Curriculum Vitae

Montana Marie Atwater

EDUCATION

PhD Candidate and Researcher (2015-present)

Department of Biology. University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras. Natural History Collections, Laboratory for Integrative Biology. Major Advisor: James D. Ackerman. Graduate Committee: Jacqueline Miller, Raymond Tremblay, Riccardo Papa, Catalina Gonzalez A.

Master of Science

Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Defended March 17, 2011. Thesis title: Diversity and pollination ecology of flower settling moths within Florida Sandhill and related upland communities. Graduate Committee: Jacqueline Miller (major advisor), Jaret Daniels, Jamie Ellis. Other collaborators: Terry Lott, David Jarzen, Walter Judd.

Bachelor of Science

Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. University of Florida. May 2008. Thesis Title: Native dragonflies as pest-consumers in organic gardens and farms of North-central Florida: A preliminary assessment. Advisor: Katie Sieving.

GRANTS AND ASSISTANCE

Dissertation research and writing grant: Programa de Becas para Disertación, Tesis y Proyecto Equivalente Acuerdo de Beca (PBDT). Decanato de Estudios Graduados e Investigación (DEGI). Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras. Awarded August 2020-May 2021.

Lewis & Clark Fund, American Philosophical Society. $5,000.00, Awarded June 2018.

Beca por Mérito Académico y Ejecutorias Excepcionalesit Scholarship Decanato de Estudios Graduados e Investigación (DEGI). Universidad of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. $1500.00 monthly stipend: August 2018 to May 2019.

Beca de Viajes de Investigación de Disertación, Decanato de Estudios Graduados e Investigación (DEGI), 2017.

2016 IdigBio Travel Award to attend Georeferencing for Research Short Course. Awarded by the University of Florida and IdigBio.

The Exploration Fund. Mamont Scholars Program. The Explorers Club, 2016.

Graduate Teaching Assistantship. Department of Biology. University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras. 2015-2017.

Graduate Research Assistantship. McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. Florida Museum of Natural History. 2009-2011.

Undergraduate Student Travel Grant. McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity. August 2008.

University Scholars Grant for Undergraduate Research. University of Florida. 2007-2008.

Annual Fine Arts Scholarship. Santa Fe Community College. Gainesville, FL. 2002-2003.

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

2013. Atwater, M.M. Diversity and nectar hosts of flower-settling moths within a Florida sandhill ecosystem. Journal of Natural Historya http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2013.791944. PDF

2011. Atwater, M.M., & T. Lott. A simple technique to sample pollen from moths and its applications to ecological studies. Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society. 65(4) 265–267. PDF

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

2017. Hukulak, E., M.M. Atwater, & A. Ramirez. Moth diversity and community composition between two forest types in a tropical montane rainforest. Luquillo Mountains, PR. REU Poster Symposium. Department of Natural Sciences Lobby, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. August 2017.

2016. Martínez-Llaurador, N., & M.M. Atwater. Moth diversity and community composition between open and closed canopy: A case study testing community response to hurricane simulation in a tropical rainforest. REU Poster Symposium. Department of Natural Sciences Lobby, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. August 2016.

2014. An Illustrated Guide to Pinning Butterflies. Prepared by Montana Atwater and Lorraine Duerden. Illustrations by Lorraine Duerden.

2013. Moths on Flowers Image Gallery. On web October 2013. http://mothsandflowers.wix.com/atwater#!recent-works/cay5

2011. Master's Thesis. University of Florida. Adviser: Jacquiline Miller. Diversity and Pollination Ecology of small Flower-settling Moths within Florida sandhill and related upland communities. http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UFE0042909/00001

2009. Moths of North-Central Florida Image Gallery. Florida Museum of Natural History. Research Projects: Surveys and inventories. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/mcguire/paynes_prairie_moths.htm

2008. Atwater M., & K. E. Sieving. Native dragonflies as pest-consumers in organic gardens and farms of North-central Florida: A preliminary assessment. Journal of Undergraduate Research.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Research Associate (2017-present)

McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity

Director: Jaret C. Daniels

Florida Museum of Natural History

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Estudiante Doctoral Pasante (October 2017 - December 2017)

Laboratorio de Palinología y Paleoecología Tropical

Director: Dra. Catalina González Arango

Depto. de Ciencias Biológicas

Universidad de los Andes

Bogotá, Colombia

Assistant Curator and TA (August 2015 - May 2018)

Natural History Collections

Director: Dr. James D. Ackerman

University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Assist in the management and preservation of biological collections
Teach curatorial techniques
Mentor undergraduate research students
Lead collecting expeditions

Student Mentor (Summer 2016-2017)

REU Program in Tropical Ecology and Evolution

El Verde Research Station, Puerto Rico

Funded by the National Science Foundation and the University of Puerto Rico

Visiting Scholar (May-October 2011)

Eco-genomics and Adaptation Group

Director: Le Kang

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Institute of Zoology

1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China

Tutored graduate students in scientific writing and publication
Reviewed manuscripts for students and professors
Assisted in rearing lab

Volunteer-Lepidoptera Collections (May-October 2011)

Group of Lepidoptera Systematics

Directors: Xue Dayong, Han Hongxiang

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Institute of Zoology

1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China

Assisted in the preparation and preservation of microlepidoptera

Research Assistant (2006-2011)

McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity

Florida Museum of Natural History

University of Florida

34th Street & Hull Road

Gainesville, Florida

Worked with collection manager and curators in the preparation and preservation of Lepidoptera collection
Assisted in the curation and photographic documentation of local moths

PRESENTATIONS AND SYMPOSIUMS

The various contrivances by which moths interact with flowers: My science and why I am here. Laboratorio de Palinología y Paleoecología Tropical, Depto. de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes. Bogotá, Colombia. 26 October 2017.

Lepidopteran Phylogenetics. UPRRP Fish Lab, FB 236. 10 March 2017.

The value and use of Natural History Collections. UPRRP Laboratory for Integrative Biology + MZUPRRP, Lab Meeting. 3 February 2017.

Databasing and Digitizaton of Biological Collections and the IdigBio Data Portal, UPRRP Laboratory for Integrative Biology + MZUPRRP, Lab Meeting, JGD 123. 28 October 2016.

Pollination ecology of moths. Kang Laboratory Journal Club Meeting. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology. Beijing, China. June 19, 2011.

Graduate School and Research in the United States. Kang Laboratory Journal Club Meeting. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology. Beijing, China. May 30, 2011.

Diversity and pollination ecology of Flower-settling moths within Florida Sandhill communities. Southern Lepidopterists’ Society and the Association for Tropical Lepidoptera Annual Meeting. McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL., October 1-3, 2010.

Rights-of-Way Task Force. Student Guest. North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC). Initiated at the 8th Annual NAPPC International Conference Sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of State, Washington D.C., October 22-24, 2009.

Symposium on The Ecology and Evolution of Plant-Pollinator Interactions. Student Guest. Annals of Botany. Milwaukee, WI. August 2008.

Native dragonflies as pest-consumers in organic gardens and farms of North-central Florida: A preliminary assessment. Student Presenter. Undergraduate Research Symposium, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL., May 2008.

PROFESSIONAL COURSES

Georeferencing for Research short course. iDigBio and CCBER. National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. Santa Barbara, California. 4-7 October 2016.

New Trends and Methodology in Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology.

Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Beijing, China. 18‐26 August 2011.

Molecular Biology Techniques of Invertebrates and their Pathogens.

Dr. James E. Maruniak and Dr. Alejandra Garcia Maruniak. University of Florida. Department of Entomology and Nematology. June-July 2010.

INVITED AD HOC REVIEWER

Tropical Lepidoptera Research

European Journal of Entomology

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Curriculum Vitae

Montana Marie Atwater