Moser studies rare cottontail for ACC Fellowship

Feb. 10, 2017 – Senior wildlife conservation major Allison Moser of Ashburn, Virginia, spent the summer in the mountains of Roan, North Carolina, studying the Appalachian cottontail, a rare rabbit species, under an ACC Creativity and Innovation Fellowship. The Fellowship, one of six awarded at Virginia Tech in 2016, allows students to lead their own project under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Moser was assisted by both her advisor, Associate Professor W. Mark Ford, and Corinne “Cordie” Diggins, a Fellow with Virginia Tech’s Global Change Center.

“Appalachian cottontail are a species of concern (for the International Union for Conservation of Nature),” explained Moser. “My work will contribute to current knowledge on the species and provide a context for future projects. This information will help state and federal agencies better conserve Appalachian cottontail and their habitat.”

Moser shared that the experience of implementing her own project and putting coursework into practice confirmed her desire to attend graduate school. She hopes to contribute to endangered species conservation and provide new information on less-understood species in her career.