Background & Research

Education

Ph.D. Biology, University of Memphis , 1998.

M.S. Zoology, University of South Florida , 1992.

B.A. Zoology, University of California at Berkeley , 1989.

Professional Appointments

2004-present	Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University : Herpetology , Vertebrate Natural History , Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Animal Diversity , Environmental Life Science (Honors), Sociobiology, and Ethics Seminar .
1999-2004	Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University.
1998-1999	Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology, University of Central Arkansas : Introductory Environmental Science, General Education Biology.
1998	Adjunct Professor of Liberal Studies, Memphis College of Art : General Ecology.
1996-1997	Lecturer, Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Memphis : General Biology II, Vertebrate Physiology (guest lectures), and Vertebrate Natural History (guest lectures).

Research & Related Experience

1998-present	Behavioral ecology: Functional and ontogenetic development of predatory behavior, foraging ecology, and habitat selection in snakes; box turtle population ecology; amphibian community ecology, conservation and management.
1993-1998	Dissertation research, Univ. of Memphis: The Foraging Ecology of the Gray Rat Snake ( Elaphe obsoleta spiloides ) Dumeril, Bibron, and Dumeril, 1854.
1989-1992	Thesis research, Univ. of South Florida: Predatory success as a function of habitat structural complexity in the mangrove salt marsh snake, Nerodia clarkii compressicauda Baird and Girard.

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                                                    Agkistrodon c. contortrix (x mokasen )





Academic Involvement

University & Community Involvement

2005-present	Herpetologists League Board of Trustees , Publications Secretary
2003-present	Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee , Eastern Illinois University
2000-present	American Institute for Biological Sciences , list moderator of EVOLEDIL (internet discussion group for the promotion of evolution in educational curricula).
1999	NSF Course, Curriculum & Laboratory Improvement Program review panel.
1998-present	Union of Concerned Scientists , Sound Science Initiative participant.

Professional Memberships

    American Institute of Biological Sciences

    Animal Behavior Society

    Herpetologists' League

    International Society for Behavioral Ecology

    Society for the Study of Amphibians & Reptiles

Journal/Book Reviewer

    Auk ; Behavioral Ecology ; Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology; Chelonian Conservation Biology ; Copeia;  Herpetologica ; Journal of Herpetology ; Southeastern Naturalist .

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                                                      Anolis equestris





Publications

   Books / Book chapters

1. Mullin, S.J. and R.A. Seigel (eds.). 2009.  Snakes: Ecology & Conservation Biology.  Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
2. Mullin, S.J. and R.A. Seigel. 2009.  Opening the doors to snake conservation.  Pp. 1-6 in Snakes: Ecology & conservation biology (ed. S.J. Mullin and R.A. Seigel).  Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
3. Seigel, R.A. and S.J. Mullin. 2009.  Snake conservation, present and future.  In Snakes: Ecology & conservation biology (ed. S.J. Mullin and R.A. Seigel).  Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
   
   

    Peer-reviewed articles

1. Mullin, S.J.  1992.  Predatory Success as a Function of Habitat Structural Complexity in the Mangrove Salt Marsh Snake, Nerodia clarkii compressicauda Baird and Girard. M.S. thesis, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.
2. Mullin, S.J.  1994.  Life history characteristics of Nerodia clarkii compressicauda at Placido Bayou, Florida. Journal of Herpetology 28:371-374. <download .pdf>
   
3. Mullin, S.J.  1995.  Estuarine fish populations among red mangrove prop roots of small overwash islands. Wetlands 15:324-329.
4. Mullin, S.J. and H.R. Mushinsky.  1995.  Foraging ecology of the mangrove salt marsh snake, Nerodia clarkii compressicauda : Effects of vegetational density. Amphibia-Reptilia 16:167-175.
5. Mullin, S.J.  1996.  Adaptations facilitating facultative oophagy in the gray rat snake, Elaphe obsoleta spiloides . Amphibia-Reptilia 17:387-394.
6. Mullin, S.J. and J.T. Eubanks.  1997.  Geographic distribution: Nerodia sipedon pleuralis (Midland water snake). Herpetological Review 28:159.
7. Mullin, S.J. and H.R. Mushinsky.  1997.  Use of experimental enclosures to examine foraging success in water snakes: A case study. Journal of Herpetology 31:565-569. <download .pdf>
   
8. Mullin, S.J.  1998.  The Foraging Ecology of the Gray Rat Snake, Elaphe obsoleta spiloides (Dumeril, Bibron and Dumeril, 1854). Ph.D. dissertation, University of Memphis, Tennessee.
9. Mullin, S.J.  1998.  Inter- and intra-specific interaction rates of three species of lemurs (Subfamily Lemurinae) in an enclosure at the Memphis Zoo and Aquarium.  Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Sciences 73:77-81.
10. Mullin, S.J. and R.J. Cooper.  1998.  The foraging ecology of the snake Elaphe obsoleta spiloides : Visual stimuli facilitate location of arboreal prey. American Midland Naturalist 140:397-401. <download .pdf>
    
11. Mullin, S.J., R.J. Cooper, and W.H.N. Gutzke.  1998.  The foraging ecology of the gray rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta spiloides ). III. Searching for different prey types in structurally varied habitats. Canadian Journal of Zoology 76:548-555.
12. Mullin, S.J.  1999.  Natural history notes: Elaphe obsoleta spiloides (reproduction). Herpetological Review 30:100-101.
13. Mullin, S.J.  1999.  Caudal distraction by rat snakes (Colubridae, Elaphe ): A novel behavior used when capturing mammalian prey. Great Basin Naturalist 59:361-367.
14. Mullin, S.J. and W.H.N. Gutzke.  1999.  The foraging ecology of the gray rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta spiloides ). I. Influence of variable habitat structural complexity on snakes foraging for terrestrial mammalian prey. Herpetologica 55:18-28.
15. Mullin, S.J., W.H.N. Gutzke, G.D. Zenitsky, and R.J. Cooper.  1999.  Home ranges of rat snakes (Colubridae : Elaphe ) in different habitats. Herpetological Review 31:20-22.
16. Cooper, R.J., R.R. Wilson, G.D. Zenitsky, S.J. Mullin, J.A. DeCecco, M.R. Marshall, D.J. Wolf, and L.Y. Pomara.  1999.  Does nonrandom nest placement imply nonrandom nest predation? A reply. Condor 102:920-923. <download .pdf>
    
17. Mullin, S.J. and R.J. Cooper.  2000.  The foraging ecology of the gray rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta spiloides ). II. Influence of variable habitat structural complexity on snakes foraging for arboreal avian prey. Amphibia-Reptilia 21:211-222. <download .pdf>
    
18. Mullin, S.J. and R.J. Cooper.  2002.  Barking up the wrong tree: Climbing performance of rat snakes and its implications for depredation of avian nests.  Canadian Journal of Zoology 80:591-595. <download .pdf>
    
19. Ervin, E.L., S.J. Mullin, M.L. Warburton, and R.N. Fisher.  2003.  Natural history notes: Thamnophis hammondii (prey). Herpetological Review 34:74-75.
20. Mullin, S.J., H. Imbert, J.M. Fish, E.L. Ervin, and R.N. Fisher.  2004.  Snake (Colubridae: Thamnophis ) predatory responses to chemical cues from native and introduced prey species.  Southwestern Naturalist 49:449-456.
21. Mullin, S.J., J.B. Towey, and R.A. Szafoni.  2004.  Using Rotenone to enhance native amphibian breeding habitat in Illinois ponds.  Ecological Restoration 22:305-306.
22. Forsythe, P.J., B. Flitz, and S.J. Mullin .  2004.  Radio telemetry and post-emergent habitat selection of neonate box turtles (Emydidae: Terrapene carolina ) in central Illinois.  Herpetological Review 35:333-335. <download .pdf>
23. Florey, J., and S.J. Mullin.  2005.  A survey of anuran breeding activity in Illinois, 1986-1989.  Transactions of the Illinois Academy of Sciences 98:39-47.
    
24. Walston, L.J., and S.J. Mullin.  2005.  Evaluation of a new method for measuring salamanders.  Herpetological Review 36:290-292. <download .pdf>
    
25. Flitz, B., and S.J. Mullin.  2006.  Nest-site selection in the eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina, in Illinois.  Chelonian Conservation Biology 5:309-312. <download .pdf>
    
26. Foster, C.D., S. Klueh, and S.J. Mullin.  2006.  Natural history notes: Elaphe spiloides (habitat use). Herpetological Review 37:478.
27. Walston, L.J., and S.J. Mullin.  2007.  Population responses of wood frog (Rana sylvatica ) tadpoles to overwintered bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana ) tadpoles.  Journal of Herpetology 41:23-30. <download .pdf>
    
28. Walston, L.J., and S.J. Mullin.  2007.  Responses of a pond-breeding amphibian community to the experimental removal of predatory fish.  American Midland Naturalist 157:63-73. <download .pdf>
    
29. Rines, R.C., R. Christ, and S.J. Mullin.  2007.  Natural history notes: Bufo bufo  (depth record).  Herpetological Review 38:179. <download .pdf>
    
30. Foster, C.D., and S.J. Mullin.  2007.  Updated and new amphibian and reptile records from Clark County, Illinois.  Herpetological Review 38:238-239. <download .pdf>
31. Walston, L.J., and S.J. Mullin.  2008.  Variation in surrounding forest habitat influences the initial orientation of juvenile amphibians emigrating from breeding ponds.  Canadian Journal of Zoology 86:141-146. <download .pdf>
32. Foster, C.D., and S.J. Mullin. 2008.  Speed and endurance of Thamnophis hammondii are not affected by consuming the toxic frog Xenopus laevis.  Southwestern Naturalist 53:370-373.
    

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                                                                Eurycea wilderae

 




Other websites of interest

National Center for Science Education – a cornucopia of resources and other information for teachers of evolutionary biology.

The Pocket Darwin – quick reference guide to one of the most influential minds of westernized thought.

Snake Ecology Group – The 4th conference, organized and co-hosted by Steve Mullin (EIU) and Chris Phillips ( Illinois Natural History Survey ) in the Shawnee National Forest, May 2004.

Autodax Salamander Feeding demos – QuickTime videos of feeding kinetics of various salamanders.

EMBL Reptile Database – nearly complete and current phylogeny of all living reptile taxa.

Digimorph demos – QuickTime videos of 3-dimensional reconstruction (using CAT scans) of various vertebrate skulls.

Real-time human population clock – the rate of increase will eventually rouse Earth's immune systems into action.

Black's Beach, La Jolla, California – Coastal Imaging Lab's hourly-updated webcam of my hometown surf.

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                                                            Rana sylvatica
[return to Mullin's lab page ]