After 4 years working in the Fort Collins USGS lab, I accepted a new position working with the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center (GCMRC) in Flagstaff, Arizona. Again, I was offered this position based on the significant amount of stream macroinvertebrate work I had been able to conduct early in my career. Currently, we study the effects of fluctuating flows from Glen Canyon Dam on invertebrate and fish communities. Because Glen Canyon Dam produces hydropower that supports much of the Southwest’s power demands, dam operators must adjust flows to be as efficient as possible when generating hydropower. These fluctuating flows, and the associated artificial ‘tide’ can have significant deleterious effects on invertebrate and fish populations. During my time at here at GCMRC, I have been fortunate to contribute in a very meaningful way to important science that helps preserve the Colorado River in Grand Canyon.

These amazing positions and experiences were facilitated directly by the work I was able to conduct in Wyoming, and that work was a direct result of the Biodiversity Institute’s remarkably generous grant. I am so thankful to all the donors that made that work possible, and therefore jumpstarted my scientific career. I look forward to continuing my research with the USGS, and I am forever grateful to the wonderful opportunity I was afforded by the Biodiversity Institute’s investment in me.