Catherine E. Newman

Curriculum Vitae

Education

​

2017. Ph.D., Biology, Louisiana State University

2009. M.S., Biology, The University of Alabama

2005. B.S.Ed., Elementary Education, The University of Alabama

​

Professional Appointments

2017 - present

Assistant Professor

Biology Program, University of Louisiana Monroe. Monroe, LA.

​

2009 - 2011

Junior Research Specialist

Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California - Davis. Davis, CA.

​

Teaching

​

2017-present

University of Louisiana Monroe. Instructor of record. Undergraduate and graduate courses; face-to-face, hybrid, and online. See Teaching (page) for details.

2011 - 2013

Louisiana State University. Graduate Teaching Assistant

Introductory Biology for Majors (lab), Genetics (problem solving discussion), Herpetology (lab)

​

2007 - 2009

The University of Alabama. Graduate Teaching Assistant

Human Anatomy & Physiology (lab)

​

2006

Arcadia Elementary School. Teacher, Fifth Grade. Tuscaloosa, AL

​

Professional Development in Teaching

​

Courses & Conferences

2020-2021. Open Educational Resources Faculty Learning Community. ULM.

2019. Enabling the next generation of computational biologists. iEvoBio (Providence, RI).

2018. Gulf Coast Summer Institute on Scientific Teaching. Louisiana State University.

​

Workshops Internal to ULM

2020. Inclusive Conversations: Social Determinants of Health and the Intersection of Diversity
2020. Just in CAES workshops: Using Kaltura; Effective Communication; Alternative Assessment
2020. Diversity in Education: Incorporating Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Classroom
2020. FOCUS on Critical Thinking: Closing the Loop with Assessments
2019. Fostering Women’s Leadership Potential in the Classroom
2019. Working with Students on Nonacademic Problems
2018. Safe Zone Training

​

Pedagogy Scholarship & Service

​

Publication

Wright AM, Schwartz RS, Oaks JR, Newman CE, Flanagan SP. (2019). The why, when, and how of computing in biology classrooms. F1000Research, 8, DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.20873.1.

​

Invited Symposia

2019. Newman CE. Teaching computational biology at a regional university using local installs. iEvoBio Conference. Providence, RI.

2019. Panel Participant: Active Teaching. Academic Innovation Center, ULM.

​

Mentorship

​

ULM Mentorship Program

2021-present. Shantrice Dorsey

Undergraduate Honors Option, ULM (course-based independent research)
2021. Hannah Jones, Lauren Polson, Elisa Castillion, David Hernandez, Grace Gunder
2020. Reem Farhat, Caitlyn Sonnier, Arabella Jennings
2018. Dylan Bordelon, Sarah Cheathem, Sangya Sharma

Undergraduate Laboratory Research, ULM
2021. Arabella Jennings. Citizen science data & Coastal Plain salamander seasonality. Directed Study.
2020. Arabella Jennings. Morphology & species delimitation in Plethodon serratus. Honors Option.
2019. Nautica Jones. Morphology & species delimitation in Plethodon serratus. Emerging Scholars.
2018. Benjamin Kirkikis. Population genetics of Eurycea paludicola. Directed Study.

Graduate Student Committees, ULM
M.S. Thesis Committee Chair: Cameron Primeaux (Sp 2021 to present)
Ed.D. Dissertation Committees: Alicia Rollins (Sp 2021 to present)
M.S. Thesis Committees: Abraham Matlak (F 2020 to present), Ben Grizzle (graduated F 2021)
M.S. Non-Thesis Committees: Nathan Duong (chair; F 2020 to present), Benjamin Kirkikis (chair; graduated Sp 2020), Seth Franklin (Sp 2020), Zackary Doolittle (graduated F 2019)
 

Service to Institution

​

University of Louisiana Monroe

• Faculty Advisor, academic advising for Biology majors. 2018-present

• Member, Faculty Search Committee, Biology. 2021-present

• Member, Council for Teacher Education. 2018-present

• Coordinator of student volunteers, Museum of Natural History Committee. 2018-present

• Member, School of Sciences Curriculum Committee. 2017-present

• Senator, Faculty Senate. 2019-2021

• Speaker, Northeast Louisiana College Fair. 2018-2019 (annually)

• Judge, ULM Student Research Symposium. 2018, 2019

• Speaker, Browse on the Bayou high school recruiting fair. 2018

• Volunteer, ULM BioBlitz, Columbia, LA. 2018

• Speaker, ULM Majors Fair. 2017

​

LSU Museum of Natural Science, Outreach Event Volunteer

• Sixth Grade Day, LSU. 2017, 2016

• Special Saturday, LSUMNS. 2017, 2016

• Louisiana Master Naturalists Workshop, LSUMNS. 2016 [2], 2015

• Family STEM Night, Westdale Middle School, Baton Rouge, LA. 2016

• Conference, LATM and LSTA, Baton Rouge, LA. 2016, 2015

• Fall Fest, LSU. 2016, 2015

• LSU Lab School Tiger Challenge Camp, LSU. 2016

• Step Outside Day, La. Dpt. of Wildlife & Fisheries, Krotz Springs, LA. 2016, 2015

• Greenwings Conservation Event, Ducks Unlimited, Covington, LA. 2016

• Geaux Science Welcome Event, LSU. 2015

• Earth Day, Baton Rouge, LA. 2015

​​

The University of Alabama, Outreach Event Volunteer

CAARE: Conservation of Alabama Amphibians & Reptiles through Education. 2007-2009

Service to Community

​

• Judge, Region 3 Science Fair. ULM, Monroe, LA. 2019

• Community Service Volunteer, Baton Rouge flood relief. Baton Rouge, LA. Aug.-Nov. 2016
  Worked with Together Baton Rouge and NECHAMA Jewish Response to Disaster

• Participant, NASA Social. Stennis Space Center, Hancock Co., MS. Feb 2015, Aug 2015, Feb 2016

​​

Service to Profession

​

Journal Services - Peer Reviewer

Animal Conservation (2018), Axios (2016 [2]), Biological Journal of the Linnean Society (2020, 2016), Climatic Change (2019), Conservation Genetics (2018 [2]), Ichthyology & Herpetology/Copeia (2022, 2019), Ecological Applications (2020 [2]), Ecology & Evolution (2020, 2019), Genetics & Molecular Biology (2015), Journal of Heredity (2021, 2020), Journal of Herpetology (2019, 2015), Molecular Ecology (2016 [2], 2015 [2], 2013, 2012), Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution (2020 [2]), PeerJ (2018), Scientific Reports (2018 [2]), Systematics & Biodiversity (2016), Wetlands (2016 [2])

Professional Societies

Association of Southeastern Biologists (2021-present)

National Science Teaching Association (2020-present)

Society of Systematic Biologists (2009-present)

Grants, Awards, Honors

​

2020. Louisiana Board of Regents, One-Year Research Component (1 year; $20,000)
2019. Jan & Gary Luffey Endowed Professorship in Life Science, Univ. Louisiana Monroe (3 years)
2018. Research Hub Mini-Grant, Univ. Louisiana Monroe ($1,000)
2016. McDaniel Travel Award, Louisiana State University ($500)
2014. Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant, National Science Foundation ($19,240)
2009. Ralph Chermock Prize: Outstanding Graduate Student in Systematics & Ecology, Univ. Alabama
2008. Graduate Student Research & Travel Support Fund, The University of Alabama (x2: $600, $200)
2007. Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund, American Museum of Natural History ($1,250)
 

Publications

​

Newman CE, Austin CC (2019) Quantifying amphibian range fragmentation in the southeastern United States. Frontiers of Biogeography, 11, 1-9. DOI: 10.21425/F5FBG37772.

​

Newman CE (2017) Survival of salamanders in a severe flood event in Louisiana. Southeastern Naturalist, 16, N19-N23. Download PDF

​

Newman CE, Gregory TR, Austin CC (2017) The dynamic evolutionary history of genome size in North American woodland salamanders. Genome, 60, 285-292. Download PDF

​

Krysko KL, Nuñez LP, Newman CE, Bowen BW (2017) Phylogenetics of kingsnakes, Lampropeltis getula complex (Serpentes: Colubridae), in Eastern North America. Journal of Heredity, 108, 226-238. Download PDF

​

Newman CE, Austin CC (2016) Sequence capture and next-generation sequencing of ultraconserved elements in a large-genome salamander. Molecular Ecology, 25, 6162-6174. Download PDF

​

Newman CE, Austin CC (2015) Thriving in the cold: glacial expansion and post-glacial contraction of a temperate terrestrial salamander (Plethodon serratus). PLOS ONE, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130131. Download PDF

​

Feinberg JA, Newman CE, Watkins-Colwell GJ, Schlesinger MD, Zarate B, Curry BR, Shaffer HB, Burger J (2014) Cryptic diversity in Metropolis: confirmation of a new leopard frog species (Anura: Ranidae) from New York City and surrounding Atlantic Coast regions. PLOS ONE, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108213. Download PDF

Carstens BC, Brennan RS, Chua V, Duffie CV, Harvey MG, Koch RA, McMahan CD, Nelson BJ, Newman CE, Satler JD, Seeholzer G, Posbic K, Tank DC, Sullivan J (2013) Model selection as a tool for phylogeographic inference: an example from the willow Salix melanopsis. Molecular Ecology, 22, 4014-4028.  Download PDF

Spinks PQ, Thomson RC, Pauly GB, Newman CE, Mount G, Shaffer HB (2013) Misleading phylogenetic inferences based on single-exemplar sampling in the turtle genus Pseudemys. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution, 68, 269-281.  Download PDF

Newman CE, Feinberg JA, Rissler LJ, Burger J, Shaffer HB (2012) A new species of leopard frog (Anura: Ranidae) from the urban northeastern US. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution, 63, 445-455. Download PDF

Newman CE, and LJ Rissler (2011) Phylogeographic analyses of the southern leopard frog: the impact of geography and climate on the distribution of genetic lineages vs. subspecies. Molecular Ecology, 20 (24), 5295-5312.  Download PDF

Spinks PQ, Thomson RC, Barley AJ, Newman CE, Shaffer HB (2010) Testing avian, squamate, and mammalian nuclear markers for cross amplification in turtles. Conservation Genetics Resources, DOI: 10.1007/s12686-010-98184-7.  Download PDF

Invited Seminars

​

2022. Newman CE. Coastal Plain salamanders: ecology, population genetics, and the impact of citizen science. Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA.
 

2021. Hersey L, Foy B, Newman CE. From silos to sandboxes: how to enhance cross-disciplinary partnerships. For Our Future Conference. University of Louisiana System, online.
 

2016. Newman CE. Phylogeography of the salamander Plethodon serratus across four isolated regions of the southeastern US. Emporia State University, Emporia, KS.
 

Conference Presentations

​

2019. Kirkikis BG, Newman CE. Population genetics of salamanders in a geographically isolated highland in northwest Louisiana. Louisiana Herpetology Conference. LUMCON, Chauvin, LA.
 

2019. Newman CE. Phylogenetics of Coastal Plain Plethodon Salamanders. Evolution. Providence, RI.
 

2017. Newman CE, Austin CC. Dynamic evolutionary history of genome size in North American woodland salamanders. Society of Systematic Biologists Meeting. Baton Rouge, LA.
 

2016. Newman CE. Phylogeography of Plethodon serratus (Plus: survivor salamanders). Louisiana Herpetology Conference. LUMCON, Chauvin, LA.
 

2016. Newman CE, Austin CC. Sequence capture of UCEs for intraspecific phylogenetics and species delimitation of a large-genome salamander, Plethodon serratus. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. New Orleans, LA.
 

2016. Newman CE, Austin CC. Sequence capture of UCEs for intraspecific phylogenetics and species delimitation of a large-genome salamander. Evolution. Austin, TX.
 

2014. Newman CE, Austin CC. Phylogeography & conservation of the salamander Plethodon serratus across four isolated regions of the southeastern US. Evolution. Raleigh, NC.
 

2013. Newman CE, Austin CC. Phylogeography of Plethodon serratus across four isolated regions of the southeastern US. Louisiana Herpetology Conference. LUMCON, Chauvin, LA.
 

2013. Newman CE, Austin CC. Phylogeography & conservation of the salamander Plethodon serratus across four isolated regions of the southeastern US. Evolution. Snowbird, UT.
 

2012. Newman CE. A new species of leopard frog (Anura: Ranidae) from the urban northeastern US. First Joint Congress on Evolutionary Biology. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
 

2009. Newman CE, Rissler LJ. Uncovering cryptic diversity: an integrative approach to reconstructing the evolutionary history of Rana sphenocephala. Evolution. Moscow, ID.
 

2009. Newman CE, Rissler LJ. Integrating genetics, ecological niche modeling, and morphology to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Rana sphenocephala. Association of Southeastern Biologists. Birmingham, AL.
 

2008. Newman CE, Rissler LJ. An integrative approach to resolving taxonomic controversy and reconstructing the evolutionary history of Rana sphenocephala. The Systematics Association: Young Systematists’ Forum. London, England, UK.
 

2008. Newman CE, Rissler LJ. Phylogeography and systematics of the southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala). Ecological Society of America. Milwaukee, WI.
 

2008. Newman CE, Rissler LJ. Phylogeography and systematics of the southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala). The Herpetology Conference. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

​

Additional Experience & Training

​

2014-2016. Curatorial Assistant. LSU Museum of Natural Science, Herpetology Collection.

2014. Workshop in Conservation Genomics. La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, UCLA.

2009. Applied Phylogenetics Workshop. Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory, University of California-Davis.