Wittenberg senior to speak at international conference in Montreal
Saturday, March 22, 2008
SPRINGFIELD — Justin Rheubert thinks he might be one of the few undergraduates to take part in an upcoming international science symposium.
His Wittenberg University professor believes Rheubert will likely be the only undergraduate author to speak.
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"With these international meetings, typically they invite authors or speakers at the Ph.D. level," said Kevin Gribbins, assistant professor of biology, "This is a very unique thing for Justin."
The Wittenberg senior will present findings on the reproductive development of the Louisiana Cottonmouth Snake to the International Conference of the Society of Ichthiologists and Herpetologists. The symposium, called "The Life History of the Water Moccasin" will be held in Montreal in July.
Rheubert, from South Vienna, had been working with Gribbins on an evolutionary table when he began studying the reptile's reproductive system to see if it would prove to be developmentally different from both amphibians and mammals.
After nine and a half months, he found it — the snake produces sperm twice during two independent events within a single year. Rheubert and Gribbins are the first to describe this phenomenon within North American pit vipers.
"It's exciting because it's one of the first studies I've done by myself, with Dr. Gribbin's guidance," Rheubert said. "I steadily spend almost every day (in the laboratory). I didn't know we would find something like this."
Southeastern Louisiana University, where Rheubert will pursue his graduate degree, collected the snakes for Rheubert's research. The university conducted a sister study on the females.
"He has done a tremendous amount of work on this, basically doing Ph.D-type research," Gribbens said. "He sleeps in the lab a lot — at my discouragement, of course."
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0347 or kmori@coxohio.com.
SPRINGFIELD — Justin Rheubert thinks he might be one of the only undergraduates to take part in an upcoming international science symposium.His Wittenberg University professor believes Rheubert will likely be the only undergraduate author to speak.
"With these international meetings, typically they invite authors or speakers at the Ph.D. level," said Kevin Gribbins, assistant professor of biology, "This is a very unique thing for Justin."
The Wittenberg senior will present findings on the reproductive development of the Louisiana Cottonmouth Snake to the International Conference of the Society of Ichthiologists and Herpetologists. The symposium, called "The Life History of the Water Moccasin" will be held in Montreal in July.
Rheubert, from South Vienna, had been working with Gribbins on an evolutionary table when he began studying the reptile's reproductive system to see if it would prove to be developmentally different from both amphibians and mammals.
After 9 1/2 months, he found it — the snake produces sperm twice during two independent events within a single year. Rheubert and Gribbins are the first to describe this phenomenon within North American pit vipers.
"It's exciting because it's one of the first studies I've done by myself, with Dr. Gribbin's guidance," Rheubert said. "I steadily spend almost every day (in the laboratory). I didn't know we would find something like this."
Southeastern Louisiana University, where Rheubert will pursue his graduate degree, collected the snakes for Rheubert's research. The university conducted a sister study on the females.
"He has done a tremendous amount of work on this, basically doing Ph.D-type research," Gribbens said. "He sleeps in the lab a lot — at my discouragement, of course."
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0347 or kmori@coxohio.com.
