Skip to Main ContentSearch Site
Top

Jean M. Billerbeck

Click for Bio

Education

1992-1999 Ph.D. in Ecology & Evolution
State University of New York at Stony Brook

Dissertation: Physiological tradeoffs in the evolution of countergradient
somatic growth rates of the Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia

1985-1990 B.S. in Biological Sciences (Zoology emphasis)
University of Maryland at College Park

Selected Publications

Billerbeck, J.M., T. Lankford, and D.O. Conover. 2001. Evolution of intrinsic growth and energy acquisition rates. I. Trade-offs with swimming performance in Menidia menidia. Evolution 55(9): 1863-1872.

Lankford, T., J.M. Billerbeck, and D.O. Conover. 2001. Evolution of intrinsic growth and energy acquisition rates. II. Trade-offs with vulnerability to predation in Menidia menidia. Evolution 55(9): 1873-1881.

Billerbeck, J.M., E.T. Schultz, and D.O. Conover. 2000. Adaptive variation in energy acquisition and allocation among latitudinal populations of the Atlantic silverside. Oecologia 122:210-219.

Billerbeck, J.M., G. Ortí, and D.O. Conover. 1997. Latitudinal variation in vertebral number has a genetic basis in the Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 54: 1796-1801.

Meyer, A., J.M. Morrissey (Billerbeck), and M. Schartl. 1994. Recurrent origin of a sexually selected trait in Xiphophorus fishes inferred from a molecular phylogeny. Nature 368: 539-542.

PRESENTATIONS

Billerbeck, J.M. and D.O. Conover. 1999. Countergradient variation and the evolution of growth rate in fishes: trade-offs in growth, consumption, and swimming performance. ASN/SSE/SSB Annual Meeting. Madison, WI.

Billerbeck, J.M. and D.O. Conover. 1999. Big problems for little fish: energetic conflicts in Atlantic silversides. American Fisheries Society (AFS) 23rd Larval Fish Conference. Beaufort, NC.

Billerbeck, J.M. and D.O. Conover. 1998. Growth rate and food consumption trade off against swimming performance in YOY fish. American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting. Hartford, CT.

Billerbeck, J.M. and D.O. Conover. 1997. Swimming performance of Atlantic silversides: effects of food consumption and growth rate on critical swimming speeds. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH). Seattle, WA.

Morrissey, J.M., G. Ortí, and D.O. Conover. 1996. Jordan's rule has a genetic basis in the Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH). New Orleans, LA.

Morrissey, J.M., E.T. Schultz, D.O. Conover, and A. Ehtisham. 1995. Physiological basis of countergradient variation in growth in the Atlantic silverside (Menidia menidia). American Fisheries Society (AFS). Tampa, FL.

Research Focus

1995-1998 State University of New York at Stony Brook
Marine Sciences Research Center
Flax Pond Marine Laboratory
Research Assistant to Dr. David O. Conover
Life history and evolutionary physiology of fishes:
• Lab culture of silversides, striped bass, and bluefish
• Critical and burst swimming speeds of silversides
• Response of silversides to acute hypoxia
• Growth, consumption, and efficiency of silversides
• Metabolism of silversides and striped bass (respirometry)
• Meristic variation in silversides (radiography)

1992-1994 State University of New York at Stony Brook
Department of Ecology & Evolution
Research Assistant to Dr. Axel Meyer
Molecular systematics and population genetics of fishes:
• PCR, gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing, PCR primer design
• Data analysis (Clustal, PAUP, NJBoot, MEGA, MacClade)
• Phylogeny of Xiphophorus fishes (D-loop, Cyt b, X-Src)
• Population structure of blue marlin (D-loop)
• Phylogeny of Syngnathidae (16S, 12S)

Summer 1989 Earthwatch Institute
Field Research Assistant to Dr. S. Gruber & Dr. J. F. Morrissey
University of Miami - RSMAS
Bimini Biological Field Station, Bahamas
Home range and activity space of lemon sharks:
• Ultrasonic, PIT, NMFS tagging
• Longline and gill netting
• PIT and Casey (NMFS) tagging programs
• Data entry and computer analysis (ACAD)

Awards & Honors

2001 Workshop Project Associate Grant
National Science Foundation, Community College Initiative

1999 Sally Leonard Richardson Award - Outstanding Student Presentation
American Fisheries Society (ELH): 23rd Larval Fish Conference

1998 Graduate Assistant in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Teaching Fellowship
U.S. Department of Education

1997 Stoye Award - Outstanding Presentation in Physiology
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Annual Meeting

1997 Cedar Brook Award- Outstanding Departmental Retreat Talk
Department of Ecology & Evolution, SUNY

1997 Outstanding Student Presentation- Departmental Seminar Series
Department of Ecology & Evolution, SUNY

Additional Information (Links)

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

2000-present Community College of Rhode Island
Assistant Professor of Biology
Courses Taught: Introductory Biology - Organismal (BIO 1001)
General Biology - Botany (BIO 1030)
General Biology - Zoology (BIO 1040)
Evolution (BIO 2070)
Biology Seminar (BIO 2110)

Summer 1999 Long Island University - Southampton College
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Course Taught: Oceans (MS 110)

1998-1999 State University of New York at Stony Brook
GAANN Teaching Fellow
Courses Taught: Principles of Biology I: Organisms to Ecosystems (BIO 201)

Spring 1998 State University of New York at Stony Brook
Laboratory Teaching Assistant
Course Taught: Principles of Biology II: Molecules to Organisms (BIO 152)

Fall 1996 State University of New York at Stony Brook
Lecture Teaching Assistant
Course Taught: Principles of Biology I: Organisms to Ecosystems (BIO 151)

1990-1995 University of Miami - RSMAS
Laboratory Instructor
Bimini Biological Field Station, Bahamas
Course Taught: Tropical Marine Biology

EDUCATION WORKSHOPS

Spring 2001 Peer-Led Team Learning Workshop Project Conference
Community College Initiative
Sierra College, California

Summer 2000 Undergraduate Faculty Development Workshop
Developing Curricular Resources & Strategies for Introductory Biology
BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium
Beloit College, WI

Summer 1999 Workshop on Undergraduate Evolution Education
Society for the Study of Evolution
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

Fall 1998 Strategies for Success Science Workshop
Benjamin-Cummings Science
Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn, New York

MENTORING EXPERIENCE

Summer 1999 Program: Ward & Dorothy Melville Fellowship, SUNY
Student: Elizabeth Remily, Southampton College undergraduate
Project: Swimming endurance in Atlantic silversides

1998-1999 Program: Undergraduate Honors Research, SUNY
Student: Peter Sakaris
Project: Acute hypoxia response in Atlantic silversides

Summer 1996 Program: Westinghouse Science Talent Search
Student: Whitney Bowe, National Finalist
Project: The inducement of a symbiotic relationship between Cassiopea
xamanchana and Chlorella

Summer 1995 Program: Ward & Dorothy Melville Fellowship, SUNY
Student: Jana Davis, Yale University undergraduate
Project: Assimilation efficiencies of Atlantic silversides

DEVELOPMENT OF COURSE MATERIALS

2000 Author, CCRI Zoology Laboratory Manual
Pacific Crest Software, Inc.
875 NW Grant Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330

1998-1999 Freelance Editor, Pacific Crest Software, Inc.
875 NW Grant Avenue, Corvallis, OR 97330
Foundations of Biology: Molecules to Organisms, a laboratory manual
Foundations of Biology: Organisms to Ecosystems, a laboratory manual


PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE)
National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)
National Science Teacher Association (NSTA)
National Center for Science Education (NCSE)
Society for the Study of Evolution (SSE)

Areas of Interest

Evolutionary biology and ecology of fishes
Natural selection and life-history evolution in aquatic environments
Intraspecific variation and population genetic structure of aquatic organisms
Systematics and the comparative method
Conservation biology