Hood Grad Student to pursue her PhD on aquatic insects

 My interest in ecology was cultivated long before I knew what ecology really was. For as long as I can remember, I have felt a deep connection with my environment and surroundings. I am originally from Upstate New York and spent my summers camping in the Adirondack Mountains as a child. That connection eventually blossomed into a desire to understand the way the natural world works and how humans interact with it. While pursuing my undergraduate degree at SUNY Plattsburgh, my desire to seek knowledge and truth persisted and I soon realized that I could create a career for myself where I am constantly investigating unanswered questions. This career as a young scientist would ultimately begin with my decision to come to Hood College to pursue a graduate degree in Environmental Biology.

My thesis focuses on the recent invasion of the rusty crayfish in the Monocacy River, which runs from Adams County, PA and drains into the Potomac River. Little research has been done on the potential impacts of the rusty crayfish's feeding patterns on benthic macroinvertebrate populations in lotic ecosystems. My research investigates how this invasive crayfish species may change both overall benthic macroinvertebrate diversity and individual composition of genera between invaded and non-invaded sites. 

My research will hopefully give scientists a better understanding of the feeding behaviors and/or preferences of the rusty crayfish in a stream system. This type of study can be used to support invasive species management as well as serve as a basis for more research, whether that be at Hood or other institutions.

My most memorable experiences at Hood are the semesters where I was either TA-ing or teaching. In the Fall of 2021, I served as the teaching assistant for the Coastal and Watershed Studies Semester. Through this experience I was able to share my passion for watershed science with 13 incredible students and help guide them in their searches for jobs/internships/graduate schools. In Spring of 2022 I served as an instructor for an undergraduate Evolution and Ecology lab, where I was able to develop my teaching and interpersonal skills immensely.

My best advice would be to form strong professional relationships with your professors. STEM fields can be extremely challenging and even isolating at times, so having a support system who understands and has been in your shoes can make a huge difference. For this same reason, it is just as important to form relationships with your peers as no one will understand your academic struggles better than the person sitting next to you in class! Lastly, and I cannot emphasize this enough, get involved in research! As an undergraduate, especially if you are considering graduate school, having research experience will really set your application apart. If you are a grad student, do the thesis track! It can be challenging and exhausting at times, but it is extremely rewarding to see your research come to life.

In the Fall of 2022, I will begin my doctoral degree in Ecology at the Pennsylvania State University in the Allen Lab. My research at Penn State will concentrate on the effects of drying on benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in streams across the southern US under the StreamCLIMES project.