16 Feb 04

Frognet,

My name is Derrick Wright. I am 20 and a junior at SUNY Geneseo (State University of New York at Geneseo). I am attempting to obtain my BS in Biology and a minor in Business Studies. Hopefully working for a biological company called Upstate Biotechnologieslocated in Lake Placid, NY upon graduation. I currently intern there during the summer, when I am not at school. I live in a small town near Lake Placid called Wilmington, NY which is located in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains.

My first year at Geneseo I was fortunate enough to meet a frogger here on frognet that I am sure some of you know, Matthew Mirabello.Matt got me hooked on poison dart frogs. He was a senior Biology and Chemistry major and graduated from here. I had virtually no experiencewith these frogs but Matt was willing to take me on as an apprentice. I helped him care for the frogs my freshmen year and he was at the point where he had a breeding set of every frog he had. So, Matt gave me half of his collection to continue studies in the frog room here at Geneseo (Thank god...if he hadn't I probably would have spent my whole summer buying frogs and not saving money for tuition! Thanks Matt). However, it really didn't work that way. I still continue to get more and more frogs. Who knows, maybe someday I will be thenext Tor Linbo and carting 4 UHAUL truck loads of tanks to my new house. For now I am restricted to a small closet in the basement of my science building. I am currently conducting studies on pattern analysis of leucomeles and have several other studies lined up for the next year (time permitting). I would like to get published in my college's journal of science by the time I graduate. Time will tell.

I guess I am a born and raised outdoors guy. I have always been outgoing and active. I enjoy hiking, fishing, and swimming or anythingthat involves the outdoors. I have always been deeply involved in sports. I played soccer, basketball, baseball and run track in high school. I am currently a rower for my college's Crew team. I also like to sit down and read a good book or scientific article every now and then. I guess that's me in a nutshell. I probably missed a few things here and there, but that's the jist of it all.

Anyway, I really enjoy the list and the discussions are very informative. I hope it stays that way.

:-)
Sincerely,
Derrick Wright
Lake Placid, NY




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