Ocean County 4-H runs a Jeopardy-style trivia competition, Animalology, once a year. There are several goals guiding this event: to challenge 4-Hers in reading comprehension, to make learning fun, and to build teamwork skills. We hope this event makes learning about animal science—and other areas of STEM—interactive and enjoyable. Interested in running (or collaborating on) […]
The State 4-H Small Animal Educational Symposium will be held on Saturday, February 23, 9:15 am-3:45 pm at the Office of Government Services building located at 1200 North Delsea Drive in Clayton (Gloucester County). The Symposium will provide an opportunity for 4-H members, leaders, and parents to participate in a variety of educational events. Workshops […]
While reptiles and amphibians may seem similar to most people, they are really very different groups of organisms that are not even that closely related! At one time, reptiles and amphibians were zoologically classified as a single group due to some of their similarities and shared characteristics. Herpetology is the branch of zoology that studies […]
For Dr. Sara Ruane, summer 2018 was a whirlwind of travel and science! Here’s her account of what being a professor specializing in herpetology is like. April/May-Lamanai, Belize The first big trip I did for 2018 was in April/May to Belize for two weeks, accompanying my former PhD adviser Frank Burbrink from the American Museum […]
The school year, and a new 4-H year, are just beginning! But it is never too early for 4-H’ers to start thinking about club, county, state or national public presentation opportunities. How can you explore and showcase knowledge of animal science topics in a 4-H public presentation? Here are some ideas: Demonstration: This is already […]
Career Profile Job Title: Executive Director, Co-Founder Name: Michael Starkey Employer: Save The Snakes What does a typical work day look like for you? Save The Snakes does not have a physical office, so I have the great fortune to work from home. Not having a physical office space also allows me great flexibility […]
One of the most common questions asked to herp aficionados is, “Is that snake poisonous?” This is also one of the more frustrating questions, and the terminology “poisonous snake” is used all the time. With a few exceptions, the answer is emphatically NO. BUT – there are a number of venomous snakes! So, what’s the […]
If you don’t mind the idea that you will get bitten, scratched, and defecated on by almost every type of reptile and amphibian…then you can learn how to become a herpetologist! Herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians, but many people asking “how” to become a herpetologist really mean, “How can I be involved […]
The Garden State is known for corn, tomatoes and blueberries. New Jersey is the “Diner Capital of the World” and home of the famous Taylor Ham vs Pork Roll debate as well as the Jersey Shore. But, did you know that Southern New Jersey is home to a special habitat called the Pine Barrens? The Pine […]
Dr. Sara Ruane B.S. (Bachelor of Science) in Biology; M.S. (Master of Science) in Biology; Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in Biology: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior Assistant Professor, Herpetology and Evolutionary Biology Rutgers University-Newark email address: sara.ruane@rutgers.edu News from Dr. Ruane’s Lab What does a typical work day look like for you? A typical work day for […]
