Thomas C. Smith
December 2015
Ph.D. 2015. University of California, Santa Barbara; Department of Ecology, Evolution, and
Marine Biology
M.A. 2013. University of California, Santa Barbara; Department of Ecology, Evolution, and
Marine Biology
B.S. 2002. University of Vermont; Environmental Sciences
TEACHING
Lecturer, Invertebrate Zoology. UCSB EEMB, Spring 2015
Teaching Associate, Inverterbrate Zoology. UCSB EEMB, Spring 2014
Teaching Assistant, UCSB EEMB, 2008 – 2014.
Courses: Invertebrate Zoology, Parasitology, Methods in Aquatic Community Ecology,
Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Aquatic Communities, Herpetology, Intro. Biology Lab
HONORS and AWARDS
Nominee, UCSB Graduate Student Association Teaching Awards, 2013, 2014
Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, 2009
Dean's List, University of Vermont, 1999-2002
Vermont Scholar’s Award, University of Vermont, 1998-2002
RESEARCH
Post-doctoral Researcher, UCSB, Marine Science Institute, June – present.
Graduate Student Research Assistant, UCSB EEMB, 2007 – 2012.
Staff Research Assistant, UCSB, Marine Science Institute, 2004 – 2007.
Staff Research Assistant, UC Berkeley, Department of Integrative Biology, 2005 – 2007.
Field Crew Member, Oregon State University/United States Geological Survey, 2005.
Entomological Assistant, Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii/USGS, 2002 – 2004.
Laboratory/Field Assistant, UVM, Department of Biology, 1998 – 2002.
GRANTS and FELLOWSHIPS
UCSB EEMB Grants and Fellowships 2008-2014, $7241.78
Graduate Student Fellowship 2013-2014, $3,384
Graduate Student Fellowship 2012, $481.16
Block Grant Award Fall 2011, $2,235
Graduate Student Fellowship 2010, $418.00
Graduate Student Fellowship Fall 2008, $214.43
Graduate Student Research Grant Spring 2008, $509.19
Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve Graduate Student Research Grant 2012, $1,500
UCSB Graduate Division Science and Engineering Research Grant 2011, $1902.00
The Henry Luce Foundation Environmental Science to Solutions Fellowship 2010-2012, $6,000
Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve Graduate Student Research Grant 2009, $300.00
UC Natural Reserve System Mildred E. Mathias Graduate Student Research Grant 2008, $2500
UVM Hughes Endeavor for Life Sciences Excellence 2001, $3000
UVM Stimulate Undergraduate and Graduate Research with Faculty Mentoring 2001, $3500
PUBLICATIONS
1. Smith, T.C., R. A. Knapp, C.J. Briggs. In press. Declines and extinctions of mountain
yellow-legged frogs have small effects on benthic macroinvertebrate communities.
Ecosphere.
2. Smith, T.C. 2015. Ecological impacts of mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa and
Rana sierrae) declines on Sierra Nevada lake communities. Dissertation, University of
California, Santa Barbara. http://dx.doi.org/DOI:10.13140/RG.2.1.1734.0246
3. Smith, Thomas C. 2013. Pseudostaurosira pseudoconstruens. in Diatoms of the United
States, http://westerndiatoms.colorado.edu/taxa/species/pseudostaurosira_pseudoconstruens
4. Mordecai, E.A., K.P. Paaijmans, L.R. Johnson, C.H. Balzer, T. Ben-Horin, E. de Moor, A.
McNally, S. Pawar, S.J. Ryan, T.C. Smith, K.D. Lafferty. 2012. Optimal temperature for
malaria transmission is dramatically lower than previously predicted. Ecology Letters (2013)
16: 22–30
5. Knapp, R. A., C. J. Briggs, T. C. Smith, and J. R. Maurer. 2011. Nowhere to hide: impact of
a temperature sensitive amphibian pathogen along an elevation gradient in the temperate
zone. Ecosphere 2(8):art93. doi:10.1890/ES11-00028.1
6. Schall, J.J., T.C. Smith. 2006. Detection of a Malaria Parasite (Plasmodium mexicanum) in
ectoparasites (Mites and Ticks), and Possible Significance for Transmission. Journal of
Parasitology., 92:413–415
7. Woodworth, B.L., C.T. Atkinson, D.A. LaPointe, P.J. Hart, C.S. Spiegel, E.J. Tweed, C.
Henneman, J. LeBrun, T. Denette, R. DeMots, K.L. Kozar, D. Triglia, D. Lease, A. Gregor,
T. Smith, and D. Duffy. 2005. Host population persistence in the face of introduced vectorborne diseases: Hawaii amakihi and avian malaria. Proceeding of the National Academy of
Sciences, 102:1531-1536.
POSTERS/PRESENTATIONS
1. Smith, T.C. (2015). The impacts of mountain yellow-legged frog declines on algae and
insect communities in Sierra Nevada lakes (June 9). Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research
Laboratory 2015 Lecture Series, Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory, Mammoth
Lakes, CA
2. Smith, T.C. (2015). Ecological impacts of amphibian declines on Sierra Nevada lake
communities (January 16). Ph.D. Exit Seminar. UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA.
3. Smith, T.C. C.J. Briggs, R.A. Knapp (2014). Disease driven amphibian extinctions have
weak effects on alpine lake communities in California’s Sierra Nevada (August 11).
Presentation at Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Sacramento CA.
4. Smith, T.C. (2013). Interactions between alpine lake producers and consumers (February 8).
Poster at Discover the Natural Reserve System: A Conference Celebrating the UCSB NRS,
Bren School, UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA.
5. Hernandez, M.J., T.C. Smith and R.A. Knapp (2013). Insect community response to diseasedriven amphibian extinctions (February 8). Poster at Discover the Natural Reserve System:
A Conference Celebrating the UCSB NRS, Bren School, UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA.
6. Smith, T.C. (2013) Ripples in the lake: Sierra Nevada aquatic insect communities respond to
amphibian declines (February 2). Presentation at UC Santa Barbara Dept of Ecology,
Evolution, and Marine Biology Graduate Student Symposium, Santa Barbara, CA.
7. Smith, T.C. (2011) Interactions between alpine lake producers and consumers (January 7).
Presentation at California/Nevada Amphibian Population Task Force 2011 Meeting,
Yosemite National Park, CA.
8. Smith, T.C. (2010) Interactions between tadpoles, mayflies, and epiphyton in alpine
lakes of the Sierra Nevada (February 27). Presentation at UC Natural Reserve System
Mildred E. Mathias Graduate Student Research Symposium, Bodega Bay, CA.
9. Smith, T.C. (2010) Interactions between tadpoles, mayflies, and epiphyton in alpine
lakes of the Sierra Nevada (February 20). Presentation at UC Santa Barbara Dept of Ecology,
Evolution, and Marine Biology Graduate Student Symposium, Santa Barbara, CA.
10. Smith, T.C. (2009) Amphibian Declines, Species Interactions, and Ecological Stability
(November 14). Presentation at 2009 Amphibian Disease Meeting, Arizona State University,
Tempe, AZ.
11. Smith, T.C., A. Gregor, A.D. Lease, R. DeMots, D. LaPointe (2003). Diversity, abundance,
seasonality, and infection of mosquitoes on windward Mauna Loa (July 11). Presentation at
Hawaii Conservation Conference, Honolulu, HI.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING:
Ecology and Systematics of Diatoms, Iowa Lakeside Laboratory, University of Iowa, May 19June 15, 2013
Wilderness First Responder certification, 2002-2012 (currently lapsed).
COMMITTEES and LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
UCSB Dept. of Ecology, Evolution, Marine Biology Graduate Student Advisory Committee,
2009-2011
UCSB Natural Reserve Advisory Committee, Graduate Student Representative, 2008-2009
UCSB Dept. of Ecology, Evolution, Marine Biology Graduate Student Research Symposium
planning committee, 2009
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
UCSB EEMB Software Carpentry workshop, April 17-18, 2015:
http://mqwilber.github.io/2015-04-17-ucsb/
Dr. Cherie Briggs’ Lab Website and Blog, 2014-present: http://briggslab.github.io/
Science in the Backcountry blog, 2012: http://scienceinthebackcountry.blogspot.com/