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E.V. Voltura, PhD

E.V. Voltura
E.V. Voltura , PhD

Biography

Dr. EV Voltura is a postdoctoral biomedical researcher at the Schubot Center for Avian Health of the Veterinary Pathobiology Department working under Dr. Sarah Hamer and a visiting researcher in the Knowledge Engineering Laboratory of the Entomology Department working under Dr. Robert Coulson. EV’s research interests primarily revolve around issues related to the health and conservation of insects and birds (i.e., parrots and pollinators) as they relate to the One Health mission which aims to improve “the lives of all species—human and animal—through the integration of human medicine, veterinary medicine, and environmental science.” Regarding parrots, EV is working to improve understanding of parrot dietary habits and nutrient requirements and the roles they play in health, longevity, reproduction, and cognitive function. She is particularly interested in the interactions between nutrients, phytochemicals, naturally occurring and synthetic toxicants, and the microbiome (bacterial, fungal, viral, parasitic) and the dynamic roles they play on the functional health of the gut-brain axis. Regarding pollinators, EV is working on developing niche models and improving understanding of the so-called “insect apocalypse” to inform the development and implementation of effective conservation and mitigation strategies using advanced GIS and remote sensing tools and methods. EV earned her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Oregon and her PhD in Biomedical Sciences from Texas A&M University.

Education and Training

  • Texas A&M University, Doctor of Philosophy, Biomedical Sciences, 2022
  • University of Oregon, Bachelor of Science, Environmental Science, 2013

Teaching Interests

  • Assistant Instructor: Veterinary and Conservation Medicine. Youth Adventure Prog. College Station, TX and Costa Rica.
  • Teaching Assistant: Great Diseases of the World (VTPB 221). TAMU. College Station, TX.

Awards, Recognition and Service

  • IRACDA@TAMU Scholars Program. TAMU, 2024
  • Best Original Research Article. J Avian Med Surg, 2024
  • GIS and Remote Sensing Certificate. TAMU, 2022
  • College of Veterinary Medicine Travel Award. TAMU, 2017
  • Graduate Research Fellowship Program Honorable Mention. Natl Sci Found, 2015
  • Walter W. Lechner Estate Scholarship. TAMU, 2013
  • College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Merit Scholars Fellowship. TAMU, 2013

Representative Publications

Scientific Presentations:

  1. Voltura E.V. Biodiversity in Psittaciformes diets – Polly wants more than a cracker!. Oral
               presentation given at Int Avian Conserv and Educat Series. Guest Speaker. Dec 2023.
  2. Voltura E.V., Kilpatrick S., Tracy J., Coulson R.N. Range-wide niche models of three declining
               North American bumble bees: The closely related Bombus pensylvanicus and B. sonorus
               and their parasite B. variabilis (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Oral presentation at Entomological
               Soc. of America Con Exhibit. National Harbor, MD. Nov 2023
  3. Voltura E.V. Using knowledge engineering to aid conservation efforts for bees, butterflies, and
               birds. Conservation Biology. Guest Lecturer. North Tec. New Zealand. Oct 2023.
  4. Voltura E.V., Bailey C.A., Heatley J.J. Captive Monk Parakeets allowed to choose sodium intake
               consume less sodium than their counterparts. Oral presentation at ExoticsCon. Boston,
               MA. Aug 2023.
  5. Voltura E.V. Captive parrots take it with a grain of salt too: sodium hunger drives aqueous-type
               geophagy in Monk Parakeets (Monachus myiopsitta). Oral presentation at TAMU Schubot
               Center for Avian Health Seminar Series. College Station, TX. Nov 2022.
  6. Voltura E.V., Heatley J.J., Bailey C.A. Effects of reproduction on sodium deficiency driven
               geophagy in parrots. Oral presentation at Intl Conf Avian, Herpetolog Exotic Mammal Med.
               London, UK. Jun 2019.
  7. Jochems B., Voltura E.V., Russell K.E., Escandon P., Heatley J.J. Evaluation of lactate in Quaker
               Parrots via four different analyzers. Oral presentation at Intl Cofn Avian, Herpetolog Exotic
               Mammal Med. London, UK. Jun 2019.
  8. Voltura E.V., Gardner K., Hollis H., Leyva-Jimenez H., Bailey C.A. Recreating geophagy in
               captivity by varying sodium salt levels in the diet. Oral presentation at Poultry Sci Assoc
               Conference. Orlando, FL. Jul 2017.
  9. Voltura E.V., Tracy J., Coulson R.N., Brightsmith D.J. Red-crowned Parrot (Amazona
               viridigenalis) ecological niche model in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas using aerial
               imagery for conservation planning in an urban landscape. Oral presentation at US Intl
               Assoc Landscape Ecol Conf. Asheville, NC. Apr 2016.
  10. Voltura E.V., Stockman, J. Parrot Nutrition Continuing Education Seminar. Virtual Presentation
               for Assoc Avian Vet. College Station, TX. Jul 2024.
  11. Voltura E.V. Empowering beaks & hands: connections between parrot diet, nutrition, health, &
               conservation. Oral Presentation at Seattle Parrot Expo. Flight Club Found. Seattle, WA.
               Sep 2024.
  12. Voltura E.V., Gardner K., Hollis H., Leyva-Jimenez H., Bailey C.A. Recreating avian geophagy in
               captivity by inducing sodium deprivation through the diet. Poster presentation at TAMU
               College Vet Med Biomed Sci Grad Student Postdoc Res Symp. TAMU. College Station,
               TX. Mar 2018.
  13. Voltura E.V. Heterogeny in feather form and function. Avian Phys (POSC 609). Student Lecturer.
               TAMU. College Station, TX. Jun 2017.
  14. Voltura E.V. Red Crowned Parrots in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Schubot Cent Rese Meet.
               Guest Lecturer. TAMU. College Station, TX. Jun 2016.
  15. Voltura E.V. Geophagy in Neotropical Psittacines. Avian Nutrit (POSC 615). Student Lecturer.
               TAMU. College Station, TX. May 2016.
  16. Voltura E.V. Cholera: The Blue Death. Great Dis World (VTPB 221). Guest Lecturer. TAMU.
               College Station, TX. May 2016.
  17. Voltura E.V. Captive Propagation and Translocation. Techniq Wildlife Manag (WFSC 638).
               Student Lecturer. TAMU. College Station, TX. Nov 2015
  18. Voltura E.V. Scarlet Macaw Reintroductions: A Case Study. WFSC 638. Student Lecturer.
               TAMU. College Station, TX. Nov 2015.
  19. Voltura E.V., French J.T., Meyers A. Modeling Chagas Disease Prevalence Patterns in Border
               Patrol Dogs and Triatomine Vector Distribution in Texas. GIS Model (GIS 665). Student
               Lecturer. TAMU. College Station, TX. Apr 2015.
  20. Voltura E.V. Reintroduction of the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao cyanoptera) in Palenque,
               Chiapas, Mexico. Oral presentation at Houston Aviculture Assoc. Houston, TX. Jun
               2014.
  21. Voltura E.V. Hemoprotozoans: Hemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium. Intro Wildlife
               Diseas (WFSC 327). Guest Lecturer. TAMU. College Station, TX. Dec 2013.

Publications:

  1. Chyn K., Tracy J.L., Wright W., Voltura E.V. et al. 2024. Where the toad crosses the road: multi-
              method and cross-taxa herpetofauna roadkill modeling for conservation planning.
              Biodivers Conserv 33: 1909–1939. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-024-02807-y
  2. Voltura E.V., Tracy J., Heatley J.J., Kiacz S., Brightsmith D.J., Franco J., Coulson R. 2023.
             Modelling Red-crowned Parrot (Amazona viridigenalis) distributions in the Rio Grande
             Valley of Texas using elevation and vegetation indices and their derivatives. PLOSOne
             18(12): e0294118. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294118
  3. Voltura E.V., Brightsmith D.J., Cornejo J., Tizard I., Bailey C.A., Heatley J.J. 2023. Parrot dietary
             habits and consumption of alternate foodstuffs (Featured Article). J Avian Med Surg 37(4):
             297-313. https://doi.org/10.1647/20-00028
  4. Voltura E.V. 2023. Looking at the Dietary Habits, Health, and Distributions of Parrots Through
             the Lens of Geophagy to Improve Management Outcomes in Conservation Arks and
             Parks: A Metaphorical Salt Gathering Expedition (doctoral dissertation). TAMU. 599 pp.
  5. Voltura, E.V. 2010. Bird collisions a soaring threat. Oregon Daily Emerald 111 (May 7): 2.

Select Publications in Progress:

  1. Voltura E.V., Brightsmith D.J., Bailey C.A., Fábio-Silveira L. 2024. Recreating sodium hunger
             driven aqueous geophagy in captive parrots: reproductive status influences sodium
             supplementation by Monk Parakeets (Psittaciformes: Myiopsitta monachus [Boddaert, P
             1783]) fed low sodium diets. Behav Ecol Sociobiol. In Review: Minor Revisions.
  2. Voltura E.V., Louth B., Bailey C.A., Heatley J.J. Captive Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus)
             allowed to choose sodium intake consume less sodium than their counterparts. Target for
             submission J Exper Bio
  3. Voltura E.V., Heatley J.J., Bailey C.A. The effects of sodium on the bioavailability of amino acids
             in chickens. Target for submission Animals.
  4. Voltura E.V., Bailey C.A., Taylor R., Heatley J.J. The elemental composition of eggs laid by
             captive Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) fed diets containing different levels of
             sodium. Target for submission Ibis.