Class of 2024: Rachel Morse named Outstanding Senior for the College of Natural Resources and Environment
From local shrews to ocelots in the Amazon, Morse’s academic journey in the wildlife conservation major has been defined by hands-on learning experiences.
Name: Rachel Morse
College: College of Natural Resources and Environment
Major/minor: Wildlife conservation with a minor in geographic information systems
Hometown: Cary, North Carolina
From volunteer to researcher
For the average driver, the discarded bottles on the sides of roads represent an eyesore of vehicular detritus. For Morse, they presented a shrewd research opportunity.
“Improperly discarded glass containers are a big source of mortality for small mammals like the northern short-tailed shrew,” said Morse, the 2024 Outstanding Senior for the College of Natural Resources and Environment. “Insects are drawn in by the sugar left over in the bottle, and shrews – which are insectivores – can easily slide into a bottle, but they have a harder time getting out.”
Morse was led to the project by Collegiate Associate Professor Kevin Hamed of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, who was looking for volunteers to survey a sample of road in the Jefferson National Forest. That experience led to Morse’s research project on alternative glass textures that would allow mammals to escape sticky situations.
Morse, vice president of the Virginia Tech student chapter of The Wildlife Society, presented a research poster on her findings at the organization’s Southeastern Student Conclave this past March, where she was awarded a first-place selection for her presentation on alternative glass textures. She said the society has been a central part of her experience as a Hokie.
Finding her place
“I’m so grateful for The Wildlife Society,” said Morse, who arrived at Virginia Tech at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Coming in, I didn’t know anyone and there were no in-person classes, so The Wildlife Society was how I met my first group of friends.”
In addition to the social benefits of the club, Morse was able to participate in hands-on research projects that are at the center of her academic experience. From identifying invertebrates to assess the water quality in Stroubles Creek to documenting bird collisions on various campus buildings to identifying and salvaging freshwater mussels in Claytor Lake, Morse has built a resume rich with experiences.
She also had the chance to experience research on a more global scale.
“My work in Belize was definitely a highlight,” said Morse, describing her contributions to Professor Marcella Kelly’s Wildlife Habitat and Population Analysis Lab (WHAPA). “I started out with volunteering on camera trapping work at the Mountain Lake Biological Station, and that spiraled into travelling to Belize and helping Dr. Kelly process camera trap data.”
From entering data, Morse moved on to identifying and comparing images of ocelots through the individual spot patterns on the animals and then developing an independent research project that utilized spatial data to model how ocelots move through their ranges.
“I’ve had the chance to see the entirety of how research is conducted through the WHAPA Lab: everything from data entry and collection all the way through establishing and building your own research project based on the data you have,” said Morse.
For Morse, the merging of rigorous data science with applications to animal science is a central driver for her future aspirations: she hopes to leverage technology as a tool in conservation science.
“When I was taking the Principles of GIS course, it really drove home that technology is going to keep evolving, keep getting better. And if we can use those advances to further conservation efforts, we can do a lot more to protect our threatened and endangered species.”
While Morse is grateful for the research opportunities that she’s gained, she also said that her involvement with The Wildlife Society – where she has risen from participant to treasurer to vice president – has given her confidence to step into leadership roles.
“Just for me personally, it’s a little bit hard to shake away the imposter syndrome everyone feels at times, a little hard to say ‘yes’ when you don’t feel as qualified as you’d like to be,” said Morse, who was a teaching assistant for the Principles of Fish and Wildlife Conservation course. “I’ve been encouraged through my time with The Wildlife Society to take on those roles, and I hope I’ve been able to give the next generation of students the same experiences and opportunities that I’ve received.”
Morse’s hands-on learning experiences reflect the university’s commitment to supporting transformational educational opportunities for all students, a central component of Virginia Tech Advantage.
