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VIRGINIE ROLLAND, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Academic Background

 

2003 - BS in Population Biology

            Universite Claude Bernard Lyon I, France

 

2004 - MS (1st year) in Population Biology

            University of Leicester, UK (Erasmus)

 

2005 - MS (2nd year) in Ecology Evolution Biometry

            Universite Claude Bernard Lyon I, France

 Inter-individual heterogeneity in life history strategies; semi-domestic norwegian white sheep as a case study

            Directed by Dr. Jean-Michel Gaillard

 

2008 - PhD in Population Ecology

            Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Parie 6, France

 Relative influence of industrial fisheries and climate change on albatross populations of the Southern Ocean

            Directed by Drs. Henri Weimerskirch & Christophe Barbraud at the Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chize.

Professional Experience

 

2008/2009      - Research Associate

                           Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chize, France

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2009/2010      - Postdoctoral Research Associate

                           Dept. Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

                           University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.

Effect of hunting effort on the population dynamics of northern bobwhite

                           Directed by Dr. Madan Oli

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2011/2017      - Assistant Professor

2017/2022      - Associate Professor

2022/Present - Full Professor

                           Dept. Biological Sciences

                           Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, USA.

Personal facts

 

I am French , specifically from Lyon and received all my education in France (as shown above).

I married Dr. Jonathan Merten, associate professor in analytical chemistry at A-State, and together, we taught a little salsa dancing when there was demand. But I now teach MixxedFit, a dance fitness class, on campus and at the Earl Bell community center (Jonesboro, AR), for free to benefit the community.

My message to PhD students and postdocs:

 

I grew up in a big city and my projects were based on long-term data. So, I got little exposure to fieldwork until A-State gave me an opportunity to develop my own field-based research program. Now , I hold a bluebird banding permit.

Also, being a PhD student at an isolated research field station, my teaching experience remained very limited until my position at A-State where I have been improving my teaching skills semester after semester.

Conclusion: Even if you don't meet all requirements of the ideal candidate, you still have a chance. Persistence will pay off!

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