Banner photo: Off-channel slough supporting Warmouth Sunfish, Spotted Sucker, Yellow Bullhead
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North Carolina State University and surrounding setting:
North Carolina State University (NCSU) is a public land-grant institution situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. Like fellow land-grant universities, NCSU has particularly strong programs in ecology, natural resources and conservation, geospatial technology, agricultural sciences, and engineering. NCSU's main campus is situated in the Southwest corner of Raleigh and the Research Triangle, North Carolina. Raleigh is regularly rated as one of the top cities to live in the Southeast due to a wide array of entertainment and recreational opportunities within the city and broader Research Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and metro areas). Raleigh boasts several entertainment districts, concert venues, and sports teams. There are many recreational and cultural resources within the city including the Greenway network, municipal parks, Umstead State Park and forest, several reservoirs and rivers for fishing and kayaking (Eno and Haw Rivers, Jordan and Falls lakes), and arts, science and history museums (NC Museum of Art, NC Museum of Natural Sciences). There are also several charming towns in Chatham, Wake, and Johnson counties that offer a smaller-town feel within commuting distance. Raleigh is also conveniently located in central North Carolina, meaning the Blue Ridge Mountains in western NC and Atlantic Ocean in eastern NC are easily accessible. Popular destinations within NC are Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, the four national forests, and Outer Banks barrier islands. |
The Haw River within Haw River state park, just west of Raleigh.
Members of the NC Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit -- consisting of federal scientist, research associates, & graduate students.
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Department of Applied Ecology and Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program: The Riverine Fishes Lab is hosted by the Department of Applied Ecology, consisting of 25+ faculty with diverse expertise in ecological fields, including 9 faculty members with research programs centered on aquatics or fisheries. Moreover, many professors hold appointments in Biology and the Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology undergrad and graduate faculty programs. The Dept of Applied Ecology also hosts the Southeastern Climate Adaptation Science Center -- a USGS sister program co-locating federal scientists with expertise in climate, hydrology, and landscape ecology at NCSU alongside the NC Coop Unit. In addition to the USGS Coop Unit and SE CASC, there are several state and federal agencies with offices on campus or in Raleigh includes the headquarters of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, US Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, and Environmental Protection Agency. Finally, the Dept of Applied Ecology also hosts the Yates Mill Aquatic Conservation Laboratory -- a newly opened conservation aquaculture facility where many of North Carolina's most imperiled aquatic species are propagated for eventual reintroduction into the wild.
The Dept of Applied Ecology is housed in the beautifully renovated David Clark Labs on the north-side of NCSU's campus. "DCL" is surrounded by courtyards and within walking distance to several restaurants and coffee shops along Hillsboro Street. Within DCL, the Coop Unit is housed in the South wing where graduate students are given offices adjacent to administrative support, postdocs, and federal scientists. |
Quad outside of David Clark Labs -- although NCSU is in Raleigh, NCSU is a college campus full of green spaces.
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US Geological Survey, North Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit:
My research group is part of a unique federal program called the “Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit”. There are 43 Cooperative Research Units (often abbreviated as “Coops” or “CRUs”) throughout the US, which typically are partnerships among the US Geological Survey, a host university (e.g., NC State University), a state conservation agency (e.g., the NC Wildlife Resources Commission), the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Wildlife Management Institute. The mission of the CRU program is to train graduate students to be future natural resources professionals through applied research and graduate education. For example, many management biologists, professors, and federal scientists were CRU students at one point – including me (MSc in Virginia CRU, PhD in Missouri CRU). There are many perks to being a CRU graduate student. First and foremost, you get to join a broad network of professionals who were once CRU students. Naturally, this connection can come in handy when networking among professionals and when interviewing for jobs after graduation, especially at our partnering state and federal management agencies. Beyond networking, CRU students get access to free federal training and certifications. Additionally, CRU students get access to federal equipment to support their field research. For example, each student is assigned a unique field truck, and students working in boats get access to customized federal motorboats within the NC Unit. We provide all equipment to students that is needed for their graduate research. Altogether, NC State and the NC Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit are fantastic places to pursue your graduate research! Links: |
The NC Coop Unit has a fleet of 7 federal trucks exclusively used by Coop students & staff.
Custom federal electrofishing boat used to support research activities.
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