People
Dr. Charles Randklev is the Principal Investigator for the IRNR-TAMU Mussel Research Group. His research activities focus on status assessments of native mussel populations and understanding how habitat conditions contribute to mussel persistence. Dr. Randklev provides 12 years of experience studying freshwater mussels throughout Texas river systems.
CV
Mr. Mike DeMoulpied is a Graduate Research Assistant pursuing a Master’s in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries working with the TAMU-NRI Mussel Group. Mike grew up in upstate New York and attended SUNY Cobleskill where he received his Bachelor’s in Fisheries and Aquaculture in 2020. During his time as an undergrad, Mike worked under two USGS biologists on a variety of projects ranging from backpack electrofishing surveys in streams to benthic macroinvertebrate sampling in large rivers. Mike’s undergrad research focused on temporal changes in abundance and distribution of a freshwater mussel community in an impounded river system. He began his M.S. in the Fall of 2020 here at Texas A&M and will continue to work on evaluating changes of freshwater mussel assemblages in Texas using the life-history theory and the natural flow paradigm. In his free time, Mike enjoys fly fishing for trout and upland bird hunting.
Ms. Amanda Goldsmith is a Graduate Research Assistant pursuing a Master’s in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries working with the TAMU-NRI Mussel Group. She graduated with a B.S. degree in marine biology and minors in chemistry, coastal management, and environmental science from Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Her research interests include studying the impact of environmental stressors on the physiology of organisms and their ecosystems as well as helping to develop associated conservation policies. Her current research focuses on understanding the effects of dewatering and thermal tolerance limits of freshwater mussels to help develop best management practices and inform environmental flow recommendations.
Mr. Alex Kiser is a Graduate Research Assistant pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries working with the TAMU-NRI Mussel Group. He graduated with a B.S. degree in fish and wildlife from the University of Georgia, focusing on mountain stream restoration for brook trout with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Following his B.S. Alex obtained a M.S. degree from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff with an emphasis on the economic benefits of the ecological restoration of wetlands through government programs. His current research focus on habitat suitability, spatial modeling and species distribution of rare, threatened and endangered mussels in Texas and Mexico.
Former STudents and Staff
Jack Dudding was a Research Assistant with the TAMU-NRI Mussel Research Group. He recently graduated from the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Jack's research focused on identifying host fish for several threatened mussel species from central Texas. He is now a fisheries biologist with the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
Mr. Michael Hart was a Senior Research Associate, Freshwater Mussel Ecologist and laboratory manager with the TAMU-NRI Mussel Research Group. He graduated with a M.S. degree in Fisheries at Auburn University. The focus of his thesis research was on the development and use of a novel host-confirmation technique for use with Elliptio crassidens (elephant-ear) and Reginaia ebenus (ebony shell). Mr. Hart also has experience with field, biochemistry, and laboratory studies focusing on mussel ecotoxicology, ecology, and life history. Mr Hart now works with a Natural Resources group in Alabama.
Dr. Kentaro (Ken) Inoue was an Assistant Research Scientist and evolutionary and conservation biologist with the TAMU-NRI Mussel Research Group. His research focused on population genetics, phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses for mussels species in Texas. Dr. Inoue is now a research biologist with the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, IL.
Ms. Jennifer Khan was a Senior Research Associate with the TAMU-NRI Mussel Research Group. She recently graduated from the TMAU Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Her thesis project focused on assessing the upper thermal limits and of several threatened freshwater mussel species. Jen is now a biologist with USFWS in Arlington, Texas.
Dr. Eric Tsakiris was an Assistant Research Scientist with the TAMU-NRI Mussel Research Group. He completed his PhD research via our Lab in collaboration with Dr. Kevin Conway. His research focused on popualtion performance of mussels from central Texas and evaluating the efficacy of translocation as a conservation tool. Eric is now a course leader with USFWS at the FWS National Training Center.
Dr. Eric Tsakiris was an Assistant Research Scientist with the TAMU-NRI Mussel Research Group. He completed his PhD research via our Lab in collaboration with Dr. Kevin Conway. His research focused on popualtion performance of mussels from central Texas and evaluating the efficacy of translocation as a conservation tool. Eric is now a course leader with USFWS at the FWS National Training Center.