Van is a double major in Environmental Studies and Animal Studies with minors in Coastal Management and French (Class of 2028). With six years of experience building bioactive enclosures and keeping anoles, bearded dragons, and veiled chameleons, Van combines practical husbandry knowledge with research expertise. They also bring a year of experience in data analytics from working with the HERP Lab.
Van’s research focuses on reptile gaze-following and handling, linking these behaviors to welfare and cognition. In the lab, Van has contributed to enrichment and cognition projects with leopard geckos, assisted in crested gecko enclosure design, and is currently developing gaze-following tests for crested geckos. They have also supported the iNaturalist project and designed the HERP Lab’s logo.