The Biology Department and the Biology Cub each sponsor or cosponsor a series of events each year. These events include student-faculty pizza parties on campus each semester, as well as our student-faculty Holiday and Graduation parties held off campus at the end of each semester. Biology Faculty and students are also involved in many other volunteer, service events each year. We have provided a listing of both past and upcoming events within the current academic year. Any specific inquiries about the Biology Club should be directed to the Faculty Advisor, Dr. Natalie Stassen at nstassen@fsc.edu.

Recent Graduate Theses Topics

• Springfield, A.J. 2005. Amphibian and reptile diversity survey of a beaver impoundment in Princeton, Massachusetts. M.A. Biology, FSC. 26pp.
   

• Muigai, L.N. 2005. Comparison of small mammal communities of grassland habitats along the rim and in the valley of the Great Rift Valley, Kenya. M.A. Biology, FSC. 24pp.
   

• Liu, X. 1999. Evolution of Plantanus: Evidence from the restriction site analysis of PCR-amplified fragments. M.A. Biology, FSC. 25pp.
   

• Packard, P. 1999. Isozyme variation within and between Blarina brevicauda populations west and east of the Connecticut River/ M.A., Biology, FSC. 23pp.
   

• Bushey, M. 1996. An investigation of the cause and effects of interstitial cystitis. M.A., Biology, FSC, 56pp.
   

Undergraduate Research Internships in Ecology and Animal Behavior

Undergraduate presentations of research:

• Basinsky, Gina, C. Cratsley, M. Rosado, P. Moosman. Photinus ignitus male courtship behavior and Photinus
  predation in response to virtual fireflies. Poster presentation at the Society for Integrative and Comparative
  Biology (SICB). Orlando, FL. January 2005.
   

• Zanghi, Matthew, C. Cratsley, S. Poisson, P. Moosman. Morphology and Flash patterns as potential predictors of
  flash duration in Photinus fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Poster presentation at the Society for
  Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB). Orlando, FL. January 2005.
   

• Paula, Jonathan, A. Page, P.R. Moosman, H.Thomas, 2005. Bats (Eptesicus fuscus and myotis lucifugus) as
  potential predators of Photinus fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): Importance of Chemical Defenses
  and Luminescence. Oral presentation given at the North American Symposium on Bat Research.
  Sacramento, CA. September 20, 2005.
   

• Holt, J., G. Basinsky, T. Floria, R. Friesen, A. Page, and J. Paula, 2005. Feeding Behavior of Mytosis lucifugus
  and Eptesicus fuscus. Poster presented at the 63rd Annual Eastern New England Biological Conference
  April, 2005.
   

• Zanghi, M.R., S. Poisson, M. Rosado. Comparison of Flash Characteristics and Morphology between Photinus
  pyralis and Photinus greeni fireflies.
   

• Hier, Michelle and Meg Hoey, 2004. A floristic Study of Flat Rock Reserve. poster presented
  at the Eastern New England Biological Conference April, 2004.
   

• Barss, Sara and M.T. Hoey, 2003. Floristic Survey of Fitchburg State College Conservation
  Land.  Poster presented at the Eastern New England Biological Conference April, 2003.
   

• Guinard, T.M. and M.T. Hoey, 2000. DNA Sequence Divergence Between Platanus occidentalis L.
  and P. orientalis L. Poster presented at the Eastern New Englan Biological Conference on
  April 29, 2000.