Kirsten Bjornson

630-***-**** ● acc73o@r.postjobfree.com

Current Address Permanent Address

**** *. **** **., ***. 15 7435 Warren St.

Radford, VA 24141 Forest Park, IL 60130

RELEVANT SKILLS

Communication and Interpersonal

• Advanced writing, proofreading, and communication skills

• Strong research team skills including interacting and cooperating with a research team to successfully

complete projects

• Excellent customer service skills

Computer

• Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Access)

• SPSS statistical analysis software

• Noldus Ethovision video tracking software

EDUCATION

Radford University: May 2014, expected graduation

• Masters of Arts Candidate in Experimental Psychology

• GPA: 3.81

Augustana College: Class of 2011

• Bachelor of Arts Double Major in Psychology and Biology

Academic Honors

• Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (2013-present)

• Sigma Xi, The Research Society (2011)

• Dean’s Scholar (2009-2011)

• Presidential Scholar (2007-2009)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Research Compliance Graduate Assistantship: Radford University, Aug. 2012-May 2014

• Extensive review and proofreading of IRB research protocols.

• Provides customer service to faculty and students with regards to the IRB submission process,

regulations, and electronic submission and website use.

• Manages Excel and Access databases, along with other electronic and file record-keeping.

• Assists in developing online research compliance training modules

• Assists in maintaining IRB website

• Trained second graduate assistant in the regulations, processes, procedures, and maintenance of

Research Compliance Office.

Wildlife Internship: Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC, Oct. 2011-May 2012

Assisted wildlife biologist, D.J. Schubert in preservation of wild horses.

Collected literature, contacted Bureau of Land Management officials, input and organized data into

Excel spreadsheets.

Participated in various projects and attended governmental meetings related to animal welfare.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Thesis- Exogenous Corticosterone Administration vs. an Environmental Stressor: Approach

Behaviors in Passer Domesticus, expected defense May 2014

Supervised by Dr. Jason Davis, Radford University, Jan. 2013-Present

Conducted thorough scholarly literature review, developed an empirically-based hypothesis and

procedures to examine stress physiology and behaviors.

Independently collected and statistically analyzed data.

Utilized bird handling and blood sample collection techniques.

Current results were presented at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology conference in Jan.

2014, Austin, TX.

Graduate Research Assistant- Dr. Jason Davis, Radford University, Nov. 2012-Present

Attend weekly Ecophysiology Lab meetings to critically review literature in the field.

Monitor house sparrow well-being through participating feeding and cleaning of the aviary.

Assist in capture of wild house sparrows, including implementing bird banding techniques and housing

in the aviary for future use in research.

Graduate Research Assistant- Dr. Dayna Hayes, Radford University, Jan. 2014-Present

Attend weekly Neuropharmacology Lab meetings to present and discuss relevant literature.

Assist with research projects involving rat treatment, care, breeding, behavioral tasks, drug

administration, tissue preparation, neurology and immunochemistry techniques.

Results to be presented at Radford University Forum in May 2014, along with Society for Neuroscience

conference in May, 2014, Seattle, WA.

Test Development- Validation of the PIASR Scale: Wild-born and Lab-bred Animals

Supervised by Dr. Jared Caughron, Radford University, Fall 2013-Present

As part of a research team, developed a novel scale, The Perceptions Inventory of Animal Samples in

Research (PIASR) to compare perceptions of animal model use in research.

Survey was presented to over 400 freshmen and participated in conducting statistical analyses.

Presented at the Radford University Research Forum, Nov. 2013.

Participating in further developing the PIASR to survey a more generalizable population.

Psychology Senior Inquiry Project- Dog Personality in Object-Choice Tasks

Supervised by Dr. Daniel Corts, Augustana College, Aug., 2011-May 2011

Investigated object-choice task (following human pointing cues) performance in dogs with independent

hypotheses and methodology development.

Trained assistants to carry out procedures.

Results were presented at the Augustana Psychology Senior Forum in May 2011.

Research Assistant- Dr. Steve Hager, Augustana College, Summer 2010

Surveyed buildings for bird species in the Quad Cities region of IL.

Participated in paper discussions relevant to Dr. Hager’s bird field research.

Biology Senior Inquiry Project- Determining Red-Winged Blackbird Territory Size

Supervised by Dr. Kevin C. Geedey, Augustana College, Summer 2010

Observed territorial behaviors for a week at Augustana College’s conservancy in Northwestern IL.

Extensive data analysis performed through an Excel spreadsheet.

Results were shared at a poster presentation for fellow Sigma Xi members.

Contact this candidate