Elaine Montes is a PhD student in the Environmental Biology Program. She graduated in May 2016 from Binghamton University in New York and earned her B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior. In her time at Binghamton, she worked in an Ornithology lab investigating the influence of urbanization, fragmentation, and deer population increases on local community species. She also volunteered as a sea turtle research assistant in Costa Rica, collecting data on mass-laying events (arribadas). Elaine spent the last year in Washington, D.C. working with the National Park Service to connect local and visiting park enthusiasts with greenspace service projects. Her interests lie in evaluating the effects of anthropological disturbances on animal behavior and ecology. Elaine is an avid camper and traveler, and loves to cook.