Mattea Berglund - Ph.D. Candidate

Degrees: B.S. Brown University

Research Interests:  Aquatic Ecology; Fish Ecology; Global Change; Conservation Science; Fisheries Management; Disease Ecology

I am interested in how human drivers impact the health, distribution, and composition of aquatic communities, and how these changes impact resource users. My past research has spanned New England salt marshes, New Jersey artificial reefs, and Alaska salmon hatcheries. Through collaborations with policy makers, managers, and stakeholders, I aim to inform more equitable and effective management and restoration strategies. I am also passionate about communicating science and promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM.

Email: mkberglund@ucdavis.edu

Alexandra Wampler - Ph.D. Student

Degrees: B.S. University of California, Davis Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology

Research Interests: Fish ecology; population genetics; reconciliation ecology; Chinook Salmon conservation and management

Alexandria Ginez – Undergraduate Student

Research Interests:  Fish Ecology, Fisheries Management, Science Communication, Data-Poor Fishes

I am currently an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology with a specialization in Fish Biology. As a lover of "monster fish", I am interested in researching underappreciated fish species (especially gar!). As part of the Rypel Lab, I am assisting with developing approaches to utilizing life-history characteristics to explore sustainable harvest practices for native freshwater fishes. I also help out with research examining interactions between waterbirds and Chinook salmon raised on flooded rice fields.

Email: anginez@ucdavis.edu

Sophie Sanchez – Undergraduate Student

Research Interests:  Aquatic Ecology; Fish Ecology; Fisheries Management 

I am currently a 4th year UC Davis undergraduate completing a degree in Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology. Over these last 4 years, I’ve become extremely interested in applied aquatic ecology, especially management-related topics. Previously, I conducted independent undergraduate research in the Eadie Lab where I compared diet content of harvested dabbling ducks against diet content of scientifically-collected individuals. As an intern in the Rypel Lab, I assist the Sierra Fishes project in sorting zooplankton morphospecies for isotope work. I hope to be pursuing a graduate degree in applied aquatic ecology in the near future. 

Email: sosanc@ucdavis.edu 

Kaylee Pebelier  – Undergraduate Student

Research Interests:  Freshwater Ecosystems; Aquatic Species Interactions; Spatial Variability of Food Webs 

I am most interested in the interaction between freshwater ecosystems, and aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates living within them. In the Rypel Lab, I am currently working on digitizing legacy reservoir fisheries data collected by the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Reservoir Research Program (NRRP). My work is supported by the WFCB Lloyd W. Swift Fund to support Experiential Learning, and these legacy data are unique because fish biomass values were empirically gathered using rotenone (poisoning) surveys from 1925–1976; collection of empirical fish biomass data like these are simply no longer feasible. In summer 2023, I will be working as a scientific aid with the CDFW office in Bishop, CA on their Lahontan Cutthroat trout recovery project.

Email: kayleepebelier@gmail.com 

Twitter: @kayleepebelier 

April Alderete – Undergraduate Student

Research Interests:  Habitat Restoration; Songbirds; Urban Ecology 

I am currently an undergraduate pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology. In the past, I assisted in research involving invasive turtle species in Putah Creek as well as research involving cattle personalities and grazing patterns. As an intern in the Rypel Lab, I work with fish biomass data collected from reservoirs all across the United States. In the future, I hope to become more involved with local organizations and participate in restoration efforts along Putah Creek.

Email: analderete@ucdavis.edu 

Derrick Alcott - Postdoctoral Scholar

Current Position: California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Email: djalcott@ucdavis.edu

Scott Colborne – Postdoctoral Scholar

Current Position: Research faculty, Quantitative Fisheries Center, Michigan State University

Twitter: @sfcolborne

Email: sfcolborne@ucdavis.edu

Amanda Peterson– MS Student (co-advised with Nann Fangue)

Current Position: Biologist, NOAA

Email: aagosta@ucdavis.edu

Danny O'Donnell – Postdoctoral Scholar

Current Position: California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Email: drodonnell@ucdavis.edu

Wilson Xiong  - Junior Specialist

Current Position: Graduate student at University of Tennessee