Melissa L. Smith
Born: 3/20/1978, Somerset, PA
Office
Illinois River Biological Station
Illinois Natural History Survey
704 N. Schrader Ave
Havana, IL 62644
(309)543-6000
E-mail: ansell@uiuc.edu
Home
16133 E Ave L
Lewistown, IL 61542
(309)547-2016
Education
Undergraduate
Frostburg State University B.S., Wildlife & Fisheries Biology
September 2000-May 2003 GPA: 2.74
Montana State University National Student Exchange Program
September 1998- Major: Wildlife Biology
California University of Pennsylvania Major: Wildlife Biology
Relevant Wildlife Experience
1.Fisheries Technician for the Illinois River Biological Station, Illinois Natural History
Survey, Havana, Illinois. Research consists of monitoring a large
river system at an ecosystem scale. Skills include electro-fishing(seine and
backpack) setting hoop, fyke, mini-fyke, trammel, and trawl nets, collection and
processing of water samples from fixed and random sites for suspended solids,
chlorophyll, and dissolved nutrient analysis. July 2003 to Present.
2. Research Technician to Jay Hitchcock, a master’s candidate from Southern
Illinois University, February 20, 2007 to May 15, 2007, study is based on food
and habitat selection of spring migratory waterfowl.
3. Research Technician for the Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Forbes Biological
Station, Havana, Illinois December 2005-April 2006/December 2006-February 2007.
Processed soil samples for the purpose of moist soil seed extraction and
identification.
4. Research Technician for the Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Forbes Biological
Station, August 2006. Assisted biologists with cover mapping of vegetation zones
within state managed areas. Identification of moist soil, upland and forested plants
were determined.
5. Research Technician for Lindsay Anderson, a master’s candidate from Michigan State
University. Radio telemetry of tagged bighead carp; surgical implantation of
transmitters; floy tagging; Jake Wolf Memorial Hatchery care of bighead carp.
2004.
5. Research Aid for Bozeman, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, September 1998-
January 1999. Wildlife division, harvest surveys; Collection of hunting and harvest
data via telephone interviews. Trained in game regulations, license criteria, and
district boundaries.
6. Work Study, Montana State University, Bozeman, Fish Wildlife and Parks, September
1998-January 1999. Assisted with the processing of harvest surveys and also
assisted biologists with hunting check stations.
Additional Research Experience
1. Volunteer wood duck bander for the Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center, Forbes Biological Station, July 2004.
2. Assisted Frostburg State University graduate student in northern Pennsylvania to survey for river otter sign, January 2001.
3. Army Corps of Engineers summer volunteer. Assisted in dock, boat, and buoy inspections, participated in wood duck box surveys around Youghiogheny Dam. Set man-made fish habitats seined and electrofished ponds and streams. Also measured stream length and width identified and recorded fish species. Summer 2001.
4. Research volunteer for the Pennsylvaina Game Commission and Frostburg wildlife professor, Tom Serfass. Assisted with river otter release program on the Laurel Hill Creek and Casselman River, Fall 2000.
5. Volunteer Canada geese bander. Assisted Pennsylvania Conservation Officers and state biologists in capturing, banding, and sex determination of Canada geese, summer 1998.
6. Fisheries research volunteer for the Pennsylvania Fish Commission during the summer of 1998. Assisted fisheries researchers in population estimates by 3 pass removal (zippin ). Determine pH, alkalinity, hardness of water, and conductivity, measured length and width of stream area, and collected invertebrates via kick net sampling.
7. Volunteer sage grouse surveyor for the Nevada Game Commission, Austin, Nevada in Spring 1998
8. Assisted Montana State University graduate student in electro-fishing the confluence of the Yellowstone River and Powder River, Miles City, Montana, Spring 1998
Associations and Memberships -
-The Wildlife Society and Illinois Chapter 2007
-Ducks Unlimited 2006-present
-Environmental Education Association of Illinois 2006-present
-Emiquon Audubon Society 2005-present -Emiquon Corps of Discovery 2005-present
-Hav-a-vision River Committee 2004-present
Certifications and Training
-Basic First Aid, CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), and AED (Automated External Defibrillator), Current
-Ethics Training Program for University and Community College Employees, Current
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Training Program in Laboratory Animal Care and Use, Current
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Training Program in Laboratory Safety, Current
-Boaters Safety Course, Maryland DNR 2003
Awards
-Environmental Education Association of Illinois, Registration Scholarship, 2006
Attended Meetings and Presentations
1. First Public Symposium on Great Rivers Issues, “Indicators of the Health of Great Rivers.” Lewis and Clark Community College, Godfrey, IL., April 2004
2. Attended the 42 nd Annual Meeting of the Illinois Chapter, American Fisheries Society in Champaign, IL., March 2004
3. Great Rivers Field Station open house, presentations highlighting the research accomplishments. Lewis and Clark Community College, Godfrey, Illinois, June 2005
4. Illinois River Governor’s Conference. Peoria, Illinois, Fall 2005
5. Environmental Education Association of Illinois Conference and Meeting. Pere Marquette State Park, Grafton, Illinois, May 2006
6. Illinois River Coordinating Council Meeting. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield, Illinois, May 2006
7. Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference. Omaha, Nebraska, December 2006
Contributed Presentations
1. Eagle Days, Illinois River Biological Station, Havana, Illinois, February 2005-2007 Title: Illinois River Biological Station and its involvement with Asian carp.
2. Poster presentation, American Fisheries Society and joint Wildlife Society Meeting. Rend Lake, Illinois, February 2006 Title: Progression of a fish community at Spunky Bottoms Merwin Preserve
3. Poster presentation, Mississippi River Research Consortium, LaCrosse, Wisconsin March 2006 Title: Progression of a fish community at Spunky Bottoms Merwin Preserve
Technical Reports and Bulletins
1. Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center. Taking the pulse of a River System: First 20 Years. Fact Sheet, June 2006. Photo Credit
2. Smith, M., and M.A. Pegg. 2005. NCD-AFS membership attitude survey. Final report submitted to the NCD-AFS. 5 pp.
3. The Long-Term River Fish Population Monitoring Program. Final Report (1999-2003) to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Mike McClelland and Mark Pegg. May 2004. Administrative support.
Workshops
1. Enviornmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) Training Workshop Purpose to learn procedures for collecting samples and field measurements for biotic and abiotic factors of the Great Rivers of the Central Basin of the United States. Summer 2004, 2005, 2006
2. Emiquon Corps of Discovery Haiku Workshop, Dickson Mounds Museum, Lewistown, Illinois. Presenter: Lee Gurga. February 2006
3. Emiquon Corps of Discovery Entomology 101, Dickson Mounds Museum, Lewistown, Illinois. Presenter: Michael Jeffords. April 2006
4. Leopold Education Project Workshop. The Nature Institute, Talahi Lodge, Godfrey Illinois. Presenter: Sandy Kennedy. May 4, 2006
5. Spider Identification 101, Pere Marquette Lodge, Godfrey, Illinois. Presenter: Wendy Tresouthick. May 5, 2006
6. Forbes Biological Station Moist-Soil Workshop. Dickson Mounds Museum, Lewistown, Illinois. Presenters: Josh Stafford, Aaron Yetter, Chris Hine and Randy Smith. September 2006
7. Emiquon Corps of Discovery Orientation and Journal/Creative Writing, Dickson Mounds Museum, Lewistown, Illinois. Presenter: Susan Post. March 2005
8. Emiquon Corps of Discovery Creative Sketching/Drawing, Dickson Mounds Museum, Lewistown, Illinois. Presenter: Carrie Nixon. March 2005
9. Emiquon Corps of Discovery Photography, Dickson Mounds Museum, Lewistown, Illinois. Presenter: Michael Jeffords. April 2005
Services
1. Illinois River Biological Station staff participated in a television interview and footage with Mark McDonald of PBS Illinois Stories on the issues of Asian carp. June 2006
2. Illinois River Biological Station staff assisted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the Asian carp and Round Goby “Round Up.” June 2005 and June 2006
3. Illinois River Biological Station staff assisted the Shedd Aquarium in collecting Illinois River fish for an Illinois River System display. April 2005
4. Illinois River Biological Station staff assisted ESPN sports camera crew with information and footage of Asian carp issues. May 2005
5. Illinois River Biological Station staff provided Asian carp boat tours to University and Illinois Natural History Survey staff. July 2004
6. Illinois River Biological Station staff hosted field station tour and discussion with Carp Protein Processing Corporation. July 2004
7. Illinois River Biological Station staff provided fish for the Illinois DNR display at the Illinois State Fair. August 10, 2004
8. Illinois River Sweep using Illinois River Biological Station boat. September 2004
9. Illinois River Biological Station staff provided The Columbus Dispatch newspaper with information and photo footage of Asian carp issues. October 2003
Outreach
1. Supported The Nature Conservancy at Spunky Bottoms Merwin Preserve, while educating local third grade students on pond ecology. May 2006
2. Displayed Illinois River Biological Station equipment in local Oktoberfest parade. September 2006
3. Illinois River Biological Station hosted fish fry and provided information on current research issues for the Havana, Illinois Chamber of Commerce. September 2006
4. Illinois River Biological Station staff collaborated with Great Lakes Fishery Commission staff on Asian carp collections for educating federal wardens on identification of the species. August 2005
5. Illinois River Biological Station staff provided Peoria Journal Star writer Elaine Hopkins with a three day research series on the health of the Illinois River. August 2005
6. Ecology presentation and display at Chautaqua National Wildlife Refuge for child fishing day. June 2004
7. Havana’s Riverfront Outdoor Sport Show, assisted in demonstration of Illinois River fish. June 2004
8. Mason County Discovery Day for third grade students. Hosted Illinois River ecosystem and invasive species station at the Illinois River Biological Station. September 2004
Research Interests
My research interests range from wildlife ecology to aquatic ecology. My particular interests are on large mammals. Estimates of population characteristics (abundance, density, survival, mortality and reproduction), movement and migratory patterns, impact assessment and management plans are a few of the specifics that I would enjoy pursuing as a career. Within the field of aquatic ecology, my interests are population dynamics and food web interactions.
Relevant Skills and Interests
TechnicalOther
-Radio Telemetry
-Hobbyist rock collector
-ATV and Standard Transmission operation
-Waterfowl/upland game bird hunter
-Operation/safety of firearms
-Faithful to fishing
-Boat operation, trailering, and maintenance
-Confident horseback rider
-Horsemanship
-Passionate reader on nature & wolves
-GPS function
Computer
-Microsoft Word
-Excel -Access
-ArcView 3.3
-Toughbook/Itronix field computers
References:
Greg Sass
Illinois River Biological Station Director
Illinois Natural History Survey
704 N. Schrader Ave.
Havana, IL
(309)-543-6000
Matt O’Hara
Fisheries Biologist
Illinois Natural History Survey
704 N. Schrader Ave.
Havana, IL 62644
(309) 543-6000
Joshua Stafford
Assistant Professional Scientist
DirectorForbes Biological Station
Bellrose Waterfowl Research Center
17500 E County Rd. 1950 N
Havana, IL 62644
(309)543-3950