Lab Members
Principal Investigators
Dr. Jared Homola
Lead PI
Jared is a conservation geneticist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University. His research bridges genetics and natural resource management. Jared is a proud member of the Partnership for Ecosystem Research and Management alongside the Fisheries Division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Dr. Sam Brunner
PI
My research focuses on the intersection between conservation genetics and parasite ecology, with a specific interest in the movement ecology of invasive species. I use genetic pedigree reconstruction and bioinformatic workflows to infer the reproductive success and dispersal patterns in invasive sea lamprey. The most rewarding aspect of my work is the ability to translate genomic insights to inform real-time management decisions through my partnerships with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and other partner agencies.
Lab Staff
Dr. Jeanette Kanefsky
Lab Manager
Zach Johnson
Research Scientist
Postdoctoral Researchers
Dr. Erin Collins
Graduate Students
Emily Tryc
Master's Student
Emily is a graduate student in the Fisheries and Wildlife and Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior programs at Michigan State University. Her work focuses on applying a close-kin mark-recapture framework to estimate Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) abundance in Lake Michigan. She is interested in applying genetic concepts to the conservation of freshwater species amidst ecosystem changes.
Erik Pawelski
Master's Student
Erik is a graduate student in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University. He is broadly interested in applying genetics and other tools to fisheries issues in the Great Lakes with a particular passion for informing the management of restored or recovering native species.
Erin Globensky
Master's Student
Erin Globensky is a Master's student at Michigan State University studying occupancy of Cisco in Michigan inland lakes. Her work integrates genetic techniques into fisheries management to answer ecological questions in new ways. Erin is a member of the MEER Lab and the Michigan USGS Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.
Tessa Tormoen
Master's Student
Tessa is a Masters student in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University with a specialization in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. She has previously worked for Isle Royale National Park, Trout Unlimited, and Keweenaw National Historical Park. Tessa's masters thesis research is focused on assessing the consequences of stocking hatchery-raised brook trout on the genetic composition of wild brook trout populations across MI's Upper Peninsula. She is passionate about coldwater fish conservation in the Great Lakes and in utilizing research to inform practical and tangible fisheries management.
Undergraduate Students
Miryah Feliu
Undergraduate Researcher
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Kate Wood
Undergraduate Researcher
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Jack Cross
Undergraduate Researcher
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Lab Alumni
Andy Thometz, MS, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Alicia Krause, MS, Auburn University
Erik Cristan, MS, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife​​
Braydon Sprink, undergraduate, UWSP Trout Lake Research Station
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