The 2026 Annual

TMTA Conference

will be held at

Austin Peay State University

on September 18-19, 2026.

Register online here

Download the mail-in registration form here

Sign up to be a speaker here

Hotel Information: TBD

Keynote Speaker: Catherine Hasse, Ph. D.

"Mathematical Models in Hibernation Ecology: Insights from Bats and Disease Dynamics" 

Abstract: Mathematical models are essential tools for understanding complex ecological processes, particularly in systems where direct observation is challenging. In this keynote, I explore how quantitative approaches can be applied to hibernation ecology, with a focus on bat species and the impacts of disease. Using examples from research on hibernating bats, I illustrate how models of energy balance, temperature dynamics, and disease progression can provide insight into survival, behavior, and population-level outcomes. Special attention is given to white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has caused dramatic declines in North American bat populations, and how modeling efforts help predict its spread and inform conservation strategies. This talk highlights the value of integrating mathematics and biology to address real-world problems and demonstrates how mathematical thinking can be used to uncover patterns and guide decision-making in wildlife conservation.

Bio: Dr. Haase is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Austin Peay State University and a Principal Investigator in the Center of Excellence for Field Biology. Her research spans multiple mammal species, including moose, gray wolves, manatees, and bats (among others!). She received her B.S. in Wildlife Biology from Unity College in Maine, her M.S. in Conservation Biology at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and her Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida. Dr. Haase did her post-doctoral research at Montana State University studying the energetics of white-nose syndrome in western bat species. She currently resides on the Board of Directors of the North American Society for Bat Research and is the faculty advisor of the APSU Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society. Outside of research and teaching, Dr. Haase enjoys backpacking, hiking, kayaking, ice cream, R code, and awkward mammals.