our team

MAISRC Fellows:

Abdennour Abbas – eDNA

Przemek Bajer – common carp biology and management

Valerie Brady – spiny waterflea vectors of spread

Donn Branstrator – spiny waterflea impacts and history

Brent Dalzell – economics of AIS management

Mikael Elias – enzyme-based coatings

Gretchen Hansen – fisheries system ecologist

Siqian Huang – enzyme-based coatings

Peter Hundt – common carp control

Jessica Kozarek – multibeam sonar

Dan Larkin – aquatic invasive plant control and management

Lucia Levers – economics of AIS management

Jim Luoma – zebra mussel control

Loren Miller – genetics and eDNA

Sunil Mor – biological control of AIS

 

Ray Newman – aquatic invasive plant control and management

Soumesh Padhi – biological control of AIS

Nicholas Phelps – infectious fish diseases and ecosystem health

Amit Pradhananga – economics of AIS management

Heidi Rantala – water quality consultant

Vikash Singh – DNA sequence analysis

Michael Smanski – genetic control of invasive fish

Peter Sorensen – Asian carp detection and control

Ryan Thum – Hybrid watermilfoil

Dominic Travis – Veterinary population medicine

Jake Walsh – AIS impacts on food webs and ecosystem services

MAISRC Graduate Fellows:

Naomi Blinick – zebra mussels

Rafael Contreras-Rangel – invasive plants

Angelique Dahlberg – zebra mussels

Clark Dennis – Asian carp

Nicki DeWeese – spiny waterflea

Jasmine Eltawely – invasive plants

Sam Erickson – common carp

Jane Feely – Asian carp

Meg McEachran – aquatic ecosystem health

Jacob Olson – invasive plants

Andy Riesgraf – Asian carp deterrents

Kasey Rundquist – Valuing AIS management

Isaiah Tolo – invasive carp

Mike Verhoeven – invasive plants

Carli Wagner – invasive plants

MAISRC Staff:

Meg Duhr – Outreach Specialist 

Jay Maher – Scientist

Cori Mattke – Associate Director

Nicholas Phelps – Director

AIS Detectors Staff:

Pat Mulcahy – AIS Program Coordinator

Megan Weber – Extension Educator

Past MAISRC Fellows:

Dave Andow • Chanlan Chun • Siba Das • Luis Escobar • John Fieberg • Jake Ferguson • Sue Galatowitsch • Vinnie Hirt • Katya Kovalenko • Sophie Mallez • Maciej Maselko • Prince Mathai • Mike McCartney • Alex Primus • Mike Sadowsky • Paul Venturelli

Additional guidance

MAISRC also receives guidance from two groups:

  • An Advisory Board which is made up of representatives from key governmental and nongovernmental organizations and helps guide overall activities; and
  • A Technical Committee which is made up of scientists from academia and governmental agencies and advises on scientific and technical matters, including which species to research.

Advisory Board members:

Technical Committee members:
  • John Anfinson, National Park Service (Mississippi National River and Recreational Area)
  • John Barten, retired, Three Rivers Park District
  • Brian Buhr, U of M College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences, ex officio
  • Craig Dawson, retired, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District 
  • John Downing, Minnesota Sea Grant
  • Sue Galatowitsch, MAISRC, ex officio
  • Teresa Lewis, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
  • Jeff Lovgren, Vermilion Lake Association
  • Steve McComas, Blue Water Science
  • Barb Naramore, Minnesota DNR
  • Dave Rush, Douglas County
  • John Schneider, MN Bass Federation/Metro State
  • Patrick Selter, PLM Lake and Land Management Corp.
  • Doug Shaw, The Nature Conservancy
  • Chris Tiedeman, Weber Johnson Public Affairs
  • Tom Watson, Whitefish Area Property Owners Association
  • Kelsey Wenner, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
  • Przemek Bajer, MAISRC
  • Donn Branstrator, MAISRC
  • Wendy Crowell, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
  • Nick Fronhauer, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
  • Bill Grantges, Itasca County
  • Dan Larkin, MAISRC
  • Gary Montz, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
  • Alex Primus, MAISRC
  • Heidi Rantala, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources