SUNY Cobleskill Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Science

04/30/2026

You could say Colby Slezak ’19 has truly “gone wild”, in the best way possible. 🐻

After graduating from SUNY Cobleskill’s Wildlife Management program, Colby has been making waves in wildlife research and conservation. Following his bachelor’s, he earned his Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island, continuing his passion for studying the natural world. 🐦

During his time at Cobleskill, Colby earned several academic honors and his achievements have only continued to grow. He’s received regional and national recognition through The Wildlife Society. Most recently, one of the organization’s most competitive distinctions: Best Journal Article Published in 2025, awarded to Colby and co-authors for their outstanding research. 🫎

Reflecting on his time at SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech, Colby shared:
“What really helped me was how well-rounded the wildlife program is. Through the classes and all the hands-on work, we got exposed to so many different field techniques and methods. That gave me a strong foundation and helped me build a broad skill set that’s been huge for staying creative and adaptable—not just in the field but throughout my career so far.

Being part of the student chapter of The Wildlife Society was also a big part of my experience. It created such a strong sense of community that carried me through undergrad and grad school. I built a lot of meaningful connections and friendships that I still have to this day, and that support system has really helped me navigate times of uncertainty and change in my career.”

Currently, Colby is onboarding with the USDA for a research position in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he’ll continue advancing his work in the field.

04/30/2026

Students in the Wildlife Techniques class gained hands-on experience this semester using noninvasive sampling techniques 🐦‍⬛

Students deployed track plate boxes and hair snares to document local wildlife without direct disturbance. Track plate boxes use a sooted board and scent lure to capture tracks as animals pass through. After a two-week deployment period, students retrieved the equipment and reviewed the results 🦨

Species documented included eastern coyote, striped skunk, American crow, common raven, fisher, and a juvenile bald eagle 🦅

04/07/2026

Students in FWLD 330 visited the Oneida Fish Hatchery yesterday where they assisted in sorting and spawning walleye (Sander vitreus). Fish were separated into troughs by male, egg-bearing female, and hard female (those that were not producing eggs yet). After, the eggs and milt are squeezed from the fish into a bowl where they are mixed by hand to ensure fertilization. This mixture is poured into a tannic acid solution to decrease the adhesiveness of the eggs so that they do not stick together. After the mixture sits for three minutes, it is rinsed with water and the eggs are left to sit in an iodine solution. The iodine removes any bacteria or viruses that may harm the developing eggs. After an hour, the eggs are placed in jars that act as incubators until the young walleye hatch. In between the sorting and spawning processes, students were able to view some of the bycatch that was caught in the nets and brought in with the targeted walleye. Representatives from each species caught are temporarily put into troughs and tanks for public viewing.

02/19/2026

Students in Wildlife Techniques (FWLD125) developed wildlife track and sign identification skills during lab this week here at SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech . Each lab section gained experience identifying/measuring wildlife tracks, documenting other wildlife sign they encountered, and use of GPS units to locate these observations in the field. Species that were documented across the various lab sections ranged from: Eastern cottontail, mink, red squirrel, Eastern gray squirrel, Virgina opossum, racoon, white-tailed deer, mallard, red fox, Eastern coyote, and more.

02/14/2026

SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech was well represented at this year’s New York Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting.

Eighteen students attended the meeting, with 11 serving as presenters, contributing three oral presentations and nine research posters. The annual group photo brought together approximately 50 alumni, with additional graduates participating in the conference but unable to join the picture. Of the roughly 300 attendees, an estimated 15–20 percent were members of the Cobleskill community.

The week was highlighted by an outstanding achievement from Eoghan Donnely, who received the Best Student Oral Presentation Award. Presented by the New York Chapter, the honor recognizes the top presentation delivered by a high school, undergraduate, or graduate student at the annual meeting. Eoghan was selected from a group of 13 student presenters, most of whom were graduate students.

In the 30-40 years of faculty participation at the conference, this marks the first time a Cobleskill student has earned the award and may represent a program milestone.

Congratulations to all of our fisheries students and alumni who showcased their research at this year’s conference. 🐟

02/06/2026

🌱Soil and Water Conservation🌍(PSCI 221) lab students visited the campus Crops and Equipment Manager, Kane Seamon. He provided a great overview of SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech farm practices, as well as his experience with regenerative ag on his personal farm.

02/05/2026

Intro to 🌱Natural Resource Conservation 🌍 (FWLD 101) students bond with Madagascar hissing cockroaches in lab while learning about 🐞invertebrate identification🦋.

02/03/2026

🌧Rain , 🌞shine, or ❄snow - fieldwork is a "GO"!

Applied Hydrology course (PSCI 324) students place water loggers in 🌡frigid streams⛄ to track 🌡temperature changes📈 across the watershed throughout the 🌱spring semester🌷.

12/29/2025

12/11/2025

SUNY Cobleskill wetland delineation students investigate a kettlehole bog, fall 2025