CURRICULUM VITAE
Graduate
Student
Department of Biology
University of Missouri Ð St.
Louis
One University Boulevard,
Research 223
St. Louis, MO 63121
lmsd5d@umsl.edu
RESEARCH
INTERESTS
á
Molecular
coevolution of blood parasites and their avian hosts
á
Phylogeography
of avian blood parasites
á
The
role of bird migration in spread of avian blood parasites
EDUCATION
M.S. 2008 University of Missouri-St. Louis
(Biology)
Thesis: Variation in avian malaria surface proteins between
host species and islands of a tropical archipelago (in progress)
Thesis adviser:
Robert E. Ricklefs
B.S. 2005 University
of California at Berkeley (Molecular Environmental Biology), with Honors
Senior Research
Project: Distributions of blood parasites across an avian migratory divide
Project supervisor: Kristen
C. Ruegg
Research Assistant, Dr. Robert E. Ricklefs, Dept.
of Biology, University of Missouri, St Louis, MO (Jan 2007-May 2007)
Started a cloning effort of avian malaria surface
proteins together with Dr. Diana Outlaw (post-doc) and sequenced mitochondrial
DNA.
Laboratory Manager, Evolutionary Genetics
Laboratory, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Dept. of Integrative Biology,
University of California, Berkeley, CA (Oct 2005 Ð May 2005)
Maintained a
multi-user laboratory, ordered supplies, held meetings, and troubleshot
equipment malfunctions (ABI 3730 sequencer and PCR machines).
Laboratory Assistant, Dr. James L. Patton, Museum
of Vertebrate Zoology, Dept. of Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley, CA (May
2005-May 2006)
Screened for microsatellites, sequenced DNA fragments,
and conducted a paternity analysis using Cervus on woodrats.
Research Assistant, Dept. of Integrative
Biology, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA (Summer 2004-May 2005)
Investigated avian blood parasite prevalence in
migratory birds and helped with an AFLP analysis
Curatorial Assistant, Museum of Vertebrate
Zoology, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
(August 2004-August 2005)
Entered specimens into museum database and installed
them in the collection.
FIELD
EXPERIENCE
Managed mist netting stations (Barbados), obtained
blood samples (including smears), and trained an undergraduate student.
Field Assistant, Kristen Ruegg, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology,
Dept. of Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley, CA (May/June 2004 and May/June 2005)
Assisted with mist netting and song playback
experiments.
TEACHING
EXPERIENCE
Advising undergraduate student Cameron Rutt at Messiah
College, Pennsylvania, for his
undergraduate thesis.
Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Biology, University
of Missouri, St. Louis, MO (August 2007 Ð Present)
Grading exams and preparing and holding review
sessions for junior level Evolution class.
Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Biology, University
of Missouri, St Louis, MO (August 2006-December 2006)
Taught and supervised the genetics laboratory
component for sophomore students.
PUBLICATIONS
AND PRESENTATIONS
Svensson,
L. M. E., K.
C. Ruegg, and R. N. M. Sehgal. 2007.
Widespread and structured distributions of blood parasite haplotypes
across a migratory divide of the SwainsonÕs thrush (Catharus ustulatus). J. of Parasitology 93(6). In press.
Sousa, B., L. M. E. Svensson, and J. L. Patton. 2007.
Characterization of 18 microsatellite loci for woodrats of the Neotoma
lepida group
(Rodentia, Cricetidae, Neotominae).
Molecular Ecology Notes 7: 868-870.
Svensson, L. M. E., K. C. Ruegg, and R. N. M.
Sehgal. 2006. Panmictic distribution of avian malaria parasites in a migratory
bird. Poster at 8th
Annual Bay Area Conservation Biology Symposium. San Francisco.
Svensson, L. M. E. 2005. A Comparison of Avian
Malarial Parasites in Migratory Birds. Presentation for the Biology Fellows
Symposium, UC Berkeley.
AWARDS
Sweden-America Foundation
Fellowship, 2007-08
Mallinkrodt Scholarship, Whitney R. Harris World
Ecology Center, 2003
UC Berkeley Departmental
Citation Award, 2005
Susan Duckworth Memorial
Scholarship, 2003-05
UC Berkeley Biology Fellows
Program Scholarship, 2004
Lucile Koshland Scholarship,
2002
Allen Brown Scholarship, 2002
W. G. Williams Foundation
Scholarship, 2001