Ph.D. Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, & Systematics
University of Maryland, College Park, MD USA Causes and consequences of long-distance dispersal in a migratory bird
Co-advisors: Dr. Pete Marra & Dr. Michele Dudash
2001–05
B.A. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA Effects of beach nourishment on loggerhead sea turtle nesting success
Advisor: Dr. Rosemary Grant
Departmental Honors
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2016-
Research associate
Migratory Bird Center
Smithsonian Coservation Biology Institute
Washington, DC
2015–16
George Didden post-doctoral fellow
Migratory Bird Center
Smithsonian Coservation Biology Institute
Washington, DC
2014–15
James Smithson post-doctoral fellow
Migratory Bird Center
Smithsonian Coservation Biology Institute
Washington, DC
2007–08
Hazardous Waste Specialist
Bolder County Resource Conservation Division
Boulder, CO
2007
Ecological Monitoring Intern
The Nature Conservancy
Bolder, CO
2005–07
Remedial Project Manager
US Environmental Protection Agency
Atlanta, GA
PUBLICATIONS
2017
Cohen, E.B., J.A. Hostetler, M.T. Hallworth, C.S. Rushing, T.S. Sillet, P.P. Marra. A quantitative definition for the strength of migratory connectivity. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. In press.
2017
Rushing, C.S., J.A. Hostetler, T.S. Sillet, P.P. Marra, J. Rotenberg, T.B. Ryder. Full annual cycle population model identifies seasonal and habitat-specific drivers of population growth in a migratory bird. Ecology. In press.
2017
Rushing, C.S., P.P. Marra, C.E. Studds. Determining breeding origins of migratory birds using stable isotopes and breeding abundance on continuous surfaces. Ecology and Evolution. 7(11): 3847–3855.
2016
Boves, T.J, D. A. Buehler, C.S. Rushing, G.D. Fairhurst. Evaluating the role of corticosterone in carry-over effects, and the dependency of age, in a declining migratory songbird. Conservation Physiology. 4(1): cow041. doi: 10.1093/conphys/cow041.
2016
Tesson, S.V., B. Okamura, R.Y. Dudaniec, W. Vyverman, J. Londahl, C.S. Rushing, A. Valentinig, A.J. Green. Integrating micro and macro-organism dispersal: ways, techniques and challenges with particular focus on co-dispersal. Ecoscience. 22: 109–124.
2016
Rushing, C.S., T.B. Ryder, P.P. Marra. Quantifying drivers of population dynamics for a migratory bird throughout the annual-cycle. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B. 283(1823): 20152846.
2015
Rushing, C.S., T.B. Ryder, A.L. Scarpignato, J.F. Saracco, P.P. Marra. Using demographic attributes from long-term monitoring data to delineate natural population structure. Journal of Applied Ecology. 53(2): 491–500.
2015
Rushing, C.S., P.P. Marra, M.R. Dudash. Winter habitat quality but not long-distance dispersal influence apparent reproductive success in a migratory bird. Ecology. 97(5): 1218–1227.
2015
Rushing, C.S., M.R. Dudash, C.E. Studds, P.P. Marra. Annual variation in long‐distance dispersal driven by breeding and non‐breeding season climatic conditions in a migratory bird. Ecography. 38(10): 1006–1014.
2015
Rushing, C.S., M.R. Dudash, P.P. Marra. Habitat features and long‐distance dispersal modify the use of social information by a long‐distance migratory bird. Journal of Animal Ecology. 84(6): 1469–1479.
2014
Rushing, C.S., T.B. Ryder, J.F. Saracco, P.P. Marra. Assessing migratory connectivity of a long-distance migratory bird using multiple intrinsic markers. Ecological Applications. 24(3): 445–456.
GRANTS AND AWARDS
Grants
2016
Conservation Grant, Disney Conservation Fund, $25,000
2012
Wetmore Memorial Research Award, American Ornithologists Union, $2,490
2012
Research Grant, American Society of Naturalists, honorable mention
2012
Research Grant, Maryland Ornithological Society, $1,200
2012
Research Grant, Washington Biologists Field Club, $3,000
2011
Dorothy Blake Memorial Fund, Baltimore Birding Club, $3,000
2011
Research Grant, Maryland Ornithological Society, $1,200
2011
COSMOS Foundation Scholars Program, $1,250
2008
Darwin Fellowship, University of Maryland, $2,000
2008
Boulder County Small Grants Program, $500
Fellowships
2015–16
George Didden Conservation Biology Post-doctoral fellowship, $50,000
2014–15
James Smithson Post-doctoral fellowship, $50,000
2012–13
Smithsonian Pre-doctoral fellowship, $15,000
2013
Ann G. Wylie Dissertation fellowship, $10,000
Awards
2013
Cooper Ornithological Society Student Presentation Award
2013
Jane Pritchard Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
2013
AOU-COS Student Travel Award, $333
2012
Biology Department Travel Award, $500
ORAL PAPERS
2017
Rushing, C.S.Estimability of migration survival rates from integrated CJS models. Euring Analytical Conference, Barcelona, Spain.
2017
Sillett, T.S., C.S. RushingSurvival of passerines during spring and fall migration: the importance of carry-over effects. Euring Analytical Conference, Barcelona, Spain.
2016
Rushing, C.S., S. Sillett, P.P. Marra, T.B. Ryder. Using integrated population models to estimate seasonal survival and full-annual-cycle drivers of population dynamics. North American Ornithological Conference, Washington, DC.
2016
Rushing, C.S.. Developing full annual cycle population models to advance migratory bird conservation. North American Ornithological Conference, Washington, DC.
2016
Rushing, C.S., L. Powell. Developing a full annual cycle model for a rapidly declining but data poor migratory bird, the Rusty Blackbird. North American Ornithological Conference, Washington, DC.
2015
Ryder, T.B., C.S. Rushing, T. Wilbert, S. Sillett, P.P. Marra. Thinking outside the black box: Novel approaches to measuring recruitment and source-sink dynamics in migratory species. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD.
2015
Rushing, C.S., T.B. Ryder, P.P. Marra. Regional variation in the strength of breeding vs non-breeding factors limiting populaitons of a declining migratory bird. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD.
2014
Rushing, C.S., E.B. Cohen, J.A. Hostetler, P.P. Marra. Quantifying the influence of long-distance dispersal on migratory connectivity strength. American Ornithologists Union Annual Meeting, Estes Park, CO.
2014
Rushing, C.S., T.B. Ryder, P.P. Marra. Combining demographic data, migratory connectivity, and remote sensing data to quantify drivers of population dynamics in a migratory bird. American Ornithologists Union Annual Meeting, Estes Park, CO.
2013
Rushing, C.S., M.R. Dudash, P.P. Marra. Climate drives long-distance dispersal in a migratory bird. American Ornithologists Union/Cooper Ornithological Society Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. (Cooper Ornithological Society Stuent Presentation Award).
2012
Rushing, C.S., M.R. Dudash, P.P. Marra. Quantifying the reproductive consequences of long-distance dispersal in a migratory bird, the American redstart. North American Ornithological Conference, Vancouver, BC.
2011
Rushing, C.S., M.R. Dudash, P.P. Marra. Reproductive consequences of long-distance dispersal in a migratory bird, the American redstart. BEES graduate program recruitment, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
INVITED TALKS
2017
C.S. Rushing, S. Sillett, P.P. Marra, Ryder, T.B. Developing full-annual-cycle models to inform conservation of declining migratory birds. Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
2016
C.S. Rushing, S. Sillett, P.P. Marra, Ryder, T.B. Using integrated population models to estimate seasonal survival and full-annual-cycle drivers of population dynamics. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD.
2016
Rushing, C.S.. Full-annual-cycle population models: Theory and application to migratory bird conservation. Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
2015
Rushing, C.S., P.P. Marra. Developing a full-annual-cycle population model to support Wood Thrush conservation planning. North American Waterfowl Management Plan Science Support Team/Tri-initiative Science Team Joint Meeting, Ft. Collins, CO.
2015
Rushing, C.S.. Full-annual-cycle population models: Theory and application to migratory bird conservation. Midwest Landbird Migration Monitoring Network Workshop, Forest Beach Migratory Preserve, WI.
2013
Rushing, C.S., M.R. Dudash, P.P. Marra. Dispersal in migratory species: Moving beyond conventional paradigms. Symposium on Causes and Consequences of Dispersal, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
PUBLIC LECTURES
2014
Rushing, C.S., M.R. Dudash, P.P. Marra. Causes and consequences of long-distance dispersal in a migratory bird, the American redstart. Howard County Audubon Society, Columbia, MD.
2013
Rushing, C.S., M.R. Dudash, P.P. Marra. Causes and consequences of long-distance dispersal in a migratory bird, the American redstart. Prince Georges Audubon Society, College Park, MD.
POSTERS
2011
Rushing, C.S.. Carry-over effects, long-distance dispersal and reproductive success in a Neotropical migratory bird. Biosciences Research Day, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
2009
Rushing, C.S.. Using stable isotopes to quantify patterns of dispersal in a Neotropical migratory bird, the American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). Biosciences Research Day, University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
TEACHING
2008–13
Teaching Assistant
Human Anatomy & Physiology
Department of Biology
University of Maryland, College Park
2014–16
Instructor Stable isotope analysis in migratory bird research Developing effective conservation strategies for migratory birds: challenges and opportunities
Ecology and Conservation of Migratory Birds
Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation
Front Royal, VA
2014
Guest Lecturer Population regulation and limitation in migratory birds
Biogeography (300-level)
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Service
2015–
Member, Demographic Monitoring subcommittee
U.S. North American Bird Conservation Initiative
2014–
Member
International Wood Thrush Conservation Alliance
2015–16
Organizer, SCBI lecture series
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
2014–15
Chair, Transitional membership subcommittee
Young Professionals Committee, American Ornithologists Union
2012–13
Graduate student representative, University Sustainability Council
University of Maryland, College Park
2011–13
Admissions committee, Biological Sciences Graduate Program
University of Maryland, College Park
2011–13
Graduate student representative, BEES Graduate Program
University of Maryland, College Park
2009–10
Advising scientist
National Zoo High School Science Fair
2006–07
Conservation director
Atlanta Audubon Society
Symposium Organizer
2016
Keeping common birds common: Advances in migratory bird conservation
Co-organized with K. Rosenberg, V. Ruiz-Gutierrez, C. Beardmore, & D. Demarest
North American Ornithological Conference, Washington, DC
2016
Study of avian life histories using integrated population models
Co-organized with M. Weegman, B. Ross, S. Consverse, D. Koons, & T. Arnold
North American Ornithological Conference, Washington, DC
Reviews Provided
Proceedings of the Royal Society B Ecology Ecological Applications PlosOne Journal of Field Ornithology The Condor PeerJ Avian Conservation & Ecology Oecologia Journal of Applied Ecology Ecological Modelling Scientific Reports
Professional Memberships
Ecological Society of America
Society for Conservation Biology
American Ornithological Society