Research interests: |
I'm interested in a broad range of topics, however my primary interests as a graduate student in Applied Mathematics fall into the general areas of population dynamics (and dynamic models), population ecology, theoretical and behavioral ecology, and epidemiology. | |
Current Research: |
Currently, I'm finishing up a project where we use a modified SIR model framework to explore the potential impact of disease mediated
mortality on the migratory structure of the eastern House Finch population. For more information on this disease (Mycoplasmal Conjunctivitis) in House Finches, see the
House Finch Disease Survey home page. |
I was born in Denver Colorado to Michael A. Hurtado and Mary F. Hurtado, and have a little sister named Katie. My family moved out of Denver when my father finished Dental school, so I have lived in Pueblo, Colorado since I was three. Well, until moving to Ithaca, New York for grad school. I attended Pueblo School District 60 public schools and graduated from Pueblo Central High School in 1998, then went to the University of Southern Colorado (Now, Colorado State University - Pueblo), where I triple majored in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics, and earned two undergraduate degrees (BS Math, BS Biology-Chemistry). I also was pretty involved with the Experiential Learning Center at USC, under the long time director Jay Zarr. I am currently a graduate student in Cornell's Center for Applied Mathematics here in Ithaca, New York.
I generally tend to dive into what ever interests me at a given time, although that means I am also quite skilled in diving out just as abruptly! In the past, the things I've obsessed over include computers, bird watching/identification, running (outdoors activities in general), hiking, camping, rock/ice/mountain climbing, photography, a whole bunch of stuff related to herpetiles, etc.
I really do however love the outdoors, as I'm sure you've noticed from this webpage. Now that I'm at Cornell, I've taken a liking to the change of scenery from mountains and prairies near my home in Colorado. Birding is fun around the Ithaca area, although I miss the diversity of wildlife from the Pueblo area which lies on the edge of the grasslands to the north east, prairies to the south east and rocky mountains to the west, split through the middle by the Arkansas river. I also very much miss good mexican food, but I get by (sigh). Anyway, I'm also involved (quite a bit more than I should probably be as a grad student!) with Cornell Outdoor Education where I teach rock and ice climbing courses, some backpacking, etc. COE has definately become a big component of my life here in Ithaca - lots of good people dwell in the basement of Bartels Hall, and when they get outside they know how to enjoy it!!!
At Cornell, my research interests seem to fall into the mathy world of theoretical population biology, ecology, and behavior. Steve Ellner is my advisor, so I guess that puts me in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. As of the Fall of 05, I'm mostly doing homework still, but also working on a little model related to the House Finch Disease Survey out at the Lab of Ornithology. More on that once I get some more work done!!! :)
Anyway, enough about me...
Here are some photos taken a few years ago, back home in Colorado, that for some reason are still here on this page:
