Lab Alumni
Jeff's thesis can be found here.
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Jeff Brittain (MS 2015)
Education Georgia College, Milledgeville, GA (2011), B.S. Environmental Science I am a graduate student at Portland State University pursuing a M.S. in Environmental Science & Management. My general research interests include studying the responses of inland freshwater systems to changes in environmental conditions as well as remediation and restoration methods for imperiled ecosystems. I am currently working on a thesis project that monitors the response of plankton communities to simulations of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in montane lakes of Mount Rainier National Park. When I am not working on campus or in the field, I enjoy bicycling, running, and exploring the Pacific Northwest.I am a graduate student at Portland State University pursuing a M.S. in Environmental Science & Management. My general research interests include studying the responses of inland freshwater systems to changes in environmental conditions as well as remediation and restoration methods for imperiled ecosystems. I am currently working on a thesis project that monitors the response of plankton communities to simulations of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in montane lakes of Mount Rainier National Park. When I am not working on campus or in the field, I enjoy bicycling, running, and exploring the Pacific Northwest. Find out more about my research in this video. |
Ariana's dissertation can be found here.
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Ariana Chiapella (PhD 2019)
Education Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (2012) B.A. Environmental Studies Research Interests: The fate and effects of contaminants in aquatic food webs; socioecological implications of mountain lake fish stocking; mountain lake ecology I am originally from Massachusetts, where I grew up with a love for the outdoors. As an undergraduate, I became involved in multiple research projects regarding stream ecosystem health, which fostered my interest in freshwater ecology. After graduating, I conducted life cycle monitoring for coho salmon and steelhead trout in the Lagunitas Creek Watershed in Marin County, California as a part of the AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Project. For my dissertation, I study the dynamics of montane lake ecology, the factors that influence pollutant bioaccumulation across the lakes’ food webs, and the management implications of contaminants in these fish-stocked systems. My data collection has included field surveys of mountain lakes in North Cascades, Mount Rainier, and Olympic National Parks, and surveys of park visitors about their recreational habits, and their knowledge and opinions about the management of fish-stocked mountain lakes. I also spent a year at the WasserCluster Lunz research institute in Austria to conduct diet-tracing experiments to test the effectiveness of fatty-acid specific stable isotopes. Outside of work and academics, I enjoy cooking, good music, and anything outdoors: rock climbing, riding my bike, backpacking, backcountry and cross-country skiing, and exploring new places. Awards
Other Research Experience
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Sam's thesis can be found here.
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Sam Cimino (MS 2016)
Education University of Colorado, Boulder (2010), B.A. Environmental Studies (Specialization in Water) Minors: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Geography Research Interests Invasive Species- How invasive species may be displacing native competitors and how they might affect the food-web. Particular species include: New Zealand mudsnail, Asian freshwater clam, rusty crayfish, spotted knapweed, and tansy ragwort. Novel Ecosystems - Instead of attempting to restore ecosystems to a historically sustainable state, which may not be physically or financially possible, we create new sustainable systems that benefit the most important or widest range of biodiversity. Novel ecosystems attempt to promote native species development in a less-than natural system. Biocontrols - Good examples: Root weevils on spotted knapweed and cinnabar moth on tansy ragwort Bad Examples: cane toad in Australia, mongoose in the Caribbean Freshwater Ecology - Lakes, rivers, riparian zones, marshes. Sustainable water use- agriculture Other Interests Brewing, Running, Biking, most sports, All Colorado Sport Teams (Especially the Buffs), Bluegrass and music in general, Drawing, Chinese Checkers, Food, and People...sometimes. |
Tim's dissertation can be found here.
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Tim Elder (PhD 2018)
Education Southern Oregon University (2008), B.S. Biology I am an Oregon native whose love of ecology began during my early career as a wilderness-backpacking guide. My undergraduate work focused on assessing shifts in tree species composition in the Siskiyou Mountains of Southern Oregon and my graduate work now focuses on assessing cumulative survival of juvenile salmonids passing through the dams of the Lower Columbia River hydrosystem. My professional work includes numerous field instructor and land caretaker positions, fish work with the US Forest Service, botanical work with the Bureau of Land Management and most recently a biologist position with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. I am an outdoor enthusiast and enjoy photography, metalwork, playing music and sitting in the sun with a cup of coffee and a good book. Current Research Rivers are highly dynamic and fluid ecosystems that have been extremely affected by human activities. I am broadly interested in the ways salmonids are responding to and adapting (or not) to the novel conditions of altered river environments. From the impacts of hydropower development to hatchery production, my research investigates how anthropogenic change is influencing the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic species. Publications Elder, T., Woodley, C. M., Weiland, M. A., & Strecker, A. L. (2016). Factors influencing the survival of outmigrating juvenile salmonids through multiple dam passages: an individual‐based approach. Ecology and Evolution, 6(16), 5881-5892. Fuccillo KK, Crimmins TM, de Rivera CE, Elder TS. 2014. Assessing accuracy in volunteer-based plant phenology monitoring. International Journal of Biometeorology 59:917-926 Ploskey GR, MA Weiland, JS Hughes, CM Woodley, Z Deng, TJ Carlson, J Kim, IM Royer, GW Batten, AW Cushing, SM Carpenter, DJ Etherington, TS Elder, ES Fischer, T Fu, MJ Hennen, TD Mitchell, TJ Monter, JR Skalski, RL Townsend, SA Zimmerman, US Army Corps of Engineers – 2010 Final Report. Survival and Passage of Juvenile Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Passing Through John Day Dam. Grants and Awards
Link to full CV |
Katie's thesis can be found here.
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Katie Ewen
Education Vassar College (2015), B.A. Earth Science/English Research Interests Katie’s research interests are driven by an overarching desire to study the effects of climate change on sensitive alpine ecosystems. As a freshwater ecology student, she aims to assess current and future climate change ramifications on glacial ecosystems, and to work with resource managers to effectively protect the most vulnerable associated aquatic habitats and species. Furthermore, she is passionate about effective science communication, citizen science, and community involvement, and believes incorporating education into ecological research is a crucial component of conservation. Background Katie grew up in a small town in Kentucky, mastering the art of muddy creek exploration, before earning a BA in English and Earth Science at Vassar College. Prior to beginning her current M.S. studies at Western Washington University, she lived throughout the west, teaching as an environmental educator, coordinating amphibian citizen science work, and conducting field research on bison, moose, wolverines, and mountain lions. Most recently she has served as an aquatic field technician in Mount Rainier National Park, where she monitors alpine lakes, glaciers, glacial rivers, amphibians, and fish. Katie enjoys cold dips in alpine lakes, trail running, long days in the mountains, reading, and dreaming of adopting a dog (or three). Current Research Climate change in the Pacific Northwest has greatly impacted the region’s alpine glaciers and associated aquatic ecosystems, upon which numerous species depend. Accelerated glacial recession on heavily glaciated Mount Rainier has been documented, and yet the specific impacts of this rapid melt on critical cold-water aquatic habitat and threatened salmonid fish species remain unknown. By assessing stream temperatures in glacial systems on Mount Rainier and locating both vulnerable and resilient cold-water zones, Katie’s research will inform resource managers as they seek to protect native fish and aquatic habitat from continued climate threats. Grants and Awards
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Meredith Holgerson (PDF 2016-2018)
Education Ph.D., Yale University School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (2016) M.S., SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry (2011) B.S., Denison University, Biology; B.A. Environmental Studies (2009) Background I grew up in Massachusetts, where my love for the outdoors began. I raised “woolly bear” caterpillars, built corrals for hermit crabs at the beach, and used the woods near my house as my playground. It wasn’t until college that I realized my love for the outdoors could translate to a career in ecological conservation. I completed an Honor’s thesis on amphibian demography and movement at a vernal pool, and went to graduate school to continue studying aquatic sciences. My research aims to use science to advance the conservation of freshwater habitats. Current Research I am a Smith Conservation Research Fellow and have three wonderful mentors: Angela Strecker at PSU, Marc Hayes at WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Mike Adams at USGS in Corvallis, OR. My research looks at the ecology of floodplain wetlands along the Chehalis River in WA, with an emphasis on how to improve floodplain restoration. I am specifically interested in how restoration can provide critical habitat for native amphibians and fish, while also providing a dynamic space for water to go during floods. I will use occupancy models, field surveys, and experiments to explore these topics. Publications Please look for me on ResearchGate or Google Scholar. My personal website is here. Other Interests Exploring the Pacific Northwest, being outside, spending time with family and friends, dogs and especially doodles, berries from the garden, west-coast IPAs, good books, good food, and laughing. |
Lara's dissertation can be found here.
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Lara Jansen (PhD 2023)
Education University of California, San Diego BS Environmental Systems (Ecology, Evolution and Behavior) Humboldt State University MS Natural Resources (Environmental Sciences Research Interests The structure and function of plankton communities, mountain lake ecology, nutrient cycling, harmful algal blooms Biography I originally hail from California, where I was able to explore the varied landscape from the low deserts to the high alpine. During my undergraduate, I worked on many research projects from studies on the physiological mechanisms that allow marine organisms to cope with changing pH conditions to tracking algal predators in biofuel systems. In my senior thesis, I found my love for the freshwater ecosystems, examining the potential for local adaptation in zooplankton to elevated carbon dioxide in lakes. From there I explored a variety of systems from subtropical swamps of Florida as an intern at the Archbold Biological Station to headwater streams in eastern Oregon as a Conservation and Land Management Intern for the BLM. For my MS, I studied the algal and macroinvertebrate communities of the Eel River under dam regulated and unregulated conditions. I have gained experience in both field studies as well as manipulative laboratory experiments to address how organisms at varying levels respond to disturbance both abiotic and biotic. I hope to leverage my skill set through other projects in my PhD and in my career. Current Research I am broadly interested in how varying abiotic conditions such as nutrients and temperature as well as introduced predators influence the trophic states of mountain lakes and ultimately how this can lead to harmful cyanobacterial blooms. In my doctoral work, I will examine how size-specific predation and nutrient recycling by fish alters the plankton community and in turn how does the resilience of lake plankton communities vary with nutrient loading and climate. I look to combine field surveys in the Cascades with controlled mesocosm experiments to test how the strength of top-down and bottom-up forces vary across different spatial scales. In addition, I aim to provide insights into the likelihood of cyanobacteria blooms in mountain lakes with projected climate shifts. Outside of research, I love getting outdoors from backpacking and trail running to kayaking and creek walking. I also enjoy eating and making good food, checking out the live music & comedy scene and traveling near and far. |
Amelia's thesis can be found here.
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Amelia Johnson (MS 2016)
Education University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (2010) Bachelor of Philosophy, Environmental Studies Research interests Habitat connectivity in freshwater ecosystems, floodplain-stream interactions, salmonid conservation and population modeling I will be beginning graduate study at the Strecker Lab in Fall 2014. My undergraduate research was focused on urban pollution legacies, but I have mainly spent my post-undergraduate years monitoring coho salmon with California Sea Grant. Landscape connectivity has always been of interest to me, whether I am looking at legacy pollution issues or salmonid migration patterns, and I will continue to consider the question of spatial and temporal scale while at PSU. For my Master's thesis, I will study habitat influences on overwintering juvenile coho salmon migration patterns, growth and survival. My study area is the Russian River watershed, which spans Sonoma and Mendocino Counties in northern California. When not working in a creek or analyzing data, I enjoy a lazy swimming day on a river, sporadically following the Pittsburgh Pirates, and a good book. |
Meredith's thesis can be found here.
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Meredith Jordan (MS 2016)
Education University of California Berkeley, California, B.A., English and Creative Writing I am currently a graduate student in the Strecker Aquatic Ecology Lab, seeking a Master of Science degree in environmental science at PSU. While taking post-baccalaureate coursework at Portland Community College, I became interested in anthropogenic stressors to urban watersheds. That interest has ultimately led to my current research on mercury in freshwater systems. I am currently working on understanding how common stressors to lakes, such as warming temperatures and nutrient addition from urban/agricultural runoff, might impact the way mercury might moves through a freshwater food web, beginning with zooplankton. My experiment took place at Cottage Grove Reservoir in central Oregon because of its situation within mercury-rich geology (and an associated abandoned mining district), but mercury bioaccumulation is of concern worldwide due to the mobile nature of coal combustion-related pollution. I am also interested in environmental justice issues; specifically, understanding how contamination of aquatic systems has highly variable impacts to different demographic groups, and learning how those impacts might be mitigated. When not working on my research, I enjoy road trips with my daughter, taking my dog for hikes, finding new and great beers and restaurants, gardening and generally just enjoying all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. |
Brian's thesis can be found here.
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Brian McGann (MS 2017)
Education The University of Georgia B.S. Ecology, Minor: Spanish (2013) Research Interests Invasive species, Watershed Management, Freshwater conservation, Water resource management, Fisheries management, Climate Change Background During my undergraduate career I was involved in a number of plant ecology related studies including: Asiatic genetic origins of invasive plant species, predicting plant-fungal interactions for migrating species in changing environments, and climate change effects on artic soil decomposition. This led me to work on a study analyzing canopy cover over riparian areas on a large scale. I became fascinated with aquatic ecology and decided to dedicate myself to the preservation of water and aquatic life. Through this position, I began to work on aquatic biomonitoring; and later began work for a conservation organization focusing on community education of aquatic biology, and the creation of biological corridors to protect diadromous fish. I also spent time working as a field technician in various tree demographic studies. I am currently working on a project with WDFW, analyzing zooplankton recovery in post rotenone treated, trout-stocked lakes in eastern Washington. The aim of the study is not only to see the differences that this chemical causes in the pelagic zooplankton community, but also to understand the ecological principles that govern these changes. I am curious to learn more about: colonization/dispersal, effects of predation on community structure, phenological patterns in community composition and disturbance effects on diversity at a species level; amongst other things. Other Interests Biking, Basketball, Buffets, Creek Walking (aka Puzzlin’), The Dawgs, Cooking, Languages, Salsa, Space and Dinosaurs |