Heather Kopsco

50 Oxford Avenue
Warwick, RI 02889
(732) 570-9980
hkopsco@uri.edu
EDUCATION

September 2015 University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI

Expected graduation: College of Environment and Life Sciences
May 2020 Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology
Doctoral Candidate – Biological and Environmental Sciences
(concentration in Ecology and Ecosystem Sciences)
 Advisor: Dr. Thomas Mather
 GPA: 4.000
 Dissertation: Evaluation of the utility of a crowd-sourced tick-borne disease
surveillance program and its impact on tick-bite prevention behaviors

September 2012 - Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ

August 2014 College of Science and Mathematics
Department of Biology
Master of Science – Biology (concentration in Ecology and Evolution)
 Thesis Advisor: Dr. John Smallwood
 GPA: 3.792
 Thesis: Are New Jersey birds involved in the enzootic cycle of Lyme disease?

September 2010 - Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ

August 2012 College of Science and Mathematics
Department of Biology
Baccalaureate of Science – Biology
 Cum Laude - GPA: 3.575
 Dean’s list

September 2005 – Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
May 2008 Rutgers College
Baccalaureate of Arts – English (Minor: Gender Studies)
 Cum Laude - GPA: 3.583
 Dean’s List
 Delta Epsilon Iota Honor Society

ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT

September 2016- present University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI

Graduate Assistant – Center for Vector-borne Disease
 Manages TickSpotters crowd-sourced digital surveillance program tick identification
and risk assessment responses and analyzes data
 Manages outreach communication and membership for the TickEncounter Prevention
Partner program through membership database, emails, blog posts
 Edits and curates content for the TERC seasonal newsletter
 Communicates with public to answer questions about tick biology and disease
prevention
 Provides outreach education programs on tick-borne disease prevention to the public

January 2016 – 2017 Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI

Adjunct Professor – Department of Biology
 Courses taught:
o Biology 103 Laboratory (Ecology/community systems-focused)
 Spring 2016, 2017
o Biology 104 Laboratory (Cell and molecular biology-focused)
 Fall 2016

July 2015 – University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI

September 2016 Research Intern – TickEncounter Resource Center
 Identified ticks and provides disease risk assessment responses for the TickSpotters
crowdsourced surveillance program

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  Researched tick-borne disease prevention behavioral change in response to disease
risk information dissemination to individuals and local towns/municipalities
 Managed outreach communication for TickEncounter Prevention Partner program
through emails, blog posts, and newsletters
 Assisted with management of TickSmart Towns America program which aimed to
equip and empower communities to prevent tick-borne diseases by providing
seasonally relevant information and subsidized tick testing at UMass’s Laboratory for
Medical Zoology

Sept. 2014 – May 2015 Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ

Adjunct Professor – Department of Biology
 Designed syllabi for and taught undergraduate biology courses
 Course taught:
o Senior Seminar in Biology (Fall 2014/Spring 2015)
 Created a junior and senior-level undergraduate curriculum that
introduced students to reading, analyzing, and critiquing scientific
research articles, developing presentation skills, and producing
independent research proposals.

Sept. 2013 – May 2014 Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ

Graduate Teaching Assistant – Department of Biology
 Conducted lab sections for undergraduate students
 Lab courses taught:
o Biology 241 and 244 - Mammalian Anatomy and Physiology (Fall
2013/Spring 2014)
o Biology 213 - Introduction to Ecology (Fall 2013)

INVITED TALKS

May 21, 2018 National Conference on Urban Entomology 2018 – Cary, NC

Tick Symposium
 “Insights from the TickSpotters Surveillance Program”

November 7, 2017 Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting 2017 – Denver, CO

Medical and Urban Veterinary Entomology Section Symposium
 “A two-way street: Can pairing personalized risk messages with passive tick
surveillance improve prevention behaviors?”

September 16, 2013 The New York Academy of Sciences (Science Alliance) – New York, NY
Crowdfunding in Academia: An Emerging Mechanism for Science Research
 Invited by NYAS as one of four scientists to serve on a panel discussing
the current state of web-based crowdfunding as an alternative to
traditional sources for scientific research

September 22, 2014 Montclair State Research Integrity and Compliance – Montclair, NJ
Student Research Panel
 Selected by MSU as one of three student researchers to discuss
experiences with obtaining funding, managing research projects, and
complying with institutional review processes (IACUC) for a public seminar

ACCEPTED PRESENTATIONS

Kopsco HL, Duhaime R, Mather TN. Tick Biting Trends on Pets Revealed by Crowdsourced Data: Some Surprises and Implications
for Prevention. Oral presentation at the World Association of Veterinary Parasitologists Annual Meeting. Madison, WI. July 7-11,
2019.

Mather TN, Kopsco H, Mullen, B, Duhaime R, Xu G, Rich S. Changing Tick Prevention Behaviors: Tickspotters Crowdsourced Tick
Survey and Online Portal to a Tick Expert. Oral presentation at the National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and
Media. Atlanta, GA. Sept. 11-13, 2018.

Kopsco HL, Krell RK, Mather TN, Connally NP. Follow Us! Assessing Beliefs and Attitudes about Tick-borne Disease Prevention
Expertise in the Social Media Age. Oral presentation at the International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis and other Tick-borne
Diseases. Atlanta, GA. Sept. 11-13, 2018.

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SCHOLARSHIP & PUBLICATIONS

Kopsco HL, Duhaime R, Mather TN. 2019. Insights on tick-borne disease prevention education from a crowd-sourced tick
surveillance program. The 2018 Proceedings of the National Conference on Urban Entomology. pp. 25-28.
http://entomology.tamu.edu/ncue/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/07/2018-NCUE-IPA-Proceedings.pdf

Mather TN & Kopsco HL. In review. Of mice, deer, and men: Landscape epidemiology of tick-borne disease. The Handbook of
Natural Resources, 2nd Edition. Taylor & Francis: Boca Raton, FL.

Kopsco HL, Xu G, Luo C-Y, Rich S, Mather TN. In preparation. Crowd-sourced tick photographs as an effective method of large-
scale tick surveillance. Journal of Medical Entomology.

Kopsco HL, Duhaime R, Mather TN. In preparation. A picture is worth a thousand ticks: Photo-based surveillance of pet tick
encounters. Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

Kopsco HL, Krell RK, Connally NP, Mather TN. In preparation. Tick bite prevention-seeking behaviors among tick resource-engaged
internet and social media users. Zoonoses and Public Health.

Kopsco HL, Monsen-Collar KJ, Smallwood JA. In preparation. Evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi in an Eastern phoebe (Sayornis
phoebe). Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Kopsco HL, Xu G, Luo C-Y, Rich S, Mather T. Accepted. Crowdsourced tick photographs as an effective method of large-scale tick
surveillance. Virtual poster to be presented at the Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. St. Louis, MO. November 7-11,
2019.

Caruso K, Engborg S, Bertuccio S, Calberson F, Kopsco H, Mather T. 2018. Blacklegged tick abundance and measures of relative
humidity. Poster presented at the URI Coastal and Environmental Fellows Research Symposium. University of Rhode Island College
of Environment and Life Sciences. December 12, 2018. First place winner in poster competition.

Raggozino H, Engborg S, Kopsco H, Duhaime R, Mather T. 2017. Do ecological differences in backyards affect the abundance of
blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis)? Poster presented at the URI Coastal and Environmental Fellows Research Symposium.
University of Rhode Island College of Environment and Life Sciences. December 11, 2017.

Merindino M, Engborg S, Kopsco H, Connally N, Mather T. 2017. When are ticks active? Assessing nymph stage blacklegged tick
phenology trends. Poster presented at the URI Coastal and Environmental Fellows Research Symposium. University of Rhode Island
College of Environment and Life Sciences. December 11, 2017.

ACTIVE PROJECTS

Kopsco HL & Mather TN. In data collection. The impact of a public health tick identification system on user attitudes, beliefs, and
adoption of tick-borne disease prevention methods. Zoonoses and Public Health.

Kopsco HL, Duhaime R, Mather TN. In data collection. Assessment of public tick identification ability. Journal of Medical
Entomology.

Kopsco HL, Duhaime R, and Mather TN. In data collection. Spatio-temporal modeling of Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma
americanum distributions from photo-based crowdsourced tick surveillance. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases.

Mather TN, Zapata-Ramirez S, Kopsco HL. In data collection. Assessing tick burdens on small rodents in residential areas treated
with different acaricides. Journal of Medical Entomology.

OTHER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

June 2015 – present Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management, West Kingston, RI
Volunteer – Division of Fish and Wildlife
 Assists with bat roost emergence counts, acoustic surveys, and mistnetting/banding
for general state-wide population monitoring project

Sept. 2013 – Nov. 2014 New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, Lyndhurst, NJ

Bird banding sub-permittee
 Assisted with fall migration banding station operations that included mist-netting and
banding as well as identifying species, age, and sex for an ongoing study investigating
the role a former landfill plays in supporting avian energetic condition during
migration (Seewagan & Newhouse 2018)

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 May 2013 – August 2013 Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, Trenton, NJ
Summer Field Research Intern
 Assisted with data collection and wildlife monitoring
 Assigned projects include:
o Ranavirus sampling of New Jersey wood frogs (Rana sylvatica)
o Assorted bat species emergence counts, bat house installment, roost
monitoring, acoustic monitoring
o Banded cave bat colonies (Myotis lucifugus and Eptesicus fuscus) and
examined for presence or evidence of prior infection with white-nose
syndrome (Pseudogymnoascus destructans)

Sept. 2012 – August 2014 Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ

Graduate Student
 Independent research proposal that investigated the role New Jersey native
passerine species play in the enzootic ecology of Borrelia burgdorferi, the
causative agent of Lyme disease
 Collected field samples (mistnetted, bled, and banded birds, collected ticks)
and performed laboratory analysis (DNA extraction, PCR, gel
electrophoresis, and RT-PCR)
 Managed Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) compliance
for project

May 2011 – July 2011 Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ

Student Research Assistant
 Assisted associate professor Dr. John Smallwood in his research on the
ecology of the American kestrel (Falco sparverius) through monitoring of
nest boxes and banding of both adults and hatchlings

Feb. 2010 – Sept. 2010 Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

Field Research Assistant
 Assisted a Ph.D. student investigating the impact of meadow voles (Microtus
pennsylvanicus) on the regeneration of a Southern New Jersey cranberry bog
 Managed Sherman traps and collected vole weight and sex data

March 2009 – June 2015 Wildlife Conservation Corps (DEP Fish & Wildlife), NJ
Volunteer Citizen Scientist
 Assisted local environmental agencies with wildlife data collection
 Projects include spring calling amphibian monitoring and grassland songbird
surveys

AWARDS

June 2019 Experiment Scientific Crowdfunding (www.experiment.com/tickspotters) - $8,631

 Oversaw a successful campaign to secure funding for lab research project using an
online “all-or-nothing” crowdfunding platform

December 2017 Graduate Assistants United Travel Fund Award - $250

 Awarded for travel to present in symposia at the Entomological Society of America’s
Annual Meeting in Denver, CO

October 2017 College of Environment and Life Sciences Dean’s Travel Award - $300
 Awarded for travel to present in symposia at the Entomological Society of America’s
Annual Meeting in Denver, CO

June 2013 – Sept. 2013 Experiment Scientific Crowdfunding (www.experiment.com/birdsandlyme)- $8000

 Successfully campaigned to secure funding for master’s thesis research
project using an online “all-or-nothing” crowdfunding platform

April 2009 Federal Emergency Management Agency - $125,000

 Primary author and manager of 2009 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters grant
for new ambulance acquisition for East Brunswick Rescue Squad

GRANT EXPERIENCE

Aug. 2016 – Aug. 2017 Experiment Scientific Crowdfunding

Per-diem Grant Officer

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  Managed communication outreach, recruitment, and grant review for grant
challenges (research-topic themed grant competitions) for Experiment.com online
crowdfunding site
 Guided and advised researchers on crowdfunding strategies for the duration of
fundraising period

Sept. 2008 – Aug. 2009 Wildlife Conservation Society - Foundation Relations Team
Development Assistant
 Assisted senior team members with the drafting, editing, and management of grant
proposals and reports for such organizations as The Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The David and Lucille
Packard Foundation, The Blue Moon Fund, The Summit Foundation, and others

April 2009 – May 2010 East Brunswick Volunteer Rescue Squad

Grant Committee Chair
 Primary author and manager of 2009 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant
of $125,000 for new ambulance acquisition

OTHER EMPLOYMENT

Sept. 2014 – present WyzAnt Tutoring (www.wyzant.com)

Private Science and Writing Tutor
 Provides in-home or remote tutoring instruction in the following subjects/areas for
elementary through college-level students:
o Biology, ecology, anatomy and physiology, zoology
o Reading, essay composition, proofreading/editing

March 2012 – March 2015 Walk Pawsitively, LLC, Essex County, NJ

Owner and Operator
 Provided a wide-range of pet services including dog walking, pet sitting, and basic
grooming
 Supervised and managed contract workers, including scheduling and billing

June 2011 – March 2012 Iggy’s Place/Sit.Stay.Walk. and More!, Montclair, NJ

Pet Care Specialist
 Educated and assisted store customers with selecting the most appropriate nutrition for
their dogs and cats
 Provided daily care for in store rescue animals including basic nutrition and enclosure
cleaning
 Provided basic medical care for in-store animals including observation, medicine
administration, and transport to veterinary offices
 Performed basic grooming including nail trims for in-store animals and for client pets
 Served as a dog-walker and in-home pet-sitter for clients in the Essex County area

June 2011 – Dec. 2011 St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, Madison, NJ
Animal Caretaker/Adoption Counselor
 Provided daily care for dogs, cats, and other sheltered species including cage and
kennel cleaning, feeding, and exercise
 Assessed and administered oral and topical medications to sick animals
 Performed physical and behavioral evaluations, and performed basic grooming (baths,
nail trims, ear cleaning)
 Assisted with veterinary care including vaccine administration, microchip insertion, and
blood draws with associated tests
 Conducted animal meet-and-greets, and helped pair adopters with the best pet for
their and the animal’s needs
 Assisted with other shelter duties such as animal intakes, donations, and events as
necessary

Oct. 2010 – June 2011 Snakes-n-Scales and Turtle Tales, Wanaque, NJ

Wildlife Educator
 Presented educational, live reptile and amphibian demonstrations for children (ages 4
– 12) with strong emphasis on wildlife biology, ecology, and conservation
 Assisted with zoo-keeping responsibilities including cage cleaning and feedings of
lizards, snakes, turtles, and tortoises

Nov. 2009 – Jan. 2011 Franklin Township Animal Shelter, Franklin, NJ

Animal Handler

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Sept. 2008 – Aug. 2009
May 2008 – August 2008
COMPLEMENTARY EXPERIENCE
Jan. 2017 – present
Jan. 2017 – June 2017
April 2008 – August 2012
August 2004 – August 2010
HIGHLIGHTED FIELD AND LABORATORY SKILLS
 Tick identification
 Avian (visual and aural)
identification/aging/sexing
 Avian mistnetting/banding
 Avian blood collection
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 Ensured healthy conditions for sheltered animals including proper nutrition, exercise,
and enclosure accommodations
 Identified and reported sick animals and prepared quarantine placement
 Assisted Animal Control Officers with general shelter duties including accepting
donations and interfacing with potential adopters
Wildlife Conservation Society (Bronx Zoo), Bronx, NY
Development Assistant
 Directly assisted Director of Foundation Relations
 Drafted cover letters, gift acknowledgments, Society introductory letters, and other
donor correspondences
 Assisted development officers with drafting and editing of grant proposals and reports
 Performed detailed donor prospect research using Foundation Center and other
databases
 Coordinated travel accommodations, itineraries, and staff meetings
 Maintained extensive electronic and hard copy donor files
 Created, exported and maintained donor mailing lists from database queries
 Maintained accurate foundational constituent records in Raiser’s Edge database
 Regularly prepared financial giving status reports
Manalapan Animal Hospital, Manalapan, NJ
Receptionist to Head Veterinarian
 Performed detailed data entry of patient information into medical database
(Cornerstone)
 Composed detailed patient bills and processed end-of-day financial reports
 Created, organized and filed medical charts
 Answered heavy phones, providing instructions for pet health care and health
emergencies
 Prioritized and scheduled appointments
Ecological Society of America (ESA), Washington, DC
Rapid Response Team – Public Affairs Office
 Identifies the potential ecological consequences of proposed federal regulations and
legislation
 Responds to media inquiries
 Assists ESA with policy letters
 Presents ecological research at ESA congressional briefings and science exhibitions
 Interacts with congressional offices on time-sensitive issues
 Writes letters to the editor for national and local media outlets
Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island, Saunderstown, RI
Wildlife rehabilitation sub-permittee
 Provided direct on-site care for various non-rabies vector species requiring
rehabilitation.
South Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Maplewood, NJ
Wildlife care volunteer
 Provided small animal care on-site and through in-house rehabilitation fostering in
addition to community wildlife education efforts.
 Species included grey squirrel, eastern chipmunk, rabbit, Virginia opossum, raccoon,
and groundhog.
East Brunswick Volunteer Rescue Squad, East Brunswick, NJ
Emergency Medical Technician
 Former NJ State-Licensed Emergency Medical Technician - Basic
 Former 2nd Lieutenant
 Grant Committee
 Bat identification/sexing
 Bat banding/handling/mistnetting
 Amphibian identification (visual and aural)
 DNA Extraction
 Gel electrophoresis
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  Polymerase Chain Reaction o Traditional
o Real-Time

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

September 2017 – present Entomological Society of America

Student Member
 Medical, Urban, Veterinary Entomology Section Member

December 2017 – present Ecological Society of America

Student Member
 Disease Ecology Section Member
 Student Section Member
 Rapid Response Member

SOFTWARE AND COMPUTATIONAL SKILLS

 MS Office Suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook

 Mac Software: Safari, iPhoto, MS Office for Mac
 Database: Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge
 Statistical: R/RStudio, Python, Excel

REFERENCES

Available upon request

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