Team

I received my undergraduate degree in Marine, Freshwater and Environmental Biology from Ohio University in May 2021 and went on to complete my Master’s in Marine and Environmental Biology at Nicholls State University in May 2023.

I am now working with Dr. Cory Suski to refine current conservation and management strategies of Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) through a combination of laboratory and field experiments.

In my spare time I enjoy fishing with friends and exploring new places!

I received my undergraduate degree in Natural Resource Management and Conservation from San Francisco State University. After taking a field course on the ecology of bats, I was officially hooked.

I am now being co-advised by Dr. Cory Suski and Dr. Joy O’Keefe at UIUC. My Ph.D. research will focus on monitoring the health of Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis) to determine whether forest management practices affect populations.

In addition to connecting to nature through science, I enjoy backpacking, watching live music, and consider myself a novice rock climber.

I graduated with a bachelor’s degree. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science with a concentration in Fish and Wildlife Management in the fall of 2024. I have a special interest in behavioral ecology and freshwater ecosystems.

I am currently studying the effects of livewell cooling on largemouth bass (Micropterus nigricans) as a fisheries academic researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. To access this, I utilized laboratory studies to quantify physiological and behavioral responses to cooling after simulated angling experience.

My love for nature extends beyond my work into my free time, where I enjoy paddleboarding, camping, hiking, and traveling all around the world!

I received my undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin in December 2021 and went on to complete my Master’s in Biological Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in May 2024. My previous research experience has included spatial ecology of herpetofauna in Texas and larval mole salamander community ecology.

I am now working with Dr. Cory Suski to investigate the movement, energetics, and behavior of migratory fishes in the Upper Mississippi River System to inform future fish passage work. To do this, we are deploying hydroacousic tags and accelerometers into a dozen fish species around Melvin Price Locks and Dam in collaboration with the U.S Army Corps of Engineers.

In my spare time I enjoy playing with my cat, hiking, traveling, and caring for my salamanders, frogs, and snakes!

I received my undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Over my undergraduate years, I have had the greatest opportunity working as an intern with the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC). Because of their research on Lake Superior, I now have a special interest in telemetry work and marine science.

Currently, I am being advised by Dr. Cory Suski and co-advised by Dr. Aaron Shultz. I work full-time with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe as a Fisheries Technician. My research focuses on the population decline of walleye in Mille Lacs Lake, MN by using telemetry and lab studies. More specifically, I am studying the fish movement of walleye and other desirable species, along with the effect of increased water temperatures.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, hiking, playing video games with friends, and trying to travel to all 50 states!

I received a Bachelor’s in Animal Science from California Polytechnic State University: San Luis Obispo in 2014 and a Master’s in Fisheries and Aquatic Science from University of Florida in 2022. In between academic endeavors, working in industry helped get my feet wet in research and hone my interest in applied fish ecology and conservation science.

The focus of my dissertation research in Dr. Suski’s lab is improving fish passage through lock and dam systems on the Mississippi River. More specifically, I am studying fish movement around Melvin Price Locks and Dam, including investigating questions about fish behavior and swimming energetics through a combination of field and laboratory studies.

Beyond work, I enjoy gardening and spending time outdoors with my husband and our son.

I received my undergraduate degree in Environmental Science from Northern Michigan University in fall 2023. During and after undergrad, I worked as an intern and then technician for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), where I assisted with a variety of fisheries research projects.

My current work involves using movement ecology to identify spawning sites and quality site fidelity of walleye (Sander vitreus). To do this, I use an acoustic telemetry array in Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota, where walleye have been threatened by habitat degradation, among other threats. This work seeks to identify the most important walleye spawning areas of the lake so that management actions that protect the habitat may be taken.

In my spare time I enjoy fishing with friends and exploring new places!

I came to the Suski lab from Penn State’s USGS Coop Unit where I worked with Dr. Ty Wagner and Dr. Jason Keagy on heat stress transcriptomics in brook trout. I received my PhD in Environmental & Conservation Sciences in 2023 from North Dakota State University with Dr. Craig Stockwell and Dr. David Mushet studying landscape genetics of leopard frogs.

My current project with Dr. Cory Suski and Dr. Andrew Esbaughm is focused on cold stress physiology and the development of mRNA biomarkers for gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) to help determine if fish kills in Canada are caused by cold snaps.

Outside of the lab, you can find me training for marathons, drawing fish art, and playing D&D with friends from grad school!

I received my bachelor’s degree from UIUC in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability in December of 2022. As an undergraduate, I had the opportunity to work on a research project in northern Wisconsin studying spawning bass population dynamics. This was one of the greatest experiences of my life and really solidified my desire to further pursue research in fisheries ecology. Following graduation, I had the opportunity to work as a technician in the Sport Fish Ecology Lab at UIUC, with much of our work focused on estimating the accuracy of aging walleye and saugeye with different hard structures. Additionally, we often assisted in a study focused on tracking smallmouth bass movement in the Vermilion River.

As of May 2023, I have been working on a Master’s thesis with Dr. Cory Suski and Dr. Jeff Stein aimed to address the long-term effects of angling pressure on spawning largemouth and smallmouth bass populations. My research takes place in southern Ontario where I am based out of the Queen’s University Biological Station during my summer field seasons. The goal of this project is to provide managers with empirical evidence to support management practices better suited to protecting spawning bass populations.

In my free time, I enjoy fishing (especially for bass and trout), hunting and binge-watching Netflix shows with a Papa John’s pizza next to me.