Robin Verble, a fire ecologist and forest entomologist, has been named an assistant professor in Texas Tech University's Department of Natural Resources Management, according to officials with the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. She officially stepped into new her teaching and research post on Sept. 1..

The southern Indiana native indicated that she's particularly interested in continuing her research efforts on forest ant communities. In the past her research has focused on the fire history of Ozark oak forests; responses of Ozark ant communities to prescribed burning; and occurrence of carpenter ants in Ozark forests in relation to prescribed fire and stand variables.

One of her primary goals here at Texas Tech is to facilitate the growth of the fire ecology and fire management programs.

Prior to joining the Texas Tech faculty, Verble served as a graduate research assistant at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. She also worked as a seasonal field biologist with FTN Associates, a Little Rock-based water resource, engineering and environmental compliance firm; and as a contract entomologist with The Nature Conservancy of Arkansas. She received her bachelor's degree in biophysics from the University of Southern Indiana, and her master's degree in forest entomology from the University of Arkansas. Her doctorate in applied bioscience is from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Mark Wallace, Chairman, Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2841, mark.wallace@ttu.edu

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