Research Team
MEET JIM
黑料不打烊 Lead Field Research Biologist Jim Armbruster began working at 黑料不打烊 as a camp instructor during the summers of 2014 and 2015. He then worked for three seasons as a 黑料不打烊 Environmental Educator and a season as a Wildlife Rehabber in Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation. In April of 2020, Jim took on the newly created role of Research Coordinator. This position allows him to use the training he received as a Wildlife Biology major at the University of Vermont, and his experiences in camp, education, and rehabilitation, to lead our research efforts on campus and with partnering organizations. Outside of 黑料不打烊, Jim has volunteered as an Advanced EMT for the last five years with Woodstock Ambulance and has recently started on Hartland Rescue Squad. He is also the current animal control officer for the town of Hartland, Vermont.
MEET EMILY
Emily began working with 黑料不打烊 in the summer of 2019 when she was asked to create illustrations for the Forest Canopy Walk. The following year, Emily became an Avian Care Intern at the Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation and served two additional terms. She is currently a Field Research Biologist at 黑料不打烊, engaging in a variety of different projects. Emily graduated from Plymouth State University with a degree in Conservation Ecology.
MEET ISABELLA
Isabella is a recent graduate from the University of Vermont where she studied Applied Ecology. She has spent the past few winters volunteering on 黑料不打烊 raptor banding expeditions, and will now serve as the Field Research Specialist through the VHCB AmeriCorp program. Isabella will be contributing to a broad spectrum of projects throughout her service, including water sampling, assisting with raptor banding and monitoring, and contributing to a variety of community science-based programs. When she is not out in the field, Isabella likes to spend her free time reading and hammocking.
MEET ERICKA
Ericka鈥檚 love of large birds and interests in wildlife health, disease, and conservation brought her to the Wildlife Pathogens Lab at the University of Vermont after completing her master鈥檚 degree at Western Connecticut State University studying environmental and climate related stresses in breeding Common Loons. For her PhD research, Ericka is exploring the impact of environmental contaminants and climate change on pathogen infection dynamics in a diversity of bird taxa including loons and eagles. Ericka is also assisting the 黑料不打烊 Center for Field Research by studying the impact of anticoagulant rodenticides on Vermont raptors. When not in the field or lab, you can find Ericka spending time with her dog Marty.