CURRICULUM VITA - Dr. Jerry D. Johnson
(28 December2017)
PROFESSIONAL ADDRESS HOME ADDRESS
Department of Biological Sciences 3147 Wheeling, El Paso, Texas 79930
The University of Texas at El Paso Phone: (915) 565-2245; (915) 497-2171
El Paso, Texas 79968
Phone: (915) 747-6984
E-mail:
PERSONAL DATA
Born: Salina, Kansas, 1 September 1947.
Married: Wife, Kathryn, two boy children (Walker and Brett).
Military: United States Marine Corps, 1966-1969. Honorable Discharge (Sergeant E-5). Vietnam Veteran.
EDUCATION
High School: Assaria High School, Assaria, Kansas (1965).
BS (Zoology): Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas (1972).
MS (Biology): The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas (1975).
Dr. Robert G. Webb, advisor.
Thesis: The Taxonomy and Distribution of the Neotropical Whipsnake, Masticophis mentovarius.
PhD(Wildlife & Fisheries Sci.): Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas (1984).
Dr. James R. Dixon, advisor.
Dissertation: A Biogeographic Analysis of the Herpetofauna of Northwestern Nuclear Central America.
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
2000 - Present: Professor of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). (Tenured, 2000).
2000 – Present: Faculty member, Environmental Sciences and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Ph.D. Programs, UTEP.
2000 – Present: Graduate Faculty, Department of Biological Sciences, UTEP.
1975 - 2000: Instructor of Biology, El Paso Community College (EPCC). (Tenured, 1980).
1984 - 2000: Visiting Faculty, Department of Biological Sciences, UTEP.
1975: Lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences, UTEP.
1974: Lab Assistant (Biochemistry), UTEP.
1973 - 1975: Teaching Assistant (Biology), UTEP.
1973: Teaching Assistant (Herpetology), Fort Hays State University.
COLLEGE COURSES Developed andTAUGHT
GRADUATE
Biogeography (UTEP); Environmental Biology (UTEP); Ecology of Desert Organisms (UTEP); Genetics and Evolution (UTEP); Research in Biological Science (UTEP); Independent Research (UTEP); Advanced Research Techniques (UTEP); Seminar: Species Concepts; (UTEP); Thesis (UTEP); Dissertation (UTEP).
UNDERGRADUATE
General Biology for Science Majors I (EPCC and UTEP); General Biology for Science Majors II (EPCC and UTEP); Biology for Liberal Arts Majors (EPCC); Desert Ecology (UTEP); Invertebrate Zoology (EPCC); Vertebrate Zoology (UTEP and EPCC); Evolutionary Theory (UTEP); General Zoology (EPCC); General Botany (EPCC); Field Biology (UTEP); Human Ecology (EPCC). Anatomy and Physiology (EPCC);Interdisciplinary Science I and II (EPCC); Special Problems (UTEP); Topics in Biology (UTEP); Undergraduate Research (UTEP).
POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS
1. Vicente Mata-Silva, PhD: Department of Biological Sciences, J. D. Johnson’s Lab 2012-2016. Herpetological research on IMRS and Mesoamerican systematics and conservation.Lecturer, and support for the UTEP Ecology and Evolution PhD program.Presently Biology Department EEB undergraduate Advisor.
GRADUATE STUDENTS (UTEP)
Major Advisor/Co-advisor (Director)
1. David A. Kizirian: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (1987). Thesis: Geographic Variation in the Zone of Contact between Two Subspecies of Gopher Snakes (Pituophis melanoleucus). 69 pp. PhD, University of Kansas, 1996. Presently, herpetology curator, American Museum of Natural History. Co-Director with R. G. Webb.
2. Christopher R. Harrison: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (1992). Thesis: A Taxonomic Revision of the Snakes in the Coniophanes piceivittis species group. 65 pp. Presently, Instructor, San Antonio Community College. Co-Director with R. G. Webb.
3. Travis J. LaDuc:MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (1996). Thesis: A Taxonomic Revision of the Adelphicos quadravirgatum species group (Serpentes: Colubridae). 94 pp. PhD, University of Texas at Austin, 2003. Presently, Assistant Curator of Herpetology, Texas Memorial Museum, University of Texas at Austin. Co-Director with R. G. Webb.
4. Curtis M. Eckerman: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (1996). Thesis: Variation, Systematics, and Interspecific Position of Heterodon nasicus (Serpentes: Colubridae). 198 pp. Presently, Science Group Chair/Arts and Sciences, Biology, Des Moines Area Community College. Co-Director with E. Walsh.
5. Alvaro Dominguez: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (2000). Thesis: An Analysis of Rock Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Lepidus) from the Northern Portion of its Range. 59 pp. Presently, Consumer Safety Officer, Dept. Health and Human Services, USDA. Co-Director with R. G. Webb.
6. Paul E. Hotchkin: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (2002). Thesis: Comparative Escape Behavior of Parthenogenetic and Gonochoristic Lizards of the Genus Cnemidophorus. 67 pp.Rated Top Graduating MS student in Biology Department,spring 2002. Presently, teaches at EPCC.
7. Allison Davis: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (2003). Thesis: The Limnology and Macroinvertebrates of Squaw Spring, Indio Mountain Research Station. 54 pp.Rated Top Graduating MS Student in Biology Department,spring 2003. Presently, Ph.D., University of North Texas.
8. Vicente Mata-Silva: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (May 2005). Thesis: Diet Comparison Between Sympatric Lizards of the Genus Aspidoscelis on Indio Mountains Research Station, Texas. 50 pp. Rated best MS thesis in Biology for 2005. Graduated with honors. PhD in Department of Biological Sciences, UTEP, December 2011.
9. Luis Miranda: MS Biological Sciences (December2009). Thesis: Ecological Study of Oxygen Consumption in Three Species of Rattlesnakes, Crotalus atrox, C.lepidus, and C. molossus (Viperidae) from the Northern Chihuahuan Desert. 53 pp. Teaches Science at a local El Paso area High School.
10. Vicente Mata-Silva: PhD Biological Sciences (December 2011). Dissertation: Ecology of Crotaluslepidus in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert. 113 pp. Rated best PhD Dissertation in Ecology and Evolution section of UTEP Biology Department for 2011. PostDoc Fellowship. Department of Biological Sciences, UTEP (J. D. Johnson, mentor).
11. Ross O. Couvillon: MS Biological Sciences (December 2011). Ecogeographical Distribution of the Herpetofauna of Indio Mountains Research Station, Hudspeth County, Texas.100 pp. Presently PhD student at Texas A&M University – Kingsville.
12. Arturo Rocha: MS Biological Sciences (August 2012). Spatial Ecology of the Trans-Pecos Rat Snake, Bogertophis subocularis, in the Chihuahuan Desert of Trans-Pecos, Texas. 92 pp. Presently teaching at EPCC.
13. WilliamLukefahr: MS Biological Sciences (May 2013). Comparison of Ectoparasitic Mite Loads Between Gonochoristic (Aspidoscelis marmorata) and Parthenogenetic (A. tesselata) Syntopic Whiptail Lizards (Teiidae) from the Northern Chihuahuan Desert of Trans-Pecos, Texas. 73 pp. Spring 2013 Academic Excellence Award for Top Graduate Student in the Biology Department. Currently teaching at EPCC.
14. Katie Anderson: MS Biological Sciences (Fall 2013). Thesis: Influence of Ecological Light Pollution on Advertisement Calls of Spea multiplicata (Amphibia: Anura: Scaphiopodidae) in Rural and Urban Populations in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert and an evaluation of Hybrid S. bombifrons x S. multiplicatacalls. 62 pp.Received the Fall 2013 Academic Achievement Award for Top Graduate Student in the College of Science. She presently works at the Albuquerque, New Mexico Zoo.
15. Geoffrey Wiseman: MS Biological Sciences (Summer 2014). Thesis: An Avian Survey Conducted at Five Water Sources Within the Northern Chihuahuan Desert on Indio Mountains Research Station, Texas. 57 pp. Presently works for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Ranger at Franklin Mountains State Park.
16. Julia Sandoval Alva: MS Biological Sciences (Summer 2014). Thesis: Thermal Ecology of Urosaurus ornatus (Ornate Tree Lizard), in the Northern Chihuahuan Desert on Indio Mountains Research Station, Texas. 49 pp. Presently PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Section of the Department of Biological Sciences, UTEP (Fall 2014)
17. James Emerson: PhD Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Fall 2013, In Progress). Spatial Ecology of the Ornate Black-tailed Rattlesnake, Crotalus ornatus (Squamata: Viperidae) in a Chihuahuan Desert Landscape on Indio Mountains Research Station, Hudspeth County, Texas.
18. Gabriela Franco: MS Biological Sciences (May 2015). Ecological Features of the Greater Earless Lizard, Cophosaurus texanus (Squamata: Phrynosomatidae), on Indio Mountains Research Station, Hudspeth County, Texas. 88 pp.
19. Dominic DeSantis: PhD Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Fall 2014, in progress). Long-term Ecological Analysis and Modeling of Crotalus atrox on Indio Mountains Reserch Station, Hudspeth County, Texas, and Franklin Mountains State Park, El Paso County, Texas.
20. Sara Baqla: MS Biological Sciences (May 2017). Ecogeographic Analysis of the Grasshoppers, Katydids (Orthoptera) in a Chihuahuan Desert Landscape on Indio Mountains Research Station, Texas. AmeriCorps.
21.Julie Schlichte:MS Biological Sciences (Fall 2015, in progress). Community Ecology Comparison of the Whiptail Lizards (Teiidae: Aspidoscelis) along a geographic transect in The Chihuahuan Desert of the Southwestern United States of America.
22. Kayla Garza: MS Biological Sciences (Fall 2016, in progress). Ecogeography of Birds in the Oak and Juniper Communities on Indio MountainsResearch Station, Hudspeth County, Texas.
23. Guillermo Alvarez: PhD Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Spring 2017, in progress). Dissertation subject to be announced.
24. Océane Da Cunha: PhD Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Accepted for Spring 2018). Dissertation subject to be announced.
25. Joshua Mead: PhD Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (will apply for Fall 2018).
Committee Member
1. Christine Carranza: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (1997). Thesis: Parasites of the Lizards in the Genus Cnemidophorus Collected in West Texas and Southern New Mexico.
2. Deborah J. Gordon: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (1997). Thesis: Incremental Tail Loss and Running Speed of Cnemidophorus inornatus (Reptilia: Teiidae).
3. Brian J. Wooldridge: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (1999). Thesis: DNA Analysis for Metalloproteninase and Mojave Toxin Genes in Chromosomal DNA of the Mojave Rattlesnake Crotalus scutulatus.
4. Dominic I. Lannutti: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (2000). Thesis: Morphological Variation in Salvadoragrahamiae and Related Taxa (Serpentes: Colubridae). Instructor, El Paso Community College. Presently, PhD Candidate, UTEP.
5. Matthew McMillan: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (2002). Thesis: Variation in Crotalus basiliscus and Crotalus molossus with an Evaluation of Hybridization. Presently, Ecologist SWCA Environmental Consultants, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
6. Raul Gutierrez: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (2002). Thesis: Molecular Systematics of Proboscidae (Martyniaceae) and Allied Genera Using the ITS Region of Nuclear Ribosomal DNA.
7. Francisco Martinez-Gonzales: PhD Environmental Sciences and Engineering, UTEP (2002). Dissertation: How Slope, Aspect, and Shading Angles Determine the Distribution of Some Plants in the Chihuahuan Desert.
8. Saul Nava: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (2004). Thesis: Comparative Ecology Between Three Species of Geckos on Puerto Rico. PhD, Indiana Univ., 2009.
9. Helen Brewer: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (2004). Thesis: A Survey of the Mammals of Indio Mountains Research Station. Presently, High School Teacher, Socorro ISD, El Paso, Texas.
10. Bonnie Payan: MS Secondary Education, UTEP (2005). Thesis: Affects of Inquiry Based Instruction. Teacher in El Paso area public school.
11. Dana Carciumaru: PhD Geological Sciences, UTEP (2005). Dissertation: Structural Geology, Tectonics, and Fluid Flow in the Northern Bend of the Chihuahuan Trough.
12. Angela Chavez: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (2006). Thesis: Comparative Vertebral Morphology in Medium-sized North American Artiodactyla.
13. David Tatum: MS Geological Sciences, UTEP (2006). Thesis: Stratigraphic heterogeneities on dune Architecture and Fluid Migration, Permian Cedar Mesa Sandstone, SE Utah.
14. Joseph D. DiBenedetto: PhD Geological Sciences, UTEP (2008). Dissertation: Comparison of Oxygen 18/16 Ratio in Fossil Turtle Shells from the “Turtle-Oreodon Zone” (Badlands National Park, South Dakota) and Marfa, Texas (Little Egypt Local Fauna): Paleoclimatological Implications for the Mid Oligocene Temperature Fluctuations.
15. Abby Wood: MS Geological Sciences, UTEP (2010). Thesis: Tectonic Geomorphology of Puna-Tsang Chhu
Watershed, Bhutan.
16. John Enriquez: MS Chemistry, UTEP (2010): Thesis: Enthalpies of Mixing Water and Alkoxythanois.
17. Dominic Lannutti: PhD Candidate, Biological Sciences, UTEP (August2004, In Progress). Phylogeography of the Mojave Rattlesnake, Crotalus scutulatus.
18. Seth Page: MS Geological Sciences, UTEP (May 2011). Thesis: Fold-thrust System Overprinting Syn-rift Structures on the Margin of an Inverted Rift Basin: Indio Mountains, West Texas.
19. Fernanda De La Cerda: MS Environmental Sciences, UTEP (May 2011). Thesis: Effect of Rain Events on the Seasonal and Permanent Water Bodies of Indio Mountains Research Station.
20. Rebecca Marin: PhD Biological Sciences (May 2012). Dissertation: An Assessment of Land Cover Change at the Indio Mountains Research Station.
21. David Linn: PhD, Biological Sciences, UTEP(August 2012). Quantification of Dacade-Time ScaleChange in Land Cover and Radiative Forcing Potential in Beringia.
22. Francisco Portillo: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (December 2012). Thesis: Systematics of Leptopelis (Anura: Arthroleptidae) from the Itombwe Plateau, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. PhD program, UTEP.
23. Mayra J. Leyva: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (December 2013). Thesis: A Revision of the New World Ants of the Genus Platythyrea Roger 1963 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
24. Daniel F. Hughes: PhD Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UTEP (August 2013, in progress). Dissertation: Phylogenetic Systematics and Evolution of Specialized Neural Structures Associated with the Visual Systems of Chameleons from the Albertine Rift, Africa.
25. Pawan Budhathoki: MS Geological Sciences, UTEP (May 2014). Thesis: Syntectonic Sedimentation in an Extended Basin, Cretaceous of Southern North America.
26. Thornton Larson: MS Biological Sciences, UTEP (May 2015). Thesis: Systematics of the African River Frogs Genus Amietia (Anura: Pyxicephalidae) from Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. PhD program at UTA.
27. Victor Hugo González-Sanchez: PhDin Ecology and Sustainable Development, ECOSUR, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico (May 2015, in progress). Dissertation: Diversidad y Endemismo de la Herpetofauna de Centroamérica.
28.Andre A. Llanos: MS Geological Sciences, UTEP (December 2017). Thesis: Using Geochemical Tools to Understand Depositional and Tectonic Controls on Unique Carbonate Features of the Lower Cretaceous Yucca Formations, Indio Mountains, West Texas.
29. Myra Guerrero: MS Geological Sciences, UTEP (August 2015, in progress). Thesis: Subsurface Structures Related To Thin-skinned Deformation Due to Out of Sequence Thrusting and Inverted Basins on the Indio Mountains of West Texas.
30. Samantha Ramirez: MS Geological Sciences, UTEP (Fall 2015, in progress). Thesis: Stratigraphy of the Yucca Formation in the Southern Region of the Indio Mountains of West Texas.
31.Matthew R, Fox: MS Geological Sciences, UTEP (August 2016). Thesis: Sedimentologic and Stratigraphic Analysis of Synrift Siliciclastic Fluvial Lithofaces Interstratified with Lacustrine Carbonates in the Lower Cretaceous Upper Yucca Formation, Indio Mountains, West Texas.
SENIOR HONORS THESES CHAIRED, COMMITTEE MEMBER
David W. Sweetay. 2001. Survey of the Rodents of the Indio Mountains Research Station, Hudspeth County, Texas. Biological Sciences, UTEP (Chairman). Winner of the UTEP best honors thesis competition for 2002.
Natalie Whitfield. 2002. Sporozoite Penetration in Mus mucsculus:Eimeriapapillata and Eimeriafalciformis. Biological Sciences, UTEP (Committee Member).
Jennifer Ramos-Chavez. 2010. Genetic Variation Within Populations of the Bdelloid Rotifer Philodina megalotrocha.
Biological Sciences, UTEP (Committee Member). PhD program, Department of Biological Sciences, UTEP (Fall 2011, In Progress).
COLLEGE COURSES AND ACTIVITIES DEVELOPED
BIOLOGY SEMINAR: Developed a one semester seminar course on species and subspecies concepts, UTEP (2009).
EVOLUTIONARY THEORY: Developed one semester undergraduate Course, UTEP (2011).
GENETICS AND EVOLUTION:Developed one semester graduate course for Masters of Art in Teaching program, UTEP (2009).
ECOLOGY OF DESERT ORGANISMS: Developed a one semester graduate course, with lab section, UTEP (2005).
DESERT ECOLOGY: Developed one semester upper division undergraduate course with a laboratory section,UTEP (2005).
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY: Developed a one semester PhD level course for Environmental Science and Engineering Ph.D. program. UTEP (2004)
FIELD BIOLOGY: Developed a one semester upper division undergraduate course that includes a weeklong field trip to Indio Mountains Research Station, UTEP (2000).
INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE: Co-developed a two semester, team-taught undergraduate course covering the history, major revolutions, and cultural implications of science, UTEP/EPCC (NSF funded).
ZOOLOGY: Developed lecture courses in invertebrate (EPCC) and vertebrate zoology (UTEP and EPCC), plus respective labs.
BOTANY: Developed a course in General Botany with respective lab (EPCC).
HONORS BIOLOGY: Developed a scientific research honors component for General Biology, Human Ecology, and Invertebrate and Vertebrate Zoology courses (EPCC). The honors components were field oriented research projects.
STUDENT RESEARCH: Developed and initiated extensive field research components into General Biology, Zoology, and Human Ecology courses at EPCC and Field Biology at UTEP. Students participated on one-week field trips to either The Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans, Puerto Penasco, Mexico (fall), or to the Indio Mountains Research Station, Hudspeth County, Texas (fall, spring, summer).
ENVIRONMENT AND MAN: Developed a course in human ecology (EPCC).
GENERAL BIOLOGY LABS: Developed auto-tutorial and open labs (EPCC).
GENERAL BIOLOGY LABS: Assisted in preparing auto-tutorial and open labs (UTEP).
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE
2017 – Present. Co-Director: Biology MS program review, Biological Sciences (UTEP).
2016 – Present: Advisor: Biology Certificate Program, Biological Sciences (UTEP).
2015 – Present: Advisor, Professional Master’s Program, Biological Sciences (UTEP).
2013 – Present: Advisor, Biology Fast-track Program, Biological Sciences (UTEP).
2002 – Present: Advisor, MS Program, Biological Sciences (UTEP).
2000 – Present: Director, Indio Mountains Research Station, a 40,000 acre facility in Hudspeth County, Texas (UTEP).
1991 - 1992: Coordinator of Biology Department (EPCC).
1977 - 1979: Coordinator of Biology Department (EPCC).
1974 - 1975: Coordinator for all biology labs (UTEP).
NON-TEACHING BIOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE/ACTIVITIES
Present Collecting Permits in Force: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Scientific Permit.
1973 – Present: Research: UTEP/EPCC, biochemical analysis of rattlesnake venoms using immunological techniques, snake and lizard ecology, and biosystematics, ecology, biogeography, and conservation of the Mesoamerican and Chihuahuan Desert Herpetofauna. All research projects included EPCC or UTEP undergraduate and graduate students.
1970 - Present: Field Research in Mesoamerica. A total of more than 30 man-months have been spent collecting and studying amphibians and reptiles in Mexico, which supported two graduate degrees and ongoing professional research. Mexican states where fieldwork took place included: Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Campeche,
Veracruz, Oaxaca, Michoacan, Puebla, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi, Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Sonora, and Chihuahua, and also within Central America.
1981: Curatorial Assistant, Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection, Texas A&M University (herpetology collection).
1976: Technical Advisor, UTEP field studies in Mexico.
1973: Curatorial Assistant, Museum of the High Plains, Fort Hays State University (herpetology collection).
1972: Research Assistant, Museum of the High Plains, Fort Hays State University (summer herpetology field surveys).
1970: Herbarium Assistant, Museum of the High Plains, Fort Hays State University (collected & prepared plant specimens).
1970 - 1972: Research Assistant, Department of Biology, Fort Hays State University (collected and prepared mammal and bird specimens in Mexico).
REPORTS, PRESENTATIONS, AND POSTERS (Presenter in Bold).
*= UTEP Undergraduate Students; ** = UTEP Graduate Students.