Graduate Student Research Topics
Current Students
Jason Shaffer
Thesis: Comparing environmental DNA and snorkel surveys to determine the spatial distribution of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the Smith River Basin, California
Advisor: Andre Buchheister, Ph.D.
Alex Juan
Thesis: Evaluating the Use of a Trojan Y Chromosome Strategy to Eradicate Invasive Sacramento Pikeminnow in the Eel River to Aid Recovery of Threatened Salmonids
Advisor: Andre Buchheister, Ph.D.
Claire Stuart
Thesis: Monitoring and evaluating rocky-reef marine protected areas in Northern California
Advisor: Andre Buchheister, Ph.D.
Gavin B. Bandy
Thesis: A Technique to Calibrate eDNA Surveys for Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
Advisor: Andrew Kinziger, Ph.D.
Dylan J. Keel
Thesis: Quantification of the variability of Ceratonova shasta DNA concentrations in Klamath River water samples
Advisor: Andrew Kinziger, Ph.D.
Daniel Montoya
Thesis: Collaborating with Tribal Partners to Co-produce Knowledge on Surf Smelt Populations Across Humboldt and Del Norte County
Advisor: Jose Marin Jarrin, Ph.D.
Noah Angell
Thesis: Describing Population Status of Redtail Surfperch and Silver Surfperch in Sandy Beach Surf Zones in Northern California Including Marine Protected Areas
Advisor: Jose Marin Jarrin, Ph.D.
Sarah Moreau
Thesis: Factors that attract Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, to fixed fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Galapagos Islands
Advisor: Jose Marin Jarrin, Ph.D.
Olivia Boeberitz
Thesis: Presence, Distribution, and Movement of Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) in Humboldt Bay and the Mad River, California
Advisor: Jose Marin Jarrin, Ph.D.
Lily Olmo
Thesis: Using fish to study the trophic food chain of artificial wetlands in the Arcata Marsh, CA
Advisor: Jose Marin Jarrin, Ph.D.
Jacqueline Bridegum
Thesis:
Advisor:
Graduated
Summer 2022
Spring 2022
Katie Terhaar
Thesis: Sandy Beach Surf zone Fish Communities and Marine Protected Areas in Northern California
Advisor: Jose Marin Jarrin, Ph.D.
2023
Z Zenobia
Thesis: Status of Spirinchus starksi (Night Smelt) in Northern California in 2021
Advisor: Jose Marin Jarrin, Ph.D.
Natasha Ficzycz
Thesis: Inferring exposure to harmful pseudo-nitzschia blooms from ocean-to-estuary gradients in domoic acid concentrations in Humboldt Bay bivalves
Advisor: Eric Bjorkstedt, Ph.D.
Braden Herman
Thesis: Use of foreign eDNA tracers to resolve site- and time-specific eDNA distributions in natural streams
Advisor: Eric Bjorkstedt, Ph.D.
2022
2021
Christopher O'Keefe
Thesis: Do beaver dam analogues act as passage barriers to juvenile coho salmon and juvenile steelhead trout?
Advisor: Darren Ward, Ph.D.
2020
Nissa Kreidler
Thesis: Species distribution models for three deep-sea coral and sponge taxa in the southern California Bight
Advisor: Andre Buchheister, Ph.D.
Nissa Kreidler
Thesis: Species distribution models for three deep-sea coral and sponge taxa in the southern California Bight
Advisor: Andre Buchheister, Ph.D.
Madison Halloran
Thesis: Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) dispersal and life history variations among Humboldt Bay watersheds
Advisor: Darren Ward, Ph.D.
Nissa Kreidler
Thesis: Species distribution models for three deep-sea coral and sponge taxa in the Southern California Bight
Advisor:
2019
Chris Loomis
Thesis: Density and distribution of piscivorous fishes in the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta
Advisor:
Hannah Coe
Thesis: Effects of longline oyster aquaculture on benthic invertebrate communities in Humboldt Bay, California
Advisor:
2018
Michael Sutter
Thesis: Rangewide tidewater goby occupancy survey using environmental DNA
Advisor: Andrew Kinziger, Ph.D.
Kevin Hinterman
Thesis: Baseline monitoring and characterization of rocky intertidal fish communities in Northern California
Advisor: Andrew Kinziger, Ph.D.
2017
Justin Alvarez
Thesis: Abundance, growth and predation by non-native brown trout in the Trinity River, CA
Advisor: Darren Ward, Ph.D.
2016
Ryann Whitemore
Thesis: Evaluation of parameter estimation and field application of transgenerational genetic mark-recapture
Advisor: Andrew Kinziger, Ph.D.
2015
Conrad Newell
Thesis: Development of captive culture methods for the endangered tidewater goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi)
Advisor: Andrew Kinziger, Ph.D.
Molly Schmelzle
Thesis: Monitoring endangered tidewater goby using environmental DNA in water samples
Advisor: Andrew Kinziger, Ph.D.
2014
2013
Jennifer Hauer
Thesis: Overwinter survival and growth of juvenile coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, in Freshwater, California
Advisor: Darren Ward, Ph.D.
Jennifer Hauer
Thesis: Overwinter survival and growth of juvenile coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch, in Freshwater, California
Advisor: Darren Ward, Ph.D.
2011
Melissa Reneski
Thesis: Temporal genetic analyses reveal divergence of hatchery steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) via drift
Advisor: Andrew Kinziger, Ph.D.