Current Lab Members
Madeline Ketner
Lab Co-Manager and Lead Researcher
Madeline is majoring in Animal Studies and Psychology. Throughout high school, she worked at the Greensboro Science Center Aquarium as a docent, which allowed her to educate her community about the ocean and its inhabitants. There, she found her passion for educating others on animals and the natural environment. Since being at Eckerd, Madeline has had the opportunity to work with primates, dolphins and elephants. Upon graduating, Madeline would like to go to graduate school and develop a career based on teaching in higher education and animal behavior research.
Nancy Strever
Lab Co-Manager and Lead Researcher
Nancy Strever is a junior Animal Studies and Biology double major with a minor in Marine Science. Nancy’s interest in animal research was sparked by her pets, a love of travel, and working as a veterinary assistant. While at Eckerd, Nancy has completed a Zoo Research Fellowship and a Behavioral Research Internship at ZooTampa where she studied correlations between primate behavior and visitor levels. Nancy has also done research with lemur foraging cognition through the CB lab and is the Pet Care and Events chair on Pet Life at Eckerd. Nancy is excited to be a lab manager of the Comparative Psychology Lab and hopes to study animal behavior and cognition in the future.
SEAN JACOBSON
Sean is a double major in Biology and Animal Studies. He has spent his youth traveling and working with wildlife. He has also spent time researching sloth anatomy in Costa Rica, as well as monitoring lemur behavior in Madagascar. Sean has a dog at home named Puff who is pictured alongside him. In his spare time, you can find Sean and his Bearded Dragon soaking up the sun on the beach and lounging in a hammock. Sean started in the ECCPL as a First Year Research Associate, and he continues working in the lab.
HAILEY MCGOVERN
Ever since Hailey was a little girl she has always surrounded herself with animals. She grew up riding horses, and has owned multiple pets ranging from a hermit crab to a dog! Most recently she has been working around marine mammals. She has a particular love for dolphins and studying their behavior. After college she hopes to pursue a career in marine mammal training in managed care!
Molly Murphy
Molly is a double major in Animal Studies and Psychology. She is from Kerrville, Texas and has always been around wildlife. Molly has always been passionate about animal care, wanting to gain experience in various settings. She has been curious about animal behavior from a young age, especially regarding mammals. She has done internships at zoos and is hoping to gain even more animal behavior research and management experience before graduating college. Molly is enthusiastic about joining the lab and furthering her career goals.
Taylor Wasco
Hi! I’m Taylor Wasco I’m from Illinois. I am free spirit who loves animals and has hope to work with and study the behavior and cognition of Dolphins! I’m majoring in Animal Studies and minoring in Psychology. I am also the surfboard club leader and a new member of the comparative psychology lab!
Gracie barrentine
Lead Researcher
Hi everyone! My name is Gracie Barrentine. I plan on double majoring with Animal Studies and Psychology with a possible minor in theatre. I've always grown up loving animals and I would love to work and train with rehabilitated animals. Marine mammals have a special place in my heart, and I've recently been interested in the conservation of the Northern White Rhinos species. I've volunteered and worked at the Tarpon Springs Aquarium and Clearwater Marine Aquarium and I want to continue learning about conservation efforts and the rehabilitation of animals with focus on marine mammals!
Lily Collins
Lily Collins is a senior majoring in Animal Studies with minors in Biology and Psychology. She grew up in a suburb close to Chicago, Illinois. Lily is very passionate about marine mammals and loves to visit various aquariums as she travels. Her love for marine mammals grew from learning how to scuba dive at 11 years old and diving in different locations. She wants to work with marine mammals in rehabilitation, conservation, rescue and research!
ALLISON KENAWALL
Hi, I am Allison and I am a double major in animal studies and biology. I am from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and animals have always been a large part of my life. I spent four years volunteering at the Pittsburgh National Aviary. I look forward to gaining more research experience from working with the Comparative Psychology Lab, and plan to use these skills in my future career paths.
Maddie Enman
Maddie is a double major in both Marine Biology and Animal Studies. She grew up in Chicago surrounded by cats, dogs, guinea pigs- you name it! This past summer, she spent most of her time volunteering at the Riemann Aquarium in Milwaukee working with the sturgeons. Maddie recently started up as a volunteer at Mote Aquarium. After she graduates, she hopes to attend graduate school and then work within the marine rescue and rehabilitation field, eventually working in higher education.
Kaylee O'Bryan
Kaylee is a double major in Animal Studies and Psychology and will be graduating in May of 2024. Kaylee has always had a strong passion for the well-being of animals being most interested in dogs, manatees, big cats, and primates. While working with dogs most of her life and fostering and training two Doberman youths this past summer, she became highly intrigued about their behaviors and cognitive abilities. Since being at Eckerd, Kaylee has been involved with the Frick Animal Behavior Lab, collecting and studying research data on dolphins at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. After graduation, Kaylee would like to continue her education and become a Veterinarian Technician with a focus on working with Zoo animals.
Ansley Bossart
Ansley is majoring in Animal Studies with minors in Marine Science and Spanish. She is passionate about animals and conservation and desires to pursue a career in animal care and rescue and rehabilitation. She is currently on the Parrot Cognition project with Apollo the African grey. She has her snake, Sammy, with her here at Eckerd. Ansley is grateful and excited to be joining the lab!
Chloe Shuskey
Chloe is a double major in Animal Studies and Theatre and is also double minoring in Chemistry and Marine Science. She is from Western, New York where she found her love for animals through the various pets, farms, and wildlife in the area. Chloe has always had a passion for animals and wants to continue researching their behavior, abilities, and voicing for their welfare and conservation after college. She has experience training various animals, working with shelter and farm animals, and can’t wait to continue gaining experience through the rest of her career. Her dream research involves animals and their relationships to music. Chloe is very excited to join the lab and further her career goals and experiences.