About MeHello, my name is Kaitlyn Howell.
I'm a graduate of the Walsh Lab at the University of Texas at Arlington, where I earned my PhD in Biology (with a focus on evolutionary ecology) in 2022. My PhD research focused on intraspecific (within species) variation of brain and eye size in Trinidadian killifish. My aims were to identify ecological drivers of brain size differences across populations, and to determine potential behavioral and fitness correlates of increased brain size in natural streams. I am broadly interested in conservation work and more specifically interested in traits that drive species persistence, dispersal, and colonization. I am also interested in how anthropogenic effects alter ecosystem functions, organism behavior, and species evolution, and how these changes can be rectified or balanced with the constraints of modern society. I am currently a Fish and Wildlife Biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, where I work as part of the Ecological Services program to help conserve and protect organisms and their habitats. Check out my blog for updates on my research, photos, and more. Outside of research I enjoy playing soccer, reading, exploring nature, and growing my plant collection. |