CURRICULUM VITAE
 
Brandon Edward Jackson
 

Division of Biological Sciences

Ph.D. in progress (Organismal Biology and Ecology) University of Montana, Missoula, MT. (Kenneth P. Dial, advisor)

M.S. 2003 (Organismal Biology and Ecology) University of Montana, Missoula, MT.   (Jack Stanford, advisor)

B.A. 1999 (Biology) Colgate University, Hamilton, NY .

 

Academic Positions

2003-06           University of Montana, Teaching assistant: Vertebrate Design and Evolution

2005                University of Montana, Teaching assistant: Ornithology

2003-04           University of Montana, Teaching assistant: Ecology

2002                University of Montana, Teaching assistant: Biology of Life

2001-03           University of Montana, Research assistant: Flathead Lake Biological Station

1999-2001       The Harvey School, Secondary School Teacher: Biology, Field Ecology, AP Biology, Physics, Algebra

2000                Teton Science School, Research Assistant

1999                University of Montana, Flathead Lake Biological Station, Teaching assistant: Field Ecology, Ecology of  Mammals

1999                Colgate University, Teaching assistant: Vertebrate Zoology

1998-99          Colgate University, Green Earth Gang, Primary School Instructor

 

Published Abstracts

Jackson, B.E., Dial, K.P. 2005.  Allometry of avian flight performance: contribution of legs and wings during maximal burst take-off and vertical flight.  Soc. Int. Comp. Biol. 45(6): 955.

Professional Societies

Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (2003)

American Ornithological Society (2005)

Animal Behavior Society (2006)

 

Research Areas

2003-present:   Flightlab, University of Montana: I am interested in quantifiying behavioral and ecological implications of biophysical constraints; especially how aspects of allometry (body size correlations), and morphological and physiological constraints manifest as behavioral and ecological trends.  This research, like most at the Flightlab, has two prongs, an intense laboratory experimental phase (e.g. measuring bird flight performance), and a "field" phase (e.g. quantifying behavior).  This research has potentially huge ecological implications as it may provide stronger predictive hypotheses on animal habitat selection, dispersion, and predator-prey interactions than are currently available. 

I am also intensely interested in the physics behind wing-assisted incline running (WAIR) as published here, and especially as it is found in "non-traditional" forms in other birds during burst escape behaviors. 

 

2001-2003:  Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana: M.S. Thesis Title: Long-term Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Population Dynamics in Relation to Food Web Change at Flathead Lake, MT.  Correlating diet and population trends over 30 years with a nearly complete food web change and increased development on the west's largest freshwater lake.  As a research assistant, I also repeated a 20 year-old study on the water quality of Whitefish Lake.

 

2000: Teton Science School, Kelly, Wyoming.  Assisted in running a MAPS bird-banding station, radio-tracking coyotes, and performing vegetation surveys.

 

Other Interests

Fly fishing, telemark skiing, backcountry skiing, soccer, rugby, backpacking, photography, mountain and road biking