Richard Walker

I am a doctoral student in the Program in Ecology and the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in the Department of Zoology and Physiology at the University of Wyoming. My research interests cover a broad spectrum within the field of aquatic ecology, ranging from individual physiology, population and community ecology, to conservation biology and ecosystem processes. My current research focuses on understanding the individual and interactive effects of multiple stressors on ecological responses in headwater streams. In particular, I am trying to better understand the effects of stressors associated with oil and natural gas development on fish physiology and immunology, as well as the quality and quantity of fish food resources, and the implications for freshwater fish populations.

I began working with the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in 2014. Prior to attending the University of Wyoming, I received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Environmental Science (2008) and Biology (2011) from the University of Central Arkansas. Between degrees, I worked as a fisheries technician with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in St. George, Utah sampling and monitoring fishes in the Virgin River. Following graduate school, I worked as an Environmental Scientist in Arkansas consulting with clients on several aquatic issues, mostly natural gas development and rapid bioassessments for aquatic organisms. After consulting, I traveled around the western U.S. as a fisheries/aquatic technician working for Trout Unlimited, Utah State University’s Fish Ecology Lab, and the USU/BLM National Aquatic Monitoring Center. During my travels, I worked on projects focused on native cutthroat trout monitoring and conservation, invasive species ecology, and land-use impacts to chemical, physical, and biological processes in streams.

Geoff Smith

I am a PhD Candidate at Utah State University, where I am also a science reporter for Utah Public Radio. I study life history trade-offs in side-blotched lizards and am particularly interested in how they allocate energy to the immune and reproductive systems during times of stress. I am also interested in animal behavior, evolution and ecology, and finding solutions for wildlife living under the stressors of urbanization and ecotourism.

My passion for wildlife began at a young age, but blossomed during my Bachelor’s degree work at the University of Central Arkansas, where I conducted undergraduate research on turtle communities in Arkansas and Nebraska. I stayed at UCA for my Master’s degree on alligator habitat requirements in the outskirts of their range. After my Master’s, I was employed as an environmental consultant for GBM^c & Associates, where I specialized in erosion control and aquatic invertebrate assessments, as well as fish surveys.

When I'm not performing lab work or creating stories radio, I enjoy teaching students general biology and physiology courses. Most of the time, I dream about getting back to my field sites, which are in the deserts of southern Utah.