Justin Agan

Our Firm

     I was born and raised in Georgia where I recieved my Bachelor of Science in biology and Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia.  During my time at Clayton State University, under the guidance of Dr. Chistopher Kodani, I was able to get my first taste of research.

     Under the guidance of Dr. Kodani, I started my first project comparing physical component of the stream and the stream's overall health.  Macroinvertebrates that live within streams are poor dispersers and therefore largely incapable of relocating when conditions are poor.  However, macroinvertebrates differ in tolerance to poor water quality, so macroinvertebrate assemblages found within a stream serve as excellent biological indicators to the overall condition of those streams.  Streams have a variety of shapes and structures so I linked the physical dimensions of the stream to overall stream quality.  The results showed that the height and width of the bank prior to reaching the floodplain were loosely correlated to stream quality, but the amount of impervious surface within the streams watershed had a strong correlation to the overall stream quality.  This study gave me a foundation of basic research that I could build upon.

     By this point, I knew I wanted to go into research, but I did not know what field of study I wanted to work in.  It was not until I took a herpetology class with Dr. Joshua Parker as an undergraduate that showed me the path I wanted to follow.  I have always enjoyed herps, but never considered studying them as a career.  To cement my choice to go into a field of herpetology, I worked as a field technician for Dr. Parker in the Mojave Desert.  By seeing firsthand how reptiles and amphibians responded differently in different habitats, I now view behavior in a new light.  This experience also introduced me to several other researchers in the field and I was able to develop a better understanding of the type of research that is currently taking place in that field, as well as its broader implications.

     Currently, I am a Ph.D. student at Oklahoma State University in the Fox Lab.  My research is looking at precocial sexual selection in collared lizards.  To learn more about my research, click here!  In the off-season, since reptiles need warmer weather, I spend my time outdoors rock climbing, hiking, backpacking and herping when the weather permits.