Rod Williams is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University.  He received his B.S. in Wildlife Science in 1996, his M.S. in Conservation Genetics in 1998, and his Ph.D. in Evolutionary Genetics in 2007 from Purdue University.  Before joining the faculty in 2008, he served as the vertebrate curator and coordinator of laboratory instruction for eight years.  During that time he managed the vertebrate teaching collection, taught five courses related to ecology and systematics of vertebrates, and co-authored two field guides: the Salamanders of Indiana and the Turtles of Indiana. 

Rod is broadly interested in the ecology and conservation of amphibians and reptiles.  His research interests focus on using a combination of field and laboratory methods to: 1) investigate habitat selection and use in both aquatic and terrestrial systems, 2) characterize amphibian and reptile mating systems, 3) examine the factors influencing amphibian malformations, and 4) measure population structure and inbreeding in threatened or endangered herpetofaunal species.  At present, his lab is involved with projects that include an investigation of population size, movement, and habitat use of endangered hellbenders in Indiana; examining the food habits, genetic diversity and population structure of eastern hellbenders; developing baseline hematological and blood chemistry panels for aquatic salamanders; and studying the effects of timber harvests on terrestrial salamanders.