I do really enjoy educating people, so maybe a little bit of both. 

Hey there, I'm Jess. I am a double major in Environmental and Animal Studies.  I have a pet crested gecko named Miso.  In the future I hope to do conservation work.

I’m Jiah King, an incoming sophomore, majoring in biology and minoring in human development and public health, striving for a career in medicine. I’ll be joining the Herp Lab as a content creator. In the past, I’ve worked on numerous projects that required me to be creative with film and visual arts. Going forward for the semester, I hope to continue bringing positive energy to the lab!

Hello, I'm Grace. I had the opportunity previously to design and study the Brown Pelican at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium about their habitat usage and social interactions with new pelicans in their flock. I then worked under multiple zoo keeper at the Animal Encounters Village, working with hundreds of different animals from capybaras all the way to Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. I am planning to double major in Animal Studies and Psychology to focus on animal cognition and their relation to humans, as well as minoring in Public Health. I am incredibly excited to work for this lab because I love being around such different people and working in such a great community to learn about how we can help and research such interesting reptiles.  

My name is Sydney, and I am from Columbus, Ohio!  I am in the class of 2028. I am majoring in animal studies and minoring in marine biology.  I love animals and have a strong passion for them.  I love scuba diving, traveling, hanging out with my amazing Eckerd people, and boating! I am so excited to learn more about reptile cognition and contribute to improving reptilian life and welfare. 

Hi, I'm Van! I have experience predominately in volunteer work at multiple state parks along the East Coast of Florida. I was the Student Leader Chairperson for the Board of Directors at one of these state parks, managing volunteers, educating visitors, conducting seagrass surveys, directing beach and mangrove cleanups, and reporting these activities to the Board. Furthermore, I have experience in creating bioactive enclosures for my veiled chameleons, tree frogs, toads, and bearded dragon. I'm especially excited to work with people who share my interests and learn more about this field. Later in life, I want to work with coral zooxanthellae and conduct research in that field or with amphibians, so this research opportunity provides a perfect leeway into this. Ultimately, I want to make a positive change in the world and I'm happy to learn!

Hi, I'm Orion! I'm very passionate about reptile welfare and enrichment and the benefits of bioactive enclosures! I have a background in reptile care, including working at a summer camp for animal education, interning at the Alligator & Wildlife Discovery Center, and caring for my snake! I hope to bring careful and extensive care to the laboratory animals, and I'm so excited to dip my toes into a real lab and do actual research on geckos and other species! Hopefully, I want to work in the herpetology field, rescue and rehabilitation/relocation, or in a lab with venomous species. 

Hi! I’m Justice Booker. I am achieving a degree in Animal studies and Film. When I'm not at work, you can often find me enjoying adventures and spending quality time with my pet dog. I gained valuable experience in animal husbandry, caring for horses and many other animals like emus. One of my favorite things on campus is the farm. We focus on growing crops for our college community and maintaining a successful compost system. Now, I can't wait to get involved in reptile research at the lab!

My name is Spencer, and I really enjoy taking care of, being around and researching animals. Most of my prior experience comes from taking care of reptiles and owning them throughout my life. Still, I've always loved them and enjoyed reading scholarly articles about them, as well as analysing different kinds of data on them to understand them better, as well as their habits. I'm stoked to start and learn all about my position!

Hi, I'm Talyn Blunt, and I have been an animal lover my whole life. I pet-sat throughout high school and loved to pet-sit all types of reptiles. Instead of simply working in animal care, I will get to see these fascinating creatures more scientifically. I plan to take this experience in college and apply it to a future career by not only studying animals but also working to preserve their environments to ensure that these incredible creatures will have a home on earth for years to come.

My name is Zekiel, and I’m incredibly excited to get the opportunity to work closely with various species of reptiles! Animals in general have been quite a large part of my life for a while, and I have had wonderful experiences in the past working with rescues and learning about animal care. I have learned a lot in regards to their care and behavior simply from having many pets of my own, so I’m very interested in what I can learn from a more professional setting! Hopefully, this will give me valuable knowledge as I aspire to achieve my own career in research centered around reptiles. 

Hi! My name is Ryleigh Van Veghel! My pronouns are She/Her and I am a senior. My major is Animal Studies with a minor in Art! I am very excited to be an Assistant Researcher on this beautiful team along with learning more about reptiles! 

Hi! I'm Aerin O'Neill, and I'm from Massachusetts. I'm a Biology and Animal Studies double major and a minor in Public Health. I love studying Animal-Human Interaction and want to go into the field of Animal Pathology. I am so excited to be working with the HERP Laboratory to gain research and animal care experience! 

I started my journey with Animal Husbandry and Care at a young age when I was given my Ball Python "Repiley" for my 5th birthday. Ever since that initial experience, I've developed a passion for understanding and caring for animals of various species. This included reptiles, dogs, cats, bird and large hoofed animals. This passion evolved into me enrolling in an Animal Science Program offered through my local High School. This was an intensive animal care program where we cared for a range of animals. I have since developed a deeper appreciation for the level of care animals require, encompassing their diet, portion sizes, stimulation, and social interaction. I have volunteered at my local aquarium, educating guests on the marine life that lives in New York. Luckily, thanks to my decision to attend Eckerd to become a zookeeper, I have discovered and taken a great interest in the HERP lab and helping care for reptiles there.

I've had a pet snake for the past 11 years, and for the past 3 years I've volunteered at the New Mexico Wildlife Centre (when I'm home, that is). Last summer, I helped a snake catcher release his rattlesnakes and worked 3 days a week as a ranch hand at a horse shelter. For the past 2 months, I've been volunteering at Seaside Seabird Sanctuary. I saw this lab position and thought that this would be a different experience that's right up my alley, and I thought I would see what I think about proper lab work. I also really want to get handling experience with other reptiles, as I could always use more. For the future, I intend to do public education about animals anywhere I can, and if I enjoy this lab work, then I'll see how and where I can contribute to research.

My name is Brady Jenkins, and I am a junior majoring in Animal Studies and Environmental Science. I have had previous experience working with Koi fish in the water feature industry. I'm really excited to broaden my perspective on animal research and assist my teammates in providing the best care for the animals in the lab. Although I'm not entirely sure what career I'll have, working in the lab will provide me with valuable experience that I can apply to any future job. 

Hello! My name is Katelyn and I am from Clemson, SC. I’ve always been fascinated by reptiles and have cared for a variety of species as pets. I have worked multiple jobs that care for companion, farm and exotic animals. This past year I obtained my apprentice falconry license which has allowed me to work with a red-tailed hawk. I am very excited to be involved in the HERP Lab, and look forward to working with reptiles through research and collaborating with other team members who are also passionate about animal welfare. For the past few years, I have been working at a mixed-animal veterinary clinic. I am very passionate about animal conservation and plan on becoming a veterinarian with a specialization in zoo or wildlife medicine!

Hello, my name is Ella Dimonda, and I am very excited to be joining the herp lab. My animal care experience consists of zoo summer camps and being a pet owner. I look forward to working with the herptiles in this lab and learning about their needs, as I hope this will help with my future career of designing zoo and aquarium enclosures. 

My name is Maxwell, and I’ve been keeping reptiles for over ten years. I’ve worked with many different herps at the Central Park Zoo, Save the Bay aquarium, and Greenburgh nature center. I’m very excited to see what impacts the lab can have on welfare in reptile keeping! I already love working with the little crested geckos and can’t wait to watch them grow up in the lab!

My name is Miya Bishop. I’m a sophomore here at Eckerd, majoring in Biology, Animal Studies, and Environmental Studies. I have always been an animal lover, having all sorts of pets from frogs to dogs! I currently have a corn snake named Cierra and two cats! I’ve volunteered at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and at a local farm in my home town! I’ve also been involved in several projects at CSCR in Cohasset, Massachusetts. I’ve always enjoyed the work I’ve done in animal/environmental education. I’m very excited to be a part of the HERP Lab and get to help with this research! I’m thrilled to work with the animals directly as well as with my peers! I hope to one day work in wildlife conservation and research, contributing to the world's knowledge of wildlife. 

Hello! I'm Laila and I am a junior majoring in Animal Studies with a minor in Visual Arts and Humanities. I have years of experience caring for reptiles, including geckos, lizards, tortoises, and snakes. I also have experience with laboratory work as I have helped lead.