Joseph D. Busch Purdue University Dept. of Forestry and Natural Resources 195 Marsteller St. West Lafayette, IN 47907-1159 (765) 494-3578 (office) (765) 532-2173 (cell)

Hi, I’m Joseph Busch, a new Ph.D. student in Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR). In August of 2003, I joined Andrew DeWoody’s lab to study wildlife genetics. I love to study the evolution and ecology of natural populations. The graduate program here is an excellent place for interdisciplinary study of these two areas. My own dissertation is a collaborative project between my department and Peter Waser from the Biology Department. I am specifically interested in conducting a genetic analysis of population bottlenecks that have been observed in two populations of banner-tailed kangaroo rats (Dipodomys spectabilis) from southeastern Arizona. Peter has collected demographic data for the last 20 years in these populations, along with a nearly exhaustive genetic archive from the last 15 years. This provides a rare and exciting opportunity for me to test population bottleneck theory as it operates in a natural population. In the past, I have worked on a variety of conservation genetic projects, particularly with birds and mammals. As with many biologists, conservation is major interest of mine, and I strive to understand how my research can assist conservation efforts.

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