Thomas Hilling Email & Phone Number

Rochester, Ny, Us

Rochester, Ny, Us

Rochester, New York, United States

Working within the Avian Services Group of EDR's Environmental Services practice area. Conducting reptile habitat assessment, winter raptor, breeding bird, marsh bird, and forest raptor surveys, with a focus on detection of NYSDEC/USFWS listed species. Fieldwork involves identifying suitable habitat, wildlife identification, and assessing movement and behavioral ecology.

Rochester, New York, United States

Working within the Avian Services Group of EDR's Environmental Services practice area. Responsibilities include field surveys with a focus on detecting northern harriers (Circus hudsonius) and short-eared owls (Asio flammeus), as well as other raptor and state-listed bird species; assessing movement ecology and recording field data; performing data processing/QC review.

Hilton, New York, United States

Extracting birds from mist nets, banding, recording age, sex, morphometrics, breeding condition, fat store, and feather condition. Use of Peter Pyle's bird identification guide and proficient with the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) protocol.

Rochester, New York, United States

Set-up and maintain raptor banding blinds; setting lines and preparing bow traps and mist nets; capturing lure birds (pigeons, starlings, house sparrows); capture, sexing, aging, banding, and collecting biological samples from raptors; educating the public on raptor conservation; conducting owl surveys and other research activities.

Martha’S Vineyard, Massachusetts

Supervised research, monitoring, management, and protection of coastal birds and other natural resources. Trained field technicians and volunteers to collect quality data on Mass Audubon’s focal species: the piping plover, least tern, American oystercatcher, black skimmer, common tern, and roseate tern. Organized and developed additional research projects related to osprey phenology and nesting ecology, tern foraging, and roseate tern staging ecology.

Danbury, Connecticut, United States

Research focused on improving detection methods for the wildlife disease White-nose Syndrome.Performed loop-amplification-mediated PCR (LAMP) to develop a sampling protocol for the field.Conducted fungal spore counts, isolated DNA, ran LAMP reactions, and performed other molecular techniques.Additionally, I cultured postmortem respiratory swabs, lung tissue, fungal plaques, and nest substrate swabs of the common loon to evaluate the presence of thermotolerant fungal pathogens. I then Isolated fungal colonies, performed DNA extraction and ITS PCR, Microsatellite genotyping, and evaluated patterns of genetic diversity.

Danbury, Connecticut, United States

Laboratory instructor for BIO100 - Concepts of Biology.Instructed two three-hour lab courses weekly, covering microscopy, enzyme reactions, the scientific method etc.

Portland, Maine Metropolitan Area

Collaborated with state and federal agencies in population monitoring efforts, capture and banding efforts, and development of management plans to ensure the long-term reproductive success of the common loon. Participated in ongoing loon research involving toxin level, demographic, behavior, and genetic ecology.

Danbury, Connecticut, United States

Jekyll Island, Georgia, United States

Conduct sea turtle nest monitoring, sea turtle mark-recapture, and environmental education while also working to better understand the ecology and conservation of a wide variety of wildlife.Conduct overnight survey transects from 2100-0600 via UTV (~90km/night) and on foot (-15km/night), and dawn surveys at ~0600 in order to identify new turtle tracks and nests, locate egg chambers, search for hatchling tracks, and inventory nest contents post-emergence.Locate, identify, flipper tag, PIT tag, and collect morphometric and habitat data on adult nesting Loggerhead Sea Turtles.Collect skin biopsies, eggs, and other biological samples from nesting sea turtles for research collaborators.Assist with other herpetofauna research on Jekyll Island while utilizing field-based telemetry, mark-recapture, data/entry management, and nest excavation when necessary.

Rochester, New York, United States

Microscopic evaluation of hematology and urine samples.Accessioning lab samples.Culture preparation.Processing chemistry, hematology, ELISA, and endocrinology samples.Reporting laboratory results to Veterinary Specialists.

Duxbury, Massachusetts, United States

Identify shorebirds of the Eastern U.S.Assist in the protection of IUCN listed shorebird species.Use of NestStory to collect data on chicks and broods.Collect GPS coordinates and appropriately adjust restricted nesting areas.Observe and record environmental data.Monitor and collect data regarding predator tracking, avian community composition, vegetation surveys, etc.Interact with public to provide information on listed species habitat management.

San Diego, California, United States

Perform animal observations: provide care and husbandry services.Observe, record and report atypical findings of the environment and animal's health.Handle, restrain and provide care for all hospitalized patients, including blood draw and intravenous catheter placement.Calculate drug doses and provide hourly treatments.

Rochester, New York, United States

Interact with program animals (i.e., train, handle, transport and present).Present, support and facilitate a variety of Zoo programs.Engage with guests using education animals, animals on exhibit, and bio-facts.Educate others on animal biology, ecology and conservation.

Master Of Science - Ms, Ecology

Activities and Societies: Teaching Assistant Fellow, Graduate Research Assistant, Treasurer of Biology and Herpetology Club Thesis track.

Bachelor'S Degree, Major: Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Minor: Photography

Activities and Societies: Undergraduate Research (Painted Turtle) - Demographic Patterns in Rural vs. Urban Ponds - An Ecological Research.