William Hooker Email & Phone Number

Ithaca, Ny

MiniMMorph (Miniaturized Mammalian Morphologies) (June 2024 – Present):• Investigate the effect of miniaturization on the diversity and disparity of rodents, soricids (shrews), and talpids (moles) using 3D geometric morphometrics • Gain proficiency in navigating MorphoSource (a publicly accessible repository) for CT (computed tomography) data, performing digital segmentation with Avizo software for 3D visualization of CT data, and analyzing variation in 3D shape in the skull and postcranial morphology of miniature mammal species 3D Printing for Veterinary Education (June 2024 – Present):• Develop an explodable dog skull as a hands-on teaching aid for veterinary education by working with CT data (Avizo software) and 3D printing (Formlabs Form 3B) SPARCNet (Salamander Population Adaptation Research Collaboration Network) Initiative (June 2023 – Present):• Assist with the placement of coverboard arrays and weekly mark-recapture of individual Plethodon cinereus (red-backed salamander) at three sites across Tompkins County, Y to track population and behavioral changes at both the macroclimatic and microclimatic scale, as well as responses to increasing urbanizationUndergraduate Thesis in Biological Sciences (September 2022 – May 2024):• Investigated the effect of taphonomic deformation on cranial shape of †Diictodon feliceps, a basal therapsid from the Late Permian Karoo Basin of South Africa, using 3D geometric morphometrics • Gained proficiency in 3D geometric morphometrics, analyses of 3D data, and coding in R (programming language)Comparative Geometric Morphometrics (June 2023 – August 2023):• Compare multiple geometric morphometrics approaches (2DGM, 3DGM via surface scanner, 3DGM via StereoMorph) on the crania of Didelphis virginiana (Virginia opossum) to assess biological trends (e.g., sexual shape, size dimorphism, allometry) across the three datasets and evaluate the consistency of the datasets themselves using partial least squares analysis

Ithaca, New York, United States

• Teach weekly 3-hour laboratory session using specimens from the teaching collections of the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates and Paleontological Research Institute to help students understand the origin, anatomy, physiology, paleontology, and evolution of vertebrates

Ithaca, New York, United States

• Developed course content for and teach weekly 3-hour laboratory and 50-minute discussion sessions to help students trace the evolutionary history of vertebrates throughout the Phanerozoic- Laboratory session: consulted the teaching collections of the Paleontological Research Institute and Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates, exhibits at Museum of the Earth, and personal fossil collection to pull appropriate fossil and Recent vertebrate material for comparative anatomical study - Discussion session: designed lecture content, small-group breakout session activities, and discussion board prompts to reinforce course content from the two 50-minute lecture sessions and explore concepts in detail, such as the effects of large-scale Earth system processes, mass extinctions, and the evolution of terrestrial plants/insects on vertebrate diversity • Organized and co-hosted an intercollegiate field trip to the Late Devonian Catskill Formation of northcentral PA to expose students to a site of active vertebrate paleontological research and strengthen fundamental field geology skills

Trumansburg, New York, United States

• Integrated the gastropods and freshwater bivalves of the Cornell University Malacology Collection with the Modern Mollusk Collection at PRI by digitizing 22,000 specimen lots, georeferencing 2,500 localities, photographing 300 type specimens, and digitizing 17,000 original labels to ensure accessibility for future research, exhibition, teaching, and public outreach • Learned the basics of curating natural history collections (e.g., specimen handling, identifying specimens in need of conservation or improved housing, identifying labels inconsistent with associated specimens, deciphering old labels) • Gained proficiency in mollusk taxonomy and diversity

Ithaca, New York, United States

• Taught weekly 3-hour laboratory session using specimens from the teaching collections of the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates and Paleontological Research Institute to help students understand the origin, anatomy, physiology, paleontology, and evolution of vertebrates

Ithaca, New York, United States

• Developed and co-led Evolution of Dinosaurs (BioEE 4940-003) as a special topics course in ecology and evolutionary biology with William Bemis • Led weekly 50-minute discussion sessions about chapters in Stephen Brusatte’s The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs (2018) as well as relevant, recent primary literature

New York, New York, United States

• Researched potential topics in natural history suitable for special exhibits • Produced conceptual models, from sketches to presentations, for two special exhibitions at the AMNH to deliver high quality educational content: (1) Engraved Gems: Masterpieces in Miniature (opening Nov. 2022) and (2) The Secret World of Elephants (opening Nov. 2023)

Ithaca, New York, United States

• Assisted with high-temperature geochemical experiments of clinopyroxene crystals designed to estimate the depth and temperature of magma chambers in which these crystals naturally form based on the mineral composition of samples collected in the field • Learned concepts of thermodynamics, mineral geochemistry, volcanology, and crystallography and applied lab practices such as running high-temperature experiments and polishing samples for microscope examination and analyses

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

• Developed maps and spreadsheets of potentially impacted areas of the Delaware River Watershed with the goal of mitigating the encroaching salt line of the Delaware River because of climate change • Consulted datasets from the USGS and PA Department of Environmental Protection to map potential consequences for anthropogenic uses of the Delaware River Watershed (e.g., recreational activities and drought contingency plans)• Researched primary literature on natural resources of the Delaware River, such as temperature tolerances of fishes, to model and monitor the Delaware River Watershed using ArcGIS mapping software

New York, New York, United States

• Researched potential topics in natural history suitable for special exhibits • Produced conceptual models, from sketches to presentations, for Sharks (Dec. 2021 – Sept. 2023), a special exhibition at the AMNH, to deliver high quality educational content

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Geological Sciences

Activities and Societies: Hedrick Lab, Snee Graduate Organization, Pangea Club at Cornell

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Earth And Atmospheric Sciences, Concentration In Paleobiology, 4.00 (Summa Cum Laude)

Activities and Societies: Hedrick Lab (Sept. 2022 – May 2024), Pangea Club at Cornell (Founder and President, Sept. 2021 – May 2024).

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Geoscience, 3.97

Activities and Societies: Pennoni Honors Program (Sept. 2020 – June 2021), The Paleontology and Geology Club of Drexel University (Nov..

4.28

Activities and Societies: National Honor Society (2019 – 2020), Chess Club, Strategy Games Club, Astronomy Club