Amber Blackert
I am from Mineral, Illinois. I graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in Spring 2015 with my B.S. in Zoology with a specialization 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 the Emiquon Project Coordinator and shortly after became a member of Dr. Lamer’s Lab. I will be pursuing a M.S. in Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois in Springfield, starting classes in Fall 2020. My research focused 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.
aeb4@illinois.edu
Taylor Bookout
I call Oklahoma City home, first attending Oklahoma State University to pursue a Civil Engineering degree before transferring to Principia College where I got a Bachelor of Science in Biology (Winter 2016). In my undergrad I focused on wetland restoration and completed an undergraduate thesis that I published (Assessment of a Restored Wetland in West-Central Illinois) looking at soil, vegetation, and herpetofauna of a recently restored wetland. During my senior year I reconnected with my love of fishing and decided to pursue a job in fisheries, landing at the Illinois River Biological Station (IRBS) as a technician in 2017. The work on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers intrigued me, but I moved back to Oklahoma in Dec ember 2018 to work as a stream technician working on small rivers and streams. I was lucky enough to return to IRBS in the fall and had the opportunity to attend graduate school at the University of Illinois looking at the effects of the closure of several lock and dam structures on the Illinois River for repairs in 2020. I enjoy the outdoors, addicted to fishing (primarily bass), and playing videogames when the weather isn’t nice enough to be outside.
tbookout@illinois.edu
Cody Hagloch
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 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 Fisheries Management in ’23 at Spirit Lake. The following year of 2024, I was informed through my professors of the Illinois River Biological Station in Havana 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 personal that I have never checked off my resume until this position. This including 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.
chagloch@illinois.edu
Ollie Mendenhall
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 several projects such as: Pallid Sturgeon Assessment Project, assessed fish community 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.
Co-advised with Dr. Andy Casper (Illinois Natural History Survey)
om-mendenhall@wiu.edu
Cassidy Miles
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 within the field of natural resources was as a field technician at the Illinois Natural History Survey’s Illinois River Biological Station in Havana, IL where I had 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 involves 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!
cr-miles@wiu.edu
Spencer Phillips
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 as of 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 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!
spencerp@illinois.edu
Abby Roussin
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 have the goal to encourage curiosity and promote conservation for the natural world. I graduated in May 2024 from Western Illinois University with a B.S. Environmental Biology and 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 winter. My research question looks at GPS tracking in Silver Carp in the upper Mississippi River to aid in harvest of these invasive species. When not outdoors, I enjoy reading and playing Dungeons and Dragons.
aroussin@illinois.edu
Olivia Salrin
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 trophic position and trophic niche overlap between grass carp and silver carp across distinct geomorphological spatial reaches and rivers.
osalrin2@illinois.edu
Kaiden Vinavich
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’ Natural History Survey, 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 professionally 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 to become a better scientist.
kaidenpv@illinois.edu