Current Position
Assistant Professor of Zoology, Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University.
Former Positions
2007- 2008 Assistant Professor of Biology, Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Education
Post Doctoral Associate: University of Nebraska-Lincoln. May 2006-July 2007. Advisor: John Janovy Jr.
Ph.D. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Biological Sciences. May 2006. Advisor: John Janovy Jr.
Dissertation: Bolek, M. G. 2006. The role of arthropod second intermediate hosts as avenues for and constraints on the transmission of frog lung flukes (Digenea: Haematoloechidae). University of Nebraska, Lincoln. 198 pp. PDF
M.S. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Biological Sciences. December 1998. Advisor: James R. Coggins.
Thesis: Bolek, M. G. 1998. A seasonal and comparative study of helminth parasites in nine Wisconsin amphibians. University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. 134 pp. PDF
B.S. Carroll College, (Biology and Chemistry), Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry. May 1995. Advisors: John Mellen and Leslie Zettergren
Invited Presentations
2009 Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Department of Zoology, November 11-13.
2009 The Newton Kingston Memorial Lecture. The 40th Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists, Moran, Wyoming, September 10-12.
2009 Amphibian Coccidia: Ecology and Phylogeny. The 41th (!) Coccidiosis Conference: American Society of Parasitologists, Knoxville, Tennessee, August 14-17.
2009 Cedar Point Biological Station. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, July 14.
2008 Keynote speaker for amphibian and reptile parasites. Xth-European Multicolloquium of Parasitology, Paris, August 24-29.
2008 Amphibian Coccidia. The 40th (!) Coccidiosis Conference: American Society of Parasitologists, Arlington, Texas, June 27 - 30. See website.
2008 Oklahoma State University. Department of Zoology.
2007 Purdue University North Central. Biology Department.
2006 University of Wisconsin-La Cross. Department of Biology.
2006 Banquet Address at the Annual Midwestern Conference of Parasitologists. Winona State University.
2006 Towson University. Department of Biology.
2004 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Department of Biology.
1998 Carroll College. Department of Biology.
Selected Presentations
Bolek, M. G., B. Hanelt, A. Schmidt-Rhaesa, and D. J. Richardson. 2010. Redescription of the African Chordodes albibarbatus Montgomery 1898, and description of a new species of Chordodes (Gordiida, Nematomorpha) and its non-adult stages from Cameroon, Africa. Southwestern Association of Parasitologists. Lake Texoma, Oklahoma.
Bolek, M. G., and H. R. Tracy 2009. Cercarial behavior patterns and host specificity of Glypthelmins spp. in tadpoles and metamorphosed anurans. Southwestern Association of Parasitologists. Lake Texoma, Oklahoma.
Bolek, M. G. 2008. The Role of Damselflies (Odonata) in the Transmission of Halipegus eccentricus to Anurans. American Society of Parasitologists, Arlington, Texas.
Bolek, M. G. and J. Janovy Jr. 2007. Escaping the poop cocoon: Are there behavioral adaptations of toad tapeworms for transmission? 1st North American Parasitology Congress. Mérida, México.
Bolek, M. G. and J. Janovy Jr. 2006. How frogs get their worms! Understanding amphibian helminth life-cycle strategies from a community perspective. The 11th International Congress of Parasitology. Glasgow, Scotland.
Bolek, M. G., S. D. Snyder and J. Janovy Jr. 2005. How little frogs and big frogs get their worms! Life-cycle plasticity in frog bladder flukes. American Society of Parasitologists. Mobile, Alabama.
Bolek, M. G. and J. Janovy Jr. 2005. Transmission patterns in amphibian coccidia (Apicomplexa): Implications for arthropods as mechanical vectors for transmission. Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists. Casper, Wyoming.
Bolek, M. G. and J. Janovy Jr. 2005. Baby frogs and hungry maggots: Why is myiasis so rare in North American amphibians? Southwestern Association of Parasitologists. Lake Texoma, Oklahoma.
Bolek, M. G. 2004. From a frogs’ perspective, is a dragonfly a dragonfly? Evolutionary avenues for and constraints on the transmission of frog lung flukes (Haematoloechus spp.). American Society of Parasitologists and American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists. Joint Meeting. Philadelphia Pennsylvania.
Bolek, M. G., S. D. Snyder, and J. Janovy Jr. 2004. The little frog gets its worms first: Life cycle variation and colonization of young of the year leopard frogs by two trematodes. Southwestern Association of Parasitologists. Lake Texoma, Oklahoma.
Bolek, M, G. and J. Janovy Jr. 2003. The role of trematode life-cycle variation and colonization of successive hosts by two trematodes, Haematoloechus complexus, and Gorgoderina attenuata, to young of the year northern leopard frogs. American Society of Parasitologists. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Bolek, M. G. 2003. Descriptions and observations on the life history of coccidia (Apicomplexa) from the western chorus frog, Pseudacris triseriata triseriata, and barred tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium, from Nebraska. Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.
Bolek, M. G. 2002. The role of second intermediate arthropod hosts in the transmission of frog lung flukes (Haematoloechus spp.) The 10th International Congress of Parasitology. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Presentation and Scholarly Awards
2010 The Margaret S. Ewing Outstanding Mentor Award, Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University.
2009-2010 President-Elect (Program Officer) Southwestern Association of Parasitologists.
2008-2009 Past President Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists.
2007-2008 President Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists.
2006-2007 President-Elect. Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists.
2005 American Society of Parasitologists Best Student Presentation Award at the annual ASP meeting.
2005 Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Student Presentation.
2004 School of Biological Sciences, Graduate Student Association, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Teaching Assistant of the Year.
2004 Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Student Poster Presentation.
2004 School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Graduate Student Faculty Retreat 1st Place Award for Best Graduate Student Presentation.
2003 American Society of Parasitologists Honorable Mention for Student Presentation at the annual meeting of the ASP.
2003 Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Student Poster Presentation.
2003 School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Graduate Student Faculty Retreat 2nd Place Award for Best Graduate Student Presentation.
2002 Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists Datus M. Hammond Award for Best Student Presentation.
2002 Southwestern Association of Parasitologists David A. Becker Award for Best Student Presentation.
2001 Southwestern Association of Parasitologists David A. Becker Award for Best Student Presentation.
2000 Annual Midwestern Conference of Parasitologists George R. LaRue Award for Best Student Presentation.
1998 Annual Midwestern Conference of Parasitologists Chester A. Herrick Award for Best Student Poster Presentation.
1998 Polanki, Polish Women’s Club Copernicus Award for Student in Science.
1995 Tri Beta National Honor Society Award for Excellence in Biology.
1994 Tri Beta National Honor Society Frank G. Brooks Award for Best Student Presentation.
Research and Travel Grants
2010: Baseline Inventory of Avian and Amphibian Disease Vectors in Great Plains Wetlands. US Fish and Wildlife COOP. Co-PI Jason R. Vogel, Co-PI Matthew G. Bolek, and Co-PI Jason Belden. $235,803.00. Not Funded..
2010-2013: Unraveling a Gordian knot: Biodiversity of Gordian worms, phylum Nematomorpha in the New World. National Science Foundation. Co-PI Ben Hanelt, University of New Mexico, Co-PI Matthew Bolek, Oklahoma State University, Co-PI Andreas Schmidt-Rhaesa, University of Hamburg. Funded. $578,176.00; OSU portion $136,169.00.
2009-2012: Unraveling a Gordian knot: Biodiversity of Gordian worms, phylum Nematomorpha in Central and South America. National Science Foundation. $1,053,135.00. Not Funded.
2008-2013: PBI: Unraveling a Gordian knot: Global Biodiversity of Gordian worms, phylum Nematomorpha. NSF ($399,321). Not Funded.
2008-2013: Innate immunity of damselflies to parasites. NIH BRIN ($285,260 Funded). Declined.
2008 Summer: Parasitism of damselflies. University of Nebraska at Kearney Summer Student Research Program ($3,000 Funded). Declined.
2000-2006: Initiative for Ecology and Evolutionary Analysis, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Six grants for dissertation research ($5,391).
2000-2006: School of Biological Sciences Special Funds, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Six grants for dissertation research ($7,405).
2001-2006: American Society of Parasitologists. Five travel grants for meeting attendance as a graduate student ($2,700).
International Experience
January 1994 New Cultural Experience Program: Third World Encounters: Kenya, Africa.
Research Experience
2005-present Life cycle strategies of nematode and trematode parasites of amphibians.
2004-present Taxonomy of myxozoan parasites of amphibians.
2003-present Investigated interspecific relationships between frog lung flukes and bladder flukes using molecular markers under the direction of Dr. Scott D. Snyder.
2002-present Investigated the life-cycles and ultrastructure of coccidian protozoans using Nomarski interference contrast optics under the direction of Dr. John Janovy Jr.
2000-present Investigated the role of aquatic ecosystems and their avenues and constraints on the movement of parasites through the environment under the direction of Dr. John Janovy Jr.
2000-present Investigated life-cycle variation, host specificity, and transmission dynamics of frog lung flukes under the direction of Dr. John Janovy Jr.
1993-present Investigated parasite community structure among amphibian hosts under the direction of Drs. John Mellen, James Coggins, and John Janovy Jr.
1997-1998 Investigated the morphology and ultrastructure of freshwater nematomorphs using scanning electron microscopy under the direction of Dr. Heather Owen.
Work and Teaching Experience
2010 Oklahoma State University. Animal Biology (ZOOL 1604), taught lectures (spring semester). N = 288 students.
2009 Oklahoma State University. Animal Biology (ZOOL 1604), taught lectures (fall semester). Overall Student Evaluations: 3.72 based on 4 beitng excellent and 1 being poor, N = 78 students.
2009 Oklahoma State University: Introduction to Biology (BIOL 1114), taugh lectures (spring semester). Overall Student Evaluations: 3.20 based on 4 being excellent and 0 being poor, N = 142 students.
2009 Visiting Instructor (Cedar Point Biological Station, UNL) for Organismic Biology (BIOS 103), a field summer course taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) field station. Overall Student Evaluations: 1.08 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 16 students.
2008 Oklahoma State University: General Parasitology (ZOOL 4103), taught lectures and one 2 hr laboratory (fall semester). Overall Student Evaluations: 3.83 based on 4 beitng excellent and 1 being poor, N = 8 students.
2008 Visiting Instructor (Cedar Point Biological Station, UNL) for Organismic Biology (BIOS 103), a field summer course taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) field station. Overall Student Evaluations: 1.00 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 19 students.
2007 University of Nebraska at Kearney: Biology I (Bio 106), taught lecture (protozoa, cell biology portion) and 3 laboratory sections (spring semester). N = 96 students. No evaluations recieved.
2007 University of Nebraska at Kearney: Biology I (Bio 105), taught lecture (animal portion) and 3 laboratory sections (fall semester). N = 157 students. No evaluations recieved.
2007 Visiting Instructor (Cedar Point Biological Station, UNL) for Introduction to Zoology (BIOS 112), a field summer course taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) field station. Overall Student Evaluations: 1.33 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 6 students.
2007 Visiting Instructor (University of Nebraska at Omaha) for Biology II (BIOS 1750), taught lecture and 3 laboratory sections (spring semester). Overall Student Evaluations: 1.37 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 90 students.
2006 Visiting Instructor (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) for Invertebrate Zoology (BIOS 381), taught lecture and laboratory (fall semester). Overall Student Evaluations: 1.00 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 11 students.
2006 Visiting Instructor (Cedar Point Biological Station, UNL) for Natural History of the Invertebrates (BIOS 488/888), a field summer course taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) field station. Overall Student Evaluations: 1.00 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 7 students.
2006 Visiting Instructor (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) for Introduction to Zoology (BIOS 112), teaching lecture (spring semester). N = 96 students. Overall Student Evaluations: 1.43 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 96 students.
2005 Visiting Instructor (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) for General Biology (BIOS 101), taught lecture (fall semester). Overall Student Evaluations: 1.26 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 135 students.
2005 Visiting Instructor (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) for Parasitology (BIOS 385), taught lecture (spring semester). Overall Student Evaluations: 1.09 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 23 students.
2004 Visiting Instructor (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) for Invertebrate Zoology (BIOS 381), taught lecture and laboratory (fall semester). Overall Student Evaluations: 1.20 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 13 students.
1999-2000 Diagnostic Parasitologist (Purdue University) managed the clinical parasitology laboratory, which included identification of protozoa, helminth and arthropod parasites of wildlife and domestic animals. I also maintained a teaching museum collection for the veterinary parasitology courses.
2000 Temporary Instructor (Purdue University) for Parasitology for Veterinary Technicians (VPB 233), taught lecture and laboratory (spring semester). Overall Student Evaluations: 2.90 based on 1 being excellent and 5 being poor, N = 27 students.
1997-2003 Presented Numerous Guest Lectures in General Biology, Zoology, Biodiversity, Veterinary Parasitology, Field Parasitology, Natural History of Invertebrates, Natural History of Vertebrates, and Invertebrate Zoology.
Graduate and Undergraduate Teaching Assistantships
Dates Course Taught Institution
8/2001-12/2003 Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL)
1/2000-5/2004 Parasitology Laboratory UNL
7/2001-7/2004 Field Parasitology at CPBS UNL
8/2000-12/2000 General Biology Laboratory UNL
1/1999-5/2000 Veterinary Parasitology Laboratory Purdue University
9/1996-12/1998 General Zoology Laboratory University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)
9/1998-12/1998 ... . . .Human Parasitology Laboratory ....... UWM
9/1997-12/1997 Elements of Biology Laboratory .UWM
2/1995-5/1995 Ecology Laboratory .Carroll College
9/1993-12/1993 Natural History of Vertebrates Lab Carroll College
Students Mentored
2009-present Mr. Mohammed S. Vhora, major professor.
2008-present Ms. Heather Tracy, major professor.
2007-present M.S. Committee member for Ms. Dominique Freyre (University of Nebraska at Omaha), Ms. Fiona Denge and Mr. Michael Smith (UNK).
2007-present Mr. Andrew Prosoki. B.S. student at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Innate immunity to parasites in three species of damselflies.
2007-present Ms. Ashlee N. Hartman. B.S. student at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Parasite survey of humane society dogs throughout Nebraska.
2006-summer Mr. Tyler Humphrey. B.S. student at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Studies on the life-cycle of the toad tapeworm Distoichometra bufonis.
2006-spring Mr. Tyler Humphrey. B.S. Zoology honors student at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Literature Review of parasites of bullfrogs.
2004-summer Ms. A. McColery and Ms. A. Goodenberger. B.S. students at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Host specificity and length/abundance correlations among gregarine parasites of three genera in the order Trichoptera.
2003-summer Mr. Chad Cutshall and Mr. Jeff Carter. B.S. students at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Preferred second intermediate hosts of the digenetic trematode Allocreadium lobatum at Cedar Creek, Nebraska.
2002-summer Ms. Brenda Stoaks and Ms. Nicky Westerkamp. B.S. students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The effect of time on cercarial shedding (Haematoloechus longiplexus and H. coloradensis) in snails (Gyraulus parvus and Physa sp.).
2000-summer Ms. Muna H. Al-Mugotir. B.S. student at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Larval trematode communities in the snails, Physa sp., Gyraulus parvus, and Helisoma trivolvis, from, Nebraska.
1999-2000 Four DVM students at Purdue University. Helminth, protozoan, and Baylisascaris procyonis infections in humane society dogs.
Collaborators
Armando R. Irizarry-Rovira (Ph.D., D.V.M.), Research Pathologist, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Research Laboratories, Greenfield, Indiana. (Pathology of amphibian and reptile parasites)
Scott D. Snyder (Ph.D.), Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha. (Phylogeny and taxonomy of frog lung flukes and frog bladder flukes)
Miloslav Jirku (M.S.), University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackeho, Czech Republic. (Amphibian myxozoan and coccidian, taxonomy)
Andreas Schmidt-Rhaesa (Ph.D.), Biozentrum Grindel/Zoological Museum. Hamburg
Germany (Nematomorph phylogeny and systematics)
Christopher M. Whipps (Ph.D.), Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University. (Myxozoan phylogeny, and the use of molecular techniques for amphibian parasite systematics)
Service
Reviewer for National Science Foundation (2), Invertebrate Biology (1), Comparative Parasitology (10), Journal of Parasitology (14), Cell and Tissue Research (2), Acta Parasitologica (4), Acta Protozoologica (2), Journal of Natural History (1), Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad (1), Great Plains Research (1), Phyllomedusa: Journal of Neotropical Herpetology (1), Herpetology Journal (1), Zootaxa (2), Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Research Report (1), The Great Lakes Entomologist (1), The Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Sciences (1), and numerous chapters in Roberts and Janovy Foundations of Parasitology, and Duszynski and Upton The Biology of the Coccidia (Apicomplexa) of Snakes of the World.
2009-2013. Education Committee, American Society of Parasitologists.
2008 and 2009 SWAP Representative to the American Society of Parasitologists.
2008 and 2009 (Chair) Nominating Committee, the American Society of Parasitologists (ASP).
2007 Student Paper and Poster Competition Judge. Annual Midwestern Conference of Parasitologists. University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
2007 Student Paper Competition Judge. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Biological Sciences 7th Student Faculty Retreat, Lincoln, Nebraska.
2005, 2006 Nominating Committee. Annual Midwestern Conference of Parasitologists.
2005 Helminthological Society of Washington Membership Committee.
2004, 2003, 2002 Volunteer, at the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology University of Nebraska State Museum.
2004, 2003, 2002, 1998 Symposium Committee. Annual Midwestern Conference of Parasitologists.
2004 Graduate Student Representative for the Academic Program Review for the School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
2003 Learning Community. Workshop offered at Cedar Point Biological Station for incoming freshmen students on field biology and the role of field stations in research and teaching biology. Cedar Point Biological Station, Ogallala, Nebraska.
2003 AstroBiology Camp. Workshop offered through the Physics department for 15-17 year old high school students on the evolution of life and extra terrestrial life in outer space. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska.
2003 Co-organizer of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Biological Sciences 3rd Student Faculty Retreat, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Professional Organizations
Sigma Xi American Society of Parasitologists
American Microscopical Society
Annual Midwestern Conference of Parasitologists
Helminthological Society of Washington
Rocky Mountain Conference of Parasitologists
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Southwestern Association of Parasitologists
Wildlife Disease Association
References
Dr. John Janovy Jr. (Major Professor for Ph.D. degree). School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0118. (402) 472-2754. Email: jjanovy@unlserve.unl.edu
Dr. James R. Coggins (Major Professor for M.S. degree). Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201. (414) 229-4350. Email: coggins@uwm.edu
Dr. Brent B. Nickol (Committee member for Ph.D. degree). School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0118. (402) 472-2307. Email: bnickol1@unl.edu
Dr. William E. Wagner, Jr. (Committee member for Ph.D. degree). School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0118. (402) 472-0742. Email: wwagner@unlserve.unl.edu
Dr. Kevin R. Kazacos (Supervisor). Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. (765) 494-7556. Email: kkazacos@purdue.edu