CCMS

Tenure and Promotion Expectations

Study Abroad in Belize

Pamela J. Bryer
Assistant Professor of Biology
Office: 205-14 Hayes Biology Building
Phone: 409-880-8257
Email: pamela.bryer@lamar.edu

Education:

2008 Ph.D. Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

Dissertation title, "Bioaccumulation and effects of metal contaminated soil on

Great Plains toads, Bufo cognatus.

2002 M.S. Zoology, University of Maine, Orono, ME

Thesis title, "Embryonic learning in the wood frog, Rana sylvatica"

1999 B.A. Zoology, University of Maine, Orono, ME

Courses Taught: Non-Majors Biology (BIOL 1408); Toxicology (BIOL 4101)

Research Interests:

Overall,

My research program concerns the influences of contaminants on living organisms. My research background is in dragonflies, fishes, amphibians, and pigs though I am not limited to those taxa. Some of the approaches I have taken to answer questions have used behavior, physiology, histology, and/or morphometrics.

Specifically,

I aI I am interested in developmental toxicology –how exposure during critical periods can have long lasting effects even after the exposure is over.

· Another area I’m interested in is how stress affects an organism’s response to contaminants.

o For example, it has been well demonstrated that people that live in poor conditions (rough neighborhoods, poor nutrition, and little/no medical care) tend to suffer more from environmental pollution than people living in affluent conditions exposed to the same exact environmental pollution.

I’m currently planning a project using a model organism to tease apart the effects of psychosocial stress and physical stress in how individuals respond to contaminants.

· Locally, I’m concerned with lead contamination and its effects on children.

o Beaumont lies between Galveston, TX and New Orleans, LA, two places that are currently reporting 15-20% of their children having blood lead levels above EPA action limits. -that’s 20% of the population that will suffer lowered IQ, social impairments, and poor school performance simply because of where they grew up-

· $C:\Documents and Settings\pjbryer\Desktop\austin_logo.gif$ Coal-tar based pavement sealants are currently used throughout the country as a method of preserving asphalt parking lots. Turns out that the coal tar component can contribute high levels of PAHs to the rainwater that washes over the parking lot and into the storm drains. Since many storm drains empty straight into freshwater streams these coal-tar pavement sealants appear to harming the native invertebrate communities.

$C:\Documents and Settings\pjbryer\Desktop\arial.gif$ $C:\Documents and Settings\pjbryer\Desktop\parking_lot.gif$

Students: I am new to the faculty and don’t yet have the ability to take on students. Once my lab has been built (late Fall 2009) I welcome interested undergraduates and graduate students. Projects in this lab could be very beneficial to students looking for research experience for applications to other graduate programs and medical/veterinary schools.

Recent Publications:

Bryer P.J., M. Scoggins, & N.L. McClintock. Accepted. Observed toxicity from a coal-tar-based pavement

   sealant on a freshwater macroinvertebrate community native to central Texas. Environmental Pollution

Sutherland M.A., Bryer P.J., Davis B.L., McGlone J.J. in press. A multi-disciplinary approach to assess

   the welfare of weaned pigs during transport at three space allowances. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science.

Sutherland M.A., Bryer P.J., Davis B.L., McGlone J.J.. 2008.  Space requirements of weaned pigs during

   a 60 minute transport in summer.  Journal of Animal Science (online 2008 : jas.2008-1078v1-20081078).

Sutherland, M. A., P.J. Bryer, N. Krebs and J. J. McGlone. 2008. Tail docking in pigs: acute physiological

   and behavioural responses. Animal 2: 292-297.

Scoggins, M., N. L. McClintock, L. Gosselink, P. Bryer. 2007. Occurrence and effects of polycyclic

   aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on stream benthic macroinvertebrate communities

   above and below sealed parking lots. Journal of the North American Benthological

   Society. 26: 694-707.

Bryer, P.J., Elliott, J.N., E.J. Willingham. 2006. The effects of coal tar based pavement sealer

   on amphibian development and metamorphosis. Ecotoxicology 15: 241-247.

A member of the Texas State University System