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Todd A.
Blackledge
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Department of Biology |
voice (330) 972-7264 |
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University of Akron |
fax (330) 972-8445 |
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Akron, OH 44325-3908 |
Email: Blackledge<at>uakron.edu |
Education
Ph.D. The Ohio State University, Department of Entomology,
advisor: John W. Wenzel, 2000
B.S. The George Washington University, Department of Biology,
1994, magna cum laude
Academic
Employment
- Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California – Riverside.
2003-2004
- Lecturer, Cornell University. 2002
- Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California – Berkeley.
2000-2002
- Presidential Fellow, The Ohio State
University. 1999
- Graduate Teaching Assistant, The Ohio State
University. 1997-1998
- NSF Predoctoral Fellow, The Ohio State
University. 1995-1997
- National Museum of Natural
History Research Training Program, Smithsonian Institution. 1994
- NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates,
Benedict Estuarine Research Laboratory. 1993
Research Experience
- Postdoctoral Researcher (2003-2004). Evolution of
spider silk functional morphology and silk genes. Advisor: Dr. Cheryl Y.
Hayashi.
- Postdoctoral Fellow (2000-2002). Community evolution
in adaptive and non-adaptive radiations of Hawaiian spiders. Division of Insect
Biology, University of California, Berkeley. Advisor: Dr. Rosemary G. Gillespie.
- Doctoral Student (1994-2000) Functional aspects of
stabilimentum decorations in spider webs and the evolution of spider silk
coloration. Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University. Advisor: Dr.
John W. Wenzel
- Research Training Program (1994) Taxonomy of
Characiform fish from the upper Amazon. Included morphometric analysis and
clearing and staining of specimens. National Museum of Natural History Research
Training Program, Smithsonian Institution. Advisor: Dr. Richard P. Vari
- NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (1993)
Effects of hypoxia on trophic interactions and larval fish in estuarine
ecosystems. Benedict Estuarine Research Laboratory. Advisor: Dr. Denise
Breitburg
Publications
Click here
for a link to my publications, including PDFs
Teaching
Experience
Principles of Biology I: Bio
111 - University of Akron (2007)
Biology
of Behavior: Bio 428/528 – University of Akron (2005-2007)
Biology
of Behavior Laboratory: Bio 429/529 – University of Akron (2006)
Experimental Approaches to Behavior: Bio 695 – University of Akron
(2005)
Entomology 212: Insect Biology – Cornell University (2002)
Undergraduate research advisor:
U AKRON: Burhan Adir (McNair Scholar), Holly Hillebrecht,
Hannah Koppleberger (Honors Thesis advisor), Ryan Satow, Steve Schulz,
Tim Shultz & Jacki Zevenbergen
BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE: Nicki Schneider
UCR: Jennie Beltrán (1st place for MBRS
presentation at UC Irvine), Patricia Kao, Joy Sarkar, Nannie Woo &
Heather Williams
Grants and
Fellowships
“Investigating the tensile performance and structural properties of
spider dragline and egg case silk”, Integrated Bioscience Collaborative
Research Incentive Grant. (2007). Co-PI with Shing-Chung Wong.
$8,000
“Semimicro bomb calorimetry and metabolic costs of
web spinning in spiders” Departmental Research Grant. (2006) Co-PI with
Peter Niewiarowski.
$4,000
“Acquisition of a dynamic nano-force tensile test system for ultrathin
fibers with environmental control and integrated image analysis”,
National Science Foundation, PI, (2005-2008), $337,345
“Araneid phylogeny and evolution of spider silk phenotypes”, National
Science Foundation, PI with collaborators John Wenzel and Nikolaj
Scharff, (2005-2008), $297,990
Awards and
Honors
Mentor of the Year, Conference on Undergraduate and Graduate Student
Research, University of Akron (2007)
Excellence in
Research Honorable Mention for undergraduate McNair Scholar research
(2006)
Favorite
Faculty teaching award, Mortar Board Honor Society, University of Akron
(2005)
Frank A.
Pitelka Award for excellence in research, International Society for
Behavioral Ecology, (2002)
John Henry Comstock research award, Entomological
Society of America (1999)
W. Fred Hink Research Award -
Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University (1998)
Invited
Presentations (select)
2007: International Congress of
Arachnology, invited plenary, "New perspectives on the ecology and
evolution of spiders webs"
Case Western Reserve
University, "New perspectives on the ecology and evolution of
spider webs"
Case Western Reserve
University, "Spider silk: an evolutionary experiment in materials
science"
2006: John Carroll
University, "Spider silk: a 400 million year experiment in materials
science”
Susquehanna University,
"Spider silk: a 400 million year experiment in materials science”
2005: Franklin Philosophical
Society, “Spider silk: a 400 million year experiment in
materials science”
Kent State University, “Spider webs: the evolution
of behavior across biological levels”
Greater Akron Audubon Society, “Spiders: silk and web evolution”
2004: University of Akron, “Spider webs: the evolution of behavior
across biological levels”
2003: California State University Longbeach,
“Evolution of the modern orb web and beyond”
Lewis & Clark College, “Predator vs. Prey: Why do
spiders decorate their webs?”
University of California Riverside, “A new look at
stabilimenta in spider webs”
San Diego State University, “A new look at
stabilimentum decorations in spider webs”
2002: Cornell University, “Spider webs:
confronting ecological and evolutionary challenges through behavior”
University of Toronto at Scarborough, “Spider webs:
confronting ecological and evolutionary challenges through behavior”
University of Massachusetts Amherst, “Spider webs:
confronting ecological and evolutionary challenges through behavior”
California State University Hayward, “Stabilimenta
in spider webs: predator-prey conflict and sensory drive”
Pacific Coast Entomological Society, California
Academy of Sciences, “Why do spiders decorate webs with stabilimenta?”
(2001)
Contributed Presentations (select)
* denotes graduate student coauthor, **
undergraduate coauthor
2006, Spider silk: a 400 million year experiment in material
science, International Symposium for Biologically Inspired Design in
Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Unraveling the mechanical properties of composite silk threads spun by
cribellate orb weaving spiders. American Arachnological Society, College
of Notre Dame, June 2006
Does
plasticity in the web building behavior of the western black widow
spider, Latrodectus hesperus affect foraging and defense? American
Arachnological Society, College of Notre Dame, June 2006 (with J.M.
Zevenbergen*)
Energetic investment and reinforcement of the function of different
components of the cobwebs of black widows in relation to physiologicals
status, American Arachnological Society, College of Notre Dame, June
2006 (with C. Boutry*)
2005, Silken toolkits: Fiber biomechanics in the orb web spider
Argiope argentata, Physico-Chemical Ecology of Organisms,
Conférences Jacques-Monod, CNRS, France (Sept)
Web architecture in the
western black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus) in relation to
prey availability, American Arachnological Society, Univ. of Akron (with
J.M. Zevenbergen**)
2004, Evolution of extreme prey specialization in bolas spiders &
Functional diversification of spider silks, International Society of
Arachnology in Ghent, Belgium, and International Congress of Entomology
in Brisbane, Australia
2003, Dynamic and quasi-static nano-tensile characterization of
spider silk, Nano User’s Group Meeting, MTS corporation
Evolution of extreme
prey specialization in bolas spiders, American Arachnological Society,
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Evolution of extreme
prey specialization in bolas spiders, Society for the Study of
Evolution, California State Univ. at Chico
Predators, prey, and
the decoration of webs with stabilimenta, Animal Behaviorists of
Southern California, UC Irvine
Professional Service
Co-host of the annual meeting of the American
Arachnological Society at Univ. of Akron (2005)
Public Affairs Committee student representative,
Animal Behavior Society (1998-2000)
ad hoc reviewer – Acta Zoologica Sinica,
American Midlands Naturalist, Behavioral Ecology, Behaviour, Behavioural
Ecology and Sociobiology, Biologia, Canadian Journal of Zoology,
Cladistics, Ethology, Environmental Entomology, Ethology, Ethology
Ecology & Evolution, Ecology Letters, European Journal of Entomology,
Journal of Arachnology, Journal of Chemical Ecology, Journal of
Experimental Biology, Journal of Insect Behavior, Journal of Natural
History, Journal of Zoology, Southwestern Naturalist, National
Geographic, National Science Foundation, Nature,
Naturwissenschaften, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London,
Science, Zoology
Consultant for:
Audubon Magazine, Discovery Channel (online and television), Earth & Sky
(National Public Radio), National Geographic, Outside Magazine, Science
News, various regional newspapers and magazines
Research featured
in: Akron Beacon Journal, BBC Wildlife Magazine, CBC Radio (Quirks &
Quarks), Crain’s Cleveland Business, Discovery Channel (Superhero
Science), Discovery News, Environmental News Network, Geo Magazine,
History Channel (Modern Marvels), Iran Daily News, National Geographic
News, Nature News, New York Times (News & Syndicate), “This week in wild
California” California Academy of Sciences
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This site was last updated
11/21/07
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