ssutor

Hello! My name is Sean Sutor and I am a current graduate student at Texas Tech University studying the impacts of rapid landscape alteration on landscape connectivity for wildlife in the United States-Mexico border region of the Sonoran Desert. I am pursuing my PhD and am co-advised by faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Natural Resources Management. In the spring and fall, I teach the basics of biology and experimental design to non-major students. In the summers, I am supported by a collaborative project funded by the Southwest Border Resources Protection Program (SBRPP).

I grew up a passionate naturalist, and my fascination with reptiles and amphibians sprouted with my first sight of a young and colorful five-lined skink at 6 years old. As I aged and learned, my passion for the outdoors developed into a deeper interest and appreciation for ecology and conservation. I began my academic career at James Madison University (Harrisonburg, Virginia) where I studied Geographic Sciences and, upon graduating, began working as a geographer and GIS analyst in cultural and natural resource management. My 8 years serving that position provided me with experience, support, and the flexibility to volunteer for numerous conservation-focused projects.

I returned to graduate school in 2019 to pursue conservation research and to develop a career where I am able to inspire and advise students interested in conservation and management. My research addresses the impacts of landuse change for border-sensitive species. Since the beginning of my graduate career, I have presented on the impacts of anthropogenic barriers on Sonoran desert tortoises (Gopherus morafkai) in 6 conferences and symposia.

May 2021