Sam's Cerebrum

PhD – Colorado State University

Since transitioning from my master’s in January 2023, I have spearheaded interdisciplinary research on invasive-native fish competition (Mosquitofish vs. Plains Topminnow) and water governance dynamics in Colorado’s eastern plains. My work merges ecological experiments with stakeholder interviews to bridge conservation and water-use needs. Key accomplishments include:

• $73,580+ in secured funding, including:
  • Colorado Water Center USGS 104B Grant ($19,261) for adaptive river governance research (2025)
  • Colorado Water Center Faculty Grant ($49,344) for native fish habitat literature review
  • Douglas L. Gilbert, Peters Fellowship, Hill Fellowship, and SOGES Leadership Fellowship (totaling $35,575)
  • AFS Skinner Award ($1,000) and Western Division Travel Award ($1,000)
• Research Leadership:
  • Published lead-author paper in Freshwater Biology (2024) on invasive-native competition
  • Co-authored Journal of Zoology study (2023) on fish movement dynamics
  • Managed electrofishing, eDNA sampling, and PIT-tagging field crews
• Presentations:
  • National talks at American Fisheries Society (AFS) meetings (2023–2025), including award-winning SETAC presentation on ecotoxicology
• Teaching & Service:
  • Sole instructor for FW400: Fisheries Conservation (2023)
  • President-Elect of AFS Equal Opportunity Section (2023–Present)
  • Peer reviewer for Ecology of Freshwater Fish and North American Journal of Fisheries Management

MS – Colorado State University

During my MS in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, I pioneered experimental research on invasive-native fish interactions and ecotoxicology, laying the groundwork for my PhD. Key accomplishments include:

• Secured $7,500+ in funding:
  • Colorado Graduate Grant ($7,500)
  • J.W. Powell Graduate Fellowship ($2,945)
  • Dr. John & Marietta Peters Scholarship ($950)
  • NSF GRFP Honorable Mention
• Research Leadership:
  • Designed and executed lab/field experiments on condition-specific competition between invasive mosquitofish and native plains topminnow (published in Fishes, 2021)
  • Conducted ecotoxicology studies for CPW:
    • Assessed magnesium chloride impacts on endangered Greenback Cutthroat Trout
    • Performed HPLC analysis for piscicide application
• Teaching
  • Instructor for FW301 Ichthyology Lab
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant for NR120 Environmental Conservation

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

During my tenure at Colorado Parks and Wildlife, I advanced water quality science and invasive species management through two critical roles. As an Analytical Chemistry Intern (Jan-Jun 2020), I developed R scripts to automate QA/QC for 30-year nutrient/metal datasets, authored Clean Water Act 303(d) compliance reports for state/federal stakeholders, and refined ICP-OES/Lachat protocols to lower detection limits. Transitioning to Aquatic Ecotoxicology Research Technician (Jul-Oct 2020), I engineered field-to-lab toxicology protocols: conducting on-site HPLC analysis during invasive fish eradications, unifying multi-agency databases (USGS/River Watch/CDPHE) to identify threats to aquatic life, and performing spectrofluorometric algae surveys. My R-based analysis of heavy metal trends across 20+ Colorado rivers directly informed conservation strategies, cementing my commitment to translating technical rigor into actionable solutions for Western watersheds.

University of California Santa Barbara

I earned my B.S. in Aquatic Biology, Magna Cum Laude (GPA: 3.83) in just three years while conducting immersive marine research. My academic distinction was recognized through the Bentson Scholarship ($5,000/year) for research excellence and repeated Dean’s List honors. As an NSF REU Scholar, I contributed to the Santa Barbara Coastal Long-Term Ecological Research project, performing SCUBA surveys of temperate reefs and deploying oceanographic sensors—work that secured the Coastal Fund Scholarship for AAUS Scientific Diving excellence. A highlight was my study abroad in Australia, where I designed and executed two independent research projects: (1) testing artificial seagrass efficacy for syngnathid (seahorse/pipefish) conservation at Stradbroke Island’s seagrass beds, and (2) investigating holothurian (sea cucumber) predator-defense mechanisms at Heron Island’s coral reefs. .

Early Life

Growing up across the shifting landscapes of South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, and California, one constant anchored me: water. This interest with aquatic worlds sparked an early scientific passion. In middle school, I mapped the existential threat facing my then-home ecosystem, creating a project visualizing sea-level rise’s impact on the Florida Everglades. That study of ice-cap melt and submerged wetlands wasn’t just a school assignment, it was the first ripple in a lifelong current: protecting the waters that shape landscapes, lives, and our shared future.