Biology Faculty and Staff
Department Staff and Faculty
Dr. Tara Phelps-Durr
Professor of Biological Sciences and Department Chair
PhD, University of Missouri
Plant Molecular Biologist
E-Mail: tlphelpsdurr@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 302
Dr. Samuel Abassah-Oppong
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, University of Calgary
Developmental Genetics and Control of Gene Expression
E-mail: s_abassahoppong@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 311
Dr. Amanda J. Adams
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, University of Iowa
Vertebrate Paleontology/Osteology
E-mail: ajadams2@fhsu.edu
AH 313
Dr. Ifelayo Adefuye
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey
Bioinformatics and Cancer Biology
E-mail: iiadefuye@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 317
Dr. Medhavi Ambardar
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, Oklahoma State University
Animal Behavior, Ornithology, Physiology
E-mail: m_ambardar@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 315
Dr. Claudia Carvalho
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, Walden University
Microbiology
E-mail: cmdasilvacarvalho@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 404
Dr. Rob Channell
Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, University of Oklahoma
Biodiversity and Ecology
E-mail: rbchannell@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 424
Dr. Sarah Elzay
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, Oklahoma State University
Landscape Ecology and Native Bee Ecology
E-Mail: sdelzay@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 324
Dr. Matt Galliart
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, Kansas State University
Botany
E-mail: mbgalliart@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 402
Dr. Eric T. Gillock
Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, Kansas State University
Virology, Bacteriology, Molecular Biology
E-mail: egillock@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 410
Ms. Hilary H. Gillock
Senior Lecturer of Biological Sciences
MS, North Carolina State University
E-mail: hhgillock@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 418
Dr. Michael Gruenstaeudl
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, University of Texas at Austin
Bioinformatics
E-mail: m_gruenstaeudl@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 406
Ms. Nora Lazerus
Instructor of Biological Sciences
MS, Fort Hays State University
Science Education, Ecology, and Conservation Biology
E-Mail: nklazerus@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 319
Dr. Lorelei Patrick
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, Louisiana State University
Mammalogy
E-mail: lepatrick@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 414
Dr. William J. "Bill" Stark
Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, Oklahoma State University
Ichthyology, Stream Ecology, Limnology, Herpetology
E-mail: wstark@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 322
Dr. David Tarailo
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
PhD, University of Iowa
Paleontology
E-mail: datarailo@fhsu.edu
Office: AH 326
Mr. Michael Messeck
Department of Biological Sciences Plant Technician
Professional Advisors
Staci Kinderknecht
MLS, Fort Hays State University
B.S., Business Administration, Kansas State University
Office: Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success Rm 137
Phone: 785.628.4735
E-mail: skkinderknecht2@fhsu.edu
Becky Newell
M.S., Fort Hays State University
Office: Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success Rm 136
Phone: 785.628.4559
E-mail: rlnewell@fhsu.edu
Emily Roth
M.A., Kansas State University
Office: Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success Rm 138
Phone: 785.628.4565
E-mail: emroth4@fhsu.edu
Scott Sakraida
B.A., English, Fort Hays State University
Office: Fischli-Wills Center for Student Success Rm 129
Phone: 785.628.4787
E-mail: scsakraida@fhsu.edu
Adjunct Biology Faculty
In Memory of Mr. Curtis J. Schmidt
Adjunct Faculty (2012-2022)
MS, Fort Hays State University
Additional Info: Besides Curtis working as an Adjunct for the Biology Department, he also worked at the museum. Curtis became the museum's first official Zoological Collections Manager in July of 2011. A Hays native and FHSU grad, Curtis received his BS in Biological Sciences in 1999 and his MS in 2004. Curtis was no stranger to the museum, as he began as a curatorial assistant in Herpetology in 1998, and eventually becoming an Associate Curator of Herpetology and Mammalogy before being appointed Zoological Collections Manager. Curtis was involved with many research projects, most recently with Dr. Patrick and some graduate students on bat research. Curtis' contributions to the Herpetology and Mammalogy collections were numerous. As the Zoological Collections Manager, his primary responsibilities was Entomology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Mammalogy, and Ornithology Collections. Curtis also played an active part in educational programming and exhibits.
Emeritus Faculty
Dr. Chris Bennett
Dr. Elmer Finck
Wildlife Management
Dr. Eugene Fleharty
Mammalian Ecology
Dr. Gary Hulett
Plant Ecology
Dr. Richard Packauskas
Dr. Frank Potter
Paleobotany
Dr. Joseph Thomasson
Plant Taxonomy