Meet The Research Team
Dr. Tigga Kingston
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech. I’m originally from London, England, but moved to the US 15 years ago to do my PhD at Boston University in Massachusetts. I’ve been studying bats for 18 years, mostly in Malaysia, but also in other parts of Southeast Asia like Indonesia and Myanmar.
Likes: Bats (duh!!), Red Raider football, tofurkey, rainforests, working out (sometimes), hanging out with my friends.
Dislikes: Long plane journeys, cold weather
Nurul Ain Elias
My name, Nurul Ain Elias, means `The Shine of the Eyes` in Arabic, but most people call me Ain. I come from southern part of Peninsular Malaysia. MacGyver and Dr Quinn Medicine Woman series triggered my interest in science. I like the way they used simple science to solve problems in their daily life. Since then, I decided to learn more about science and specifically science related to animals.
Ain with a Rhinolophus friend
It is almost ten years since I first started research on small animal population ecology, to develop a database of faunal species in my country. Currently, I am a PhD student in Department of Biological Science at Texas Tech University; conducting a research on the reproduction of insectivorous bats in Malaysia.
Likes: I like to eat hot, spicy food and ice cream. I love to do outdoor activities (expeditions, camping etc), traveling and listening to classic songs as well. My recent hobbies are collecting post cards, quarters and vehicle`s plate number from each state in US.
Dislikes: I do not like milk and chocolate.
Mark after a hard day's diving
Dr. Mark McGinley
I was born in Texas, but I have also lived in Australia, California, Kansas, Utah, and Minnesota. I am an Associate Professor in the Honors College and Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University. I have conducted research on the ecology of birds (white-crowned sparrows), mammals (woodrats, beavers, and deer), and plants in the mountains and the prairie. I teach classes in ecology, environmental science, and marine biology. I spent parts of the last 6 summers teaching scuba and marine biology on a sailboat in the Caribbean Sea.
Likes: Going scuba diving, teaching scuba diving, coral reefs, islands, hammerhead sharks, pygmy seahorses, traveling, canoeing, volleyball, music, the beach
Dislikes: Yucky vegetables, coffee, getting eaten by tigers
Kendra with an African fruit bat
Kendra Phelps
I am a graduate student in the Department of Biology at Texas Tech University, with a specific interest in cave-roosting bats. I grew up in a small town in southern Iowa, but have lived in Alabama, Oklahoma, and Kansas while attending college. Growing up I wanted to be a veterinarian but changed my mind when I took my first biology class in college. Since then I have studied mice, rats, bears, squirrels, shrews, snakes, turtles, and lots of bats.
Likes: watching movies with my friends, bowling, eating pizza, and warm weather
Dislikes: getting up early in the morning, studying for tests, and cold weather
Julie talking to some Hipposideros in a cave
Juliana Senawi
I was born in a small town known as Batu Pahat, located at southern part of Peninsular Malaysia and grew up at the capital city of Malaysia called Kuala Lumpur. My main interests include animal conservation, ecology, evolution and biodiversity. I became interested in animal studies in particular when I was at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia), 1998, for my undergraduate study and took several conservation biology and ecology courses of animal. In 2001, I became involved in a ‘Malaysian Bat Conservation Research Unit’ project, looking at the bat diversity in undisturbed forest and since then, I love bats the most compared to other animals.
Currently, I am a graduate student at Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University, conducting my PhD research on eco-morphology of insectivorous bats.
Likes: I love traveling, taking photographs, listen to music and watching movies.
Dislikes: Shopping in crowded supermarkets.
Lakshmi (left) and Danny (right) on location in Malaysia
Danny Squire
I was born right here in good ol’ Lubbock, TX and went to Texas Tech University where I studied Information Technology. After graduating I moved to Austin, TX where I worked as a computer programmer for a company that makes test and measurement equipment. Six years ago I moved back to Lubbock and started working at the Health Sciences Center. I am also a graduate student in the College of Education at Texas Tech where I study Instructional Technology. My interests are in using technology to create realistic learning experiences and science education. If someone had told me that science could be as cool as what my teammates do I would’ve become a scientist instead of a computer nerd.
Likes: Technology (when it works), Bats, Honey Badgers (Mellivora capensis)
Dislikes: Technology (when it’s broken), homework
Lakshmi N.Tirumala
I was born in India and came to Texas Tech University in the year 2006 to pursue a Graduate degree in Mass Communications, specializing in Electronic Media and Communications. Prior to Texas Tech, I worked with one of the leading broadcasting companies in India as a Associate Producer and a Promo producer for a year and half, where I developed passion about filming, Video and Audio editing and a bit of graphic designing. My interests are in exploring cameras, aspect ratios, and experimenting with camera angles, studio lighting, and editing techniques. I would never miss an opportunity to help with shooting and editing videos.
Likes: Nature, listening to early morning birdsongs, Movies, Music, and Technology.
Dislikes: Hmm, assignments.
Ken with a bat. Oops no, it's a bird.
Dr. Ken Schmidt
I was born and raised in Chicago, but I soon adopted the Hudson Valley (NY) as my home after working there for two years. I am now an Associate Professor of Behavior and Ornithology at Texas Tech University, where I’ve been for 7 years. I return to NY each spring/summer to study songbird ecology, behavior, and communication. Fortunately my job takes me to cool places (like NY and Africa) to visit or work on cool organisms and enjoy the outdoors as much as I can. Coming back to Lubbock, TX after hectic travelling has its charms, but then the spell hits again and I want to travel.
Likes: Africa, Nature, Harry potter, a relaxing morning sipping coffee while sitting on the porch listening to birdsong, Game theory, ultimate Frisbee, Chicago Italian beef sandwiches
Dislikes: All those things that prevent me from realizing my “likes” – such as sitting in an office
