Education
Ph.D., 1998, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Indiana.
Doctoral Dissertation: Ecological and genetic impact of a nonindigenous freshwater crayfish.
Advisors: David M. Lodge and Jeffrey L. Feder
M.Sc., 1993, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Masters Thesis: Community and population response of Sphaerium nitidum and Pisidium casertanum to five years of nutrient enrichment of a divided arctic lake.
Advisor: Michael C. Miller
B.Sc., 1989, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Research
My research area is centered around the impacts of humans on aquatic ecosystems and the impacts and potential remediation of these changes. A great deal of my work spans from biogeochemistry of agricultural systems and effects of watershed management on water quality to invasive species with a focus on crayfish invasions. The work on agricultural systems occurred mostly in central Illinois with a focus on cover crops as a solution to improving water quality. I am now expanding my research area on invasive species in Northern Minnesota at the University of Minnesota Duluth, investigating how invasive species affect lake and stream ecosystems and interact with one another. Additionally, my research includes urban streams in Duluth with a focus on remediating urbanization effects and assessing how habitat improvements affect invertebrate and vertebrate communities. My research integrates a combination of field ecology, water quality monitoring, and experimental studies to find potential real-world conservation applications.