John Vinson, Postdoctoral fellow ​
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John joined the lab as a postdoctoral fellow in January 2023. He is working on developing mathematical models of the potential spread of Chronic Wasting Disease across a landscape using newly collected contact data from camera collars on white-tailed deer. John has a B.S. in biological sciences and mathematics from the University of South Carolina and a Ph.D. in ecology from the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia. As a mathematical biologist, he is interested in the community ecology of parasite transmission. John’s previous work has focused on (bio)diversity-disease relationships in vector-borne disease systems, land-use change impacts on parasite transmission, and alternative transmission routes for Ebola and Guinea worm.
Leyna Stemle, Postdoctoral fellow
Leyna joined the lab as a Postdoctoral Fellow in January 2025 on a grant with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). She is looking at White-tailed Deer movement and behavior, specifically in their interactions with roads. Her work will look at deer-vehicle collisions (DVC) in Illinois and hopefully provide insight into what deer and road related factors influence road crossings and DVC. As an Ecologist, she is interested in animal movement, geographic information systems, conservation, habitat use, wildlife survivorship, and habitat/wildlife management. More specifically, she is interested in how we can use movement and habitat use data to improve management practices and policies for wildlife. Leyna has a BS in Marine Biology from Florida Southern College and a PhD in Biology from the Univeristy of Miami where she studied movement, habitat use, and demography of reptiles and amphibians. In between degrees she also did a Fulbright Award in Ghana, studying sea turtle and artisanal fisheries interactions. When Leyna isn’t deep into a research project, she is hiking, camping, doing yoga, reading, or spending time with her two rescued cats.
Max Larreur, PhD student
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I joined the CWRL and SWEL lab in June 2021 as a PhD student researching factors influencing forest carnivore spatial distributions throughout southern Illinois. My study will analyze influences to the gray fox population here in southern Illinois, occupancy dynamics of a southern Illinois carnivore guild over a large temporal scale, and domestic carnivore influences on native carnivore spatial distributions. Some of my previous work and research has been studying semiaquatic mammals, mesocarnivores, shorebirds and seabirds, sea turtles, and whales. In my free time I love hiking, hunting, camping, scuba diving, and hanging out with my wife and our two golden retrievers.
Derek Whipkey, MS student
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I joined SWEL and the CWRL as a Master's student in December 2022 to research the distribution of semi-aquatic mammals in southern Illinois. In addition to assessing the occupancy of native semi-aquatic mammals, my study will compare various methods of detecting nutria (Myocastor coypus) to better address their current population status in southern Illinois. The goal of this project is to inform management decisions and aid in reducing the spread of an invasive species. When I'm not in the field or studying, I enjoy rock climbing, backpacking, fishing, and spending time with my fiancé.
Storm Crews, MS student
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Vast herds of Elk traverse the varied terrain of Colorado in their seasonal migrations, with each herd's collective movement decisions determined by a myriad of factors. Given the increasingly fragmented nature of Anthropocene landscapes, successful conservation decision-making regarding migratory fauna requires a detailed movement ecology perspective. Analyses of habitat and space use afforded by multi-year tracking of different herds provides location-specific information vital to effective preservation of Elk populations and their large-scale phenological movements
Brooks Pitman, MS student
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I joined the lab in August 2020 as a Masters student studying the fine-scale movement and distribution of the North American beaver (Castor Canadensis) in southern Illinois. Growing up in southeastern Kentucky, I spent much of my time outdoors with a considerable amount of time spent exploring the Appalachia’s. Over time, this fostered a love for nature and a desire to conserve our natural environment and the species that inhabit it. Before beginning here at SIU, I worked on several other projects with varying species including Greater Sage-grouse, Mexican gray wolves, black bears, coyotes, bobcats, and white tailed-deer. In my free time I enjoy backpacking, fishing, hunting, rock-climbing, and kayaking.
Abby Weber, MS student
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Hi! I’m Abby, and I joined SWEL and the CWRL as a Master's student in November 2021. I will be examining mesocarnivore movement (specifically, bobcats and coyotes) and its potential impacts on white-tailed fawn survival throughout southern and central Illinois. In addition, I plan on exploring individual variation in predator movement and how it may relate to age and/or diet. When not in the field, I enjoy hiking, backpacking, rock climbing and spending time with my lazy dog, Juno.
Nicole Gorman, MS student
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Nicole is a Master’s student in the Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab at Southern Illinois University. Growing up in western Pennsylvania and northern Indiana, she has always been fascinated with wildlife, deciding to turn that interest into a career. Before beginning at SIU, she studied a wide range of mammals, including numbats, small mammals, prairie dogs, and mule deer. She joined the lab in November 2019 and is studying the movement and spatial ecology of bobcats and coyotes in southern and central Illinois. She enjoys hiking, traveling, fishing, and fencing in her free time.
Hannah Manninen, MS student
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Hi, I’m Hannah! I’m a Master’s student in the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory and Dr. Clay Nielsen’s lab at SIU. Though technically not a student of Dr. Bastille-Rousseau’s, I work closely with the SWEL Lab. My study analyzes adult mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) movements throughout the Navajo Nation in Arizona and New Mexico to determine migration routes, stopover locations, and arrival and departure dates of spring and fall migrations. Using this information, we can determine what habitats and corridors are of most importance to mule deer and implement the results into the first Mule Deer Management Plan for Navajo Nation. My dog, Chuska, mostly runs the show, and we enjoy biking, rollerblading, camping in the Prius adventure mobile, and consuming dairy products.
Tiana Daniels, Undergradute student
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My name is Tiana Daniels, and I am a Certified Veterinary Technician with 10 years of clinical experience and 4 years in veterinary behavior medicine. I am a senior at SIU and work under Dr. Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau with the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory at SIU. My current study is analyzing how white-tailed deer change their movement and space-use on SIU campus in response to fluctuation in human presence during and in between semesters. As a recipient of the McNair Scholarship and the REACH award, gaining lab and field research experience during my undergraduate career will prove valuable as I move forward to graduate school. My current interests are behavior movement ecology, urban ecology, and anthro-zoology. Outside of school and work I enjoy training with my cockapoo and mini bernese mountain dog.
Sadie Edwards, Undergraduate student
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Hello, my name is Sadie, and I am an undergraduate student in Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau’s lab at SIU! My interests include conservation, ornithology, and ecology. My current study involves analyzing bison space use at Dunn Ranch Prairie in Missouri. This study, which is done in association with The Nature Conservancy, aims to help future researchers gain a more in depth understanding of how bison interact with their environment, specifically in tallgrass prairie ecosystems. Seasonal and daily variance in bison activity will be analyzed with data collected from individuals that were fitted and tagged with GPS collars. During my time at SIU, I have had many opportunities to gain experience in lab and field positions. During my junior year, I was given the chance to travel to Yellowstone National Park to study the effects of artificial beaver dams on freshwater ecosystems. In my free time I enjoy painting, hiking, and cooking.
Claire Morrical
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My name is Claire Morrical. I am a senior studying zoology with a specialization in wildlife biology at SIU. My research in Dr. Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau’s lab is focused on human-wildlife relationships in Jackson County, specifically how white-tailed deer behavior is affected by increased exposure to people in urban areas. I am observing and comparing deer flight distances and their associated behaviors when approached by a human on the Southern Illinois University campus and at Touch of Nature. My previous work in the field has involved monitoring ornate box turtle movement in Illinois and piping plover populations on the Virginia barrier islands. My interests include population and movement ecology as well as habitat conservation and restoration. I also enjoy kayaking, hiking, and playing piano.
