My dissertation work focuses on various aspects of Paddlefish conservation and management. By evaluating multiple parameters regarding their physiology and behavior in relation to the stressors they face. 

-My first project focuses on exercise and recovery and thermal tolerance aspects of Paddlefish. For my first study I worked with Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery where fish were acclimated to various temperatures. Fish were then put through an exercise event meant to mimic the fish being angled. These fish were then allowed to recover and sampled at different time points to provide insight into the recovery profiles of Paddlefish after exercise. A subset of fish were put through a critical thermal maxima test where the water was heated until the fish lose equilibrium, this provides insights into the maximum temperatures these fish can tolerate. 

-My second project focuses on the post-release behavior of commercially collected Paddlefish after release. Fish are currently being collected at various temperatures to determine the role of temperature on post-release behavior of these fish.

Cull tags are common devices used in competitive fishing tournaments. Cull tags allow anglers to temporarily mark fish and allow for quick unique identification of fish, which allows the angler to 'trade-up' by releasing the smaller fish in favor for a larger fish. We assessed potential injuries, impacts to reflexes and potential latent mortality from livewell holding with cull tags in Largemouth Bass. 

My Master's thesis project involved evaluation of a marsh restoration project using marsh terraces south of Bayou L'Ours and east of Golden Meadow, Louisiana. I evaluated finfish and crustacean assemblages across three habitats to determine the influence of marsh terraces on finfish and crustacean assemblages through time.

Project with Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program in Louisiana performing a census of a non-native bird known as the Limpkin. This project sough to determine the overlap in Limpkin presence and their main prey item the invasive Apple Snail in the Barataria-Terrebonne national estuary.

Project with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to determine invasive carp spawning locations in Louisiana. This project ran five years collecting ichthyoplankton samples across the state of Louisiana, these samples were then sorted and larval fish were identified to family in order to identify invasive carp larvae. 

I worked with swordtail fishes (Xiphophorus spp.) in the Morris Fish Lab and was part of projects that assessed behaviors of these fishes and related behaviors to possible evolutionary paths of swordtail fishes.