Staff Profile

When not at the museum, Alan spends his time surveying live amphibians and reptiles in nature. Alan's projects center around the herpetofauna (amphibians and reptiles) of the Chicago area, particularly in the post-industrial landscape of the Calumet Region in northwest Indiana and southeastern Chicago. In cooperation with the National Park Service, U.S. EPA, Indiana Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy, he studies the distribution, ecology and conservation of this herpetofauna. In spite of large scale habitat disruption and destruction, there are still sizable remnants left of the patchwork of habitats that make the region unique. The herpetofauna is especially diverse because Calumet is the transition zone between two significant North American biomes - the eastern deciduous forest and the midwestern prairie. Alan’s work has documented range contractions and extensions and provided insight into the habitat use of various species, species richness of important habitats, annual activity cycles, conservation issues, and management of rare species. He is involved in conservation efforts at several levels - statewide (Indiana Non-game Amphibian and Reptile Technical Advisory Committee), regionally (Chicago Wilderness) and locally (various organizations).