Kim Hughes

khughes46@fordham.edu
Louis Calder Biological Field Station
At Fordham University Department of Biological Sciences

Education
2022-presentFordham University
PhD Biological Sciences, Ecology and Systematics
Advisor: Dr. Jason Munshi-South
2020-2022 Fordham University
MS Biological Sciences, Ecology and Systematics
2015-2019 Boston University
BA Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ecosystems track, Biology minor
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Grants and Awards
2023 Clare Boothe Luce Graduate Fellowship Professional Development Funds, Henry
Luce Foundation and Fordham University
2023 Spring Student Support Grant, Graduate Student Council, Fordham University
2022-present Clare Boothe Luce Graduate Fellowship, Henry Luce Foundation and Fordham
University
2022 David Redden Conservation Science Fund Grant, Black Rock Forest
2021 Fall Student Support Grant, Graduate Student Association, Fordham University
2021 Louis Calder Center Graduate Student Research Grant
2020-2022 Graduate Teaching Assistantship, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Fordham
University
2020-2022 Centennial Scholarship, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Fordham
University
2018-2019 T. G. O'Connell Scholarship, Boston University
2015-2019 Pennsylvania State Scholarship
2017-2018 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Funding, Boston University
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Presentations
April 2023 “Diet of Connecticut Bobcats via DNA Metabarcoding” Co-authors C. S. Henger,
J. Hawley, T.A.G. Rittenhouse, J. Munshi-South. Northeast Natural History
Conference, April 2023, Burlington, VT.
July 2023 “Diet of bobcats (Lynx rufus) fatally affected by fragmentation in Connecticut,
USA” Co-authors C. S. Henger, J. Hawley, T.A.G. Rittenhouse, J.
Munshi-South. 13th International Mammalogical Congress, July 2023,
Anchorage, AK.
October 2023 “Diet of bobcats (Lynx rufus) fatally affected by fragmentation in Connecticut,
USA” Co-authors C. S. Henger, J. Hawley, T.A.G. Rittenhouse, J.
Munshi-South. Student Conference on Conservation Science New York,
American Museum of Natural History, October 2023, New York, NY.
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Panels
April 2023 Panelist, “STEM Career Panel” Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning
Center, New York, NY.
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Research Experience
2022-present Landscape Ecology of New York Carnivorans
Scat samples have been collected in three stages from four native carnivoran species
in order to use genetic data to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic barriers at a small
scale. The goal of this project is to provide empirical support for the construction of
structures to improve connectivity and decrease road mortalities in the vicinity of
managed forest.
2020-present Landscape Genetics of Southern New England Mammals
This project will investigate the spatial genetic structuring of mammal populations in
southern New England (RI and CT). The impacts of anthropogenic land features on
seven furbearers will be analyzed using genome wide SNP data. I aim to discover
generalizable effects which can inform utilitarian conservation efforts in these states of
high human population density and fragmentation.
2020-present Bobcat Diet Analysis with Connecticut Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection and University of Connecticut
This project consisted of a diet analysis via DNA metabarcoding on homogenized
bobcat stomach contents. Samples were collected by Connecticut Department of
Energy and Environmental Protection, and homogenized by University of
Connecticut. There was an additional component investigating relative proportion of
Sylvilagus floridanus and threatened Sylvilagus transitionalis. Manuscript
forthcoming.
2019 Boston Metropolitan Area Urban/Semi-Urban Coyote Population Survey
Citizen science driven survey of the Canis latrans population in the Boston
Metropolitan area, with additional components of scat tracking and literature
review.
2017-2018 X-ray Diffraction Mineral Analysis of Vancouver Island Fault Rocks
X-ray diffraction mineral analysis on powderized fault rocks from Vancouver
Island, supplemented by thin section microscopy. Part of a larger analysis by
Dr. Christine Regalla.
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Mentoring Experience
2022–present Isabella Vinces (Ossining High School)
The NY Canid Project
2022 Eleanor Westerbeck (Calder Summer Undergraduate Research)
A Landscape Analysis of Scat Deposition Among New York Carnivores
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Teaching Experience
2022 Teaching Assistant, Microbiology Lab, Fordham University Department of Biology
2020-2021 Teaching Assistant, Introductory Biology Lab I, Fordham University Department of
Biology
2019 Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, Animal Behavior, Boston University
Department of Biology
2016-2018 Director of Children’s Science Programming, Union Library Company of
Hatboro
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Written Works
2023 Avilés-Rodriguez K., Hughes K., Richardson J., Munshi-South J. “Integrating
molecular methods with a social-ecological focus to advance urban biodiversity
management” in Urban Biodiversity and Equity: justice-centered conservation in cities,
editors Christopher Schell and Max Lambert, Oxford University Press. Pages 145-163.
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Professional Development
2023 Unix/HPC/OSG Workshop at the American Museum of Natural History
2023 Wolves Across Borders Conference Online Panel Discussion: Overshadowed by large
cats: Wolves in the Asian highlands
2023 Voyageurs Wolf Project Winter Webinar Series
2022 Human Carnivoran Interactions: past, present and future Symposium
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Academic Service
2023-present Ecology Member at Large, Biology Graduate Student Association, Fordham University
2023-present Biology Student Representative, Graduate Student Council, Fordham University
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Professional Affiliations
2023-present Society for the Study of Evolution
2022-present American Society of Mammalogists
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