OSU Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences

06/03/2026

The nascent field of wildlife endocrinology is upending scientists’ understanding of pregnancies and stress

06/02/2026

Congratulations to Chloe Bostick, who has been named the Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Outstanding Senior for the 2025–26 academic year! 🎉

This recognition celebrates Chloe’s outstanding achievements as a student, leader, and member of the Oregon State University community. Throughout her time in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to service and leadership, including her involvement with the Fisheries and Wildlife Club and contributions to OSU.

We are proud to recognize Chloe for her accomplishments and the positive impact she has made on her peers, the department, and the broader university community.

Congratulations, Chloe! 🥳

06/02/2026

Congratulations to two outstanding students from Oregon State University’s Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences who have been recognized with the Munson Chairman Award for Leadership! 🎉

Jayshaun Talbert received the award for his leadership and service through the Fisheries and Wildlife Club and Bird Nerds, as well as his dedication to mentoring fellow undergraduate students. His commitment to building community and supporting his peers has made a lasting impact within the department.

Lara Mengak was recognized for her leadership in the Fisheries and Wildlife Undergraduate Mentorship Program (FWUMP) and the Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Student Association (FWGSA), along with her mentorship of undergraduate students. Through her involvement and support of others, Lara has helped strengthen connections across the department and foster student success.

The Munson Chairman Award for Leadership recognizes students who demonstrate exceptional leadership, service, and commitment to their communities. Congratulations, Jayshaun and Lara, on this well-deserved recognition!

06/01/2026

As Wildfire Awareness Month comes to a close, researchers in Oregon State University’s Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences continue studying how invasive grasses are changing fire behavior in sagebrush ecosystems.🔥

In this experiment, Lisa Ellsworth, associate professor of fire ecology, and Sydney Turner, a PhD student studying sagebrush fire ecology, use a mobile burn table to compare how fire spreads through native and invasive grass communities.

Invasive annual grasses burn faster and carry flames more continuously, while native grasses burn more slowly. Historically, open spaces between sagebrush plants acted as natural fire breaks, but invasive grasses now fill those gaps and allow fire to spread more easily across the landscape.

By measuring flame length, rate of spread, and residual heat, the team’s research helps improve understanding of wildfire behavior and ecosystem recovery across the West. Ellsworth is also involved with SageSTEP, a long-term regional experiment studying sagebrush steppe restoration and fuels treatments across the Great Basin.

Learn more about SageSTEP: sagestep.org/

05/27/2026

A new study led by Jeremy Rockweit who recently defended his PhD in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, shows that restoring fire-resilient forests in the Pacific Northwest does not have to come at the expense of northern spotted owl conservation. 🦉

Published in Forest Ecology & Management, the study identified “fire refugia” sheltered areas where spotted owl nesting and roosting habitat is more likely to persist through wildfire. By combining decades of spotted owl monitoring data with fire records across the eastern Cascades and Klamath regions, researchers created maps that could help land managers balance forest restoration with wildlife conservation.

The findings suggest that topographically diverse landscapes can support both healthier, more fire-resilient forests and critical habitat for this federally threatened species, even as wildfire activity increases across the West!🔥

👉 Read more: beav.es/fnA

05/21/2026

Commercial fishing remains one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, but along the Oregon Coast, researchers, fishermen and coastal communities are working together to improve safety at sea. ⚓️

Amanda Gladics, an Oregon Sea Grant Extension fisheries specialist and associate professor of practice in Oregon State University’s Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, has helped lead a collaborative initiative focused on commercial fishing safety, emergency preparedness and community support.

Between 2024 and 2026, the initiative reached eight ports and supported hundreds of fishermen through:

🦺 727 life jackets distributed
🚤 141 fishermen trained in first aid and emergency drills
🛟 206 immersion suits tested and 127 replaced
🎣 146 commercial fishing licenses provided to fishermen facing financial barriers

This work highlights the power of long-term partnerships between researchers, fishing families and coastal communities working together to save lives at sea.

🔗 Read more here: beav.es/fPb

📷️ Credit: Amanda Gladics

05/20/2026

There’s still time to apply for Oregon State’s Winter Term study abroad program in Chilean Patagonia, the application deadline has been extended through Friday the 22nd!

Study alongside Chilean students through immersive field courses, research, and internships while exploring forests, rivers, and local communities in one of the world’s most striking regions. Over 10 weeks, students earn 16 credits while examining conservation, natural resource use, and environmental challenges firsthand.

Whether you’re studying on campus or through Oregon State Ecampus, students can take part in hands-on international learning experiences while continuing progress toward their degree.

Learn more and apply here: beav.es/fwcs-chile

05/19/2026

Science Supporting Salmon Recovery!

With the removal of Klamath River dams, Upper Klamath Lake—Oregon’s largest lake by surface area—is poised to play a key role in the future of salmon and steelhead.

Dr. Jonny Armstrong’s lab in OSU Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences is launching a new project, funded by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), to identify the water-quality thresholds that determine how long salmonids remain in the lake and when declining conditions trigger movement to refuge habitats. This project focuses on Redband trout, a native salmonid that currently occupies the lake and experiences the same challenging water-quality conditions that reintroduced salmon and steelhead are expected to face, making them an ideal proxy for understanding how these species may use the lake.

The work leverages a lake-wide array of ~90 acoustic receivers maintained by USGS to monitor endangered sucker species, providing a unique opportunity to track redband trout behavior as water-quality conditions deteriorate into summer. In April, the research team tagged 50 trout over an 8-day period, working closely with project partners at ODFW, the Klamath Tribes Ambodat Department, and USGS. Volunteer anglers, ranging in age from 4 to 90 years old, helped with hook-and-line sampling.

By identifying key thresholds, this work will help managers better understand how water-quality improvements could affect salmon and trout and anticipate how future runs of reintroduced salmon and steelhead may use the lake.

05/19/2026

05/14/2026

Huge congratulations to our F&W Club for sweeping all three 2026 CAS Student Club Awards! 🎉🐟🦌

🏆 Fisheries & Wildlife Club — Club of the Year
🏆 Chloe Bostick — Club Leader of the Year
🏆 Shalynn Pack — Club Advisor of the Year

This is an incredible achievement for the club. The last time they won Club of the Year was 10 years ago, and this is the first time they’ve earned all three awards! Their 12-person leadership team hosts 30+ events each year and continues to build strong student engagement within Oregon TWS & AFS chapters.

We’ll celebrate the team at the CAS Celebrating Excellence event on May 18 from 4–6 PM in the MU Horizon Room. All CAS faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend! 🎊