Position Title
Graduate Student
- Graduate Group in Ecology
- Department of Animal Science
Education
BA, Biology, Bowdoin College
Research Interests
Conservation genetics, sustainable fisheries, aquaculture
Research Projects
My work focuses on developing molecular genetic tools for the conservation of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus), the largest freshwater fish in North America. Due to human impacts on rivers and streams, several populations of white sturgeon are threatened or endangered. One of these populations in the Kootenai River in Idaho is currently supported by a conservation hatchery. I’m working on a project using GT-Seq (genotyping in thousands) to develop a genetic parentage-based tagging method for white sturgeon. This technique will facilitate the identification of the exact broodstock parents of hatchery-released fish using their unique genetic profiles, which will help with more accurate and efficient monitoring of recovery goals.
My other projects include using genetic markers to estimate the number of spawning white sturgeon adults in the Hells Canyon reach of the Snake River, as well as a comparison of methods for determining genetic ploidy in sturgeon.
In my free time, I enjoy mountain biking, rock climbing, skiing, running, and finding new secret swimming holes on the Yuba River.
- I helped start the program GOALS (Girls’ Outdoor Adventures in Leadership and Science) at UC Davis, a free summer program for local high school girls from backgrounds typically underrepresented in science and the outdoors.