Graduate students
Abha Panda. Abha is a PhD student in Conservation Sciences conducting research on aquatic revegetation.
Stephen Smith. Steve is a PhD student in Conservation Sciences investigating impacts of the invasive species starry stonewort on natural stands of wild rice. He was a faculty member at Leech Lake Tribal College before starting his doctoral studies.
Jaron Cook. Jaron is a Master's student in Conservation Sciences conducting research on the benefits of Conservation Reserve Program grasslands to native plant communities and grassland birds.
Sirena Torres. Sirena is a Master's student in Conservation Sciences investigating wild rice seed biology and climate change impacts.
Michael Tuma. Mike is a Master's student in Conservation Sciences investigating the effect of small-scale hybrid cattail removals on plant diversity in lakes across Minnesota.
Janell Balmaceda. Janell is a Master's student in Conservation Sciences investigating the impacts of global change on hybrid invasive Phragmites australis.
McKaylee Duquain. McKaylee is a member of the Menominee Nation, in northeastern Wisconsin. She is currently a Master's Student in Conservation Sciences and works in Forestry for Menominee Tribal Enterprises, and is part of the Kawe Gidaa-Naanaagadawendaamin Manoomin Project. This project was created in collaboration with Tribes of the Great Lakes region to better understand threats to and protect wild rice.
Research staff
Chelsey Blanke, M.S. Chelsey Blanke is a research ecologist focused on ecological restoration and invasive species. She manages the University of Minnesota Extension’s Ecological Restoration Training Co-operative and our invasive Phragmites extension and research projects. Chelsey previously worked at the Minnesota and Wisconsin natural resources departments as well as Anoka County Parks. She received her M.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Limnology.
Naomi Blinick, M.S. Naomi manages projects related to aquatic plant ecology and wild rice ecology and conservation. She was previously a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Ecological Services program in Washington D.C. She received her M.S. in Conservation Sciences investigating impacts of zebra mussels on food webs in Minnesota walleye lakes.
Undergraduate researchers
Amalia Galvan (REU, 2023)