Jillian F. del Sol
235 E. Front Street, Missoula, MT 59802
Jillian.delSol@umconnect.umt.edu 479-966-2889
OVERVIEW
 First- year graduate student in the Emlen lab starting work towards a Ph.D. Developing projects to investigate selection on weapons
used in sexual competition. Broad interests in advancing primary scientific knowledge and outreach in the natural sciences,
especially evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology.
EDUCATION
University of Montana
Ph.D. studies, Evolutionary Biology
Missoula, Montana
August 2015- present
 Advisor: Dr. Douglas J. Emlen
 Honors and Awards:
Relevant Coursework:
Hendrix College
Graduated Bachelor of Arts in Biology with Distinction
Conway, Arkansas
August 2011 -May 2015
 Cumulative GPA: 3.68
 Honors and Awards: National Merit Scholarship; Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship; Hendrix College Odyssey Distinction
Award; Dean’s List Fall 2013; Member of National Tri-Beta Society; 2nd place Undergraduate Research Competition for Arkansas
Academy of Sciences; presented the Dr. Arthur A. Johnson award for Biology; graduated with Distinction in Biology.
Relevant Coursework: Cell Biology, Botany, Zoology, Plant Systematics, Genetics, General Chemistry (two semesters), Biometry, Statistics,
Ecology and Evolution, Biology of Algae and Fungi, Comparative Animal Behavior, Field Ecology, Neotropical Biology (field class in Costa
Rica)
Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
ISEP Study Abroad Participant

Coursework in marketing, communications, Italian language, cultural studies, and design
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Foreign language and cultural immersion experience
Milan, Italy
February 2014 -June 2014
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Tulane University- Dr. Corinne Richards- Zawacki
Field Research Technician
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Bocas del Toro, Panama
June 2014- August 2014
Worked on several pilot projects involving reproductive behavior, diversification, and sexual selection in morph hybrid zones of
Oophaga pumilio at and around Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute field station.
Duties included: developing and executing methods for behavioral observation in the field; capturing, handling and toe- clipping
small amphibians; preparing and measuring agar models for field studies of ecological effects on heat and water loss in calling
males; data collection and organization for non-present PIs; preparing presentation and booth at open house for student education;
interviewing for feature in STRI publication.
Gained valuable experience in project development, fieldwork in the tropics, behavioral studies, handling and maintenance of small
vertebrates, and public outreach.
Hendrix College- Dr. Matthew Moran
Research Assistant
Conway, Arkansas
August 2012 – May 2015
 Projects involving ecology of anachronistic North American fruits using living analogs (elephants, horses) as surrogates for possible
past seed dispersers.
 Duties included: seed retrieval from mammal dung; planting and labeling seeds and fruits; maintaining seedlings; recording plant
growth; manuscript preparation; camera trap maintenance.
 Projects resulting in publication in Southeastern Naturalist and presentation in state conference (see below).
Mountain Lake Biological Station, University of Virginia- Dr. Corlett W. Wood
Pembroke, VA
REU Research Intern
May 2013- August 2013
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Assisted PhD candidate with graduate research regarding evolution of the forked fungus beetle, Bolitotherus cornutus
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Developed own research project on role of the larval environment in the maintenance of a sexually selected trait involving: building
on and drawing from literature; using existing and devising new methodologies; data collection in field and laboratory; data
analysis; paper preparation.
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Presented research proposal and findings to ecologist quorum specialized in evolutionary and population biology
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Currently continuing data collection and preparation of manuscript intended for publication.
Hendrix College- Dr. Matthew Dugas
Research Assistant
Conway, Arkansas
August 2011 – August 2012
 Assisted post- doctoral researcher on projects involving behavioral ecology of minnows.
 Duties included: maintaining captive fish; photographing fish for color analysis; assisting in experimental design development; data
compilation; seining for fish; minnow identification; locating minnow populations for capture; specimen storage.
 Gained valuable project development and execution skills, including data collection, analysis, and building on current literature
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Boone, M. J., C. N. Davis, L. Klasek, J. F. del Sol, K. Roehm, M. D. Moran. A Test of Potential Pleistocene Mammal Seed Dispersal in
Anachronistic Fruits Using Extant Ecological and Physiological Analogs. Southeastern Naturalist 14.1 (2015): 22-32.
Dugas, Matthew B., Susannah R. Halbrook, Allison M. Killius, Jillian F. del Sol, and Corinne L. Richards‐Zawacki. "Colour and
Escape Behaviour in Polymorphic Populations of an Aposematic Poison Frog." Ethology (2015).
Harrington, A.H., A.F. Bigott, B.W. Anderson, M.J. Boone, S.M. Brick, J.F. del Sol, C.A. Hotchkiss, R.A. Huddleston, E.H.
Kasper, J.J. McGrady, M.L. McKinnie, M.V. Ottenlips, N.E. Skinner, K.C. Spatz, A.J. Steinberg, F. van den Broek, C.N. Wilson, A.M.
Wofford and A.M. Willyard. 2015. Sampling local fungal diversity in an undergraduate laboratory using DNA barcoding. Journal
of the Arkansas Academy of Science 68, 65-72.
del Sol, Jillian F., Charli N. Davis, Natalie Skinner, Mimi Rebein, and Matthew D. Moran. (2015). Fruit Consumption Rates and
Potential Seed Dispersal Species For the American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana). Original research presented at the
annual conference of the Arkansas Academy of Sciences, Arkadelphia, AR. Awarded second place in the Undergraduate
Speaker Competition- Biology.
LEADERSHIP AND INVOLVEMENT
Hendrix College Herbarium
Herbarium Assistant
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Prepared and organized archived and newly collected specimens according to herbaria protocol
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Trained new assistants in mounting, filing, and handling herbarium specimens
Hendrix Biological Society (HBS)
August 2012 – May 2015
August 2011 – May 2015
 Attended meetings to actively engage with peers, scientists and conservationists from national and local organizations.
Hendrix Comic Book Society
August 2012 – May 2015
Secretary & Treasurer
 Helped organize, run, and advertise club activities to promote graphic novels as a culturally important medium for art and entertainment.
Hendrix College Student Radio Station, KHDX
August 2011 – May 2015
DJ
 Independently designed and performed weekly radio shows showcasing new and classic soul music.
RELEVANT SKILLS
 Skilled at handling and maintaining live invertebrate,
amphibian, and fish specimens in the lab and field
 Experienced in MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and ImageJ
 Experienced in statistical analysis programs (R, IBM SPSS)
 Certified to drive a 15- passenger van
 Conversational Italian and limited Spanish skills
INTERESTS
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Photography, sculpture, ceramics, music
 Canoeing, hiking, camping, gardening and terrarium cultivation