Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
I‘ve started a position as a Postdoctoral researcher in the
Department of Biological
Sciences at Idaho State
University. I will work on an NSF
project in the Portneuf River in
southern Idaho. A major focus of
the project will be to examine how
human development, including
changes in land use, disturbance,
and agricultural and industrial
activities, modify the flux of
carbon and nitrogen, and in turn
alter ecosystem processes within
the river.
Dr. Amy Marcarelli,
PhD, Ecology
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
I graduated from USU with an M.S. in aquatic
ecology. After leaving USU, I became a
database manager for the Utah Division of
Wildlife Resources (UDWR). I was responsible
for GIS data pertaining to Utah's native fish,
amphibian, reptile, and mollusk species.
I am currently UDWR's conservation data / GIS
coordinator. My job now consists of setting
direction for the Utah Natural Heritage Program
and UDWR's GIS Program. In addition, I work
on impact analysis issues, coordinating with
UDWR staff, state agencies, federal agencies,
and developers to formulate appropriate
mitigation measures for a variety of resource
development projects that impact fish and
wildlife.
Michael Canning, MS,
Aquatic Ecology
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
I have accepted a position at
NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. I
am a Remote Sensing / GIS
Analyst on a project called the
Invasive Species Forecasting
System. My role is to help
coordinate analysis on mapping
invasive plant species in many
U.S. National Parks.
Peter Ma, MS, Geography
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
Ashley worked with the U.S.
Geological Survey. A recent
project involved collecting brine
shrimp samples from the Great
Salt Lake, where mercury levels
are among the highest ever
measured anywhere. Were it a
freshwater lake it would have been
studied earlier for mercury.
Ashley is currently attending
graduate school at the University
of Colorado in Geography. She is
studying hydrology, water quality,
and biogeochemical cycling
Ashley Nielson, BS,
Watershed & Earth Systems
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
After receiving my MS in Ecology, I
worked with the Rocky Mountain
Research Station in Logan doing stream
and riparian surveys in the Columbia
River Basin.
I accepted a job with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service in Reno Nevada. My
major duty is to consult with other
federal agencies on the Endangered
Species Act as it relates to the National
Fire Plan. I have also been put in charge
of Paiute cutthroat trout recovery.
I am also working on a conservation
agreement with several federal and state
agencies to conserve the Great Basin
Distinct Population Segment of the
Columbia Spotted frog.
Chad Mellison,
MS, Ecology
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
I received my M.S degree from Utah Sate
University. After graduating from USU, I
went back to my home country (Korea)
and studied again in the field of limnology
and lake ecology at the Limnology
laboratory, Kangwon National University.
My study was mainly focused on
dynamics of organic matter and its
biogeochemical characteristics in lakes
and streams. It was a study for tracing
sources of organic matter. Recently, I
finished my Ph.D work and am currently
working as a research professor at
Kangwon National University. I am also
involved in several research projects
associated with turbid water effects on
aquatic systems and aquatic ecosystem
restoration projects.
Dr. Jai-Ku Kim,
MS, Aquatic Ecology
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
Kaisi served as coordinator of a
monitoring program known as Utah Lake
Watch. More than 30 water enthusiasts in
15 Utah counties have offered a few
hours of their leisure time to monitor the
health of the state’s lakes and reservoirs.
Led by the Utah State University’s Water
Quality Extension group, the volunteers
are providing the Utah Division of Water
Quality valuable information about the
condition of Utah’s waters. Data collected Kaisi Baron,
BS, Fisheries & Wildlife
by the volunteers is used in mandatory
assessment reports that are submitted to
the Environmental Protection Agency.
Kaisi worked for Utah State’s Water
Quality Program as an education
coordinator. She is now working for the
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
For four years, I've been working
as a research ecologist at USGS
Headquarters, Reston, VA. I'm part
of a team that is developing
ecological indicators for streams
and using these indicators to
report on the ecological condition
of the nation's rivers and streams.
We also frequently collaborate
with EPA and academic
researchers to accomplish our
goals. Since I rarely see the light
of day as part of my job, I've taken
up a regular schedule of outdoor
travel to places near and far.
Daren Carlisle,
MS, Aquatic Ecology
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
I graduated from Utah State University with
a bachelors in Fisheries and Wildlife
Biology. I have been working on a master's
project at the University of Arizona dealing
with illegally introduced northern pike. There
is substantial concern from anglers,
fisheries managers, and researchers that
northern pike in Parker Canyon Reservoir
could severely reduce existing sport fishes
through predation. The objective of my
study is to use the Wisconsin bioenergetics
model to predict the foraging demand of
northern pike on prey fishes found in
Arizona lakes and reservoirs.
Fortunately, my project has allowed me to
travel throughout the beautiful state of
Arizona and catch lots of northern pike!!!
Jon Flinders,
BS, Fisheries & Wildlife
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
Ben Kennedy is a fisheries
biologist with the US Fish and
Wildlife Service, Abernathy Fish
Technology Center in Washington.
He is involved in studies on the life
history and movement patterns of
steelhead salmon in the lower
Columbia River. He uses PIT tag
detection arrays, traps, and
electrofishing to sample these
anadromous salmonids.
Ben Kennedy, MS, Ecology
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
I'm currently an assistant
professor at the Appalachian
Laboratory, University of
Maryland Center for
Environmental Science. When I'm
not getting into trouble for
something, I'm working on
conservation, risk assessment,
and restoration related research
in both terrestrial and aquatic
systems (primarily streams).
Dr. Robert Hilderbrand,
PhD, Ecology
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
After graduating from Utah State University, I
began my fisheries career as a biologist with the
Reservoir Research Unit of the Wyoming Game
and fish Department. I was hired to help oversee
the North Platte Comprehensive Fishery Study,
the largest trout stocking evaluation ever
conducted by the state of Wyoming.
Later I landed a cool job as a Fishery Research
Scientist with the USGS. Most of my research is
conducted aboard the Research Vessel (R/V)
Kiyi, named after a deepwater chub found in
Lake Superior. The R/V Kiyi is 105 feet long and
normally operates with a crew of eight people.
My MS degree in Fisheries Management from
Utah State University has served as a foundation
to an interesting and rewarding career.
Dan Yule, MS,
Fisheries Management
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
Although I wasn't sure that it was possible,
life after Logan has treated me pretty
good. After leaving USU, I was quickly
offered a fisheries job with an
environmental consulting firm in Logan. I
was able to work on several projects in
Utah, Arizona and Nevada built around a
handful of endangered and threatened
Colorado River fishes.
Most of the other projects I was able to
assist on dealt with a few endangered and
threatened fishes within the Virgin River in
southwestern Utah, Arizona and Nevada.
The ability to work in such a cause has
been very rewarding. I owe much to the
experience and education that I gathered
while attending USU.
Tim Ricks,
BS, Fisheries & Wildlife
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
After graduating, I spent a field season in
Antarctica studying aquatic-terrestrial
interactions at hydrologic margins.
During the summer, I worked as a
hydrologic technician for the U.S. Forest
Service.
I am currently a graduate student at the
University of Colorado in the Geography
Department and Institute of Arctic,
Antarctic, and Alpine Research (INSTAAR).
My field research focuses on snow
hydrology, with an emphasis on analyzing
how hydrologic processes and water
quality change under the influence of
Ken Hill, BS,
climate and atmospheric deposition of
Watershed & Earth Systems
pollutants.
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
I spent three wonderful years at Utah State
University conducting my Master's research.
After completing my degree, I accepted a
fisheries biologist position at the Prince
William Sound Science Center, Cordova,
Alaska. Using the skills and knowledge I
acquired at USU, my job involved studying the
recovery of fish stocks following the Exxon
Valdez oil spill.
I continued my education at Ohio State
University (OSU), where I completed my Ph.D. I
accepted a position as Grant Coordinator for
the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC).
Most recently, I started a post-doctoral position
at Cornell University. For my post-doctoral
research, I am exploring the status and
recovery of round whitefish in the Adirondacks.
Dr. Geoffrey Steinhart,
MS, Aquatic Ecology
Recent Graduate from Watershed Sciences
I am very happy to tell you that I have been
accepted into the Master’s program in
geography at the State University of New
York, University of Buffalo. My special
area of research will be Transportation and
GIS. I am really eager to do research on
location analysis, and business
geography.
New Info! Currently, I am a PhD student in
Department of Geography at University at
Buffalo at the State University of New
York. I’m now focusing on revealing
affects of environmental hazards (e.g.
ambient pollution sites or high traffic
areas) to the risk of developing certain
types of chronic diseases for my PhD
research.
Hoe-Hun Ha, BS,
Fisheries & Wildlife