Join the Thompson Earth Systems Institute’s Environmental Leaders Network to hear from a panel of scientists working in natural resources conservation at UF’s Ordway-Swisher Biological Station.

Learn about research, career paths, and more with plenty of time for Q&A!

Light breakfast provided.
🗓️ Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
🕖 Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
📍 Location: CSE Bldg, Rm E252

Open to all UF undergraduate and graduate students.

Reserve your spot by filling out this form!

 

Several guest speakers will talk about their research and experience at Ordway-Swisher Biological Station. This is a great opportunity to get an overview of field research opportunities and ongoing projects. Speakers will include:

Elina Garrison
Elina is the Deer Research Coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. She’s a UF Wildlife Ecology and Conservation alum, and her master’s work focused on Florida’s black bears.  In her current position, she is responsible for planning and implementing deer research throughout the state.  A large part of her work is also to collaborate on deer and other terrestrial mammal research with Universities and agency partners.  She will be discussing current FWC research at Ordway, which includes studies on adult and fawn survival, as well as methods for estimating deer population density.

Dr. Scott Robinson
Scott Robinson is Ordway Professor of Ecosystem Conservation at the Florida Museum. He studies bird conservation around the globe and has recently started research on migratory bird conservation in Florida. His work at OSBS has focused on measuring migratory abundance in the matrix of natural habitats available on the site for comparison with altered ecosystems elsewhere. Linking bird use with the phenology and abundance of resources is his primary focus.

Tracey Sleek
Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Tracey has dedicated the past 13 years to conservation land management. Tracey’s career has included roles with the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Park Service, and the Florida Park Service, each contributing to her deep commitment to protecting natural resources. For the past five years, Tracey has been with the University of Florida, where she currently serves as the Assistant Director at the Ordway-Swisher Biological Station. Outside of work, Tracey enjoys traveling and hiking long distances!

Faith Kruis
Faith Kruis is a Research Coordinator for the UF GAME Lab, which is led by Dr. Marcus Lashley and focuses research on Florida’s wild turkey populations. She holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of North Florida and an M.S. in Forestry and Natural Resources from the University of Georgia, where her master’s research focused on wild pigs in southwest Georgia. Following graduation, she worked with FWC as a Biological Scientist removing nonnative constrictors from the greater Everglades area. At the UF GAME Lab, Faith oversees a state-wide acoustic recording unit (ARU) project aimed at assessing wild turkey gobbling chronologies. She also assists with seasonal trapping and tracking of wild turkeys. Faith’s presentation will cover the wild turkey research that takes place at Ordway, along with the broader project goals of the UF GAME Lab.

 

Featured photo by Florida Museum/Jeff Gage.