SUNY Brockport- Department of Environmental Science and Ecology

09/04/2026

Jack Gall (MS) recently traveled to the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) at the University of Windsor to conduct laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses of Lake Erie steelhead trout otoliths. As part of his graduate thesis research, this work will allow him to determine the hatchery or stocked origin of steelhead trout captured in New York waters. The results will provide valuable information on the contribution and distribution of different stocking sources to New York’s Lake Erie steelhead fishery and will help inform future stocking strategies and fishery management decisions.

09/03/2026

09/02/2026

Faculty, staff, and students gathered in Lennon Hall this afternoon to celebrate the start of the fall 2026 semester (and eat ice cream!). 🍦

09/01/2026

September Student Spotlight: Maddox Tonner

Maddox is a senior in the Department of Environmental Science and Ecology with a concentration in Fisheries and Aquatic Ecology. Over the past two years, Maddox has worked in Dr. Jacques Rinchard’s laboratory on multiple research projects and has completed two undergraduate summer research experiences. In 2025, he investigated how population density and food availability influence larval sea lamprey, with a particular focus on fatty acid composition. He presented the results of this research at the New York Chapter of the American Fisheries Society meeting. This summer, Maddox evaluated the behavior of lake trout and steelhead trout embryos affected by thiamine deficiency. Through these research experiences, he has gained valuable skills in experimental design, laboratory techniques, fish husbandry, data collection and analysis, and scientific communication. Outside of the laboratory and classroom, Maddox enjoys fly fishing for steelhead trout along Lake Ontario and Lake Erie tributaries, including Oak Orchard, Sandy Creek, and Elk Creek. When he is not on the water, you can find him lifting weights or enjoying live concerts.

Nominated by Jacques Rinchard

08/31/2026

Griffin Meyer (MS) and Owen Hazard (BS/MS) spent two weeks in Alaska sampling Chinook salmon at several hatcheries, including the SSRAA Whitman Lake Hatchery in Ketchikan, the NSRAA Medvejie Hatchery in Sitka, and the DIPAC Macaulay Salmon Hatchery in Juneau. Their work was part of a collaborative project led by Dr. Rinchard and his colleagues investigating how multiple stressors contribute to thiamine deficiency and declines in Pacific salmonid populations. The project is funded by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) of the U.S. Department of Defense.

As part of his MS thesis, Griffin collected heart tissue to investigate whether thiamine status is associated with adverse cardiac remodeling in Chinook salmon. Owen collected salmon eggs as part of the broader thiamine monitoring program along the West Coast, which includes sampling from California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.

It was two weeks of great work, hands-on research, and plenty of fun and discovery along the way. Beyond the samples and data collected, the trip provided Griffin and Owen with a unique opportunity to experience Alaska, explore new places, and gain valuable field-research experience while contributing to an important collaborative research effort. Their hard work, enthusiasm, and curiosity made this a truly memorable and productive research adventure.

08/30/2026

Congratulations to Daria Sparks on defending her thesis last Friday! 🎉

08/26/2026

Dr. Jacques Rinchard coauthored a peer-reviewed paper in Ecology and Evolution.

The paper, led by Kurt Heim from the US Fish and Wildlife - Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, describes an innovative long-term effort in Lake Champlain to develop an Atlantic salmon broodstock that is more resilient to thiamine deficiency complex.

This work provides an example of how genetics, fish physiology, and conservation can be combined to address an important factor limiting Atlantic salmon restoration.

We introduce efforts to develop a potentially thiamine deficiency complex (TDC) tolerant Atlantic salmon broodstock via selective breeding, as well as control broodstock with higher genetic diversity...

08/25/2026

Dr. Jacques Rinchard has been awarded three research grants totaling $13,140.

Two grants ($4,110 and $4,830) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Winthrop National Fish Hatchery will support research to quantify thiamine concentrations in steelhead trout eggs. A third grant from Yale University ($3,900) will support the analysis of lipid and fatty acid profiles in American shad. Collectively, these projects will provide valuable research opportunities for undergraduate students, allowing them to gain hands-on experience and develop laboratory and analytical skills in aquatic ecology and environmental science.

The grants are being administered by The Research Foundation for SUNY under the Scholarship, Research, and Sponsored Programs (SRSP) Office.

08/25/2026

On Saturday, August 22, Zane Fermon (BS/MS) and Manish Khadka (BS) joined the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation crew aboard the RV Seth Green to assist with the 2026 Lake Trout Survey.

Another beautiful day on Lake Ontario, with plenty of lake trout sampled as part of the Great Lakes Lake Trout Thiamine Monitoring Program. In addition to the routine monitoring, Zane collected blood samples as part of his MS thesis. He is developing a new method to measure thiamine in the blood of salmonines, which will help us better assess thiamine deficiency status in individual fish. A great day in the field supporting an important long-term monitoring program and continuing our efforts to better understand the factors affecting lake trout health and recruitment in Lake Ontario!

08/24/2026

Jack Gall, a graduate student in Dr. Jacques Rinchard’s lab, participated in the NYS DEC Coldwater Assessment Survey on Lake Erie. As part of this important assessment, Jack helped collect lake trout eggs for the Great Lakes Lake Trout Thiamine Monitoring Program conducted in the Rinchard Lab and funded by the USGS Lake Ontario Biological Station. This ongoing monitoring effort helps us better understand thiamine status in Great Lakes lake trout and its potential implications for fish health and recruitment. Great work, Jack!