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 Cognition.

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)
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

Northern New York Audubon Cullman Grant “Golden-winged Warbler Use of Electrical Transmission Line Corridors in the St. Lawrence Valley” (PI, $2,020) 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

US Environmental Protection Agency / National Fish & Wildlife Foundation 5 Star Partnership Program, “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; $11,701) 2008-2009

N.S.F. FSML Program, “FSML: Planning Grant for the Great Rivers Center Field Station” (co-PI, PI: M. Twiss; Award number DBI-0628054, $13,264) 2007-2009

New York State Department of Education Math and Science Partnership Program (co-PI, PI: P. Turner, other co-PIs: S. Powers, D. Wick, K. Fowler, S. Minor, R. Partch, J. Carroll; $328,476.00) 2007-2009

Undergraduate Research Paper Authorships (Students are 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
Olesheski P. ('04, Environmental and Occupational Health), Wright, M. ('04 Bowdoin University, Environmental Science and Engineering REU program) & Langen T.A. 2004 (5th annual) SURE Conference: Frequency of road crossings by radiotracked turtles along New York State Highway 68 in St. Lawrence County.

Langen, T.A, Machniak A., Crowe E. ('05, Biology, Environmental Science and Engineering REU program), Mangan C. ('05, Biology), Marker D. ('06, Biomolecular Science, Clarkson Honors Program) 2004 Northeast Natural History: Impact of roads on St. Lawrence County NY herptiles.

Liddle N. ('06, Biology), Roden B. ('05, Environmental Science and Policy) & Langen T.A. 2004 (6th annual) SURE Conference: Road induced altered sex ratios of Chelydra serpentina and Chrysemys picta along New York State Highway 68 in Upper & Lower Lakes Wildlife Conservation Area.

Michel, J. ('05, SUNY Canton, NIH 2+2 Bridge Program) & Langen T.A. 2004 (6th annual) SURE Conference: Are roadside turtle nests warmer than other nesting sites?

Black, T. ('05, Lycoming College, Environmental Science and Engineering REU Program) & Langen T.A. 2004 (6th annual) SURE Conference: Roadsides provide preferred nesting sites for Chelydra serpentina

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.