Dr. Kristin A. Bakkegard

Biological and Environmental Sciences

Assistant Professor

E-mail

Degrees

• B.S., United States Naval Academy
• M.A., Boston University
• M.S., Auburn University
• Ph.D., Utah State University

Biography

Dr. Bakkegard grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, but she has seen the world as a surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy. In 2004 she was mobilized to Kuwait, and she currently holds the rank of Navy Captain. She remains in the Navy as a Selected Reservist.

Upon leaving active duty, Dr. Bakkegard returned to her childhood passion for reptiles and amphibians by pursuing a master's degree at Auburn University. Her research centered on the endangered Red Hills salamander, Alabama's state amphibian. She headed west to Utah State University for her Ph.D., where she studied the population genetics, genetic diversity and gene flow in two salamander species affected by the eruption of Mount Saint Helens.

Dr. Bakkegard began teaching at Samford in 2008. Her general classes include Invertebrate Field Zoology, Vertebrate Field Zoology, Senior Seminar, Environmental Science, and Animal Biology courses. She also teaches human anatomy and general biology courses in varying semesters.

Since joining the Samford faculty, Dr. Bakkegard has taught the field biology classes, animal biology, and senior seminar. She is continuing her research on the Red Hills salamander, teaming with biologists at Auburn University. She is also monitoring a breeding population of spotted salamanders at the Homewood Forest Preserve near Samford's campus, and examining body size in dusky salamanders. Future projects include studying learning and memory in salamanders as in relation to their eating habits.

Dr. Bakkegard serves as Samford's faculty representative to Beta Beta Beta, the national biology honor society.

Research

• Ecology and behavior of the Red Hills salamander (Phaeognathus hubrichti)
• Body size in Desmognathine (Dusky) salamanders
• Learning in Ambystomatid (Mole) salamanders
• Population genetics of salamanders at Mount St. Helens

Publications

• Bakkegard, K. A. and L. J. Davenport. 2012. Nephila clavipes (Araneae: Nephilidae): A model species for monitoring climate change in the southeastern United States. Southeastern Naturalist 11: 551-566.  
• Bakkegard, K. A. and R.A. Rhea. 2012. Tail length and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in desmognathan salamanders. Journal of Herpetology 46: 304-311. 
• Bakkegard, K. A. and A.P. Pessier. 2010. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Adult Notophthalmus viridescens in North-Central Alabama, USA. Herpetological Review 41: 45-47.
• Reed, R.N., Bakkegard, K. A., Desy, G. E., Plentovich, S. M. 2007. Diet composition of the invasive cane toad (Chaunus marinus) on Rota, Northern Mariana Islands. Pacific Conservation Biology 13: 219-222.
• Bakkegard, K. A. 2007. Interactions between the Red Hills Salamander and its potential invertebrate prey. Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science 78: 1-12.
• Bakkegard, K. A. 2005. Antipredator behaviors of the Red Hills Salamander, Phaeognathus hubrichti. Southeastern Naturalist 4: 23-32.
• Bakkegard, K. A. and C. Guyer. 2004. Sexual size dimorphism in the Red Hills Salamander, Phaeognathus hubrichti (Caudata: Plethodontidae: Desmognathinae). Journal of Herpetology 38: 8-15.
• Bakkegard, K. A. 2002. Activity patterns of Red Hills Salamanders (Phaeognathus hubrichti) at their burrow entrances. Copeia 2002: 851-856.