Biology

Xavier Jackson, a Wildlife and Fisheries Science major, won second place for his poster presentation at the Global Amphibian and Reptile Disease (GARD) Conference in Knoxville, TN. The goal of GARD 2022, according to the conference website, was “to bring together scientists from across the globe to discuss various amphibian and reptile diseases, organize facilitated discussions on…host-pathogen systems, and identify disease management strategies that can be used to ensure the conservation of herpetofauna species for generations to come.” Xavier’s presentation focused on a student-led surveillance project for the salamander-eating fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, which he and other Tennessee Tech students conducted in Fall 2021 with Aubree Hill, Ph.D. The international GARD conference was co-sponsored by the Center for the Management, Utilization and Protection of Water Resources (Water Center) at Tennessee Tech, The University of Tennessee, The National Science Foundation, The U.S. Geological Survey, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and many other organizations around the world.