Sturgeons in (actually from) Space!

We are currently en route with a research team to Southern Illinois University to test our new satellite “pop-off” tags for our upcoming Lake Sturgeon project. These “sat-tags” are attached to fish and eventually “pop off” at a set time (weeks, months, year) and upload their data to a satellite.) We will meet with fellow researchers to test attachment methods and ultrasound techniques on aquacultured Shovelnose (and possibly Pallid) Sturgeon (serving as proxy for Lake Sturgeon).

We will then apply these techniques to our upcoming fieldwork with US Fish & Wildlife partners this spring/early summer, when we will be tracking Lake Sturgeon in the Niagara River between Lakes Erie & Ontario to investigate what these fish do during the non-spawning season. Stay tuned, and thanks in advance to SIU colleagues for hosting us!–

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-Migrating to the Windy City!–

-It’s official!  I have accepted a postdoctoral research position at the D.P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago!  This is also a joint position with University of Wisconsin – Madison (I’ll be primarily based out of Chicago).  My research supervisors will be Dr. Chuck Knapp (Shedd Aquarium) and Dr. Pete McIntyre (University of Wisconsin).  The research will focus primarily on Great Lakes migratory fishes, although we will be developing other aquatic conservation ecology projects as well.  I’ll be going through a transitional period between Ann Arbor and Chicago this fall, which will allow me to wrap up my current research/work at the University of Michigan while also learning the ropes at Shedd/U-Wisconsin.  I have several other updates to post, and will try to keep up as the current research concludes and the new projects start up!–

-Heading to the 4th International Gar Conference Today!–

Departing later today for the 4th International Meeting on Lepisosteid Research which will be held in Villahermosa, Tabasco state, Mexico.  Looking forward to catching up with colleagues I haven’t seen since the last gar meetings (which were in Thibodaux, Louisiana, in 2010; Heredia, Costa Rica, in 2008) and finding out about new research!  I’ll also be presenting a summary of the results of my dissertation work, including countergradient variation and genetic diversity among spotted gar populations.  I’ll be sure and update with photos as much as I can over the course of the week!–

Welcome!

This site provides information on my current and past research in aquatic conservation ecology, sustainable aquaculture, and natural history, primarily focusing on fishes.  I’ll be updating various sections of this site over the next few months, so please feel free to keep checking back.  Thank you for visiting!–

Solomon R. David, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
School of Natural Resources & Environment
University of Michigan
solomon.r.david@gmail.com

Solomon R David CV 2012