About the lab

We study the connection between evolution and ecology to solve conservation challenges related to fisheries and climate change. We use a combination of theory and statistical analyses of empirical data sets, as well as field studies and experiments on marine and freshwater fishes (and sometimes other things!). At Virginia Tech, we are part of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation and the Global Change Center. Students interested in joining the lab should check out the Opportunities page.

You can see our latest photos on our lab Instagram.
Our research

News

This year has been busy! Hailey Conrad won a departmental award for her record as an Outstanding Doctoral Student. Charlie Holguin and Morgan Crum sampled thousands of salamanders on Whitetop Mountain during their summer fieldwork. Emma Hultin is preparing a team of undergraduates for a survey of Tom's Creek fish diversity after 2024's drying event. Mary Adebote and Hailey presented at the national AFS meeting in Honolulu, and at the annual Virginia Sea Grant conference, where they reunited with lab alumni Kaitlyn Theberge and Madeline Pitsenbarger (and Kaitlyn's first paper was published in Fisheries Research!). In November Kalin Ferguson's undergraduate research on Four-toed Salamander nest predation was accepted for publication in the Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management, and she presented her thesis working plan to the department.