This summer Junior, Julianna Morrow (Biology major and Environmental Studies minor ‘26) conducted research in the Summer Scholars program with her mentor, Dr. Rachel Collins. Her project, Effect of Seasons on White-tailed Deer Behavior Between Suburban and Rural Landscapes, investigates the seasonal behavior changes in white-tailed deer between suburban and rural habitats. Julianna aimed to answer two important questions based on the data collected: “How does habitat impact white-tailed deer behavior between suburban and rural wooded habitats across seasons?” and “How does time of day impact the number of detections in suburban and rural wooded habitats?”. While the research is ongoing, Julianna gained various learning experiences such as collecting, analyzing, and explaining data, tracking methodology, and how to utilize Microsoft Excel to its fullest potential. Since starting her project, she has noticed the patterns of suburban white-tailed deer from her research in real life and learned more about wildlife management and the importance of managing overabundant populations like white-tailed deer. Julianna plans to further examine behavioral changes between suburban and rural habitats and present her findings at a conference. She would like to thank Dr. Collins for encouraging her to apply for the program and supporting her along the way, and the Summer Scholars program for giving her the chance to learn more as a research student. She would also like to thank the Honors program for its additional funding and the biology department for the game cameras used in her study.
Congratulations and we look forward to seeing the final project!