Troy D. Sparks' Resume

Troy D. Sparks

1616 N. Main, Apt A4

Rushville, IN 46173

Phone: 812-614-8491

Web: http://www.sparksllewellinsetters.com/troy.html

Education

1997: Texas A&M University, Masters of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences. Committee Chairs: Dr. William E. Evans, WFSC, TAMU, Galveston, TX, and Dr. William E. Grant, WFSC, College Station, TX.

1990: Indiana University (IU), B.S. with Honors in Biology, Bloomington, IN.

Fellowships

John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow, Office of Habitat Conservation, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). I worked on Essential Fish Habitat issues as defined by the Sustainable Fisheries Act. Advisor: Thomas Bigford, Habitat Protection Division Chief, NMFS, Silver Springs, MD. 301-713-4300 ext. 131.

Public Policy Intern, Congressional Research Service (CRS). Researched and wrote CRS Report for Congress: Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate: Marine Mammal Issues (95-603 ENR). This brief focused on take and harassment issues with respect to marine mammals outlined in the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. Advisor: Eugene H. Buck, Senior Analyst, Washington DC. 202-707-7262.

Work Experience

Wildlife Biologist, Armendaris Ranch, Truth Or Consequences, NM. My duties included trapping and banding of over 600 scaled quail. I used various research techniques to assess winter survival and nesting success for scaled quail in areas with and without grazing pressure; and areas with and without supplemental feed. These techniques included radio collaring and daily tracking of hen quail movements to assess home range, habitat use, covey dynamics, mortality, and nesting success. Other duties included abundance and ecosystem methods used as part of the Texas Quail Index (an outreach project to private land owners); such as call count surveys, artificial nest depredation monitoring, predator scent station monitoring, and raptor count surveys. Advisor: Dr. Dale Rollins, TAES, San Angelo, TX. 325-653-4576.

Wildlife Biologist, Chaparrosa Ranch, La Pryor, TX. My duties included the examination of habitat management techniques to determine grazing effects on bobwhite quail habitat. These techniques included call count surveys, ‘dummy nest’ transects and monitoring, and predator scent station monitoring on the Chaparrosa and the Kerr Wildlife Management Area (Hunt TX). My research on the KWMA was directed toward an integrated management approach for bobwhite quail with respect to important bird species such as the Rio Grande turkey, and endangered species such as the golden-cheeked warbler and the black-capped vireo. Duties also included the initial development of the “Team Quail” web site. Advisor: Dr. Dale Rollins, TAES, San Angelo, TX. 325-653-4576

Graduate Research Assistant, Texas Agricultural Extension Service. My duties included research, data analyses, and writing. Additionally, I assisted in various outreach conservation and education programs for private landowners and NGOs with respect to ‘in-the-field’ and slide presentations on habitat management and aspects of the Farm Bill. I have become acquainted with various members of the upland bird community through conferences, outreach programs (e.g. Bobwhite Brigade), and land owner workshops (e.g. Quail Appreciation Days) Advisor: Dr. Dale Rollins, TAES, San Angelo, TX. 325-653-4576.

East Texas Bobwhite Brigade Counselor. I was responsible for leading a group of 13 - 17 year old students in an intensive training on quail biology and management. Areas of focus included instruction in quail anatomy, biology, habitat management, population dynamics, conservation, and hunting techniques. Piney Woods Conservation Camp, Lufkin, TX. Advisor: Scotty Parsons, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Nacogdoches, TX. 936-569-1632.

Sea Turtle/Dolphin Observer, NMFS. My duties included overseeing Incidental Take Statements as well as enforcing provisions in both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. I acted as a liaison to salvage, oil, helicopter, and diving companies to ensure provisions of the aforementioned Acts were implemented. I was responsible for implementing visual observations from vessels, platforms and helicopters prior to decommissioned oil platform detonation and removal. Advisor: Dr. William E. Evans, TAMU, Galveston, TX/South Bend, IN. 574-271-2273.

Consultant for National Geographic Society (NGS). I aided NGS in the location, identification, and radio tracking of sperm whales for "Crittercam" deployments in the Mississippi River Canyon, Gulf of Mexico. Advisor: Dr. Randall Davis, TAMU, Galveston, TX. 409-740-4712.

Bioacoustics Research Assistant for GULFCET I and II. My duties included operation and maintenance of a towed linear array and associated recording equipment to record underwater vocalizations of Cetaceans (whales/dolphins) in the Gulf of Mexico. Data analyses included the distribution, habitat preference, and ecology of sperm whales via acoustic, oceanographic, and satellite data. Advisor: Dr. William E. Evans, TAMU, Galveston, TX/South Bend, IN. 574-271-2273.

Teaching Assistant. Marine Ecology, MARB, TAMUG. My duties included laboratory instruction and review of the research techniques for marine systems. Laboratory emphasized study of living material and natural habitats in the Gulf of Mexico. Advisor: Dr. Jay Rooker, TAMU, Galveston, TX. 409-740-4744.

Publications

Sparks, T.D. 2001. The efficacy of supplemental feeding of scaled quail in New Mexico. Invited speaker. 2002 National Quail Unlimited Convention, Dallas TX.

Sparks, T.D., Norris, J.C., and Evans, W.E. 1998. Distributions of sperm whales in the Central and Northwestern Gulf of Mexico as determined from an acoustic survey: Implications for habitat characterization. Sharing Our Gulf Conference, Texas Sea Grant College Program, Texas A&M University, June, College Station, TX.

Leben, R.R., Smith, S.C., Biggs, D.C., Davis, R.W., and Sparks, T.D. 1998. A satellite altimetry toolbox for monitoring cetacean habitat in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. American Geophysical Union Ocean Sciences Meeting, February, San Diego, CA.

Sparks, T.D. 1997. Distributions of sperm whales along the continental slope in the northwestern and central Gulf of Mexico as determined from an acoustic survey. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. 67pp.

Dudzinski, K.M., Frohoff, T.G., Shoda, L.K.M., and Sparks, T.D. 1991. The pine warbler song repertoire: A preliminary description and analysis. Bull. Texas Ornith. Soc. 24(2): 30-38.

Honors and Organizations

Endangered Species Research Permit Holder No. 1021, NMFS, Washington DC.

Acoustical Society of America, American Institute of Physics.

Society for Marine Mammalogy.

Undergraduate Research Award in Biology, Indiana University.

Howard Hughes Undergraduate Research Initiative Grant., Indiana University.

Vice President, the National Llewellin Gun Dog Club.

Pheasants Forever, Quail Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Ducks Unlimited.

American Heart Association CPR, AED, and First Aid Certified.

References

· Dr. William E. Evans, Professor Emeritus Texas A&M University and Notre Dame University, South Bend, IN. 574-271-2273; evans1930@sbcglobal.net

· J. Logan Respess, Natural Resource Extension Agent, Texas Cooperative Extension, Aransas County, Rockport, TX. 361-790-0103; l-respess@tamu.edu

· James E. Miller, Research/Outreach Scientist, Wildlife & Fisheries, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS. 662-325-2619; jmiller@ext.msstate.edu

· Dr. Dale Rollins, Professor and Wildlife Specialist, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University, San Angelo, TX. 325-653-4576; d-rollins@tamu.edu