Keely Dunham, '24, used airborne eDNA to assess hemlock woolly adelgid infestations and their impact on Michigan coastal forests with Dr. Charlyn Partridge. Keely works as a technician at AWRI.

Tyler Hoyt, '24, studied the morphology of yellow perch populations in Lake Michigan and connected waterbodies with Dr. Carl Ruetz. Tyler is an Assistant District Biologist at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Kate Lucas, '24, researched the impact of climate change and restoration on phosphorus loading in an impaired wetland with Dr. Al Steinman. Kate is an Aquatic Ecologist for Barr Engineering.

Paris Velasquez, '24, studied microplastics, salt runoff, and the unique microbial plastisphere communities of an urban lake with Dr. Al Steinman. Paris is pursuing a career in environmental consulting.

Matt Silverhart '23, studied fish assemblage structures in Great Lakes wetlands with Dr. Carl Ruetz. Matt is pursuing a career in fisheries.

Davis Fray, '23, characterized the biodiversity and interspecies interactions of microbial mat communities in sulfur springs with Dr. Sarah Hamsher. He is pursuing a career in freshwater ecology.

John Hart, '23, improved assessment methods of non-point source fecal pollution in a variety of waterbodies in Michigan using a combination of geospatial and molecular methods with Dr. Rick Rediske. John is now a Staff Scientist at Geosyntec Consultants in Worthington, OH.

Nick Vander Stelt, '23, surveyed fish assemblages and habitat in the Boardman-Ottaway River in support of Arctic Grayling reintroduction and management with Dr. Carl Ruetz. Nick is pursuing a career in fisheries management in Michigan.

Nate Dugener, '22, examined the dynamics of interannual trends of seasonal hypoxia in Muskegon Lake with Dr. Bopi Biddanda. Nate is pursuing a job in the field of aquatic science.

Ellen Foley, '22, researched the impacts of road salt on water quality and phosphorus dynamics in an urban lake with Dr. Al Steinman. Ellen now works at Leeward Renewable Energy in Chicago, IL as a Development Associate.

Maggie Petersen, '22, studied the effects of weathered microplastic ingestion by fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) with Dr. Charlyn Partridge. Maggie is a Researcher at the Great Lakes Environmental Center in Traverse City, MI.

Jonathan Walt, '22, mapped the spread of invasive species in Michigan wetlands using remote sensing with Dr. Sean Woznicki. Jon works for the State of Michigan as an Environmental Quality Analyst with the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) in the Water Resources Division.

Meg Sanders, '21, developed a trap to collect airborne environmental DNA and also tested the trap’s compatibility with molecular methods to confirm the presence of Hemlock Wooly Adelgid with Dr. Charlyn Partridge. Meg now works as a research scientist for the Wisconsin DNR.

Jason Lorenz, '21, evaluated lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) spawning success on an artificial reef constructed in the Kalamazoo River, Michigan with Dr. Carl Ruetz. Jason has been a biologist for the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians since 2012 and will continue to work with lake sturgeon populations in the Kalamazoo and Grand Rivers.

Megan Mader, '21, studied the effects of shoreline and watershed development on eastern Lake Michigan drowned river mouth ecology with Dr. Carl Ruetz. She is now working as a lake scientist at Lake Education and Planning Services (LEAPS) in Hayward, Wisconsin.

Emily Neuman, '21, investigated the growth of starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa), an aquatic invasive species, in two Michigan Lakes, and its suitable habitats in the Midwest and Northeast United States with Dr. Sarah Hamsher. Emily is pursing a job in the aquatic science field.

Tyler Harman, '20, analyzed seasonal changes in thermal stress resilience and innate immunity in the temperate coral Astrangia poculata from future climate impacts with Dr. Kevin Strychar. He is applying PhD programs for Fall 2021 to continue studying coral biology.

Matt Allen, '20, studied the coldwater fishery and E. coli impairments in the Little Flower Creek watershed with Dr. Rick Rediske. He plans to advocate for Michigan’s water resources in local fly fishing and natural resource communities and to pursue a job in the aquatic science field.

Jasmine Mancuso, '20, studied historic trends of harmful algal blooms in Muskegon Lake with Dr. Bopi Biddanda. She is now the lab manager for Dr. Scott Tiegs' Aquatic Ecology Lab at Oakland University. 

Barney Boyer, '19, measured macroinvertebrate drift in the Au Sable River, MI with Dr. Mark Luttenton. Barney works at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, & Energy in the Water Resources Division in Lansing.

Paige Kleindl, '19, studied macrophyte-epiphyte community dynamics within Muskegon Lake with Dr. Alan Steinman. Paige is pursuing a PhD at Florida International University.

Katie Knapp, '19, estimated lake metabolism using the Muskegon Lake Observatory with Dr. Bopi Biddanda. Katie teaches outdoor lessons at West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science.

Dr. Sarah Lamar, '19, conducted a genetic analysis of the biological invasion of baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata) across North America with Dr. Charlyn Partridge. Sarah earned a PhD at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington in 2023, where she now works as a Visiting Scholar in addition to being a Senior Science Advisor in Animal Health and Welfare for the New Zealand government.

Molly Lane, '19, compared Colilert and qPCR methods for monitoring Lake Michigan beaches in Muskegon County with Dr. Rick Rediske. Molly works as an adjunct research assistant in the Rediske Lab at AWRI.

Alan Mock, '19, evaluated remote site incubators in support of Arctic grayling restoration in Michigan with Dr. Carl Ruetz. Alan is pursuing a PhD studying Everglades fish ecology at Florida International University.

Kaitlyn (Emelander) Dykstra, '18, studied occupancy modeling of yellow perch in Great Lakes coastal wetlands with Dr. Carl Ruetz. Kaitlyn works as Farm Operations Manager at FoodChain in Lexington, KY.

Hailee (Pavisich) Leimbach-Maus, '18, conducted a genetic analysis of the spread of baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata) populations in Northwest Michigan sand dunes with Dr. Charlyn Partridge. Hailee is a Botany Technician for the Spokane Bureau of Land Management in Spokane, WA.

Dan Myers, '18, investigated erosion and ecological impacts to an urban coldwater stream using multiple techniques with Dr. Rick Rediske. Dan is pursuing a PhD at Indiana University Bloomington.

Kim Oldenborg, '18, studied phosphorus dynamics in a restored flow-through wetland with Dr. Al Steinman. Kim is a Water Resources Specialist with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Madison, WI.

Emma Rice, '18, assessed control methods of invasive Gypsophila paniculata in the northwest Michigan dunes with Dr. Jim McNair. Emma is a Research Associate at Montana State University and will pursue a PhD at Penn State in Fall 2020.

Jay Zuidema, '18, estimated components of stream metabolism using the free water dissolved oxygen method with Dr. Jim McNair. Jay is currently pursuing a PhD.

Greg Chorak, '17, conducted a yellow perch stock assessment in drowned river mouth lakes and nearshore Lake Michigan with Dr. Carl Ruetz. Greg is a Ph.D. student at Montana State University.

Nick Gezon, '17, studied the viral consortium of the Great Lakes of Quagga mussels and Lake Michigan sediments with Dr. Kevin Strychar. Nick is pursuing a teaching degree at GVSU.

Tori Harris, '17, determined the impacts of sawmill debris on benthic macroinvertebrate communities within Muskegon Lake, Michigan with Dr. Rick Rediske. Tori is a Wealth Management Banking Specialist at Merrill Lynch in Zeeland, MI.

Emily Kindervater, '17, studied phosphorus retention in West Michigan two-stage agricultural ditches with Dr. Al Steinman. Emily is an adjunct research assistant in the Steinman Lab at AWRI.

Suse LaGory, '17, studied stream fish ecology by estimating abundance, seasonal survival, and movement of mottled sculpin and brown trout in Dr. Carl Ruetz's lab. Suse is pursuing a PhD at Purdue University.

Rajesh Sigdel, '17, conducted an assessment of environmental stressors in the Indian Mill Creek watershed near Grand Rapids, MI with Dr. Rick Rediske. Raj is pursuing his PhD at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, NC.

Justin Wegner, '17, studied brook trout thermoregulation and site selection with Dr. Mark Luttenton. Justin works at Nomad Anglers in Grand Rapids, MI.

Delilah Clement, '16, investigated the importance of dissolved phosphorus in the Lake Macatawa watershed in Dr. Alan Steinman's lab. Delilah is now an Associate Website Developer at Reach Creative.

Deb Dila, '16, found that Muskegon Lake is a “Goldilocks Zone” of net biological productivity in the Muskegon River watershed while working with Dr. Bopi Biddanda. Deb is currently a senior research specialist at the School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

John Skutnik, '16, researched the effect of climate change on an upper mesophotic threshold community of the great star coral Montastraea cavernosa with Dr. Kevin Strychar. John is Principal Medical Writer at Astex Pharmaceuticals, Pleasanton, CA.

Anthony Weinke, '16, studied the dynamics of seasonal productivity and hypoxia in Muskegon Lake using time-series measurements from the Muskegon Lake Observatory while working in Dr. Bopi Biddanda’s lab. Currently, Anthony is a Research Technician in the Biddanda Lab, planning to pursue a career or further studies in Marine Fisheries Conservation.

Graeme Zaparzynski, '16, studied the growth and bioenergetics of brook trout in a small Michigan stream with Dr. Mark Luttenton. Graeme is an Outdoor Education Case Manager for Yellow Breeches Education Center in Mechanicsburg, PA.

James Smit, '14, examined the potential water quality implications associated with a planned wetland restoration project in the lab of Dr. Alan Steinman. James is a Project Scientist at Environmental Resource Management in Holland, MI.

Michael Snider, '14, completed his MS degree in Dr. Bopi Biddanda's lab, where he studied the photo-physiology of cyanobacterial mats living in submerged sinkholes of Lake Huron by probing their photosynthetic pigments. Michael is pursuing a degree as a Physician’s Assistant in Rochester, NY.

Dr. Jared Homola, '13, studied the disease ecology and population genetics of mottled sculpin in Michigan streams while in Dr. Carl Ruetz's lab. Jared earned a PhD at the University of Maine and is a Waldron Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Maine.

Angie Defore, '12, studied the seasonal cycle of carbon in Muskegon Lake, MI while in Dr. Bopi Biddanda's lab. Angie works as a Water Pollution Control Analyst for the Village of Rantoul, Illinois.

Alex Wieten studied the population status of lake sturgeon in the Muskegon River system while in Dr. Carl Ruetz's lab. Alex is a Water Resources Specialist for the Gun Lake Tribe in Grand Rapids, MI.

William Keiper, '11, completed his MS degree in Dr. Carl Ruetz's lab, where he studied the effects of storm water run-off on fish and snails. William is now an aquatic biologist for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

Dr. Whitney Nelson, '11, studied spatial and temporal trends in the benthic macroinvertebrate populations in Muskegon Lake while in Dr. Alan Steinman's lab. Whitney earned her a PhD at the University of Arkansas and is now Scientist I at Novozymes Biologicals, Inc., in Arkansas.

Dr. Hannah Tavalire, '11, studied growth habits and invasiveness in genetically distinct but morphologically cryptic lineages of introduced variable leaf milfoil in New England in Dr. Ryan Thum's lab. Hannah earned her PhD and is a Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Oregon's Prevention Science Institute.

Dr. Matt Altenritter, '10, studied the population status and juvenile ecology of lake sturgeon in the Muskegon River system while in Dr. Carl Ruetz's lab. Matt earned a PhD at the University of Maine and is now a Fish Ecologist and Assistant Professor at The College of Brockport – SUNY.

Kelli (Johnson) Hicks, '10, completed her MS degree while in Dr. Al Steinman's lab, where she studied the effects of urban stormwater runoff on algal communities. Kelli is a Staff Scientist at Bradburne, Briller, and Johnson, LLC (BBJ), an environmental consulting firm in Chicago, Illinois.

Dr. Matt Zuellig, '10, studied genetic variation and hybridization in invasive Eurasian watermilfoil in Dr. Ryan Thum's lab. Matt earned a PhD at the University of Georgia and is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Bern in Switzerland.

Dr. Matt Cooper, '09, studied community metabolism in coastal wetlands with Drs. Don Uzarski and Alan Steinman. After earning a PhD at the University of Notre Dame in Dr. Gary Lamberti’s lab, Matt worked at Central Michigan University’s Institute for Great Lakes Research as a Research Assistant Professor and later as the Associate Director of the Mary Grigg Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation and Assistant Professor of Biology and Natural Resources at Northland College in Ashland, WI. Matt is now an Associate Professor of Biology at GVSU.

Garry Sanders, '09, worked with Bopi Biddanda to study the benthic and planktonic communities surrounding recently discovered submerged groundwater vents in Lake Huron. Garry is Senior Project Manager at Crooked River Water Council in Oregon.

Matt Breen, '08, completed his MS degree in Dr. Carl Ruetz's lab, studying the movement, habitat use, and foraging of mottled sculpins in a coldwater stream. Matt is a fish biologist with the Utah Department of Natural Resources.

Dr. Janel Hagar, '08, earned her MS degree in Dr. Rick Rediske's lab. She used three different techniques to detect and quantify microcystin concentration and related her results to environmental parameters in two west Michigan lakes. Janel earned her PhD in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Science at the University of South Carolina and is an instructor at Midlands Technical College in Columbia, SC.

Kristin (Nelson) Thomas, '08, studied the distribution of zebra and quagga mussels in coastal areas of the Great Lakes in Dr. Carl Ruetz's lab, documenting the resistance of drowned river mouth wetlands to colonization by these dreissenid mussels. Kristin is an aquatic ecologist for the Michigan Council of Trout Unlimited.

Jennifer Cymbola Gray, '07, completed her MS degree in Dr. Alan Steinman's lab, where she studied the response of phytoplankton to the interaction light and phosphorus released from lake sediments. Jennifer is an affiliate professor of Biology at Grand Valley State University.

Aaron Parker, '07, completed his MS degree in Dr. Don Uzarski's lab, where he studied phenotypic plasticity of yellow perch related to feeding ecology. Aaron is an aquatic biologist for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

Keto Gyekis, '06, evaluated effects of Great Lakes coastal wetland fragmentation on zooplankton, macroinvertebrate, and larval fish communities while in Dr. Don Uzarski's lab. Keto is an environmental quality specialist for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Dana (VanHaitsma) Strouse, '06, studied predation behavior of yellow perch in Dr. Carl Ruetz's lab, documenting their selective consumption of native fishes over the invasive round goby. Dana is an environmental quality analyst for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, & Energy, Grand Rapids District.

Elaine Sterrett Isely, '05, investigated the current use of the Michigan Natural Rivers Act as a river protection mechanism and provided new tools and information to encourage multi-jurisdictional land use planning and river protection. Elaine is the Director of Water and Low Impact Development Programs at the West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC).