Former Students

These students have graduated and moved on to bigger and better things. Good luck all!

Postdoctoral Researchers

Brittany Kammer, 2009-2011 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Research topic: physiological indicators of habitat quality in thermally impacted streams.

Graduate Students

Claire Rosemond, MS, 2024 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Matthew Ramirez, PhD, 2019 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Dissertation Title: It’s in Their Bones: Ecological Drivers of Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) Somatic Growth and Population Dynamics

Brandon Chasco, PhD, 2019 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Dissertation Title: 

Patricia Rincón Diaz, PhD, 2018 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Dissertation Title: Functional Diversity: A Tool to Track Spatiotemporal Changes in the Trophic Organization of Reef Fish Assemblages

Andrea Jara, PhD, 2018 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Dissertation Title: Integration of Scientific and Local Knowledge in Data-Poor Fisheries Assessments.

Michelle Fournet, PhD, 2018 (Advisors: Holger Klinck, Daivd Mellinger, Scott Heppell)

Dissertation Title: Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Calling Behavior In Southeast Alaska: A Study In Acoustic Ecology And Noise

Tom Calvanese, MS, 2016 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Thesis Title: Movement Patterns of Rockfishes at the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve, Oregon.

Allison Evans, PhD, 2016 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Dissertation Title: The Ecophysiology of Thiamine Deficiency Complex: Evaluating Sources of Thiaminase in Great Lakes Food Webs

Amy Jo Lindsley, MS, 2016 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Thesis Title: Juvenile Rockfish (Sebastes spp.) Community Composition and Habitat use of Yaquina Bay, Oregon.

Susan Piacenza, PhD, 2016 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Dissertation Title: Quantitative Tools for Monitoring Strategy Evaluation and Assessment of Sea Turtle Populations.

Kevin Thompson, PhD, 2015 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Dissertation Title: The Factors Affecting the Diets of Groundfish in the Gulf of Alaska: Ecological and Modeling Considerations.

Matthew Ramirez, MS, 2014 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Sequential Isotopic Analysis to Characterize Ontogenetic Shifts and Growth Dynamics of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta).

Wade Smith, PhD, 2013 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Dissertation Title: Vertebral Elemental Markers in Elasmobranchs: Potential for Reconstructing Environmental History and Population Structure.

Linsey Arnold, MS, 2012 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Evaluation of Sata-poor and Age-structure Management Strategies for West Coast Rockfish.

Tanya Chesney, MRM (thesis), 2012 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: A Cooperative Effort to Track Humboldt Squid Invasions in Oregon.

Ryan Easton, MRM (thesis), 2012 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Video on the Rocks: Use of a Video Lander Platform as a Survey Tool for a High-relief Nearshore Temperate Rocky Reef.

Jose Montero, MRM (non-thesis), 2012 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Project Title: Modeling the Incidental Catch of Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) in The Eastern Tropical Pacific Purse-seine Fishery.

Daniel O’Farrell, MRM (non-thesis), 2012 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Project Title: Range Expansion of European Flounder Platichthys flesus to Icelandic Waters: A Threat to Native Salmonids?

Caren Barcelo, MS, 2011 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Movement Patterns and Marine Habitat Associations of Juvenile Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

Luke Whitman, MS, 2011 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Thesis Title: Patch Dynamics of Prey Species in the Bering Sea.

Amy Vandehey, MRM (non-thesis), 2011 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Project Title: Development of an Interpretive Exhibit on Marine Reserves and Marine Protected Areas in Oregon.

Melissa Ocana, MS, 2010 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Arribada Nesting of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) at La Escobilla, Mexico.

Alison Dauble, MS, 2010 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Thesis Title: Young-of-the-year Rockfish (Sebastes spp) Settlement Dynamics in Oregon Estuaries.

Shivonne Nesbit, MS, 2010 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Thesis Title: Population Characteristics and Movement Patterns of Redband Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) in the Crooked River, Oregon.

Suzanna Stoike, MRM (non-thesis), 2010 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Project Title: Collaborative Research in the Port Orford Live Fish Fishery: Lessons Learned.

Heather Reiff, MRM (non-thesis), 2010 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Project Title: Tools for the Web-based Dissemination of Science and Policy Information for Public Involvement in Marine Protected Area Planning.

Jason Vaughan, MS, 2009 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Evaluation of Length Distributions and Growth Variance to Improve Assessment of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, (Caretta caretta).

Marisa Litz, MS, 2008 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Ecology of the Northern Subpopulation of Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax) in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem.

Brett Gallagher, MS, 2007 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Growth Rates and Species Composition of Juvenile Rockfish (Sebastes spp.) in Oregon’s Nearshore and Estuarine Habitats.

Gene Shippentower, MS, 2007 (Advisor: Scott Heppell; Co-advisor: Carl Schreck)

Thesis Title: Development of a Progeny Marker in Salmonids.

Jeremiah Osborne-Gowey, MS, 2007 (Advisor: Scott Heppell; Co-advisor: Hiram Li)

Thesis Title: Responses of an Endangered Cutthroat Trout to an Exotic Invading Charr.

Abigail McCarthy, MS, 2007 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Defining Habitat Preferences of Pelagic Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta) in the North Atlantic Through Analysis of Behavior and Bycatch.

Brooke Martin-Mills, MS, 2007 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: An Assessment of the Reproductive Cycle in Black Rockfish, Sebastes melanops (Girard, 1856) on the Central Oregon Coast: A Blood Plasma Protein and Sex Steroid Used as Potential Indicators of Sex and Stage of Gonadal Maturity.

Jonathan Scordino, MS, 2007 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus) of Oregon and Northern California: Seasonal Haulout Abundance Patterns, Movements of Marked Juveniles, and Effects of Hot-iron Branding on Apparent Survival of Pups at Rogue Reef.

Kate Boersma, MS, 2007 (Advisor: Selina Heppell; Co-advisor: Clifford Ryer)

Thesis Title: Divergent Anti-predator Strategies and Risk Allocation in Juveniles of Three North Pacific Flatfishes.

Paola Carrera-Ubida, MS, 2007 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Giant Otters (Pteronura brasiliensis) and Humans in the Lower Yasuní Basin, Ecuador: Spacio-temporal Activity Patterns and Their Relevance for Conservation.

Julie Barr, MRM (thesis), 2006 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Community-based Sea Turtle Monitoring and Management at Helen Reef, Hatohobei State, Republic of Palau.

Joseph Feldhaus, MS, 2006 (Advisor: Scott Heppell; Co-advisor: Hiram Li)

Thesis Title: Stream Temperatures, Stress Proteins, & Lipid Reserves as Potential Indicators of Habitat Quality for Redband Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri) in Northeastern Oregon.

Josie Thompson, MRM (thesis), 2005 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Thesis Title: Age, Growth and Maturity of the Longnose Skate (Raja rhina) for the U.S. West Coast.

Tad Schwager, MRM (thesis), 2005 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Thesis Title: Habitat Utilization of an Oregon Estuary by Lingcod Ophiodon elongatus.

Crystal Hackmann, MS, 2005 (Advisor: Selina Heppell; Co-advisor: Carl Schreck)

Thesis Title: Physiological Ecology of Juvenile Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Rearing in Fluctuating Salinity Environments.

Marlene Bellman, MS, 2004 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Thesis Title: Evaluation of a US West Coast Groundfish Habitat Conservation Regulation via Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Trawl Fishing Effort.

Gianna Gomez, MRM (non-thesis), 2004 (Advisor: Scott Heppell)

Project Title: A Rapid Ecological Assessment of Coral Reefs and Reef Fishes of Central Belize Barrier Islands utilizing the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Systems (MBRS) Protocol.

Armando Ubeda, MRM (thesis), 2003 (Advisor: Selina Heppell)

Thesis Title: Management of the Red Sea Urchin Fishery: A Biological Approach.