Dr. Tom Langen

Dr. Tom Langen
Associate Professor
Psychology Department
163 Science Center
PO Box 5825
Potsdam, NY 13699-5825

Phone: 315-268-7933
Fax: 315-268-7118
E-mail: tlangen@clarkson.edu

Education
Ph.D. University of California, San Diego 1994

Courses Taught
Behavioral Ecology, Animal Learning & Cognition, Current Readings in Animal Behavior.

Research Interests
Animal behavior, ecology and conservation biology
Currently, I am investigating (1) how animals perceive risk and alter their foraging behavior in response to it; (2) how infrastructure and land-use affect the environment, and what policies, technologies, and best-practices aid at reducing environmental impacts of human activities; and (3) how effective public-private partnership wetland restoration programs are at restoring native biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Publications (last five years)
Langen, T.A.. 2009. Predictive models of herpetofauna road mortality hotspots in extensive road networks: three approaches and a general procedure for creating hotspot models that are useful for environmental managers. Proceedings of the 2009 International Conference on Ecology and Transportation.

Berg, E.C., J.M. Eadie, T.A. Langen, and A.F. Russell. 2009. Reverse sex-biased philopatry in a cooperative bird: genetic consequences and a social cause. Molecular Ecology 18:3486-3499.

Ellis, J.M.S., T.A. Langen, and E.C. Berg. 2009. Signaling for food and sex? Begging by reproductive female white-throated magpie-jays. Animal Behaviour 78:615-623.

Langen, T.A., K. Ogden, and L. Schwarting. 2009. Predicting hotspots of herpetofauna road mortality along highway networks. Journal of Wildlife Management 73:104-114.

Grimberg, S.J., T.A. Langen, S.E. Powers, L.D. Compeau. 2008. A theme-based seminar on environmental sustainability improves participant satisfaction in an undergraduate summer research program. Journal of Engineering Education. 97:95-103.

Langen T.A., A. Machniak, E. Crowe, C. Mangan, D. Marker, N. Liddle, and B. Roden. 2007. Methodologies for surveying herpetofauna mortality on rural highways. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:1361-1368.

Gouvea S.P., C. Melendez, M.J. Carberry, G.S. Bullerjahn, S.W. Wilhelm, T.A. Langen, and M.R. Twiss. 2006. Assessment of phosphorous-microbe interactions in Lake Ontario by multiple techniques. Journal of Great Lakes Research 32: 455-470.

Langen T.A., and S. Grimberg. 2006. Balanced activities increase student satisfaction in a mentored summer research program. American Society for Engineering Education, Proceedings of the 2006 Annual Conference and Exposition 2006-846.

Steen D.A., M.J. Aresco, S.G. Beilke, B.W. Compton, C.K. Dodd Jr., H. Forrester, J.W. Gibbons, J. Greene-McLeod, G. Johnson, T.A. Langen, M.J. Oldham, D.N. Oxier, R.A. Saumure, F.W. Schueler, J. Sleeman, L.L. Smith, J.K. Tucker, and  J.P. Gibbs. 2006. Relative vulnerability of female turtles to road mortality. Animal Conservation 9:269-273.

Langen T.A., and R. Welsh. 2006. Effects of a problem-based learning approach on attitude change and science and policy content knowledge. Conservation Biology 20:600-608.

Twiss M.R., T.A. Langen, M.G. Giroux, S.M. Johns, N.E. Liddle, A.R. Snyder, D.P. Zeleznock, and J. Wojcik. 2006. Land use influence on water quality in the Saint Regis River, a north-flowing tributary of the St. Lawrence. Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies 13:26-32.

Langen T.A., M.R. Twiss, G.S. Bullerjahn, and  S.W. Wilhelm. 2005. Pelagic bird survey on Lake Ontario following Hurricane Isabel, September 2003: Observations and remarks on methodology. Journal of Great Lakes Research 31:219-226.

Twiss, M.R., T.A. Langen, G.S. Bullerjahn, S.W. Wilhelm, and D.C. Rockwell. 2005. The Lake Ontario Great Lakes Science Practicum: A model for training limnology students on how to conduct shipboard research in the Great Lakes. Journal of Great Lakes Research 31:236-242.


Funding (current)
New York State Dept. of Transportation “ Route 30 Turtle Barrier Monitoring” (PI,$9,800)                   2010-2011 

St Lawrence River Research & Education Fund “Breeding Golden-winged Warbler Use of Electrical Transmission Line Corridors in the St. Lawrence Valley” (PI,$5,175)                        2010-2011

N.S.F. U.B.M. Program, “ITiMBReaC: Interdisciplinary Training in Mathematical & Biological Research” (co-PI, PI: J Schulte Grimberg;, other co-PIs: S. Mondal, J. Skufca; Award number DBI-0926568, $228,892) 2009 – 20011

St. Lawrence River Research & Education Fund “Proposed Wildlife Barrier for Reptiles & Amphibians along New York State Highway 68 at Upper and Lower Lakes Wildlife Management Area” (PI, co-PIs: K. Janoyan, G. Johnson (SUNY Potsdam), Partners: St. Lawrence County (New York) Board of Legislatures, New York Department of Transportation, New York Department of Environmental Conservation; $10,020) 2008-2009

St Lawrence River Research & Education Fund “Proposed Wildlife Barrier for Reptiles & Amphibians along New York State Highway 68 at Upper and Lower Lakes Wildlife Management Area” (PI, co-PIs: K. Janoyan, G. Johnson (SUNY Potsdam), Partners: St. Lawrence County (New York) Board of Legislatures, New York Department of Transportation, New York Department of Environmental Conservation; $10,020) 2008-2009

US Fish & Wildlife Service / New York State Department of Environmental Conservation State Wildlife Grants Program “Value of Wetland Restoration Incentive Programs on Privately Owned Land for Species of Greatest Conservation Need” (PI, co-PI: G. Johnson (SUNY Potsdam); Partners: US Fish & Wildlife Service, USDA National Resource Conservation Service, $148,433) 2008 - 2010

Undergraduate Research Paper Authorships (last 5 years, Students in bold)
Langen, T.A., K. Ogden, and L. Schwarting. 2009. Predicting hotspots of herpetofauna road mortality along highway road networks: model creation and experimental validation. Journal of Wildlife Management 73:104-114.

Langen T.A., A. Machniak, E. Crowe, C. Mangan, D. Marker, N. Liddle, and B. Roden. 2007. Methodologies for surveying herpetofauna mortality on rural highways. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:1361-1368.

Gouvea S.P., C. Melendez, M.J. Carberry, G.S. Bullerjahn, S.W. Wilhelm, T.A. Langen, and M.R. Twiss. 2006. Assessment of phosphorous-microbe interactions in Lake Ontario by multiple techniques. Journal of Great Lakes Research 32: 455-470.

Twiss M.R., T.A. Langen, M.G. Giroux, S.M. Johns, N.E. Liddle, A.R. Snyder, D.P. Zeleznock, and J. Wojcik. 2006. Land use influence on water quality in the Saint Regis River, a north-flowing tributary of the St. Lawrence. Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies 13:26-32.

Undergraduate Student Presentations (last 5 years)
Rose, A. ('08, Clarkson School) & Langen T.A. 2005 (6th annual) Spring SURE Conference: Effects of deicing road salt on benthic macroinvertebrates in Adirondack Lakes.

Ogden, K. ('05, Biology) 2005 (6th annual) Spring SURE Conference: Land use as a predictor of amphibian and reptilian mortality on roads in Northern NY.

Liddle, N. ('05, Biology) 2005 (6th annual) Spring SURE Conference: Road mortality induced adult sex ratios of Chelydra serpentina and Chrysemys picta in Upper and Lower Lakes.

Ghosh, A. ('07, Environmental Science & Policy) 2005 (6th annual) Spring SURE Conference: Assessing the impact of road salt use on chloride levels of the Adirondack Lakes.

Rose, A. ('08, Honors Program) 2005 (7th annual) Spring SURE Conference: Success of snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) nests constructed along paved roads.

McSherry, M.('06, Cornell University, Environmental Science and Engineering REU Program) 2005 (7th annual) SURE Conference: Movement patterns of nesting Chelydra serpentina females across sites bordering NYS Highway 68, St. Lawrence County, NY.

Schwarting S. ('08 Biology, Honors Program) 2006 (8th) Annual SURE Conference: Surveying and predicting hotspots of herpetofauna road mortality on New York State roads.

Brown J. ('07 Environmental Science and Policy) 2006 (8th) Annual SURE Conference: Monitoring turtle nest predation along barrier fencing using camera traps.

Fitzgerald D. ('07 Biology, McNair Program) 2006 (8th) Annual SURE Conference: & T.A. Langen 2006 (8th) Annual SURE Conference: Impacts of a protective roadside barrier on turtle nest mortality.

Briita Orwick ('07 Lewis & Clark College, Environmental Science and Engineering REU Program) 2006 (8th) Annual SURE Conference: Culvert use by Cheydra serpentina to move between wetlands bisected by a highway

Grasek M ('07 LeMoyne College, Environmental Science and Engineering REU Program) & T.A. Langen 2006 (8th) Annual SURE Conference: Effectiveness of two wildlife barriers at preventing animals from approaching a highway.

Davis A. ('10 Biomolecular Science, Honors Program) 2006 (8th) Annual SURE Conference: Microclimate of turtle nests beside protective roadside barriers vs. roadside nests.

Benson C. (’08 Environmental Science & Policy) 2007 (10th) Annual SURE Conference: Effectiveness of two road barrier designs at preventing herpetofauna from approaching a highway.

Boulerice J. (’07 Biology) 2007 (10th) Annual SURE Conference: Connectivity and spatial patterns  of restored wetlands in the St. Lawrence Valley of New York

Turnquist M. (’07 University of Wisconsin, Madison) 2007 (10th) Annual SURE Conference, 2007 Midwest Regional Conference of the Wildlife Management Society: Demographic impact of road mortality on turtle populations.

Andrusyzyn R., C. Merrill (’10 Environmental Engineering, ’11 Biology) 2009 (10th) Annual Spring SURE Conference: Showing the steps to analyzing wetland landscape ecology using GIS.

Sprehn, G., J. Hajek (’09 Clarkson School, ’11 Biology) 2009 (10th) Annual Spring SURE Conference: Surveying & predicting hotspots of Blanding’s turtle mortality on New York State highways.

Hargis M. (’11 North Carolina A&T) 2009 (11th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: Comparison of restored and natural wetlands using biodiversity indicators of fish and larval amphibians.

Moore N. (’10 Environmental Science & Policy, Honors Program) 2009 (11th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: As survey & management plan for vernal pools on the campus of Clarkson University.

Hajek J., C. Merrill (’11 Biology) 2009 (11th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: Assessing restored wetland success as compared to natural sites as indicated by turtle trapping success.

Moore N. (’10 Environmental Science & Policy, Honors Program) 2010 (12th) Annual Spring SURE Conference: As survey & management plan for vernal pools on the campus of Clarkson University.

Hicks A. (’10 Environmental Science & Policy) 2010 (12th) Annual Spring SURE Conference: Survey of golden-winged warbler abundance and distribution across transmission line corridors and throughout northeastern New York State.

Walrath T (’10 Biomolecular Science), Murray B (’10 Biology) 2010 (12th) Annual Spring SURE Conference: Selection of seeds by black-capped chickadees passed on spatial location and mass.

More F. (’10 Biomolecular Science), Murray B (’10 Biology) 2010 (12th) Annual Spring SURE Conference: Diet choice under risk by black-capped chickadees.

Ruggaber R. (’10 Biology), Murray B (’10 Biology) 2010 (12th) Annual Spring SURE Conference: Assessment of a snow dump as a source of salt contamination on the Raquette River.

Frey K. (’11 University of Montana), 2010 (13th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: Comparison of restored versus natural wetlands using fish and amphibian larvae as bioindicators of wetland quality.

Felch J. (’11 Biology), 2010 (13th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: perceptual and economic factors affecting choice

Rolleston M. (’11 Psychology), 2010 (13th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: perceptual and economic factors affecting choice

Marcy E. (’10 Environmental Sciecne & Policy), 2010 (13th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: amphibian use of restored and natural wetlands in the St. Lawrence River Valley, NY.

Christopherson B. (’12 Biology), Rogers M. (’12 Chemical  Engineering) 2010 (13th) Annual Summer SURE Conference: Mathematically modeling stress induced decision making in blue jays and college students.

Christopherson B. (’12 Biology), Rogers M. (’12 Chemical  Engineering) 2010 (13th) Mathematical Association of America Mathfest 2010: Mathematically modeling stress induced decision making in blue jays and college students.