Anna Poulton
Email: ajp374@cornell.edu
About Me
I am a PhD candidate in Applied Mathematics at Cornell University, advised by Dr. Stephen Ellner. My research is focused on developing and utilizing models to inform ecological management and conservation. I use methods from dynamical systems, optimization, and statistics in my work to study ecological systems.
Finished chapters of my dissertation include modeling the performance of dynamic spatial closures in a fishery with fishing-mediated habitat damage, and developing statistical models to estimate spatially varying mortality risks using data from tagged fish and wildlife. I am currently finishing up work on my third dissertation chapter, which is focused on modeling the effects of learned avoidance behavior on host-pathogen dynamics.
CV
Education
Cornell University, Ph.D., Applied Mathematics
Aug. 2019 - Present
Advisor: Dr. Stephen Ellner
Illinois Wesleyan University, B.S., Mathematics & Biology Double Major
Aug. 2015 - May 2019
Advisor: Dr. William Jaeckle
Publications
Anna J. Poulton, David Villegas-Ríos, Carla Freitas, Even Moland, Esben M. Olsen, Suresh A. Sethi, and Stephen P. Ellner. 2024. Bayesian estimation of spatially varying mortality risk using tagged animal data. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. In press.
Sethi, S.A., Koeberle, A.L., Poulton, A.J. et al. Multistage time-to-event models improve survival inference by partitioning mortality processes of tracked organisms. Scientific Reports 14, 14628 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-64653-w
Anna J. Poulton, Suresh A. Sethi, Stephen P. Ellner, and T. Scott Smeltz. 2023. Optimal dynamic spatial closures can improve fishery yield and reduce fishing-induced habitat damage. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 80(6): 893-912. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2022-0198
- Editor's Choice Selection, June 2023
Presentations
- “Learned behavioral avoidance can alter outbreak dynamics in a model for waterborne infectious diseases”
- Aug. 2024, Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting (Long Beach, CA), Latebreaking Poster
- “Bayesian estimation of spatially varying mortality risk using tagged animal data”
- Aug. 2023, American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting (Grand Rapids, MI), Oral Presentation
- “Optimal dynamic spatial closures can improve fishery yield and reduce fishing-induced habitat damage”
- Aug. 2022, Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting (Montréal, Québec, Canada), Oral Presentation
- “Modeling Movements and Habitat Use for over 100 Reef-Dwelling Marine Turtles in the Mariana Archipelago”
- Feb. 2019, 39th Annual International Sea Turtle Symposium (Charleston, SC), Oral Presentation
- Sep. 2018, Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, IL), Oral Presentation
- Aug. 2018, Science and Education Symposium (NOAA Silver Spring Campus, Silver Spring, MD), Oral Presentation
- Jul. 2018, IRC Summer Intern Symposium, NOAA Inouye Regional Center (Honolulu, HI), Oral Presentation
- “A New Terrestrial-Breeding Frog (Strabomantidae: Pristimantis) from Northern Peru”
- Apr. 2019, John Wesley Powell Student Conference (Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomingto, IL), Oral Presentation
- Apr. 2018, John Wesley Powell Student Conference (Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL), Poster Presentation
- “The effect of habitat degradation and invasive species on native tadpoles and grassland birds”
- Nov. 2016, Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, IL), Oral Presentation
Teaching Experience
Cornell University Mathematics Dept. Teacher's Assistant
- The Art & Science of Mathematical Modeling (MATH 3610; Fall 2020)
- Basic Probability (MATH 4710; Spring 2021)
- Stochastic Processes (MATH 4740; Spring 2022, Spring 2023)
- Differential Equations and Dynamical Systems (MATH 4200/5200; Fall 2023)
- Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos (MATH 4210/MAE 5790; Spring 2024)
Illinois Wesleyan University Mathematics Dept. Teacher's Assistant
- Finite Mathematics (MATH 110; 2016-17)
- Techniques of Mathematical Proof (MATH 200; 2017-18 and Spring 2019)
- Mathematical Modeling (MATH 145; Fall 2018)
Undergraduate Research Experiences
Ernest F. Hollings Research Intern, NOAA Fisheries PIFSC
May 2018 - July 2018
Supervisors: Dr. Summer Martin & Dr. T. Todd Jones
- Analyzed marine turtle movement paths and habitat use from fine-scale satellite tracking data
- Created a user-friendly application in R to concisely present these results
- Assisted with hands-on lab work, including several sea turtle necropsies and stranding assessments
Undergraduate Researcher, Illinois Wesleyan University
Aug. 2017 - May 2019
Supervising Faculty: Dr. Edgar Lehr
- Wrote a detailed description of a new species of frog
- Worked with preserved specimens to compile datasets of measurements and create accurate scientific drawings
Grand River Grasslands Field Research Intern
Summers 2016 & 2017
Supervisor: Timothy M. Swartz, University of Illinois
- Cooperated with a team of graduate students to study amphibian, bird, and arthropod populations in southern Iowa
- Worked hands-on to collect data by sampling local wildlife and vegetation
Scholarships & Honors
- Editor's Choice Selection, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (June 2023)
- Member of the Research Training Group: Dynamics, Probability, and Partial Differential Equations in Pure and Applied Mathematics, DMS-1645643 (2021 - 2022)
- Cornell Graduate School Fellowship, 2019 - 2020
- Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship, NOAA Dept. of Education (2017 - 2019)
- The Harold C. Hodge President's Club Award in Natural Science and Mathematics (2019)
- Award for Leadership in the Department of Mathematics, Illinois Wesleyan University (2019)
- Award for Service to the Department of Mathematics, Illinois Wesleyan University (2017, 2018)
- Dean's List, Illinois Wesleyan University (2015 - 2019)
- Illinois Wesleyan University National Merit College-Sponsored Scholarship (2015)
Activities & Memberships
- Mentor for the CAM First-Year Mentoring Program (2020 – 2024)
- Directed Reading Program Mentor (2021 - 2022, 2024)
- Judge for the Annual Cornell Mathematical Contest in Modeling (2020 - 2021, 2023)
- Pi Mu Epsilon (inducted May 2017, IWU Chapter Vice President 2017-18, President 2018-19)
- Association for Women in Mathematics (IWU Chapter President 2017-19)
- Beta Beta Beta (inducted May 2018)
- Phi Beta Kappa (inducted May 2018)
(updated September 9 2024)