Graduate Students

Cassi Adams

Field Technician

ca51@illinois.edu

I was raised in Whitehouse, Ohio, and graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Marine and Aquatic Biology. Afterward, I pursued a Master of Science, completing research on the effects of increased carbon dioxide on the otolith crystalline composition of aquaculture rainbow trout, graduating in 2022. Following my master’s, I joined the University of Toledo’s early life history grass carp team, contributing to efforts to control invasive grass carp in the Great Lakes. I then accepted a Student Services Contractor position with the USGS Great Lakes Science Center’s Lake Erie Biological Station, where I led a collaborative project to develop a predictive model for invasive carp spawning habitats across North America. After working within fisheries, my passion grew into assisting in developing models to protect aquatic ecosystems and fish populations. Through my work at USGS, I met Dr. James Lamer and applied for a position in his lab. I will pursue my Ph.D. under his guidance and Brian Ickes (USGS Upper Mississippi Environmental Science Center) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. My research will focus on developing models to evaluate how abiotic drivers may influence fish population dynamics in the upper Mississippi River. In my free time, I love exploring the outdoors and spending time with my husband, Michael, and our dog, Willow.

Amber Blackert

Field Technician

I am from Mineral, Illinois. I graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in the Spring of 2015 with a B.S. in Zoology, specializing in wildlife biology and conservation, and a minor in Environmental Science. I started as a technician at the Illinois River Biological Station in 2017, where I found my passion for fisheries. In July of 2019, I was promoted to Emiquon Project Coordinator and, shortly after, became a member of Dr. Lamer’s Lab. I will be pursuing an M.S. in Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois in Springfield, starting classes in Fall 2020. My research focuses on better understanding the influence of abiotic and biotic predictors on year-class strength and yearly growth using otoliths from Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Black Crappie at the Emiquon Preserve.

Cody Hagloch

Field Technician

chagloch@illinois.edu

Beginning in Aledo, Illinois, through spending many hours outdoors with my grandfathers and my high school’s bass fishing team, I knew I wanted to spend my career in fisheries. Following high school, I went to the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. I graduated in 2023 with a B.S. in Fisheries and Water Resources. During the summer months, I worked with the Iowa DNR AIS in ’22 at Lake MacBride and with Fisheries Management in ’23 at Spirit Lake. The following year, 2024, I was informed by my professors that IRBS was hiring technicians. Upon my first month of field season, the staff allowed multiple opportunities for technicians to learn new tasks that are standard for fisheries personnel that I had never checked off my resume until this position. This includes a graduate student position at the station advised by Dr. Lamer. My project is implementing and evaluating the use of one-way openings in backwaters of the Illinois River to promote invasive carp removal and management. The goals are to bring possible solutions to invasive carp management in the Illinois River Basin and beyond.

Ollie Mendenhall

Field Technician

Co-advised with Dr. Andy Casper (Illinois Natural History Survey).

I am originally from Rochester, Missouri, and I graduated from Missouri Western State University with a B.S. in Wildlife Conservation and Management in 2014. While pursuing my undergraduate degree, I started working for the Missouri Department of Conservation on the Missouri River. I worked on several projects, such as the Pallid Sturgeon Assessment Project, assessing fish communities in chutes, and a herpetological study of wetlands.  After that, I worked for the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service as a technician. At FWS, I worked on invasive carp monitoring for the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. My graduate research at WIU focuses on herpetofauna at the Emiquon and Merwin Preserves.

Cassidy Miles

Field Technician

I am originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado. I grew up in a military family and have lived in many places. My honors biology class in high school sparked my passion for the environment, and I knew I wanted to pursue a career in biological sciences. I attended Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville and graduated with my B.S. in Biology in 2013. My first job in natural resources was as a field technician at the Illinois Natural History Survey’s Illinois River Biological Station in Havana, IL, where I briefly met Dr. Lamer for the first time. I then spent several years in the environmental consulting business before I realized I wanted to return to research in aquatic ecology and to pursue a master’s degree. From February 2018 to October 2018, I worked as a field technician for the INHS Great Rivers Field Station in Alton, IL, where Dr. Lamer and I met again on a field trip to the Kibbe Life Science Station and subsequently applied for a position in his lab. I am currently in the middle of my second semester of graduate school at Western Illinois University. My project and thesis involve a gear evaluation and aquatic macroinvertebrate survey of the upper Mississippi River.  I also have a passion for public outreach and communication. I am the public relations/outreach coordinator for the WIU subunit of the American Fisheries Society. In my free time, I love hiking and playing roller derby!

Spencer Phillips

Field Technician

Originating from Owensboro, Kentucky, I have spent most of my life in Western Kentucky. I graduated from Murray State University with a B.S. in fisheries in May 2019. During my time at Murray State, I researched larval fish phenology within Kentucky Lake. My passion for freshwater ecology brought me to the Illinois River Biological Station as an aquatic technician after graduation. My graduate research involves the radio telemetry of Flathead Catfish within the Rock River near Dixon, Illinois. My goal is to understand the nesting behavior of these fish and their potential use of artificial nesting structures placed by the IDNR. I enjoy angling, especially as a proponent for non-classical sportfish, such as rough fish and micro-fish!

Abby Roussin

Field Technician

aroussin@illinois.edu

I am from Brookfield, IL. Growing up across from a zoo, I have always had a passion for animals and conservation. I enjoy working on outreach events and aim to encourage curiosity and promote conservation of the natural world. I graduated in May 2024 from Western Illinois University with a B.S. in Environmental Biology and a minor in Zoology. While there, I did an honors undergraduate research thesis on the relationship between Bowfin gape size and body condition. That’s when I realized I enjoy working in aquatic environments. I spent the 2024 field season working as a technician with IRBS before starting a master’s project in the winter. My research question looks at GPS tracking in Silver Carp in the upper Mississippi River to aid in the harvest of this invasive species. When not outdoors, I enjoy reading and playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Olivia Salrin

Field Technician

osalrin2@illinois.edu

I am originally from Rushville, IL. I graduated from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville in May of 2023 with a B.S. in Environmental Sciences. After graduating, I have spent my time working as a technician at the Illinois River Biological Station. Fieldwork has led me to become passionate about the importance of fisheries science and river ecosystems. My graduate research involves grass carp and silver carp stable isotope analysis for select pools of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. My goals are to determine the trophic position and trophic niche overlap between grass carp and silver carp across distinct geomorphological spatial reaches and rivers.

Kaiden Vinavich

Field Technician

kaidenpv@illinois.edu

I was raised in Cambridge, Illinois, but now I reside in the Quad Cities. In the spring of 2023, I graduated with a B.S. in biological sciences from Northern Illinois University. From a very young age, I’ve been interested in wildlife and the outdoors. An interest in science bloomed from this natural curiosity, and school gave me an outlet to ask questions to become more acquainted with the scientific process. I had a quick turnaround after graduating from NIU to working as a fisheries technician at the Illinois River Biological Station in Havana, Illinois. This program, through the University of Illinois’ Illinois Natural History Survey, has garnered me opportunity after opportunity. Exploring my passions of conservation, research, and aquatic ecosystems in this job has been extremely rewarding. IRBS allowed me to capitalize on these passions when the director of the field station, Dr. James Lamer, had a graduate student position open in his lab. I applied, interviewed, was offered the position, and will now be able to contribute to the science world. My graduate research and thesis will focus on the diet overlap of young-of-year invasive carp and young-of-year native fish, along with a thorough analysis of drivers of invasive carp growth. My goals with this project are to professionally contribute to the field of fisheries biology, contribute to current invasive carp literature, and become a better scientist.

Charmayne Anderson

Field Technician

Originally from Melrose, Wisconsin, I have spent most of my life living and working on my family’s 58-cow dairy farm. I graduated with a B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (fall 2014), majoring in Conservation with minors in Animal Science and Biology. I started my master’s degree in Biology at WIU in spring 2016. My thesis research involved validating aging structures in Asian carp from the Illinois River, using microchemistry and stable isotopes to determine the natal origin of Asian carp in Pools 16-19 of the Mississippi River, and determining the presence of young-of-year Asian carp found in native piscivorous fish diets in lower Pool 19 and its tributaries. I enjoy hunting, fishing, the Green Bay Packers, and cheese curds. I am currently working with the Illinois DNR in Yorkville, IL.

Cory Anderson

Field Technician

I graduated with my Master’s in Biology in the spring of 2016. My thesis was titled Juvenile Asian carp as forage in the La Grange Reach of the Illinois River. For this project, we looked at 1527 diets from 9 predator species to see if they contained young of the year Asian carp and in what quantity. We also conducted this study on Pools 19 and 20 of the Mississippi and dissected over 2200 diets from 21 predator species. As part of my research assistantship, I have spent two years working at Kibbe, conducting boat electrofishing on Pools 19 and 20 of the Mississippi for the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program. Additionally, I co-led a team in charge of the LTEF electrofishing on Pools 17, 18, and 21 during the year 2014. The research assistantship and thesis research really boosted my interest, knowledge, and experience in freshwater fisheries ecology. I am currently employed by the USDA.

Rebekah (Haun) Anderson

Field Technician

Originally from McNabb, IL, I graduated from Western Illinois University in May 2010 with a B.S. in Zoology and was the co-founder of the WIU Subunit of the IL American Fisheries Society. My graduate research compared fish community composition and structure among river reaches of the Upper Mississippi River to determine the effects of Lock and Dam 19 in structuring fish assemblages using Long Term Resource Monitoring PDC boat electrofishing from June 2013 to October 2014. I have had the opportunity to present my research findings at three conferences in the Midwest this year and presented at the national AFS meeting in Portland, Oregon, in August 2015. I am currently employed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in Utica, IL, as the Upper Mississippi River biologist.

Chelsea Center

Field Technician

I am from Normal, Illinois, and graduated in May 2017 from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and an emphasis in Marine and Freshwater Aquatic Biology. I worked for the Illinois Natural History Survey in the summer of 2015, interning as a Fisheries Field Technician with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, where I traveled to central Illinois doing stream surveys. In addition, I studied abroad in Australia for two semesters in 2016. In pursuit of my M.S. in Biology, I joined Dr. Lamer’s lab in June 2017, where I used GPS satellite transmitters to track the movement of Asian carp in the Upper Illinois River. I am a certified SCUBA diver and enjoy underwater photography.

Cortney Cox

Field Technician

I am from Palmyra, Missouri. I graduated from the University of Missouri with a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences in 2014.  I came to WIU in the summer of 2015 to pursue my master’s degree in Biology. My research involved the harvest and exploitation of asian carp. We collected both bighead and silver carp in the Upper Mississippi River, and applied jaw tags in order to determine if the fish are caught again and harvested, and where they have moved to. In my free time, I enjoy hunting, fishing, and painting.

Trent Henry

Field Technician

I am originally from Milford, Michigan, but I have lived in Chicago since 2014. I completed my B.S. in Conservation and Restoration Ecology at Loyola University Chicago in 2018. During my time as an undergraduate, I worked on two major research projects. First, I spent a little over a year working to collect and identify invertebrate and plant samples in order to map the presence of various invasive species throughout Chicago’s waterway system. Secondly, I completed a spatial science fellowship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2017, where I created an analytic protocol to select sustainable sites for new aquaculture developments in California. I started my M.S. assistantship under Dr. Lamer in the summer of 2020, where I collected and processed invertebrate samples to trace the historic dispersal of an invasive amphipod across the Illinois River. I love using R and GIS software to look at large-scale variations in both biotic and abiotic variables. Outside of research, I enjoy cooking, playing board or video games with friends, and I am also a DIY musician and audio engineer.

Boon La Hood

Field Technician

I’m originally from Spring Bay, Illinois. I received my B.S. in Zoology with a specialization in Fisheries and Aquaculture and a minor in Environmental Studies at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, in 2014. I am interested in the management of invasive fish species, such as Asian carp. I’m also interested in the preservation and restoration of threatened and endangered sturgeon species. My thesis research involved using lighted traps to sample for larval fish in Pools 17, 18, and 19 of the Upper Mississippi River. I was looking for evidence of Asian carp reproduction and surveying populations of native fish larvae. My hobbies include jigging for crappies, bow hunting, and listening to Cubs games. I am currently working with the Illinois DNR as a district biologist in southern Illinois.

Eli Lampo

Field Technician

I received my B.S. in Biology at WIU in 2014 and recently completed my M.S. in Biology at WIU. My thesis research focused on establishing a length relationship between digested silver carp hard structures and silver carp length, and then applied that relationship to determine the size of silver carp being predated by largemouth bass in the Illinois River. I also had the opportunity to work full-time as a research assistant at the Kibbe Field Station from 2016–2018, working closely with the USGS to monitor Asian carp movement on the Upper Mississippi River using acoustic telemetry technology. WIU and the Kibbe Field Station provided exceptional resources that allowed me to pursue a career as a Fisheries Biologist. I am currently working with the Illinois DNR in Yorkville, IL.

Jehnsen Lebsock

Field Technician

I am from Lincoln, Nebraska, and I graduated with a B.S. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in December 2017 with a major in Fisheries and Wildlife. During my tenure at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I held a Temporary Lab Technician position with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. At this position, I was responsible for various water sampling in lakes, rivers, and streams across Nebraska. We also conducted fish and macro-invertebrate surveys by sampling those same rivers and streams to assess their condition. My research through Western Illinois University under Dr. Lamer focused on the use of acoustic telemetry to identify movement and habitat preferences of invasive carp in the upper Illinois River waterway. Growing up, I have always enjoyed hunting and fishing with friends and family, and that is what has encouraged me to pursue a degree and employment in this field.

Allie Lenaerts

Field Technician

I grew up in Wolcott, Indiana, and received my bachelor’s degree from Purdue University with a major in Wildlife and a minor in Fisheries in 2013. While attending Purdue, I assisted a graduate student with an Asian Carp movements project and completed an independent study examining silver and bighead carp eggs collected from the Wabash River. Since graduating, I have held technician jobs in Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, and southern Illinois. I finished my Master’s degree research at Western Illinois University in August 2019. My thesis at WIU focused on the commercial harvest and reproductive potential of Asian Carp in the Upper Mississippi River. We determined the reproductive potential of Asian carp by quantifying fecundity, gonad somatic index, and egg size from mature females. I am currently a Large River Fisheries Ecologist for the Illinois Natural History Survey in Yorkville, IL.

Tad Locher

Field Technician

Originally from Springfield, Illinois, I spent a lot of time hunting and fishing in the outdoors of central Illinois, most notably on the Illinois River, duck hunting with my dad since I was 2 and a half years old. It was this early exposure to wildlife that led me to pursue an education at WIU in all things biology, but more specifically, fisheries. I developed a well-rounded background of fisheries techniques working on the Illinois River throughout my undergraduate years, and then furthered my knowledge of riverine systems by working on the Mississippi River during graduate school. I successfully defended my master’s thesis in March 2018, studying blue catfish piscivory on bighead carp and silver carp in the Mississippi River. I am currently working as an Illinois DNR fisheries biologist in Springfield, IL.

Katie Mainor

Field Technician

I completed my master’s degree at WIU in May 2018, studying common snapping turtles in Illinois. The goal of my project was to identify management objectives for common snapping turtle harvest within the state. I collected demographic data from 8 locations in 2015 and 2016. Using this data, I will populate life history tables and estimate population generation times to better understand snapping turtle population dynamics in Illinois. My research interests include the conservation and management of reptiles and amphibians, population monitoring, distribution, habitat use, relative abundance, conspecific behavior, and movement of imperiled species. I graduated with my B.S in zoology from Western Illinois University in 2015.

Andrew Mathis

Field Technician

I am from Ottawa, Illinois, and I graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2014 with a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Fish and Wildlife Conservation. I began pursuing my M.S. in Biological Sciences at WIU in August 2015 and successfully defended my thesis in March 2018. My thesis research focused on assessing the movement and habitat of Asian carp in the upper reaches of the Illinois River using experimental GPS tags. This is the first study to use GPS transmitters on fish in a riverine system. In my free time, I enjoy fishing, hiking, and watching sports. I am currently working as a Large River Fisheries Ecologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey in Starved Rock, IL, working on the Multi-Agency Monitoring program.

Kara Phelps

Field Technician

I grew up in Indiana and graduated from Indiana State University in 2015 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Environmental Science: Sustainability.  During my undergrad, I focused on sustainability research and ethical farming.  In my junior year, I fell in love with freshwater biology.  I received her Master Naturalist Certification from the University of Illinois Extension in 2017 while volunteering with the Illinois Natural History Survey Mollusk collection and the Center for Bat Research, Outreach, and Conservation. Kara also volunteers with the Upper Sangamon River Conservancy. In 2019, I started working at the Illinois River Biological Station, assisting with field surveys and in the lab with zooplankton identification.  In 2020, I was able to take on more responsibility by working with Whooshh Innovations to study the implementation and effectiveness of a novel fish ladder design between the Illinois River and The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve.  The research focuses on using the Steeppass fish ladder as a new method of removing invasive carps and allowing native fish passage around manmade structures.  My thesis focused on the effectiveness of the fish ladder and the contribution of Emiquon to the river’s zooplankton community.

Bryan Sea

Field Technician

I am from Walker, Minnesota, and I graduated from Bemidji State University in the spring of 2020 with a B.S. in Aquatic Biology with an emphasis in fisheries and a minor in Geographic Information Systems. During my time at Bemidji State, I was an active member of my AFS subunit and was the secretary in the 2019–2020 school year. At Bemidji State, I had the opportunity to work as a telemetry technician and help study the movement of Burbot in a Northern Minnesota lake. For my senior project, I used bioenergetics to assess if stocking Northern Pike and Yellow Perch into turbid shallow lakes could create a trophic cascade and return the lakes back into their clear-water state. In the summer of 2019, I had the opportunity to work for the Minnesota DNR-Fisheries as an intern. As an intern, I helped perform standard lake surveys using gillnets and trap nets, a muskie population survey, electrofish for bass, crappies, and sturgeon, and stocked walleye fry into some of Minnesota’s lakes. My research under Dr. Lamer focused on Bigmouth Buffalo movement through acoustic telemetry on the Mississippi River. In my free time, I enjoy training my dog, hunting, fishing, and spending time outside.

Ashley Stanley

Field Technician

My name is Ashley Stanley, and I’m from Danvers, Illinois. I received my bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University in Biology. At EIU, I was introduced to fisheries through ichthyology and fisheries management classes with Dr. Colombo. In my junior year, I took an internship with the Illinois Natural History Survey in Kaskaskia and helped with creel work and regular field sampling for the first time. In my senior year, I did an independent study, cutting and aging silver carp cleithra, sorting larval fish, and cutting channel catfish spines. After I graduated, I worked as a technician with the Illinois River Biological Station in Havana. After witnessing all the great opportunities that come from having a graduate degree, I made the decision to apply to Western Illinois University. At WIU, I looked at ontogenetic shifts in the diets of blue catfish using species-specific stable isotope signatures. I used hoop nets and trotlines to target blue catfish. I utilized fishing tournaments to obtain tissue samples as well.

Tyler Thomsen

Field Technician

I am from Thurston, Nebraska, and I graduated from Emporia State University with a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Biodiversity in May of 2017. While attending Emporia State University, I worked at the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism as an environmental technician. This allowed me to travel all around the state conducting zebra mussel detection surveys, gathering samples for disease testing, and performing vegetation mapping in different Kansas impoundments. I began my Master’s degree in Biology in the Spring of 2018. Working under Dr. Lamer, I conducted research on the abundance of larval Asian carp in the Mississippi River, utilizing light traps and trawling. In my free time, I enjoy fishing for catfish, hunting, and watching the Chicago Bears.

Maddie Tomczak

Field Technician

I am from Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from the University of Toledo in May 2018. I received my B.S in Environmental Science with a concentration in Biology. While attending Toledo, I worked as a technician for the Ohio DNR, tracking the spawning of Grass Carp in a Lake Erie tributary. My honors thesis focused on the developmental stages of the Grass Carp eggs collected to describe and track the progression of development from the spawning ground to the river mouth. I am pursuing a master’s degree in Biology at WIU, working on the age, growth, and emergence of larval fishes in the Upper Mississippi River. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, camping, skiing, and snorkeling.

Dominique Turney

Field Technician

Some would say, “Ah, da region? You’re just a Region Rat!”, but I just say I am from Valparaiso, IN. In 2016, I received my B.S. degree from Purdue University with a double major in Wildlife and Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences. As an undergraduate, I had the exciting opportunity to work on a variety of research projects. My junior year, my project analyzed the effects of changes in environmental and anthropogenic stressors during the 2010 Deep Horizon Oil Spill on the reproductive and physiological success of Gulf Killifish (Fundulus grandis). As a senior, my project focused on using creel survey data from Indiana and Illinois DNR surveys to analyze mark-recapture modelling to obtain estimates of angler abundance and migration in Lake Michigan waters. Since graduation, I have worked as a naturalist aide for the Indiana DNR, evaluating glacial lakes and reservoirs under the fisheries management biologists. I began pursuing my M.S. at WIU in January 2018, with my thesis research focusing on paddlefish movement and habitat usage through acoustic telemetry above Lock and Dam 19 on the Mississippi River. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my pup, geocaching, and scuba diving when I get the opportunity! I am currently working with Purdue University.

Jesse Williams

Field Technician

I am from Rochester, Illinois, and graduated from WIU in the Fall of 2016 with my B.S. My degree consisted of Biology with an emphasis in Zoology, with a minor in Law Enforcement. I recently completed my master’s thesis at WIU, quantifying daily growth increments from YOY Asian carp otoliths above Lock and Dam 19 on the Mississippi River. I started my fisheries career volunteering with graduate students and quickly fell in love with working on the water and with fish. I enjoy fishing and spend as much time as I can around any kind of water body. These two passions led me to the Asian Carp otolith project as an undergraduate. I enjoy hunting, riding four-wheelers, and pretty much anything with a motor in my spare time. I am currently working with the Illinois Natural History Survey at the Illinois River Biological Station as a Large River Fisheries Ecologist.

Zack Witzel

Field Technician

I am from Centerville, Minnesota, and I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the spring of 2016 with a major in fisheries and a minor in biology. During my time at Stevens Point, I was the president of the fly fishing club for the 2014 school year and the treasurer of the Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society for the 2015 school year. I also had the opportunity to work for the USGS Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit for two years until I graduated. In the summers of 2016 and 2017, I worked at the Michigan State/Michigan Department of Natural Resources Black River Sturgeon Facility as a research technician. While at the facility, I had the opportunity to work with all life stages of lake sturgeon and the biotic and abiotic factors that affect their survival. In the spring of 2018, I joined Dr. Lamer and began my research. In my free time, I enjoy spending time outdoors. I enjoy shooting my bow, bow hunting, fishing, hiking, canoeing, and just being outside.