Kortney E. Jaworski

Behavioral Ecology, Color Polymorphism, Herpetology
kortney[dot]jaworski[at]cnu[dot]edu

I am currently an adjunct instructor at CNU for the Principles of Biology II Lab: Evolution, Diversity & Ecology. In addition, I work part time at the Virginia Living Museum as a Herpetology Assistant and Lead Guest Services Assistant. I earned my B.S. in Wildlife and Conservation Biology in 2011 from Ohio University, and my M.S. in Biology in 2014 from John Carroll University.

My research experience/interests are in amphibian and reptile behavior and ecology, including projects investigating male mate choice in the role of assortative mating in the red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus), social and ecological consequences of sexual size dimorphism in the mountain spiny lizard (Sceloporus jarrovii), & effects of diet on the physiology of the color polymorphic ornate tree lizard (Urosaurus ornatus). Recently I’ve been primarily assisting with student research projects and leading local field outings to collect baseline demographic and morphological data on populations of eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) and red-backed salamanders (P. cinereus) in Newport News, VA. We plan to expand our research on these populations in the near future, investigating aspects of their behavior, ecology, and responses to climate change.

Data collection in the field.

Korney and a black rat snake.

Kortney and the salamander.

Tree lizard hunting at its finest.