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About Dr. Nadya

Born and raised in Vineland, New Jersey, I often found myself playing (working) on my family's hobby farm, which had mostly fowl and other small animals. Going fishing or crabbing in the marsh was always a welcome adventure, and I enjoyed time at the beach as well. A childhood in Southern New Jersey provided me the opportunity to explore a surprising number of habitats and fortified a strong connection to the natural world.  As a child and teen, I was also engaged in numerous clubs and programs supporting social activism, community health, environmental issues, and theatre arts. 

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My love of musical theater and singing remains strong, though I have not had the opportunity to perform as much as I once did. More often, I use my singing for personal release and my performance training to encourage my students to learn and grow. When selecting an undergraduate program, I looked for an interdisciplinary university that offered a program in Zoology. I enrolled at Ohio Wesleyan University, and graduated with a double major in Zoology and Psychology and a minor in Theater (2013-2016).

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Freshman year, I took an upper lever ornithology class that introduced me to bird banding and conducting research. I was sold! That summer I secured my first field job studying Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) biodiversity and acoustics and discovered that I loved field ecology. During that summer in the Southeastern United States, I developed skills in recording and extracting vocalizations.

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​The following summer I received a grant from Ohio Wesleyan to conduct an independent research project on avian microbiology (see 2019 publication). 6-weeks of intensive fieldwork and lab work were conducted in Australia. When I returned to the Ohio Wesleyan, lab work continued until I graduated. Although fieldwork is my passion, the experience taught me the need to balance field and labwork throughout the project. A realistic and successful researcher expects a mix of fieldwork, lab work, and office work, and must approach all aspects with equal diligence and enthusiasm.

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After completing my undergraduate degree, I took a field job working for United States Geological Survey (USGS) on Greater Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) nesting habits in the Western United States. This job was purely fieldwork and I learned telemetry and basics of breeding ecology. However, as a field technician, I genuinely missed the more collaborative aspects of research, like sharing ideas with colleagues or analyzing a question from multiple perspectives.

​This realization led me to pursue a graduate degree, in 2018 I moved to Australia where I researched avian acoustics during the breeding season. I was awarded my PhD in 2022. 

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During my Doctoral, I assisted in teaching three introductory biology labs. Additionally, I worked with school-age children including those on the Autism spectrum. I am well aware of the diverse array of learning styles and work hard to accommodate all students. I often use techniques learned in my theatre degree to capture the attention of the younger community. My fascination with behavior, child psychology and atypical development propelled me to earn a B.A. in Psychology, but I find my experience with the children the best source of continuing education.

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I look forward to seeing where my passion, research, and studies will lead me next. ​Throughout my own education, I have mentored many individuals. I find the experience of guidance and teaching both gratifying and personally enlightening. I trained various students to assist me in the lab as well as in the field.

 

Since completing my doctorate degree I have applied to many positions as I have very diverse skillset and background. I have yet to find my forever job and so in the meantime I am an adjunct Biology Instructor in the fall and spring as available, and am a contract biologist. I try to continue teaching, learning and being in nature. 

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I am now a double published author and am creating/building a business platform that centers around connectedness and inclusive education. See the "Women of STEAM" tab for the latest on the Women of STEAM project! 

 

 

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I like to travel the world and experience different cultures and lifestyles. I thrive in collaborative environments, especially when diversity and interdisciplinary studies are involved. By embracing diversity and thinking creatively, we can progress forward at a much faster pace and be more successful overall, as individuals, as a community, and as a world.

Year in Review: 2023 - Theme Connection 
 

EDUCATION

RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • Animal communication 

  • Breeding Ecology

  • Avian Ecology 

  • Animal Behavior

  • Field Ecology 

  • Nest-building behaviors in birds

  • Parental Investment 

  • Predator-Prey interactions 

  • Extra-pair paternity 

  • Brood Parasitism 

  • Avian Microbiology

  • Evolution

  • Education

  • Nature

  • Outreach

  • Diversity

  • Neurotypes

2018-2022

Western Sydney University 

PhD Ecology

Thesis Title: Form and Function of On-nest Vocalization and Renesting Behaviour in the Grey Fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa).

2013-2016

Ohio Wesleyan University

B.A. Zoology & Psychology

Minor in Theater

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