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
Julia Bohnen, M.S. Julia manages the Ecological Restoration training program and invasive Phragmites australis surveillance, control, and research efforts. She previously worked with Dr. Sue Galatowitsch on ecological restoration and reed canary grass ecology and management and also has experience as a restoration consultant and practitioner. She received her M.S. in Horticulture from the University of Minnesota.
Chelsey Blanke, M.S. Chelsey works on projects related to ecological restoration and coordinated control of invasive Phragmites australis in Minnesota. Previously, she held positions addressing invasive species and aquatic ecosystem management with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin DNR. 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)