Kerry Fanson - Principle Investigator

E-mail:   kfanson@purdue.edu

Education:   B.A. in biology

Current job title:   Ph.D. candidate, Purdue University, Dept. Biological

                              Sciences

What I've learned from this project: 

• Somewhere in Colorado roams “The Happy Crapper,” a lynx that makes leaps and bounds after it takes care of business.

• Lynx scat never seems to smell as bad when there is glitter in it.  (But when there’s not glitter, it’s pretty darn stinky!)

Nadja Wielebnowski - Co-Investigator

Education:   B.S. in biology, M.S. in zoology, Ph.D. in ecology

Current job title:   Vice President, Conservation Science and Head of Behavioral

                              Endocrinology, Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo

What I've learned from this project:

• What works for many other cats (in terms of hormone assays) doesn't work for lynx...they are truly special!

Jeffrey Lucas - Co-Investigator

E-mail:   jlucas@bilbo.bio.purdue.edu

Education:   B.S. in biology, M.S. in zoology, Ph.D. in zoology

Current job title:   Professor, Purdue University, Dept. Biological Sciences

What I've learned from this project: 

• Important and interesting questions can be conducted in the field with the right technology and with someone who is not afraid to make the right connections and not afraid to stick with the project despite the length of time it takes for everything to come out the other end... I mean in the end.

Tanya Shenk - Co-Investigator

E-mail:   tanya.shenk@state.co.us

Education:   B.S. in zoology, M.S. in wildlife biology, Ph.D. in wildlife

                    biology

Current job title:   Research Scientist, Colorado Division of Wildlife

Benjamin Fanson - Project Statistician

E-mail:   bfanson@gmail.com

Education:   B.A. in biology, M.S. in biology, M.S. in statistics

Current job title:   PhD candidate, Macquarie University, Centre

                             for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour

Lauren Kapernaros - Undergrad. Researcher

Current job title:   Undergraduate, Purdue University,

                              Dept. Biological Sciences

What I've learned from this project: 

• Canada lynx are definitely the coolest wild cat out there!

• Designing a research project, conducting your experiments, doing the data analysis, and writing-up your results is an extremely intricate process that challenges you every step of the way.  However, producing a finished product is well worth the hard work and is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do.

Astrid Bellem - Laboratory specialist

E-mail:   astrid.bellem@utoronto.ca

Education:   B.S. in Biology

Current job title:   Lab Manager, Active Women's Study,

                              University of Toronto

What I've learned from this project: 

• Wild poop is WAY more stinky than "captive" poop, and lynx' is most likely the WORST poop!!

Jocelyn Bryant - Laboratory specialist

E-mail:   Jocelyn.Bryant@CZS.org

Education:   B.S. in biology

Current job title:   Endocrinology lab manager, Brookfield Zoo

                              M.S. candidate, University of Nebraska

Ani - Honorary team member

Education:   B.S. in doggie obedience

Current job title:   Therapist to Kerry & Ben, olfactory investigator

What I've learned from this project: 

• I'm still not allowed to chase lynx.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Peter Waser

Robert Meisel

Ignacio Camarillo

VOLUNTEERS

Katy Kindig

Amanda Laukant

Bret Moore

Natalie Rappaport