Missouri State University graduate student Emily Beasley has devoted much of her graduate career to the study of biogeography.

Her master’s thesis covered the examination of small mammal diversity patterns in relation to island biogeography in glades.

Beasley presented her research in October at the Central Plains Society of Mammalogists meeting. She received an award for the best talk by a master’s student.

The meeting was held in Dubuque, Iowa. It featured research from students in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas.

Dr. Sean Maher, assistant professor of biology, is Beasley’s thesis adviser.